Bidding Guide 2Z53 Main

A Ruff and a Sluff

by Richard Pavlicek

You are playing a contract of 6 and the opponents are kind enough to lead a club to give you a ruff and sluff. How do you make your slam contract? Careful, it’s tricky!

South deals 5 4 3 2 West North East South
None vul K Q J 10 9 1
J 10 9 8 3 4 5 6
— Pass Pass Pass
6 Table 7
3 2 A 8 7
K 7 6 5 Q 2
K Q J 10 9 8 A 7 6 5 4 3 2
A K Q J 10 9 8
6 5 4
Lead: K A 4 3
6 South —

Assume you ruff the first trick in dummy and discard a diamond. After drawing trumps you will lead hearts, but East will hold up his ace until the third round; then you will have no entry to dummy and must lose a diamond trick.

What about discarding a heart from your hand at trick one? Or maybe you should ruff in your hand and discard from dummy? Try to figure it out yourself before reading further.

The solution is to ruff the club lead in both hands. After drawing trumps, lead hearts twice as East must duck. Next lead the J (East cannot gain by covering) and lose the trick to West who has no more hearts. Later you will discard your last heart on the fourth diamond. Touche!

Bidding Guide 2Z53 Main Top A Ruff and a Sluff

South deals	5 4 3 2		`West`	`North`	`East`	`South`
None vul	K Q J 10 9					1
	J 10 9 8		3	4	5	6
	—		Pass	Pass	Pass
6		7
3 2		A 8 7
K 7 6 5		Q 2
K Q J 10 9 8		A 7 6 5 4 3 2
	A K Q J 10 9 8
	6 5 4
Lead: K	A 4 3
6 South	—