The Vienna coup is an unblocking technique in
contract bridge
Contract bridge, or simply bridge, is a trick-taking game, trick-taking card game using a standard 52-card deck. In its basic format, it is played by four players in two Team game, competing partnerships, with partners sitting opposite each othe ...
made in preparation for a
squeeze play. It is so named because it was originally published by
James Clay (1804-1873) after observing it being executed in the days of
whist
Whist is a classic English trick-taking card game which was widely played in the 18th and 19th centuries. Although the rules are simple, there is scope for strategic play.
History
In 1674, '' The Complete Gamester'' described the game Ru ...
by "the greatest player in Vienna" — identity unknown.
Examples
On the play of the A by South, East is
squeezed but can escape by throwing a small heart. Although the Q is now set up, South must next play either the Q, 2 or 4 to be won in dummy and has no entry back to cash it; he must now lose a spade to East.
However, if instead, South plays the 2 to the A, East is squeezed when declarer next leads the 2 to the ace.
In this layout there is no way to get back to the hand by playing the 2 to the ace. In this case, the A must have been cashed already at an earlier stage to squeeze East when declarer leads the A and discards the 2 from the table.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vienna Coup
Contract bridge coups