Study 9P41   Main

Ruff-Sluff Endplay

by Richard Pavlicek

A ruff-sluff endplay is similar to a throw-in at notrump, except opponents have the additional option to lead your double-void suit, yielding a ruff in one hand and a sluff in the other. Generally, a ruff-sluff endplay is safer than a throw-in, because the trump suit provides a security net when it fails. About the Techniques

1. Forced ruff-sluff endplay

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

2. Elimination, forced ruff-sluff endplay

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

Any endplay may require elimination play before.

3. Fork ruff-sluff endplay

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

4. Double fork ruff-sluff endplay

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

Whoever wins is endplayed.

5. Twin-entry fork ruff-sluff endplay

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

6. Finesse fork ruff-sluff endplay

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

Play is 100 percent. In bi case lead low to 8.

7. Fork or forced ruff-sluff endplay

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

Succeeds any time K-Q-J are not in same hand.

8. Ruff refusal ruff-sluff endplay

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

9. Sluff-sluff crossruff preparation

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

10. Transfer ruff-sluff endplay

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

11. Ruff-ruff anti one-suit squeeze

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

Study 9P41   Main

Top   Ruff-Sluff Endplay

Anti ruff-sluff endplay

12. Fork attack anti endplay

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

13. Duck anti endplay

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

Auto case trivial with K-J over queen.

14. Ruff-sluff anti pseudo endplay

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

15. Ruff-sluff anti establishment

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

16. Pre-ruff fork relief anti endplay

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

17. Gambit duck anti double sluff endplay

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

Study 9P41   Main

Top   Ruff-Sluff Endplay

© 2014 Richard Pavlicek