Did you know that a ‘heartbreaker’ is a real term in bridge? It’s described in The Bridge Player’s Encyclopedia as ‘a hand which fails to live up to one’s original expectations’.But that’s way too flat a definition. A heartbreaker causes emotional distress; it hurts. That might sound a bit dramatic to non-players, but bridge is a game which mimics the extreme highs and lows of a love affair – a hand which dashes your hopes can depress you out of all proportion.
It’s not just bad luck which can turn a hand into a heartbreaker – sometimes it’s the opponents’ skill. I’ve never forgotten the time, many years ago, when the most beautiful hand I’ve ever picked up turned to ash. I was playing rubber bridge, and it was my misfortune to have the great Gunnar Hallberg to my left (see diagram).
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