In an on-line IMP game, you and your partner are dealt the hand above. After his Two Club rebid, with several game contracts possible, you kept options open by using the 4th Suit Forcing convention, showing nothing specific about hearts, which your partnership plays as forcing to game.and showing nothing specific about hearts.

When partner answered by rebidding clubs, you knew that he lacked 3-card Spade support, since showing it would have been his highest priority. With a double stopper in the "unbid" suit, hearts, You bid the game in notrump.

After the heart lead you had work to do, with only 8 top tricks. What is your plan for developing a ninth? Either a direct club finesse or indirect diamond finesse could provide a 9th trick, and if both finesses worked, you might well score an overtrick by taking both. But your focus, of course, is on obtaining that 9th trick. Timing is obviously crucial, since the heart situation means that you cannot afford to lose the lead more than once.

So - does it make a difference on which minor suit finesse you should try first?  Take a moment to answer before reading on and clicking above to reveal the East-West cards.

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The problem is more complex at matchpoint play, but even then the prudent line begins by taking the diamond finesse, leading up to the King. Diamonds is the suit in which you have a sure loser, and playing diamonds first, at worst, might result in the opponents cashing up to 3 "quick" diamond tricks. But the club finesse for your ninth trick would remain available when you regain the lead.

If you start instead with the club finesse and it wins, it is true you will have have nine tricks, and can then safely try for 10 by crossing to hand in spades and leading a diamond toward dummy's king.

But if you start with a club finesse, and it fails, the opponents certainly will continue hearts, leaving you with at least 3 heart losers, a club and at least one diamond trick, regardless of whom has the diamond ace.

So in situations such as this one, to maximize your contract's chances:

If one of two finesses can produce the extra trick you need, the best play is to first try the suit where losing at least one trick appears certain. Hold the "A-Q" finesse in reserve!

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