The Vienna coup is an unblocking technique in
contract bridge
Contract bridge, or simply bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard 52-card deck. In its basic format, it is played by four players in two competing partnerships, with partners sitting opposite each other around a table. Millions o ...
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
Whist is a descendant of the 16th-century game of ''trump'' ...
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