Deschappelles Coup

The deliberate discarding or wasting of a high card in order to create an entry in partners hand:

                    652

                    A642

                    KJ5

                    864

KQJT3                      84

J8                              QT753

643                            QT972

J32                            K

                   A97

                   K9

                   A8

                   AQT975

South plays in 3NT on the King lead.  South ducks and West continues with the Queen, South ducking again.  West now plays the 3, showing a possible entry in clubs, and East pitches the King!! ,  creating an entry for the Jack.

Note that South could have made by winning the 2nd round of spades,  preventing the Deschappelles Coup.  He enters dummy and leads a low club, ducking when the King appears.  If East has another spade, the suit is 4-3 and the contract is assured.

Compiled by Lorne Russell 2005