Cross Ruff

When the declarer (or the defenders for that matter) make their trumps separately, by ruffing in both hands:

                                                W     N      E     S

                 AQ965                        1      P     2

                 K9                        P     2      P     3

                 QJT                     P     3NT   P     4NT

                 K72                     P      5     X      XX

J7432                    KT             (all pass)

QJ85                     74

----                         985432

963                        JT4

                 8

                 AT632

                 AK76

                 AQ5

East's double is ill-advised.  South wins the spade lead and cashes the King and Ace.  When 3 rounds of clubs live South proceeds to Cross Ruff the rest of the tricks by ruffing hearts in the dummy and spades in his hand - making 7!  If east passes 5, N/S will likely end in 6NT down 1 or 2.  (South can actually make 6NT double dummy, but is unlikely to at the table - want to know how to make 6NT?)

Note that it is important for declarer to cash all his side winners before proceeding with the cross ruff.  If on the example hand South had tried to ruff a heart before playing the clubs, east would discard a club, and hold the contract to making 5 or 6 only.

Compiled by Lorne Russell 2005