Study 9P41 Main

Ruff-Sluff Endplay

by Richard Pavlicek

A ruff-sluff endplay is similar to a throw-in at notrump, except opponents have the additional option to lead your double-void suit, yielding a ruff in one hand and a sluff in the other. Generally, a ruff-sluff endplay is safer than a throw-in, because the trump suit provides a security net when it fails.

1.  Forced ruff-sluff endplay

win 2/3	K		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	2		1. S	2!	Q	3	4
	3
	—
—		—
—		A K
A K Q		4
—		—
	A
	3
	2
South leads	—

2.  Elimination, forced ruff-sluff endplay

win 3/4	K		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	4 3		1. S	A!	5	3	J
	3		2. S	2!	Q	3	4
	—
—		—
5		K Q J
A K Q		4
—		—
	A
	A 2
	2
South leads	—

Any endplay may require elimination play before.

3.  Fork ruff-sluff endplay

win 2/4	K		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	3		1. S	2!	4	3	K
	K J
	—
—		—
5 4		A K
3 2		A Q
—		—
	A
	2
	5 4
South leads	—

4.  Double fork ruff-sluff endplay

win 3/4	K		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
bi	3		1. S	2	Q	3
	Q 2
	—
—		—
A Q		K J
J 4		K 5
—		—
	A
	2
	A 10
South leads	—

Whoever wins is endplayed.

5.  Twin-entry fork ruff-sluff endplay

win 4/5	K		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	3		1. S	2!	Q
	K 9 3
	—
—		—
A Q		K J
Q 8 7		J 6 5
—		—
	A
	2
	A 10 2
South leads	—

Study 9P41 Main

Top Ruff-Sluff Endplay

6.  Finesse fork ruff-sluff endplay

win 4/5	K		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	K 9 5 4		1. S	2	6	9!	10
	—
	—
—		—
6		Q J 10 7
A K Q J		10
—		—
	A
	A 8 3 2
	—
South leads	—

Play is 100 percent. In bi case lead low to 8.

7.  Fork or forced ruff-sluff endplay

win 3/4	K		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	10 5 4		1. S	2!
	—
	—
—		—
K Q 9		J
2		A K Q
—		—
	A
	A 3 2
	—
South leads	—

Succeeds any time K-Q-J are not in same hand.

8.  Ruff refusal ruff-sluff endplay

win 3/5	A		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	10 3		1. S	2!	J	3	4
	6 5		2. W	Q	10	J	2!
	—		3. W	9	A
—		—
A K Q J 9		4
—		A K Q J
—		—
	K Q
	2
	3 2
South leads	—

9.  Sluff-sluff crossruff preparation

win 4/6	Q J		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	3		1. W	A	3!	Q	2!
	7 6 5		2. W	K	J	Q	3
	—
—		—
—		A K Q
—		A K Q
A K Q J 10 9		—
	A K
	2
	4 3 2
West leads	—

10.  Transfer ruff-sluff endplay

win 5/6	Q J 10		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	—		1. S	K!	A	10	8
	6 5		2. N	2	A	K	3
	2		3. S	J	10	5!	Q
—		—
A 10		Q 9 8
A K		—
4 3		A K Q
	A K
	K J
	3 2
South leads	—

Study 9P41 Main

Top Ruff-Sluff Endplay

11.  Ruff-ruff anti one-suit squeeze

win 4/5	K		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
bi	K J 10 4		1. W	A	K!	2	A!
	—		2. S	9!
	—
—		—
A Q 8		7 6 5
A K		3 2
—		—
	A Q
	9 3 2
	—
West leads	—

Anti ruff-sluff endplay

12.  Fork attack anti endplay

win 3/7	—		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	5 4		1. S	8!	9	10	3
	K J 10 5		2. N	5	J	Q	A
	4		3. W	2	4	3	K
A K		Q J	4. S	7
A 2		J 3
Q 9 2		A 4 3
—		—
	—
	K Q
	8 7 6
South leads	3 2

13.  Duck anti endplay

win 4/6	—		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	Q 5 4		1. W	6	4	A	2
	K J 8		2. E	7	3!	J	Q
	—		3. N	J!
K		A
J 6		A 7
10 7 6		Q 4 3
—		—
	—
	K 3 2
	A 9 2
West leads	—

Auto case trivial with K-J over queen.

14.  Ruff-sluff anti pseudo endplay

win 1/5	—		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	Q 4 3		1. S	Q!	5	K	A
	A K		2. E	10	2!
	—
K		A
K 7 6 5		A 10 9 8
—		—
—		—
	—
	J 2
	Q J 10
South leads	—

15.  Ruff-sluff anti establishment

win 3/7	—		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	4 3		1. S	J!	8	Q	A
	4 3		2. E	J	A!	9	3
	A K Q		3. S	10!
K		A
10 9 8		K Q J
10 9 8		K Q J
—		—
	—
	A 2
	A 2
South leads	J 10 9

Study 9P41 Main

Top Ruff-Sluff Endplay

16.  Pre-ruff fork relief anti endplay

win 3/5	J		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	—		1. S	Q!	K	A	5
	A 9 7		2. N	7	10	J	4
	A		3. S	3!
A Q		K
A		K
K 4		10 8 5
—		—
	—
	4 3
	Q J 2
South leads	—

17.  Gambit duck anti double sluff endplay

win 3/6	—		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
auto bi	2		1. W	5	2	6	3!
	A K Q
	A K
A J		K Q
5		6
5 4		3 2
2		3
	—
	A K Q J 4 3
	—
West leads	—

Study 9P41 Main

Top Ruff-Sluff Endplay

© 2014 Richard Pavlicek