Editing Finesse (section)

===Backward finesse===
In the backward finesse, the player attempts to force out a higher card in a suit by means of a high-leading finesse, and then finesses against a lower card in the suit.
{{BridgeSuitRight
|{{spades}}&nbsp;A&nbsp;6&nbsp;4
|{{spades}}&nbsp;Q&nbsp;8&nbsp;2
|{{spades}}&nbsp;10&nbsp;7&nbsp;5&nbsp;3
|{{spades}}&nbsp;K&nbsp;J&nbsp;&nbsp;9}}

In the example on the right, the standard play would be to finesse East for the queen, either before or after cashing dummy's ace. Instead, in the backward finesse South, begins by leading the jack from hand and passes it if West plays low thereby scoring all three tricks in the suit. But if West covers the jack with the queen, South takes the trick with the ace and then leads the 4 from dummy and finesses East for the 10, again winning all three tricks.

There are three reasons that South might choose to play this way, rather than taking the normal course of finessing East for the queen:
*South might expect West to hold the queen because of the bidding or some similar clue.
*South might want to make an [[avoidance play]], so as to keep West off lead.
*South might be [[shooting (bridge)|shooting]], hoping to score well by adopting a line of play that other declarers will not take.