Archives - Cross-Ruffing

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

♠ A876

♥ AT54

♦ 2

♣ KJT4

10th October, 2007

♠ Q932

♥ 962

♦ AT6

♣ Q76

          North

West             East

          South

♠ JT54

♥ KQJ3

♦ KJ8

♣ 95

Dlr West
Vul E-W

♠ 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.

♠ 6543

♥ KJ8754

♦ 3

♣ A6

From 2nd January, 2008

♠ 872

♥ QT96

♦ T642

♣ 82

         Dummy

West             East

          South

♠ K

♥ A32

♦ KQ85

♣ KQJ93

Dlr South
Vul Both

♠ 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 11^th trick when the A♥ comes down in 3 rounds and when East cannot ruff the established K♥.