Study 9N41 Main

Ruff

by Richard Pavlicek

A ruff is simply the play of a trump when unable to follow to the suit led, which might be considered the name of the game at suit contracts. This category also includes elopement and trump promotion (overruff or uppercut) since a ruff is always involved. (Trump coups and endplays are covered separately.)

1.  Plain ruff

win 1	2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto	3		1. S	2!	K	2	A
	—
	—
—		A
A K		—
—		A
—		—
	—
	2
	2
South leads	—

2.  Overruff

win 2	Q		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto	—		1. S	2	10	Q
	2
	—
J 10		K
—		A
—		—
—		—
	A
	2
	—
South leads	—

3.  Establishment ruff

win 3	2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto	—		1. S	J!	A	2	K
	3 2
	—
—		—
A		K
K Q		J 10
—		—
	—
	Q J
	A
South leads	—

4.  High ruff

win 2	J 9		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	—		1. S	2	A	J!
	2
	—
A 6		10 8 7
A		—
—		—
—		—
	K Q
	2
	—
South leads	—

5.  Discard ruff

win 3	Q		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto	—		1. S	A!	2	2!	3
	2		2. S	3	K	Q
	2
—		K
2		3
K		A
A		—
	A
	A
	3
South leads	—

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6.  Transfer ruff

win 2	Q		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi?	—		1. S	K!	A	2!	J
	2
	2
—		K
A		—
K Q		A J
—		—
	A
	K
	3
South leads	—

7.  Crossruff

win 2	2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	2		1. S	2!	K	2	K
	—
	—
—		—
A K		—
—		A K
—		—
	3
	—
	2
South leads	—

8.  High crossruff

win 2	K		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	2		1. S	2	J	K
	—
	—
Q J		10 9
—		—
—		—
—		—
	A
	—
	2
South leads	—

9.  Overruff crossruff

win 4	K 10		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
bi	—		1. S	A!	7	10	J
	3 2		2. N	2	9	J	4
	—
Q 8 7		9
—		K Q J
4		—
—		—
	A J
	A 2
	—
South leads	—

10.  High ruff finesse

win 4	A 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto?	—		1. S	2	A	A!	4
	3 2		2. N	2	9	J
	—
—		Q 9
A		—
7 6 5		A 4
—		—
	K J
	K 2
	—
South leads	—

Auto case becomes high crossruff instead.

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11.  Elopement

win 1	K		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	—		1. S	2!	A	K
	3
	—
A		—
—		A K
A		—
—		—
	—
	2
	2
South leads	—

12.  Establishment or plain ruff

win 2	—		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	K		1. S	2!
	A 4
	—
A		—
A		—
—		K Q J
3		—
	2
	—
	3 2
South leads	—

13.  Elopement finesse

win 2	A J		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	—		1. S	2!	Q	2!
	2
	—
K Q 10		—
—		A K
—		A
—		—
	—
	2
	4 3
South leads	—

14.  Crossruff or establishment

win 2	2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
bi	K Q		1. S	2	2	2	K
	—		2. N	Q	2	3
	—
A		—
A		2
2		—
—		A K
	3
	—
	—
South leads	3 2

15.  Crossruff elopement

win 3	K 3		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	3		1. S	2!	K	3	A
	K		2. N	K	2	2	A
	—		3. S	3!
A		Q
A K		4
A		2
—		A
	2
	2
	—
South leads	3 2

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16.  Trump control recovery or elopement

win 2	K		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
bi	A		1. S	A!	2	A!	Q
	3		2. S	2!
	—
A Q		—
—		K Q
2		A
—		—
	2
	2
	—
South leads	A

17.  Establishment control or plain ruff

win 2	—		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	5 4		1. S	K!	A	4	2
	4 3
	—
K Q		J
A		3 2
A		2
—		—
	A 2
	K Q
	—
South leads	—

18.  Establishment control or repeat elopement

win 3	K 4		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	—		1. S	2!	3	4	A
	2		2. N	2!	A	2	3
	2		3. S	K!
A Q		J
—		A
3		A
3		A
	3 2
	K 2
	—
South leads	—

19.  High ruff elopement or trump control

win 4	A 3		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi?	—		1. S	2	A	A!	Q
	3 2		2. N	A!	10	3	Q
	A 2		3. E	A	2	4	2
—		Q J 10	4. S	K!	5	3
A		—
6 5 4		A K Q
K Q		—
	K 2
	K 4 3 2
	—
South leads	—

Auto case allows simpler crossruff alternative.

20.  Uppercut

win 1	K		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	—		1. S	A	2	K!	A
	2
	—
—		A J
2		—
A		—
—		—
	Q
	A
	—
South leads	—

Auto case is overruff trump promotion.

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21.  Trump separation ruff

win 2	A		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	—		1. S	A	2	A!
	2
	—
—		Q J
2		—
A		—
—		—
	K
	A
	—
South leads	—

22.  Secondary uppercut

win 1	9 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	—		1. S	A	2	9!	J
	2
	—
A 8		Q J 7
2		—
—		—
—		—
	K 10
	A
	—
South leads	—

Auto case trivial with K a natural trick.

23.  Intra uppercut

win 1	K 7 4		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto	—		1. S	A!	2	7!	10
	4 3
	—
Q 5		A J 10 6
2		—
A 6		5
—		—
	9 3 2
	A
	2
South leads	—

Auto case trivial with K a natural trick.

24.  High crossruff uppercut

win 3	K J		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	—		1. S	2	K	K!	K
	3 2		2. N	2	A	A!	A
	—		3. S	3	7	J
8 7		Q 9
A K		—
—		A K
—		—
	A 10
	3 2
	—
South leads	—

Auto case wins 4 tricks with safe crossruff.

25.  Overruff crossruff uppercut

win 4	K 9 7		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
bi	3 2		1. S	2	J	K	5
	—		2. N	2	6	A!	5
	—		3. S	3	6	7	2
Q J 8 6 5		4 3 2	4. N	3	3	10
—		—
—		6 5
—		—
	A 10
	—
	4 3 2
South leads	—

Alternative is to pitch from North at Trick 1.

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26.  Uppercut or trump control recovery

win 2	K J		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	2		1. W	2	K!	K	Q
	—		2. N	A!	9	10	A
	A
A		Q 9
—		A K
4 3 2		—
—		—
	10
	—
	A K Q
West leads	—

Auto/bi cases trivial.

27.  Uppercut control or elopement

win 2	K 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto	—		1. S	A	2	K!
	—
	2
—		A J
3 2		—
—		A
A		—
	Q
	A K
	—
South leads	—

28.  Overruff trump promotion

win 1	K		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	—		1. S	A!	Q	K
	2
	—
A Q		4 3
—		—
—		—
—		—
	2
	A
	—
South leads	—

29.  Discard trump promotion

win 2	A J		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	—		1. S	A!	K	2!
	2
	—
K Q 10		9 8
—		2
—		—
—		—
	3 2
	A
	—
South leads	—

30.  Overruff or discard trump promotion

win 1	K 10		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto	—		1. S	A!	9	10	A
	2
	—
Q J 9		A 8 4
—		—
—		—
—		—
	3 2
	A
	—
South leads	—

Auto case trivial with K a natural trick.

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31.  Repeat discard trump promotion

win 3	K 8 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	—		1. S	A	Q	3!	2
	4 3		2. W	J	2	4	A
	—		3. S	K	10	4!
Q J 10 9 7		6 5 4
—		3 2
—		—
—		—
	A 3
	A K
	2
South leads	—

32.  Uppercut overruff promotion

win 2	A 9 4		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	—		1. S	K	2	9!	10
	3 2		2. E	K	2	3	A
	—		3. N	2!
—		K Q J 10 7
4 3 2		—
5 4		—
—		—
	8 3 2
	A K
	—
South leads	—

Same if West leads, but not East in auto case.

33.  Trump separation overruff promotion

win 3	A		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
bi	—		1. S	K	2	A!	8
	4 3 2		2. N	2	Q	A!
	—
—		Q J 9 8
3 2		—
6 5		—
—		—
	K 10
	A K
	—
South leads	—

Same would occur if West were on lead.

34.  Underruff trump promotion

win 1	K 7 6		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto	—		1. S	A!	Q	6!	8
	—
	—
Q J 5		A 9 8
—		—
—		—
—		—
	10 2
	A
	—
South leads	—

Auto case trivial with K a natural trick.

35.  Underruff elopement

win 3	Q J		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	A K		1. W	K	J	2	6!
	—		2. N	K	3	A	9
	—		3. S	2
K 10 9		8
—		3 2
K		—
—		A
	A 7 6
	—
	—
West leads	2

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36.  Trump control or crossruff duck

win 4	Q J 10		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto	—		1. W	K	10	4	7!
	3 2
	—
K 9 6		5 4
—		—
—		A K
A K		2
	A 8 7
	A K
	—
West leads	—

In auto case duck is not necessary but OK.

37.  Trump control overruff

win 3	K		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	—		1. S	A!	J	K	2
	4 3 2		2. N	2	5	2	K
	—		3. S	K
A J		—
—		3 2
A K		6 5
—		—
	Q 2
	A K
	—
South leads	—

38.  Trump control double overruff

win 3	K		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	—		1. S	A!	9	K	2
	A K 2		2. N	A!	10	Q	3
	—		3. S	2!
A 9		J 10
—		3 2
4 3		—
—		—
	Q 2
	A K
	—
South leads	—

39.  Trump control force or elopement

win 3	10 3		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto	—		1. S	A!	J	2	2
	4 3 2		2. W	K	3	8	A
	—		3. S	K	Q	3	3
K Q J		9 8
—		3 2
A K		5
—		—
	A 2
	A K Q
	—
South leads	—

40.  Overtake ruff trump promotion

win 4	J 10		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
bi	—		1. W	2	10	6	K!
	4 3 2		2. S	2	A	J	4
	—		3. N	2	Q	3!
5 4 3 2		Q 9 7 6
A		4
—		—
—		—
	A K 8
	3 2
	—
West leads	—

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41.  Elopement or trump control

win 3	A 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto?	—		1. S	Q!	K	A	9
	2		2. N	2!	A	10	K
	A		3. S	3
K 8		J 9
A K		2
—		A
—		—
	Q 10
	4 3
	—
South leads	—

Assumes K location known.

42.  Crossruff or trump control establishment

win 5	A Q 3		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	—		1. S	2!	8	Q	K
	3 2		2. N	2	4	2	K
	—		3. S	3	9	A	A
10 9 8		J	4. N	3!
—		A K
A K		5 4
—		—
	K 2
	Q 3 2
	—
South leads	—

43.  Ruff management tempo duck

win 5	3 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	4 3 2		1. S	5!	8	2	9
	3 2		2. E	7	A	J	3
	—		3. S	A!	J	2	Q
J		K Q	4. S	K
J 8		Q 10 9 7
A Q J 10		K
—		—
	A 10 9
	A K 6 5
	—
South leads	—

44.  Evasive cash order for telescoping ruff

win 5	2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
bi	Q 3 2		1. S	A!	6	2	10
	3 2		2. S	4	7	Q	J
	—		3. N	3!	Q	K	8
J		K Q	4. S	5	9	2	Q
9 8 7 6		J 10
A		K Q
—		—
	A 10
	A K 5 4
	—
South leads	—

45.  Ensured ruff or establishment

win 4	A Q J 10		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto	J 4 3		1. S	2!	8	J	K
	—		2. E	6	2	4	10
	—		3. N	3	7	Q	A
5 4		K 8 7 6	4. W	5	A!
A 10 8		K 9 7
A K		—
—		—
	9 3 2
	Q 2
	3 2
South leads	—

Note that leading Q fails.

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46.  Ruff-enabled whipsaw establishment

win 6	—		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	Q 3 2		1. S	4!	9	Q	7
	A		2. N	A	3	K!	2
	K 3 2		3. N	2	7	A	4
—		—	4. S	5	J	K	8
A J 10 9		8 7	5. N	3
2		3
J 4		Q 9 8 7
	A
	K 4
	—
South leads	A 10 6 5

47.  Entry jettison ruffout

win 4	A		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	—		1. S	A	Q	A!	8
	A 3		2. S	J	K	A	9
	3 2		3. N	3
—		—
K Q		9 8
4		K J 10
A K		—
	—
	A J 10
	Q 2
South leads	—

48.  Jettison-threat ruff-protected establishment

win 5	K		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	K Q J 10		1. S	8!	4	10	A
	—		2. E	K	2	4	K
	A		3. N	A	3	2!	2
Q		—	4. S	A
5 4		A 7 6
5 4		A K
2		3
	A 2
	9 8
	3 2
South leads	—

If East holds up A, he loses it.

Anti ruff

49.  Delayed ruff anti trump promotion

win 3	K Q J 9		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	3		1. W	K	3!
	—
	—
5 4		A 10
A		6 5 4
A K		—
—		—
	3 2
	2
	3 2
West leads	—

50.  Trump sacrifice anti elopement

win 2	2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
bi	J 10 9		1. S	K!	10	2	A
	A K
	—
Q J 10		A 8 7
—		4 3 2
5 4 3		—
—		—
	K 9
	A K Q
	2
South leads	—

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51.  Hop anti high crossruff

win 2	A 3 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
bi	—		1. W	6	A!	10	Q
	A K 3		2. N	2!	J	10	7
	—
9 8 7 6		K J 10
—		A 3 2
5 4		—
—		—
	Q
	K Q J 10
	2
West leads	—

52.  Overruff anti trump promotion

win 3	—		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
bi	A 3		1. S	2!	8	A	4
	3 2		2. N	3!	J	Q	9
	—		3. S	9
10 2		A J
9 8		4
—		A
—		—
	K Q 9
	2
	—
South leads	—

53.  Elopement anti trump promotion

win 4	J 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto	2		1. S	A!	4	2!	2
	3 2		2. N	2!
	—
10 9 6		A 7
A		—
—		A
4		3 2
	K Q 8 5
	—
	—
South leads	A

Elopement not needed in auto case, but it works.

54.  Ruff refusal anti crossruff

win 3	A 2		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	—		1. W	2	5!	A	10
	A K 6 5		2. E	9	Q	3	6
	—		3. S	3!	J	A	9
Q J		K 10 9	4. N	2
3 2		A J 9
4 3		—
—		—
	4 3
	K Q 10
	2
West leads	—

Auto/bi cases trivial.

55.  High ruff refusal anti crossruff

win 2	A		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	—		1. W	A	K!	4	2
	A K		2. W	K	A!	5	2
	—
Q		K
A K		5 4
—		—
—		—
	2
	2
	2
West leads	—

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56.  Option kill anti trump control or elopement

win 3	J 10		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	3		1. S	4!	J	K!	A
	K 10
	A K
A 4 3		2
K Q		2
Q J		A 2
—		4 3 2
	K Q
	A
	4 3
South leads	Q J

Auto case wins 4 tricks with K behind ace.

57.  Trump sacrifice anti elopement

win 2	K 8		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
bi?	A K		1. W	Q	8!
	—
	—
Q 9		A 2
4 3		—
—		3 2
—		—
	J 10
	2
	A
West leads	—

58.  Communication break anti ruff

win 4	8 7 6 5		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	3 2		1. S	2!	A	3	4
	3		2. W	8	2	4	A
	—		3. S	Q
3 2		A K 4
8 7 6 5		4
A		K 5 4
—		—
	Q J 10 9
	A K
	2
South leads	—

59.  Elimination anti ruff benefit

win 5	K Q J		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto	2		1. S	2!	4	J	3
	—		2. N	K	A	8	2
	4 3 2		3. E	3	A	3	2
3 2		A
—		4 3
A 5 4		3
K 5		8 7 6
	10 9 8
	A
	2
South leads	A Q

Auto case trivial with A-Q over king.

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© 2014 Richard Pavlicek