Spades Strategy: Trump Coup

Sometimes one side of our partnership will not have a spade that is worth promoting, but we have an opportunity to lead a suit our partner is void in and our partner is playing after the large hand at the table.

In this example, our partner seemingly is asking for a trump promotion, but is really offering us a chance to try to win an unsupported honor.

East still has 2 tricks left to win, and they are likely the A♠ and K♠. Meanwhile, West has won 2 tricks while only having bid 1, so it is likely for West to not have either of those cards.

If East plays low and we are too timid to play as if East has the missing A♠ and K♠, our bid is in danger.

East was able to easily collect the rest of the tricks.

Going back to before...

If East plays low and we trump high, we should be able to salvage our bid.

Going back once more...

If East trumps high, we simply discard a loser, and our Q♠ will be worth a trick.

We must still be careful if East leads a low spade, we will continue to play as if East has the missing K♠ (East's only hope is a mistake from us).

And our bid is safe.

A trump coup can happen even if we have a natural spade trick.

The only losing move from positions like these is to trump low, risking being overruffed and weakening our spade suit.

A discard will work, or trumping high will work so long as we mark East for the missing A♠ and K♠ like before.

And now one last example from the giving side of the coup.

It is our turn to lead through the strong hand. If partner has a natural spade trick, our choice of card shouldn't matter.

However, if partner is one card short of a natural spade trick, we can assist by leading a suit that the strong hand and partner are both void in - a heart.

And now West has an impossible decision, let North win the bare K♠ on this trick or the next trick.

Note how not leading a void for partner through the strong hand results in us being set.

West gets on lead and forces our partner to follow suit with the bare K♠

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