SUGGESTIONS FOR THIRD HAND PLAY
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.