Sacrificing

There is a good article in the February Bridge Bulletin by Bergin that is very complete on the subject of sacrificing. Here I have taken from this but recommend the article for completeness.

This offensive action is meant to hand opponent’s a lower score than they would have made by winning their vulnerable, unstoppable game bid. You are prepared to sacrifice your positive score, go down and win a top board. Generally if you have any doubt about taking this action, DON’T. But if you are determined, here are some general guidelines:

1. Be mindful of your vulnerability status; Not Vulnerable is recommended.
2. With a strong and long suit of your own, a grab for game early to cut off opponent’s information exchange and head off their game bid or force them too high, is best.
3 If after hearing their exchange of info, you have shortness in their strength having no defense for their contract, are not vulnerable and have a very long, strong suit of your own, be aggressive and jump in.
4. Keep in mind the saying the 5 level is for the other side. Only if you think they can achieve a slam and your sacrifice even doubled will reap them a lower score should you dare.

Our Friday, March 16 Evergreen game was more chaotic than usual. More on this problem later. Winning were: N/S 1st Carol Bachl and Judy Gealy, 2nd Judy Hurder and Marvin Jones, 3rd Shirley Jeffers and Don Webster; E/W 1st Becky Creekmore and Patty King, 2nd Lawana Ford and Patsy Reynolds, 3rd Margaret and Chuck Rimer.

Featured is board # 12 from Friday’s game. It was chosen as an example of an attempt to successfully sacrifice. N/S had a 2 suited hand and points for slam. All N/S pairs made 6SN but only 2 pairs bid it, scoring 1430. One E/W pair tried 6DE * and went down as expected for 1100 points for N/S. In a perfect world all N/S pairs would have recognized slam and bid it.

NORTH:
S A K J T 7
H 6 4
D T
C K 8 7 6 5
WEST:                   EAST:
S 9 8 4                    S 6 2
H T 8 7 3 2            H K J 5
D 7 3                       D K Q J 8 6 4 2
C Q J                       C 2
SOUTH:
S Q 5 3
H A Q 9
D A 9 5
C A 9 4 3

Winners of the March 20 Women’s Club game: N/S 1st Shirley and Ron Jeffers, 2nd Ron Caudle and Pat Featerston, 3rd Margaret and Chuck Rimer; E/W 1st Georgia Sorensen and Judy Hurder, 2nd Marvin Jones and Myrnie McLaughlin, 3rd Ann Hamm and Mary Hennie, both our newest players. Congratulations!