Devil’s coup
Posted on July 29th, 2008 by admin
The Devil’s Coup is a declarer play in Bridge that prevents the defense from taking an apparently natural trump trick. A typical example is when the defense holds Qx opposite Jxx in trumps.
The aim is to come to a position similar to that shown below. Spades are trumps and the lead is in dummy (North):
The 3 is lead. If East ruffs low, then declarer overruffs low and cashes the Ace and King of spades. If East ruffs high, declarer overruffs with the K and finesses West for the Q to make the remaining two tricks.
Devil’s coups are fairly rare: not only the trump suit but the side suits must lie well for declarer.
See also
- Smother play
- Trump coup
