Study 9P65   Main

Trump Coup & Endplay

by Richard Pavlicek

A trump coup operates like a trump finesse, except a plain suit is led, and the finesse is achieved by an overruff. A trump endplay simply forces an opponent to lead the trump suit for you. The two techniques are closely related, as both attempt to gain a trick in the trump suit itself. Also included here is the smother play and its variations. About the Techniques

1. Trump reduction and endplay

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

Most trump endings require reduction prior.

2. Forced ruff trump endplay

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

3. High ruff endplay or control retention

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

4. Underruff trump endplay

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

5. Basic trump coup

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

6. Trump reduction and coup

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

7. Surplus winner trump coup

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

8. Underruff trump coup

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

9. Underruff overruff trump coup

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

10. Repeat underruff trump coup

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

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11. Repeat trump coup

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

12. Crossruff repeat trump coup

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

13. Squeeze trump coup

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

If West pitches a club, North pitches heart.

14. Smother endplay

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

15. Trump coup and smother

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

16. Smother trump coup or crossruff

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

17. Loser-on-loser smother

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

Auto case produces trump endplay instead.

18. Overruff crossruff finesse

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

19. Extended overruff crossruff finesse

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

20. Transfer smother or elopement

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

If Q wins, cross to A, ruff club and lead 2.

Study 9P65   Main

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21. High ruff and smother

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

Auto case trivial with plain diamond ruff.

22. Elopement trump endplay

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

If either ruffs, discard and pick up trumps.

23. Extended trump endplay

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

Curiously fails in auto case with trumps onside.

24. Forced ruff repeat trump endplay

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

25. Underruff reduction trump endplay

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

Auto/bi cases trivial (no J uppercut).

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Anti trump coup and endplay

26. Underruff anti trump endplay

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

27. Underruff anti crossruff endplay

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

28. Ruff refusal anti trump coup

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

Auto/bi cases trivial.

29. Ruff delay anti trump coup

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

Auto/bi cases trivial.

30. Reduction non-assist anti trump coup

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

31. Reduction non-assist anti trump endplay

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

32. Unblock anti smother

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

33. Winner ruff anti smother

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

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© 2014 Richard Pavlicek