ACES ON BRIDGE

“Too long a sacrifice Can make a stone of the heart.

O when may it suffice?” — W.B. Yeats

Some pairs play that East’s raise to four diamonds is a suggestion to bid on. Thus, with little defense and a void in the enemy suit, West competes to five diamonds over four hearts. (For the record, I prefer East’s raise not to invite a save, but to allow West to double here to suggest short hearts, asking partner to sacrifice unless he is looking at trump tricks.)

The five-diamond call sets up a forcing pass position for North-South, as West is clearly sacrificing. If the auction had seen West opening one diamond, North’s pass would not be forcing. North doubles with his good defense and relatively short hearts, but South reasonably removes the double, confident that he will find diamond shortness opposite.

West leads the diamond king and continues the suit in an attempt to build trump tricks for his side. (Though the fact that East left him on lead might have tempted him to shift to spades, making declarer’s life much harder.) After ruffing, declarer cashes the heart ace, unveiling the bad split. He should now seek to establish dummy’s clubs, but only after securing his second diamond ruff, lest East throw a diamond on the third club. Declarer crosses to the club ace and ruffs a diamond. Then comes the club king and another club. East’s showing out is of little consequence since he cannot have any more diamonds. Declarer simply ruffs and plays three rounds of trumps, throwing East in to broach the spade suit.

ANSWER: Rebid one spade. Raising hearts immediately could see your side play a 4-3 fit with an eight-card spade fit on the side. It is better to rebid one spade, then show your heart support later, describing your shape perfectly and promising extras — which you don’t really have, except in the form of good controls. You can’t make an omelet without breaking an egg or two.