Home     ThisWeeksHands     PlayArchives    BiddingArchives    Conventions 

Cross Ruffing

 

When embarking upon a cross-ruff Declarer's goal is to score his trumps separately by ruffing back and forth without drawing trumps.  Side-suit tricks are usually cashed early in the play.  The defensive counter to an impending cross-ruff is to lead trumps at every opportunity.

 

Related Play Problems        Play Problem 25

                                             Play Problem 34

                                             Play Problem 73

                                             Play Problem 157

 

 

 16

♠ A876

AT54

2

♣ KJT4




10th October, 2007

♠ Q932

962

AT6

♣ Q76

          North

West             East

          South

♠ JT54

KQJ3

KJ8

♣ 95

 

Dlr     West
Vul     E-W 


 
 
 
 
© BES, Inc
 All Rights Reserved

♠ K

87

Q97543

♣ A832

West    North   East     South

Pass    1♣       Dbl      1

1♠        Pass    Pass    3♣

Pass    Pass    Pass

 

Against 3♣, East will surely lead the K after which Declarer can scamper to 10 tricks via a cross-ruff:

            K lead won by Declarer’s Ace

            Concede a Diamond

            Q is cashed

            Trump shift, won by Declarer

            A♠ is cashed

Now, Declarer can merrily cross-ruff, scoring 3 side-suit tricks, a natural trump trick, and 6 ruffs.

 

 23

♠ 6543

KJ8754

3

♣ A6

 

 

 

From 2nd January, 2008

♠ 872

QT96

T642

♣ 82

         Dummy

West             East

          South

♠ K

A32

KQ85

♣ KQJ93

 

Dlr     South
Vul     Both 


 
 
 
 
© BES, Inc
 All Rights Reserved

♠ AQJT9

AJ97

♣ T754

South   West    North   East 

1♠        Pass    3♠        Pass

4♠        Pass    Pass    Pass

 

Against 4♠, let’s say that West starts out with a trump.  11 tricks will now follow with a cross-ruff:

            Declarer wins the A♠

            A and a Diamond ruff

            Heart ruff

            Diamond ruff

            Heart ruff, and so on

Declarer scores 5 trumps in her hand, three Diamond ruffs on the board, A♣, A, and the K is a surprise 11th trick when the A comes down in 3 rounds and when East cannot ruff the established K.

 

 

© BES, Inc

All Rights Reserved

Home     ThisWeeksHands     PlayArchives    BiddingArchives    Conventions