Results Wednesday 19th Sept 2007
There were some interesting hands this week, including one which featured a vulnerable 'sacrifice' bid by Danny. A sacrifice bid is one which is made in the expectation of going off, but worthwhile because you hope the penalty involved isn't as much as your opponents would score if they were allowed to play in a contract which will almost certainly make. If, for instance, your opponents are vulnerable and have bid game in spades (4S), they will score +620. Your partner came into the bidding with clubs early on in the auction. You have five-card club support and a void in spades. When the opposition have reached their contract of 4S, you might decide - as your side is non-vulnerable - to 'sacrifice' in 5C. This might have the effect of pushing your opponents into 5S (which they may not make.) What is more likely is that they will double your 5C for penalties. However, even if you go three off in your 5C contract, the penalty will only be minus 500 - better than being minus 620. Of course, if you go four off, the penalty is minus 800 and your sacrifice has failed.
If, however, the vulnerability were reversed in the example above, 4S would score +420, and 5C doubled two down would incure a penalty of minus 500 - a bad result. That's why a vulnerable sacrifice -especially against non-vul opponents - is a very rare bird indeed.
Danny, with an eight-card club suit, ignored his unfavourable vulnerability and over Yvonne and Harry's 4H bid ploughed on into 5C, which was doubled. He played it well to go two down, a score of minus 500. Since 4H would only score 420, this looked like a bad outcome; but when the traveller was opened the only result so far recorded was 4H with three overtricks - which scored 510! So Danny's sacrifice worked. The odd ten doesn't seem much, but it meant that Danny and Jean (his partner) had won both available matchpoints. Well done to them!
Results are as follows:
1st, Audrey & Ray, 66.6%; 2nd, Harry & Yvonne (aided by her charming assistant, though not much), 60.3%; 3rd, Fred & Mo, 59.5%, 4th, Luigi & George, 53.9%; 5th Pamela & Norman, 50.0%, 6th, Trish & Shirley, 41.2%; 7th, Pam & Tom, 40.4%; 8th, Danny & Jean, 27.7%.
If, however, the vulnerability were reversed in the example above, 4S would score +420, and 5C doubled two down would incure a penalty of minus 500 - a bad result. That's why a vulnerable sacrifice -especially against non-vul opponents - is a very rare bird indeed.
Danny, with an eight-card club suit, ignored his unfavourable vulnerability and over Yvonne and Harry's 4H bid ploughed on into 5C, which was doubled. He played it well to go two down, a score of minus 500. Since 4H would only score 420, this looked like a bad outcome; but when the traveller was opened the only result so far recorded was 4H with three overtricks - which scored 510! So Danny's sacrifice worked. The odd ten doesn't seem much, but it meant that Danny and Jean (his partner) had won both available matchpoints. Well done to them!
Results are as follows:
1st, Audrey & Ray, 66.6%; 2nd, Harry & Yvonne (aided by her charming assistant, though not much), 60.3%; 3rd, Fred & Mo, 59.5%, 4th, Luigi & George, 53.9%; 5th Pamela & Norman, 50.0%, 6th, Trish & Shirley, 41.2%; 7th, Pam & Tom, 40.4%; 8th, Danny & Jean, 27.7%.
posted by Peter Rowlett at 12:09 PM
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