When you have a chance to score a trick by overtrumping a spade that an opponent has played, try to always use a trump that is not going to win a trick, that is, one that is not sure to win a trick. The singleton A is not bad for overruffing because it does in many instances promote trumps in pard's hand. The Kx is also a good place to overruff because you have no real idea that your King is safe.

Instances where you should not overruff occur when you hold Ax, Kxx, or Qxxx. If you decline to overruff and you are bound to win your natural trump trick, and it is just possible that you will score up smaller trumps by refusing to win the trick at this moment.

Take this simple example:

Some suit is led by East that both South and West are void in and this is the trump holding.

North 10 9 6 2 West A J East 4 South K Q 8 7 5 3

If South ruffs low you should certainly take your J, but look what happens when South ruffs with the K or Q and you take your A. You lose a spade trick by overruffing. I realize this is a tough decision cause you don't know what pard holds but many times the bidding will indicate where the top spades are and this sort of play is not that difficult. When South trumps with the K or Q simply discard and take both spade tricks later.

Here's another!

North 7 5 West K 9 4 East 10 3 South A Q J 8 6 2

East leads some suit and South trumps with the Q. If you overruff this right now it will be your last trump trick. South can pick up your 94 by leading his AJ. If you refuse to take the trick you must score two spades tricks.

These plays are quite common and very possibly not even noticed most of the time at the table. Whether you use them or not is up to you but at least be aware that extra trump tricks can easily be established by refusing to overtrump.

Regards,
Ruffkid1 (Jay Tomlinson)