Morton's fork coup

Morton's Fork is a coup in contract bridge that forces an opponent to choose between letting declarer establish one or more extra tricks in the suit led, and losing the opportunity to win any trick in that suit. It takes its name from the expression Morton's Fork^[1].

Example

South receives the lead of the ♦J against 6♠. It appears that South has both a heart and a club loser. Although South can establish another winner in diamonds, just one discard on a diamond honor doesn't help.

However, there are two ways that the contract can be made. South might manage to avoid any heart loser. Or, South might take two heart tricks; in that case, South could discard one club on the ♥K and another club on a diamond honor.

Judging from the opening lead that East holds the ♦A, South plays the ♦9 from dummy at the first trick, ruffs in hand, and draws trumps. Hoping that West holds the ♥A, South leads the ♥7, executing Morton's Fork:

• If West takes the ♥A, declarer can win any return, unblock hearts, ruff out the ace of diamonds, then discard two clubs on dummy's winning diamond and ♥K. In this case South loses only a heart.

• If West ducks South's lead of the ♥7, declarer wins dummy's ♥K, ruffs out the ♦A, and throws the ♥Q on the established diamond winner. In this case South loses only a club.

Note that declarer must be careful not to play a high diamond on the opening lead, as East could then withhold the ace. That would force the declarer to choose a discard prematurely. South must get a discard on a diamond honor eventually, but not before West has been forced to decide whether to take the ♥A or duck it. Only then will South know whether to discard a heart or a club on the diamond winner.

See also

• Belladonna coup

References

1. ^ Frey et al. (1976). The Official Encyclopedia of Bridge, p. 295. ISBN 0-517-52724-3.