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Open Teams R13, USA v Australia
Heading into the 13th round of the Open series, USA were in fine shape lying second in Group D. Their opponents, Australia, were in 11th place and in need of a win to start moving up toward a qualifying spot (one of the top four).
The Aussies started well.
| Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul. |
| | ♠ A 9 6
♥ A J 9 2
♦ J 9 6 4
♣ 7 4 |
♠ J 4
♥ 8 6 5 4
♦ 8 3
♣ K J 9 6 3 |  |
♠ Q 10 7 5
♥ Q 7 3
♦ Q
♣ A Q 10 8 2 | | | ♠ K 8 3 2
♥ K 10
♦ A K 10 7 5 2
♣ 5 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Gill | Rodwell | Richman | Meckstroth
|
| | Pass | 1♥* | 2♦
|
| Pass | 2NT | Pass | 3NT
|
| All Pass
| | | |
Bobby Richman, whose opening bid of 1♥ showed a spade suit, led from his longer, better suit against Eric Rodwell’s 3NT and it was quickly over as the defenders took five club tricks for plus 50.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Hamman | Klinger | Compton | Mullamphy
|
| | Pass | 1♣ | 1♦
|
| 2♦ | 3♣ | Dble | 3♠
|
| Pass | 4♦ | Pass | 5♦
|
| All Pass
| | | |
Ron Klinger and Matthew Mullamphy knew from the bidding that notrump was not their spot, so they bid game in diamonds instead. Declarer lost a club and a spade for plus 400 and 10 IMPs to Australia.
The Australians increased their margin to 23 IMPs on board 4.
| Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul. |
| | ♠ Q
♥ A 5 3
♦ A Q 5 4
♣ A 10 7 5 4 |
♠ J 10 4
♥ Q 10 4
♦ J 10 7
♣ J 9 8 2 | |
♠ K 9 7 5 2
♥ 8 7
♦ 8 3 2
♣ K Q 3 | | | ♠ A 8 6 3
♥ K J 9 6 2
♦ K 9 6
♣ 6 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Gill | Rodwell | Richman | Meckstroth
|
| Pass | 1♣ | 1NT | 2♥
|
| Pass | 3♦ | Pass | 3♠
|
| Pass | 4♥ | All Pass
| |
It’s not clear what Richman’s 1NT showed (commentators indicated it showed a spade suit). Thanks to the friendly lie of the diamond suit, Meckstroth had no trouble taking 12 tricks for plus 680.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Hamman | Klinger | Compton | Mullamphy
|
| Pass | 1♣ | Pass | 1♦
|
| Pass | 1♥ | Pass | 4♣
|
| Pass | 4NT | Pass | 5♥
|
| Pass | 6♥ | All Pass
| |
Mullamphy’s 1♦ response apparently showed hearts, and his 4♣ was splinter. Chris Compton started with a trump to the 9 10 and ace. Klinger played the ♣A, ruffed a club, played a diamond to his ace, then followed with the ♠Q to the king and ace and ruffed a spade. He ruffed a club and ruffed another spade, then played a diamond to dummy’s king, cashed the ♥K and played a diamond to the queen. When diamonds proved to be 3-3, he could discard dummy’s losing spade and claim for the loss of a trump trick. Plus 1430 was good for13 IMPs to Australia.
On the next board, a wild one, USA gained 2 IMPs, but they could have lost 11.
| Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul. |
| | ♠ A K 10 2
♥ Q 9 7
♦ 10 5 2
♣ 10 8 7 |
♠ 7 4
♥ A 10 8 5 4 3
♦ 7
♣ A K J 3 | |
♠ Q J
♥ K J 6 2
♦ Q 6 3
♣ Q 9 6 4 | | | ♠ 9 8 6 5 3
♥
♦ A K J 9 8 4
♣ 5 2 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Gill | Rodwell | Richman | Meckstroth
|
| | Pass | 1NT | 2♦*
|
| 4♥ | 4♠ | 5♥ | 5♠
|
| Dble | All Pass
| | |
Meckstroth’s 2♦ showed diamonds and a major, so Rodwell was happy to throw in a vulnerable 4♠ after the weak 1NT and the blast into 4♥ by Gill. Richman started with a club, and Gill cashed two tricks in that suit before continuing with his singleton diamond. He had to hope his partner had the ♠A so he could get a ruff. Rodwell won in dummy and played his two high spades, claiming when the queen and jack fell. Plus 850 to USA.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Hamman | Klinger | Compton | Mullamphy
|
| | Pass | Pass | 1♦
|
| 1♥ | 1♠ | 3♦ | 3♠
|
| 4♣ | Pass | 4♥ | 4♠
|
| Pass | Pass | Dble | All Pass
|
Compton started with the ♥K, apparently trying for a look at dummy on the go. Klinger ruffed in dummy and played the top two spades from hand. Had he taken the diamond finesse, he would have been plus 1390 (4♠ doubled with three overtricks). Instead, he played the top two diamonds and a third round. The defenders did not neglect the club suit from that point, but two more tricks were the limit. Plus 790 and a 2-IMP loss.
Australia picked up a gift of 13 IMPs on the next deal when Hamman and Compton went way overboard on board 6.
| Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul. |
| | ♠ A Q 4 2
♥ 7 3
♦ J 7 6 2
♣ 8 5 3 |
♠ 7 5
♥ A 9 4
♦ A Q 9 8 4
♣ K J 4 | |
♠ K J 3
♥ J 10 5
♦ K 5 3
♣ A 9 7 6 | | | ♠ 10 9 8 6
♥ K Q 8 6 2
♦ 10
♣ Q 10 2 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Gill | Rodwell | Richman | Meckstroth
|
| | | 1NT | | Pass
|
| 3NT | All Pass
| | |
Meckstroth led the ♥6, ducked to declarer’s 10. Four rounds of diamonds followed. Rodwell played his other heart, clearing the suit, but there were still 10 tricks for Richman. Plus 430.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Hamman | Klinger | Compton | Mullamphy
|
| | | 1♣ | 1♥
|
| 2♦ | Pass | 3♦ | Pass
|
| 3♥ | Pass | 3♠ | Pass
|
| 4♣ | Pass | 4♦ | Pass
|
| 4♥ | Pass | 5♣ | Pass
|
| 6♦ | All Pass
| | |
The cards held by Hamman and Compton did not justify such an exuberant auction, and the final contract would have been very poor even if the trumps had not split 4-1. As it was, minus 200 was the final result, good for 13 IMPs to Australia.
USA struck back for 3 IMPs when both tables reached a no-play 3NT. Meckstroth took his eight top tricks, but Mullamphy tried for the make and went two down for minus 200.
Board 10 produced 13 IMPs for USA – but it could have been the other way round.
| Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul. |
| | ♠ K 8 4
♥ A 9 5 3
♦ 9 3
♣ 7 6 5 4 |
♠ A J 6 5
♥ Q 6 4
♦ J 8 2
♣ K J 2 | |
♠ 10 9 7 3 2
♥ 10
♦ A K 10 7 6 5 4
♣ | | | ♠ Q
♥ K J 8 7 2
♦ Q
♣ A Q 10 9 8 3 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Gill | Rodwell | Richman | Meckstroth
|
| | | 1♥* | 2♣
|
| 3♣ | Dble | 4♠ | 5♣
|
| Dble | Pass | 5♠ | All Pass
|
Meckstroth started with a low heart: queen, ace, 10. Richman ruffed the heart continuation and played a low spade from hand. The appearance of Meckstroth’s queen was a welcome sight, and Richman was soon claiming plus 650.
There were fireworks at the other table.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Hamman | Klinger | Compton | Mullamphy
|
| | | 4♦ | 4♥
|
| 5♦ | 5♥ | 6♦ | Dble
|
| All Pass
| | | |
Mullamphy’s 5♥ was ticketed for two down even if he played hearts double dummy for no losers – and the Australians could have gained 13 IMPs on any lead but a club. Unfortunately for Australia, Mullamphy started the defense against 6♦ doubled with the ♣A, and it was a 13-IMP loss. Compton ruffed, cashed the ♦A, felling the queen, entered dummy with the ♦J and pitched his losing heart on the ♣K. The friendly lie of the spade suit meant he had only one loser. At minus1540, it was an expensive opening lead.
That made the score 36-18 Australia.
The Aussies were leading by 21 when the teams picked up their cards for board 14.
| Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul. |
| | ♠ Q 9 5 4 2
♥ K 10
♦
♣ Q 6 5 4 3 2 |
♠ 10 8 6
♥ J 8 4 2
♦ Q 8 7 4 2
♣ 7 | |
♠ A K J 3
♥ A Q 9 6 3
♦ A 9 6 3
♣ | | | ♠ 7
♥ 7 5
♦ K J 10 5
♣ A K J 10 9 8 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Gill | Rodwell | Richman | Meckstroth
|
| | | 1♣* | 2♣
|
| Pass | 5♣ | Dble | All Pass
|
As you can see, it takes a heart lead to defeat 5♣ played by South (the contract cannot be defeated if played by North). Gill had to guess what to lead, however, because his partner’s opening bid said nothing about clubs. Gill selected a trump for his opening lead, however, and Meckstroth took full advantage. He won in hand and played a spade to dummy’s 9 and East’s jack. A spade came back, ruffed by Meckstroth, who then proceeded to crossruff diamonds and spades, pitching a heart from hand on dummy’s fifth spade. That was plus 550 to USA.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Hamman | Klinger | Compton | Mullamphy
|
| | | 1♥ | 2♣
|
| 2♥ | 5♣ | 5♦ | Dble
|
| Pass | Pass | 5♥ | All Pass
|
Mullamphy led his singleton spade, taken by Compton with the jack after he played low from dummy and Klinger also played low. With no fast entry to dummy, Compton had no choice but to play the ♥A and another heart. In with the ♥K, Klinger exited with a low club, ruffed by Compton, who cashed the ♠A to confirm the count in that suit. Aided by the double of 5♦, Compton played a low diamond from hand. Mullamphy played low, and Compton considered his play from dummy for a time before finally inserting the 8. Note that it would not have helped for Mullamphy to have risen with the ♦K. He would then have been forced to concede a ruff-sluff or play away from his two diamond honors, eliminating further losers in the suit.
Plus 450, combined with the plus 550 at the other table, gave the Americans a 14-IMP swing. The final score was 39-32 for Australia.
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