The Grand Coup by E. P. C. Cotter

The coup is a trump reducing play, the virtual discard of a trump by the declarer, because he has too many. This sound rather odd.

The only thing that distinguished a grand coup from its humbler brother, the coup, is that in the reducing play it is winners instead of losers that are ruffed.

Let us illustrate a grand coup, where South had to get rid of three superfluous trumps, in order to make his contract of 6:

	A Q 7  K 3  K Q 4  A Q 9 6 2
J 9 8 2  —  A 10 8 7 3 2  J 10 5		10 4 3  Q 9 8 6  J 9 5  7 4 3
	K 6 5  A J 10 7 5 4 2  6  K 8

Contract: 6 by South

Lead: A

The A followed by the 2. At trick two South ruffs his good diamond. This play would be automatic with a first class player in this situation. Now a heart to the King reveals the position, the declarer has still two trumps too many.

A heart is lead and the 10 finessed. Dummy is re-entered with the Q, and the King of diamonds is lead and ruffed. This is followed by the K, and small to the Q, now the A is ruffed with the seven of trumps, leaving this position:

	A 7  9 6
J 9 8  —  10		10 4  Q 9
	K 6  A J

Dummy is entered with the A and a good club is played. If East discards, so does South.

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