Hi all! Been away.

The author does a good job of describing what a "finesse" is. With
as many as two trump including the L still outstanding after partner
leads the Ace of trump and RHO follows low, the finesse is clearly
the percentage play. Neither possible play risks being euchred, so
why not go with the odds?

Unfortunately, the author hasn't the foggiest idea what an "end play"
is. He states that the dealer "gives herself an end play by ducking".
When LHO wins the L, declarer is down to the two top trump and the
Ace of hearts. How in the world could that be considered an "end
play"? It's as far away from an "end play" as you can possibly get.
Pure nonsense.

Besides the major terminology error, the author made a subtle
analytical error as well. He states that after the finesse wins with
LHO following low, partner will lead the Ace of clubs and declarer
will throw the Ace of hearts, and then pick up RHO's stiff L on one
of the last two tricks. But suppose LHO had mistakenly failed to win
with the L (perhaps expecting dealer to have played the R - It
happens). Instead declarer should trump partner's Ace of clubs
with the king and draw the last trump immediately. This gains when
LHO would have to follow to the first club, but could overtrump
partner's next lead. As this play can never lose, it is always the
right play.

Unnecessarily giving the opponents an extra chance to win a trick is
always an error.

Tom