endplay

[end-pley]

noun

1. any play, usually near the end of a contract, that puts one of the opposing players in the lead and forces the opponents to lose one or more tricks that they would have won if their side had not been leading.

verb (used with object)

1. to put into the lead by an endplay.

endplay

/ ˈɛndˌpleɪ /

noun

1. a way of playing the last few tricks in a hand so that an opponent is forced to make a particular lead

verb

1. to force (an opponent) to make a particular lead near the end of a hand

   declarer endplayed West for the jack of spades

Word History and Origins

Origin of endplay¹

First recorded in 1930–35; end ¹ + play

Example Sentences

If North, East and South had each held one heart and two diamonds, declarer would have exited with dummy’s trump to endplay East in diamonds.

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Seeing the endplay coming, Punch correctly unblocked her king under dummy’s ace.

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As the cards lay, declarer could have exited with dummy’s last diamond to endplay East in the black suits.

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But now declarer ruffed a club in his hand and led a trump to endplay West.

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East won, but could do no better than to return a heart to endplay the dummy.

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