Ruffing out a suit 

We have seen (elsewhere) that in general, ruffing in the hand with fewer trumps (the short hand; usually dummy) creates extra tricks while ruffing in the hand with the majority of trumps (the long hand; usually declarer) does not create extra tricks.

The one occasion where declarer may set out to take tricks by ruffing in her own hand is where she wishes to set up some small cards in a long suit in dummy by ruffing in her own hand.

In a contract of four spades, declarer has nine top tricks. The tenth must come from clubs and the two entries needed outside the club suit must come from trumps. Take the initial red suit lead, draw one round of trumps, play ace and king of clubs and ruff a club high. Enter dummy via a trump and ruff a fourth club high. Draw the last trump by entering dummy, and the last club will be good provided the suit was no worse than 4:2 initially.

Sometimes the number of ruffs needed seems impossibly high.

Playing in a contract of six hearts, against a club lead, declarer has, on the face of it, only eleven tricks. He can fall back on the diamond finesse, but first try to set up dummy's fifth spade. Again, trumps are crucial entries. He takes the club in hand, plays a spade to the ace and ruffs a spade. He enters dummy with a trump, ruffs another spade and re-enters dummy with another trump. If trumps proved to be 4:1 at this stage, declarer would be obliged to abandon the spade suit, draw trumps and  trust to the diamond finesse. If the trumps are 3:2, declarer continues with a third spade ruff, at which point dummy's fifth spade constitutes the twelfth trick.

Sometimes declarer has to choose between trying to establish dummy's long suit and trying to score ruffs in dummy. Here, the entry situation is crucial. With plenty of entries in your own hand, you aim for ruffs in dummy; with plenty of entries in dummy, you try to establish dummy's side suit.

West is in a contract of four hearts and a spade is led. Eight tricks are apparent. Suppose he aims to make two more by ruffing diamonds. Although it seems to be working, you'll find that you can't draw the last trump and you lose four tricks. Try it !

Now try the alternative of ruffing out the club suit. Win the spade opening lead and concede a club. Win the return and concede another club. Whatever the opponents do now, you ruff a club with the ace of trumps, draw three rounds of trumps ending in dummy and provided that the clubs are no worse than 3:2, you can cash your club winners for ten tricks.

When you are ready, have a look at these practise hands which encompass concepts from all aspects of declarer play.