Grand Coup

A Trump Coup in which declarer must ruff some winning tricks in order to shorten his trumps to the required length:

                    AJ2

                    K2

                    QJT542

                    54

KT87                       9654

6                              Q987

3                              987

JT98762                 A3

                   Q3

                   AJT543

                   AK6

                   KQ

West leads the Jack against South's contract of 6, East winning and returning the 3.  A heart to the King and a heart finesse reveals the bad break.  As the only chance South now cashes the  King Ace and 6 to dummy then ruffs the good Queen. Now a spade to the Jack wins, another good diamond ruffed.  A spade to the Ace puts declarer in dummy with the AJ over the Q9 - making 6!!!

Did you see how the defense could beat it?  When declarer leads a low spade, West must play the King, denying South the extra entry to dummy he needs to operate the trump coup.

Compiled by Lorne Russell 2005