# alias: SideSuitRuffBeforeTrump
# button-text: Ruff Before Trump
# gib-works: true
# bba-works: true
# auction-filter: Auction.....\n1S
# curate: kind=soundness contract=4S seat=S
# convention-card-ns: Basic-Bridge
# convention-card-ew: Basic-Bridge

/*@chat
--- Side-Suit Ruff BEFORE Drawing Trumps (4!S)
South opens 1!S, partnership reaches 4!S, South declares.

Teaching feature: declarer has 5 spades opposite 3 in dummy. Dummy has a
SINGLETON heart. Declarer's hand has 3+ small hearts (one or more losers).
You need to ruff a heart in dummy — but you must do it BEFORE drawing
trumps, otherwise dummy's trumps will be gone.

Holdings:
• Spades — AK + 3 small in South opposite Jxx or Qxx in dummy. 5-3 fit.
• Hearts — singleton in dummy, several losers in declarer's hand. The
  ruff is the only way to dispose of one of declarer's heart losers.
• Diamonds/clubs — split honors.

If you cash AK of trumps first, dummy's small trumps go away. Now you can
no longer ruff hearts in dummy. The lesson: WIN THE OPENING LEAD, then
take your heart ruff IMMEDIATELY, then return to drawing trumps.

Things to think about:
• Count your losers and trumps before touching them.
• Plan the order of plays before leading to trick 2.
• If trumps split 3-2 it's safe to draw one round before ruffing — but
  never more.
@chat*/

predeal south SAK,DA
predeal north SQ
predeal east  HK,HA

dealer south

# South — 1S opener with 5-card spade suit, 14-17 HCP
sSpades = spades(south) > 4 and spades(south) < 6
sHearts = hearts(south) > 2   // 3+ small hearts to lose
sHcp    = hcp(south) > 13 and hcp(south) < 18
southHand = sSpades and sHearts and sHcp

# North — 3-card spade support, SINGLETON heart, game-going hand
nSpades = spades(north) > 2 and spades(north) < 5
nHearts = hearts(north) == 1   // singleton — the ruffing opportunity
nHcp    = hcp(north) > 7 and hcp(north) < 12
northHand = nSpades and nHearts and nHcp

# East/West — keep auction quiet
eHcp = hcp(east) < 11
wHcp = hcp(west) < 11

southHand and northHand and eHcp and wHcp

action
average "South spade length "       spades(south),
average "North heart singleton (forced) " 100 * (hearts(north) == 1),
average "South heart losers (approx) "  hearts(south),