The singleton: holding just one card of a suit
A singleton is a suit you hold only one card of. Played well it lets you ruff quickly; mishandled it gives away points.
A singleton is a future ruff
The big appeal of a singleton: once the suit is played once, you're out of it and can ruff on later rounds. With trumps in reserve, a singleton in a strong opponent suit is a real weapon.
When to play it yourself
If your singleton is an ace, cash it early for the sure trick, before it gets ruffed. If it's a small card, leading it quickly creates your void so you can ruff later, provided you have an entry to come back. It's not automatic: it depends on your trumps and the contract.
The traps
- A singleton king or queen is easily captured: be careful.
- With no trump to ruff behind, the singleton loses its point.
- Leading a small singleton also informs the opponents: weigh the trade-off.
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FAQ
What is a singleton in coinche?
It's a suit you hold only one card of. Once that card is played, you're void in the suit and can ruff with a trump.
Should you play your singleton right away?
Not always. A singleton ace is cashed early for the sure trick; a small singleton can be led to set up a ruff, but only if you have trumps and an entry.