Most North-South pairs played in game on this deal, with varying degrees of success. The East-West pairs who found the sacrifice did well, but were not well rewarded.

Bidding
Dealer: East
East West Game

NorthEastSouthWest
1S2HNB
4H

Where East-West were bidding aggressively, despite being very weak, West could rustle up a raise to 2S. This usually led to North bidding 4H, and East considering 4S — a fine contract that only fails by one trick. There is a considerable advantage to raising from 1S to 2S on sub-minimum hands as a pre-emptive attack to pressurise your opponents. Many pairs play Jacoby-style raises which allow them to play direct raises pre-emptively.

Some Wests felt that, vulnerable, bidding 2S was too much, and South played in 4H. West led 2♠; East won A♠ and switched to Q♦; declarer won. If South now played a trump, East won and continued with J♦. Nothing could now prevent East from making both A♣ and the setting diamond trick.

Anticipating that defence, successful declarers sought to set up dummy’s clubs before touching trumps. Rising with A♦ in hand, South can lead J♣, and East wins now or later. Winning in dummy with K♦, declarer can now lead a top club and, when East ruffs low, he can over-ruff. Returning to dummy with a spade ruff, another top club is played and, whether East ruffs with A♥ or not, South throws his diamond loser away, and brings home the game.

Read Paul’s previous Bridge columns at ft.com/bridge-card-game

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