How to Play a Crossruff Line

Declarer play

Improver

When hands are short in multiple suits, alternate ruffing in both hands to accumulate extra trick totals without drawing trumps.

A Crossruff is a specialized declarer line of play where you win tricks by repeatedly ruffing (trumping) side-suit losers in dummy and declarer's hand alternately. Instead of drawing trumps early, a crossruff turns every trump card held between both hands into a separate winning trick. You must cash all top side-suit winners (Aces and Kings) BEFORE launching a crossruff.

Why the Crossruff line works

Normally, declarer draws trumps to prevent defenders from ruffing side winners. However, when your side holds weak side suits but short distribution (singletons or voids) across both hands, drawing trumps uses up your primary trick-taking assets.

Crossruffing treats every trump card as an isolated trick. By alternating ruffs back and forth between hand and dummy, a contract with 8 combined trumps can yield 8 separate trump tricks plus side Aces and Kings.

A worked example: Crossruffing a 4 Heart contract

You are declaring 4♥.

Dummy (North):

♠ A K 8 3

♥ 4 *(1 trump)*

♦ A K 9 5 2

♣ 8 7 3

Declarer (South):

♠ 7 6 5 4

♥ A K Q 10 9 2 *(6 trumps)*

♦ 4 *(Singleton Diamond)*

♣ 2 *(Singleton Club)*

Play Sequence:

1. Cash side-suit top winners FIRST: ♠A, ♠K, ♦A, ♦K.

2. Ruff a Diamond in declarer's hand.

3. Ruff a Spade or Club in dummy.

4. Repeat ruffing back and forth alternately until all trumps are played.

*Caption:* Do NOT draw trumps. Cashing side top winners early prevents opponents from discarding their Aces when you start crossruffing. Alternate ruffing yields 10 easy tricks.

Four common mistakes

Drawing trumps before commencing the crossruff line.
Failing to cash top side-suit winners (Aces and Kings) before starting the crossruff, allowing defenders to discard losers and ruff your side winners later.
Getting over-ruffed by a defender who holds higher trumps in one of your short suits.
Losing track of defender trump ranks during the ruffing sequence.

When the rule does not apply

Do not attempt a crossruff line if the defenders hold high trumps and can repeatedly over-ruff you, or if your side holds a long, solid side suit that can be established easily by drawing trumps first.

Key takeaways

Alternate ruffing side losers between declarer and dummy.
ALWAYS cash top side-suit winners (Aces/Kings) FIRST.
Do not draw trumps early on a crossruff line.
Watch for over-ruff threats from defenders.