When you are trying to win the trick, play high third in hand; but
if your cards, or your cards combined with those in the dummy are in
sequence, play the lowest card of the sequence.
Do not finesse against your partner; help his hand at the sacrifice
of your high card. If, however, you hold ace, jack, small,--with
king or queen in dummy,--the play of the jack is permissible; your
partner’s lead practically shows one of these honours.
When you hold the ace and your partner leads a jack through a guarded
king or queen in dummy, it is often good play to pass the first
trick. By playing the ace you will probably establish two high cards
for the dealer.
If your partner’s lead clearly indicates a short suit, with the ace
marked in the dealer’s hand, do not sacrifice a king. Allow the
dealer to win the trick cheaply, if necessary, but keep your king
guarded. By playing a low card you may deceive an unwary dealer, and
at any rate you will put the dealer to some trouble to catch your
king.
At “no-trump,” provided the dummy holds an honour, you should finesse
deeply in your partner’s suit. The application of the Eleven Rule
will materially help you in finessing. When there is a guarded queen
in the dummy and you hold the king, ten, small, or ace, ten, small,
to finesse is sound play. If dummy holds a twice guarded king and you
hold the ace, jack, small, it often pays not to take the finesse, for
should you abandon the suit to wait until your partner can again lead
through the king, you may take out the only re-entry card in his hand.
Unless your partner holds two re-entries, you gain nothing by the
finesse.