D23 END PLAYS

1. INTRODUCTION

On some hands, you can conjure up tricks by losing the lead to the defence when they have no safe return. You may be able to force them to lead into your tenaces (e.g. A Q or K J) so avoiding a losing finesse. Alternatively, you may force them to give you a 'ruff and discard' (defined below) which usually provides an extra trick for declarer. Or they might just make a mistake!

2. THE RUFF AND DISCARD

When a defender leads a suit and you have none left in either hand, and there are trumps left in both declarer's and dummy's hands, you can ruff the trick in one hand and discard a loser from the other. Such a lead is normally a cardinal sin in defensive play but sometimes declarer can force such a lead.

The principle is illustrated in this 6 card ending, Spades are trumps, they have been drawn and the defenders have the lead.

North Dummy
ª J 10 9
© A K 5
¨ None
§ None
South Declarer
ª Q 4 3
© 4 3 2
¨ None
§ None

On this combination, you have a certain heart loser. However, if the defence leads a club or a diamond, you will ruff in one hand and discard the heart loser from the other hand and suddenly you have gained a trick. The heart loser has disappeared!

Now let's look at a complete hand. You are South playing 4ª and West cashes ¨ A K and tries a third diamond to East's ¨Q. You ruff this trick.

North Dummy
ª
K Q J 10
© 6 5 4
¨ J 5 4
§ K J 3
South Declarer
ª A 9 7 6 2
© A K 3
¨ 7 6
§ A 10 4

You have already lost 2 diamonds and you have a certain heart loser and it looks as if the hand will depend on finding the §Q, you can finesse either way by leading to the 10 or the Jack. But look at the effect of drawing the trumps (they were 3/1) and playing © A K and 'throwing them in' with a third heart. The diamonds and hearts have been 'eliminated', so if the defence lead one of these suits you will discard a club loser from one hand and ruff in the other and the club loser has disappeared! Alternatively, if they lead a club, they are taking the finesse for you so you don't now care who has the §Q. Suddenly the contract is 100% safe. Magic!