Deschapelles coup
# Deschapelles coup

In bridge, the Deschapelles coup is the lead of an unsupported honor to create an entry in partner's hand; often confused with the Merrimac coup, the lead of an unsupported honor to kill an entry in an opponent's hand.

This sacrificial play was invented by Alexandre Deschapelles, a 19th-century French chess and whist player ,

## Example

Geir Helgemo executed this Deschapelles Coup in a 1998 tournament.

| South in 4♦ | South in 4♦ | ♠ | J 6 | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| South in 4♦ | South in 4♦ | ♥ | A J 10 8 3 | | |
| South in 4♦ | South in 4♦ | ♦ | Q 6 2 | | |
| South in 4♦ | South in 4♦ | ♣ | K J 8 | | |
| ♠ | 5 4 3 2 | N W E S | N W E S | ♠ | K Q 10 8 7 |
| ♥ | Q 5 | N W E S | N W E S | ♥ | K 9 6 2 |
| ♦ | J | N W E S | N W E S | ♦ | K 9 7 |
| ♣ | 10 9 7 5 3 2 | N W E S | N W E S | ♣ | A |
| Lead: ♠2 | Lead: ♠2 | ♠ | A 9 | | |
| Lead: ♠2 | Lead: ♠2 | ♥ | 7 4 | | |
| Lead: ♠2 | Lead: ♠2 | ♦ | A 10 8 5 4 3 | | |
| Lead: ♠2 | Lead: ♠2 | ♣ | Q 6 4 | | |

Helgemo was East against South's 4♦. West led a small spade, Helgemo put up the ♠Q and South won the ♠A. South then returned a spade to Helgamo's ♠K. Helgemo cashed the ♣A and switched to the ♥K (the coup). Dummy won the ♥A and played the ♦Q to the ♦K, ♦A and ♦J.

Now declarer tried to enter dummy with the ♣K, but Helgemo ruffed, put West in with the ♥Q, and ruffed the club return for down two.

It would not have helped South to duck the ♥K because Helgemo would simply have continued hearts, winding up with a trick in each suit.

And it would not have helped Helgemo to switch to a low heart at trick four. South wins West's ♥Q with the ♥A, leads the ♦Q, covered and won, and then leads another heart to endplay Helgemo.

This is a particularly unusual Deschapelles coup, because it is combined with a Merrimac coup. The same play of the ♥K both establishes an entry for West and takes out an entry to dummy.

