BRIDGE

BRIDGE

East-West vulnerable, South deals.

NORTH

xK J 3

uK J 4 3 2

v9 4

wA 10 9

WEST EAST

x2 xA 6

uA 8 5 uQ 10 9 7

vA Q J 10 7 6 3 vK 8 5

wK 7 w6 5 4 2

SOUTH

xQ 10 9 8 7 5 4

u6

v2

wQ J 8 3

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

3x 4v 4x 5v

Pass Pass 5x Dbl

All pass

Opening lead: Ace of v

It is well known that some sacrifices in bridge are better than others. Which are the best? Why, the ones that you make, of course.

With ample defensive values, not everyone would choose to sacrifice with the North hand. Surely there must be decent chances on defense. North didn’t want to risk it. Five spades couldn’t be hurt too badly at this vulnerability, so he ”took out insurance.”

West continued diamonds at trick two. South ruffed and immediately led his low heart. What would you do as West? It’s easy to say that you would hop right up with your ace, but consider the problem. West can’t see that his partner has the ace of trumps. Also, declarer has already shown up with a diamond singleton -- do you really think he has another singleton? Partner’s queen of hearts might be the setting trick. To top it off, you must duck smoothly if you hope for South to misguess. You have only a split second to decide. At the table, West ducked his ace, South rose with dummy’s king, and the friendly club position made this an excellent sacrifice indeed.

How would East-West have fared in five diamonds? Oddly enough, that contract also boils down to a heart guess by West. West will win the opening spade lead in dummy and draw trumps in two rounds leaving a trump entry to dummy. West will then cash the ace of hearts and lead a low heart. North must duck, hoping that West will play the queen. Should West play dummy’s 10 instead, he will finish with 11 tricks.

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