SENIOR TEAMS Q-FINAL - 6TH Hungary v USA

by Phillip Alder

When the second session got underway China badly needed to get on to the scoreboard in a significant way – another losing set would leave them with a lot of work to do even with four sets to play.

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	♠ K Q 9 8 5 ♥ A K 4 3 ♦ 9 8 ♣ 6 2
♠ A 3 ♥ Q 7 2 ♦ A Q 5 ♣ A 10 7 5 4		♠ J 10 7 6 ♥ 9 8 5 ♦ J 3 2 ♣ K Q J
	♠ 4 2 ♥ J 10 6 ♦ K 10 7 6 4 ♣ 9 8 3

Open Room

The no-fear approach of the Chinese women was quickly evidenced with North showing her major two-suiter.

West led the ace of clubs and continued the suit when East followed with the king. Her diamond switch went to West’s queen and she cashed the ace of diamonds and followed it with the ace of spades. The best defence now is to force the dummy with a club, which should lead to two down, but West played another spade and declarer won with dummy’s king and ruffed a spade. Had she done so with the ten of hearts she would have been able to escape for one down, but she ruffed with the six and West overruffed with the seven. A club is still best, but West tried her diamond and declarer won with her king, discarding a spade from dummy. The jack of hearts was covered by the queen and ace and declarer came to hand with the ten of hearts. Now she could ruff a club, and draw the last trump for one down.

At least that is what she should have done, but when she played a diamond she promoted a trump trick for East to be two down, -100.

With North/South keeping quiet the normal looking game was quickly reached, and played by West there is no legitimate way to defeat it, although declarer would do well to emerge with nine tricks on a passive diamond lead. Of course, North was never going to do that and when she started with two top hearts declarer had an easy route to +400 and 5 IMPs.

Board 27. Dealer South. None Vul.
	♠ K Q J 7 5 2 ♥ Q 4 ♦ A K 6 ♣ 8 4
♠ 4 ♥ J 10 6 5 2 ♦ 8 7 5 2 ♣ K 6 2		♠ A 8 ♥ K 7 3 ♦ J 4 3 ♣ A Q 10 9 3
	♠ 10 9 6 3 ♥ A 9 8 ♦ Q 10 9 ♣ J 7 5

Open Room

Four Spades is the normal contract, but it looks a if declarer should lose a trump, a heart and two clubs.

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

Declarer exited with a club and East put in the queen. When West inexplicably failed to overtake the defence had engineered the endplay declarer was hoping for. Of course, West must take most of the blame, but East should have spared her partner’s blushes by taking the ace and exiting with the queen.

Closed Room

Board 28. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	♠ A Q 7 ♥ Q 9 6 ♦ Q ♣ 10 8 7 6 4 3
♠ K J 9 6 5 3 ♥ 8 3 ♦ J 5 3 ♣ A K		♠ 10 4 ♥ A K 5 4 ♦ A 7 6 4 2 ♣ J 9
	♠ 8 2 ♥ J 10 7 2 ♦ K 10 9 8 ♣ Q 5 2

Open Room

North led the six of clubs for the queen and king and declarer crossed to the ace of hearts and ran the ten of spades. When that held she may have thought she was home, but North won the next spade and cleared the clubs. There was nothing declarer could do – she ducked a diamond to North and the defence cashed out for three down, -150.

Closed Room

Board 29. Dealer North. All Vul.
	♠ A Q 5 ♥ 7 3 2 ♦ A Q J 9 7 2 ♣ A
♠ J 8 6 2 ♥ K 9 8 ♦ 4 ♣ 9 7 6 3 2		♠ K 7 3 ♥ A Q J 10 4 ♦ K ♣ K Q 10 5
	♠ 10 9 4 ♥ 6 5 ♦ 10 8 6 5 3 ♣ J 8 4

Open Room

Five Diamonds is a very good save, but South preferred to defend. Realising there was little point in leading partner’s suit, she looked elsewhere and came up with a deadly spade lead – well almost, as she selected the four, rather than the killing ten. North put up the ace and switched to a trump, declarer taking two rounds ending in dummy. When a club brought forth North’s ace the hand was over, declarer emerging with eleven tricks, +650.

Closed Room

There was little chance South would lead a spade at this table and South led her partner’s suit. North took the ace and switched to a trump. Declarer won with dummy’s eight and played a club to North’s ace, declarer being careful to unblock the ten from her hand.

North exited with a trump and declarer drew trumps and claimed ten tricks to give USA 1 IMP.

China had recovered some of the ground lost in the first set – there was all to play for.