Devil's coup
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- This article concerns Contract Bridge and uses terminology associated with the game. See Contract bridge glossary for an explanation of unfamiliar words or phrases.
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):
| ♠ | A9 | ||||
| ♥ | 3 | ||||
| ♦ | - | ||||
| ♣ | - | ||||
| ♠ | Q4 |
N W E S |
♠ | J32 | |
| ♥ | 7 | ♥ | - | ||
| ♦ | - | ♦ | - | ||
| ♣ | - | ♣ | - | ||
| ♠ | K107 | ||||
| ♥ | - | ||||
| ♦ | - | ||||
| ♣ | - | ||||
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.
