Sacrifice

Exercise: Here are three auctions. Give a mark out of ten for the tactical nous of West’s 5 ♦ bid in the following auctions:

Auct​ion one

West	North	East	South
	1 ♥	2 ♦	2 ♥
3 ♦	4 ♥	Pass	Pass
5 ♦

Zero. You have taken the dreaded two bites of the cherry. If you intended bidding to 5 ♦ , you should have bid it first time.

Auction two

West	North	East	South
		4 ♦	Pass
Pass	4 ♠	Pass	Pass
5 ♦

Three. Understandable (you hoped 4 might buy the contract), but you’re now regretting that you didn’t raise to 5 immediately, cutting out North’s 4♠ bid.

Auction three

West	North	East	South
	1 ♥	2 ♦	2 ♠
5 ♦

Auction three: Ten. Classic advance sacrifice, hoping North, with as yet undisclosed spade support will go 5♠. Now your 5 ♦ bid can’t lose.

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