The unusual happens on unusual deals

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE® GARFIELD® BIG NATE® ARLO & JANIS® ZITS®

Chuck Jones, who won three Oscars for his work on animated features, said, “Comedy is unusual people in real situations; farce is real people in unusual situations.”

This deal features an unusual result. Can you spot what that is?

The board was played 17 times at Bridge Base Online. Unexpectedly, the final contract was a partscore 12 times. Two East-west pairs got to four spades, and two Norths sacrificed in five clubs doubled, which looks like it should have gone down one, but weirdly went down three (minus 800) and down four (minus 1100).

If I had had to guess the auction, I would have started as in the diagram, then, over West’s second double, I would have predicted a pass by North, a three-spade advance by East, and a who-knows four spades from West.

At one table, though, North realized that his hand had more potential than the usual 11-count because there seemed to be at least seven tricks in three no-trump: one diamond and six clubs. So North continued with three diamonds. Then South, with stoppers in both majors and thinking his partner had a strong hand, bid three notrump.

West doubled again, but North-south stood their ground. After the spadeking lead, South took his eight winners and conceded down one. In theory, minus 200 was a great result with the opponents cold for five spades, worth 650 points.

It is very unusual that three notrump is a good sacrifice. But with a long, running suit, you will win more tricks than the point-count would suggest.