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What do you think declarer is going to discard, a grape!?

  • Eddie Kantar

You can blame my bridge hero for this name. This blunder is simply a violation of ABC (Always Be Counting), but giving it a name makes it humorous and may help you remember to count in the first place. Do it, you won’t.

This is a hand from a sectional. I was dummy.

don't ruff a grape

There’s another declarer technique on display here. I call it Side Winner Pronto, or Side Winner Stat! Let me know which you prefer, or if you think they’re both lousy.

Declarer won the singleton heart lead in hand and played a diamond immediately (good!) The defense did some not so great things, and we reach this position pictured below. Note that from East’s point of view, declarer is known to have 2 diamonds, 2 hearts, and has shown up with 3 spades. Partner (West) has ruffed twice with the C9 and the CK.

don't ruff a grape 2

So declarer is winning the trick in dummy. Should East overruff? I would tell you not to peek at South’s hand, but if you stop to take stock of what’s happened, you know that declarer is down to only clubs! They already showed up with 7 cards outside of clubs and had preempted 3C – would you agree that the rest of declarer’s hand is trumps? :)

DO NOT RUFF! You only weaken your trump holding! You are long trump hand for the defense now. If you ruff, declarer overruffs, ducks a club, and next your Jack falls under the Queen. This is how the play went at the table.

What did you think declarer is going to discard on this trick, a grape?

Don’t ruff a grape!