An intra-finesse is a rare finesse that may be employed when missing 3 honor cards. It's similar to the
triple finesse in this regard. Unlike the
triple finesse, however, declarer does not finesse a particular defender twice. Rather, declarer finesses each defender one at a time.
For instance:
| | Dummy | | |
| A863 | |
West | | East |
KT5 | | J2 |
| South | |
| Q974 | |
A common approach for South to score three tricks is to play the ace and lead low toward the queen. This doesn't work on the given layout. An intra-finesse, however, does. South can lead a low spade from dummy and stick in the
9. West wins the
T and returns another suit. Upon regaining the lead, South can lead the
Q to finesse West for the king. East's jack is smothered in the process.
Another intra-finesse opportunity:
| | Dummy | | |
| A82 | |
West | | East |
KQ6 | | T7 |
| South | |
| J9543 | |
Lead low to the
9, then run the jack. Again, note the smothering aspect of the second finesse.
Example
| | Dummy | | |
| A75 | |
| A65 | |
| QT87 | |
| K76 | |
| | |
| South | |
| QJ | |
| J982 | |
| KJ94 | |
| A85 | |
|
West
2 2
|
North
3NT
|
East
Pass
All Pass
|
South
1NT1
|
South arrives in 3NT and West leads the
Q.
South ducks this, wins the continuation in dummy, and leads the
K and another diamond. West discards a low spade on the second round as East takes the
A. At trick 5, East exits with a diamond to South's jack while West discards a club.
South now attempts the spade finesse by leading the
Q, but
East produces the
K. The situation is now:
| | Dummy | | |
| A7 | |
| A65 | |
| Q | |
| 7 | |
|
| |
| South | |
| J | |
| J982 | |
| 9 | |
| A | |
South needs two heart tricks to make 3NT. When East elects to return a diamond, South wins perforce in dummy and leads a low heart to the 8. West wins the
Q and exits with a club. South wins in hand, cashes the
J, and leads the
J... king, ace, ten. The
9 becomes the 9th trick.
The full deal:
| | Dummy | | |
| A75 | |
| A65 | |
West | QT87 | East |
942 | K76 | KT863 |
KQ73 | | T4 |
5 | South | A632 |
QJT93 | QJ | 42 |
| J982 | |
| KJ94 | |
| A85 | |