10th December 2025

 

Dealer West

S

J

 

 

NS Vul

H

J10542

 

 

 

 

D

AJ4

 

 

 

 

C

A976

 

 

S

 532

 

 

S

 A104

H

 Q86

 

 

H

 AK3

D

 93

 

 

D

 KQ872

C

 KJ832

 

 

C

 105

 

 

S

KQ9876

 

 

 

 

H

 97

 

 

 

 

D

1065

 

 

 

 

C

Q4

 

 



This deal is from the Porthcawl Congress in November.

 

 

South

West

North

East


Pass
2H

2NT

Pass

3C

Pass

3D

Pass

Pass

Pass

 


The two heart opener showed hearts and a minor.  Two notrump was strong balanced, but West thought it was the minors.  East replied to three clubs (Stayman) and reached an inelegant contract.


 

However, without the bidding hiccup there would be no story.  The heart lead was won by the king, the ten of clubs ducked all round, then a club to the queen, king and ace.  The jack of spades switch was won by the ace.  Now a heart was played to the queen and the jack of clubs led for a spade discard as South ruffed. Two more rounds of spades were played, East ruffing the second, then the king of diamonds to North's ace followed by a heart ruffed by South with the diamond ten.


The following ending was reached with South on lead.  When South leads a spade West ruffs with the nine of diamonds and North has no winning option.

 


 

S


 

 


H

10

 

 

 

 

D

J4

 

 

 

 

C


 

 

S


 

 

S

H


 

 

H


D

 9

 

 

D

Q87

C

83

 

 

C


 

 

S

987

 

 

 

 

H

 

 

 

 

D


 

 

 

 

C


 

 

 

 
Does this ending have a name?  I posted it on Bridge Winners and nobody seemed to know.  I think a non-standard trump coup.  Some thought it had elements of a smother play, maybe followed by elopement.  Someone suggested it was a Robert Coup (see the tale of the four of diamonds from Right Through the Pack).  Maybe the best suggestion was a suffocation coup.

 

 

 

 

Thanks to John Holland who played and reported this deal