Coup en passant
Encyclopedia
Coup en passant is a type of coup
in contract bridge
where trump trick(s) are "stolen" by trying to ruff
a card after the player who has the master trump(s).
Just as the trump coup
resembles a direct finesse, except that trumps are not the suit led, so the coup en passant similarly resembles an indirect finesse.
Here both players have the same number of trumps, but the hand would play the same way if either or both had a small trump in place of the small diamond. The important thing is that declarer must have few enough trumps that dummy can be entered at the critical time.
Coup en passant can be performed even with several high trumps in the opponent's hand. In the example, South would lose all remaining tricks if the lead were in East's hand. However, if a heart is played from dummy, and East ruffs, South will discard the losing diamond (what is, in effect, a loser on loser
play). If East discards, South will ruff, "stealing" a trick.
Coup (bridge)
In contract bridge, coup is a generic name for various techniques in play, denoting a specific pattern in the lie and the play of cards; it is a special play maneuver by declarer.There are various types of coup which can be effected.- Pure Coups :...
in contract bridge
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
where trump trick(s) are "stolen" by trying to ruff
Ruff (cards)
In trick-taking games, to ruff means to play a trump card to a trick . According to the rules of most games, a player must have no cards left in the suit led in order to ruff. Since the other players are constrained to follow suit if they can, even a low trump can win a trick...
a card after the player who has the master trump(s).
Just as the trump coup
Trump coup
The trump coup is a contract bridge coup used when the hand on lead has no trumps remaining, while the next hand in rotation has only trumps, including a high one that would have been onside for a direct finesse if a trump could have been led. The play involves forcing that hand to ruff, only to...
resembles a direct finesse, except that trumps are not the suit led, so the coup en passant similarly resembles an indirect finesse.
Examples
In this example, spades are trump, and declarer (South) takes two tricks by playing hearts first. Then, with clubs led from the dummy, declarer ruffs if and only if East does not. South's diamond loser will go under East's ace of spades on one of the last two tricks, and South's king will take the other trick.Here both players have the same number of trumps, but the hand would play the same way if either or both had a small trump in place of the small diamond. The important thing is that declarer must have few enough trumps that dummy can be entered at the critical time.
Coup en passant can be performed even with several high trumps in the opponent's hand. In the example, South would lose all remaining tricks if the lead were in East's hand. However, if a heart is played from dummy, and East ruffs, South will discard the losing diamond (what is, in effect, a loser on loser
Loser on loser
Loser on loser play is a type of declarer's play in contract bridge, usually in trump contracts, where the declarer discards a loser card on an opponent's winner, instead of ruffing....
play). If East discards, South will ruff, "stealing" a trick.