Open teams R16-2 - USA v Poland

The Slam Zone

by Mark Horton

The second session started with two slam deals – well bid by both teams at both tables – this was the third board of the set.

Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	♠ K 7 6 3 ♥ K 8 4 ♦ A K Q 3 2 ♣ 10
♠ 9 2 ♥ A 9 7 6 2 ♦ 8 7 5 ♣ J 8 6		♠ Q J 10 4 ♥ Q 10 5 3 ♦ 10 ♣ K Q 9 3
	♠ A 8 5 ♥ J ♦ J 9 6 4 ♣ A 7 5 4 2

Open Room

It seems to be asking a lot to expect a passed hand to deliver up enough for a slam to be good, but when South showed a good raise in diamonds and then cue bid in clubs, North put his foot on the accelerator. East led the queen of hearts and West took the ace and switched to the five of diamonds. Declarer’s prospects had improved considerably, and may have caused him to take his eye off the ball for just a moment – and as we all know to our cost that can sometimes be fatal.

Declarer let the diamond run to East’s ten and dummy’s jack – and the contract could no longer be made.

Declarer cashed the ace of clubs, ruffed a club high, took the king of hearts pitching a spade, ruffed a heart, ruffed a club high, played a spade to the ace, ruffed a club, cashed the queen of diamonds and conceded one down when East discarded.

The winning line is to go up with a top trump at trick two. Then you can ruff a couple of clubs in hand, whilst discarding a spade on the king of hearts. The ace and king of spades bring you up to eight tricks and the last four will be scored on a high crossruff.

Only an initial trump lead is certain to defeat Six Diamonds, as West can play a second round when he gets in with the ace of hearts.

Closed Room

Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
	♠ Q 8 7 5 ♥ K Q ♦ K 6 ♣ A K J 9 2
♠ A 9 6 4 3 ♥ A 10 8 4 3 ♦ 4 ♣ 10 8		♠ J 10 ♥ J 9 5 2 ♦ A 10 9 5 3 ♣ 7 5
	♠ K 2 ♥ 7 6 ♦ Q J 8 7 2 ♣ Q 6 4 3

Open Room

2♥ 5♥+5♠ 6-10 With West known to have at least five spades it seemed clear South’s Three Spade bid showed some scattered values and both minors – but North took a different view when he passed. West led a heart and declarer won in dummy and played the king of diamonds. East took that and played a second heart, West winning with the ace. A trump now would lead to three down, but West switched to a club and declarer was able to ‘escape’ for two down, -200.

Closed Room

Board 21. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
	♠ 6 ♥ Q J 9 8 5 ♦ J 6 4 ♣ A 9 4 3
♠ A Q 10 7 5 ♥ A K 10 6 ♦ K Q 2 ♣ 6		♠ 9 4 3 2 ♥ 7 4 2 ♦ 8 5 ♣ K 10 8 2
	♠ K J 8 ♥ 3 ♦ A 10 9 7 3 ♣ Q J 7 5

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Jassem	Compton	Martens	Hamman
	Pass	Pass	1♦
Dble	1♥	Pass	1NT
Dble	2♦	2♠	Pass
4♠	All Pass

South led his singleton heart and declarer won with dummy’s king and played the king of diamonds. When that held he tried the queen of diamonds and South won and played a third round of the suit. Declarer ruffed, played a spade to the queen and cashed the ace of spades. He had to lose three more tricks for one down, -50.

Closed Room

Board 22. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
	♠ Q J 6 4 ♥ Q 8 7 6 ♦ Q 6 4 ♣ 9 2
♠ 8 5 3 ♥ K 4 2 ♦ 10 3 ♣ 8 7 6 5 4		♠ 10 7 ♥ A J 3 ♦ K 9 8 2 ♣ Q J 10 3
	♠ A K 9 2 ♥ 10 9 5 ♦ A J 7 5 ♣ A K

Open Room

West led a club and declarer won, drew trumps ending in hand and ran the nine of hearts. East won and the defenders cashed two more tricks in the suit and exited with a club. They had to score a diamond trick for one down, +50.

Closed Room

North/South managed to avoid the doomed 4-4 spade fit.

West found the best lead of a low club and declarer won in hand and cashed the ace of spades. He played a low spade to dummy and played the queen of diamonds, covered by the king and ace. Declarer took two more spades ending in dummy, West discarding a heart, East a heart and the jack of clubs. Now came the four of diamonds. When East put in the eight, the jack caught West’s ten and declarer could set up a diamond for his ninth trick, +400 handing those 10 IMPs back to Poland.

Despite the lead, 3NT can always be made, but it’s not easy. Declarer must start diamonds from his hand by playing the five. If West plays the ten, the queen forces the ace and declarer has two spade entries in dummy to finesse twice against East.

If West plays low, so does declarer. East wins and clears the clubs, but declarer goes to dummy with a spade and plays the queen of diamonds, pinning West’s ten. There is still a spade entry to dummy for a further finesse.

Board 23. Dealer South. All Vul.
	♠ A Q J 3 ♥ A K J 7 6 ♦ Q 6 5 ♣ 5
♠ K 7 6 2 ♥ 8 2 ♦ A J ♣ K 9 7 6 2		♠ 10 8 4 ♥ 9 ♦ K 3 2 ♣ A Q J 8 4 3
	♠ 9 5 ♥ Q 10 5 4 3 ♦ 10 9 8 7 4 ♣ 10

Open Room

When East overcalled in clubs West took the sacrifice – a phantom if the defenders could find their diamond ruff against Four Hearts. South led the ten of diamonds, covered by the jack, queen and king. Declarer drew a round of trumps, crossed to the ace of diamonds, came back to hand with a trump and ruffed a diamond. When declarer came off dummy with a heart North went up with the ace and continued with the king of hearts. When declarer pitched a spade on that North cashed the ace of spades for one down, +200. If North had ducked the heart exit – risking that South’s show of support was likely to include the queen, the contract would have been two down.

Closed Room

Board 25. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	♠ Q 4 ♥ 8 3 ♦ 9 6 ♣ A 10 9 7 6 5 2
♠ A J 10 5 3 ♥ 5 ♦ K J 7 4 ♣ K Q 8		♠ K 8 ♥ A Q 10 7 6 4 ♦ A Q 5 2 ♣ 3
	♠ 9 7 6 2 ♥ K J 9 2 ♦ 10 8 3 ♣ J 4

Open Room

	♠ Q 4 ♥ ♦ ♣ 9 7
♠ A J 10 5 ♥ ♦ ♣		♠ 8 ♥ Q 10 ♦ 5 ♣
	♠ 9 7 6 ♥ K ♦ ♣

Declarer cashed his last trump, forcing South to discard a spade. Now a spade to the ten completed East’s brilliant combination in both the bidding and play – potential prize winners both – until North cruelly produced the queen of spades and cashed two more clubs for three down, -300. Bridge can be a cruel game.

Closed Room

South did not find his counterpart’s imaginative raise and West’s heavy 3NT closed proceedings. North led the ten of clubs and declarer won and played a spade to the king and a spade, finessing the ten.