USA1 v Canada

Orbis Venice Cup - Quarterfinal

USA1 led by a single IMP going into the second set of their quarter-final with Canada in the Orbis Venice Cup. They had extended their advantage to 4 IMPs two boards into the set and added something more substantial on Board 19.

Board 19. Dealer South. EW Game ª A 10 9 4 © A J 3 2 ¨ Q 8 § 9 4 2 ª 7 ª K Q J 6 5 3 © K Q 5 © 10 8 ¨ J 10 7 5 4 ¨ A K 6 § K Q J 10 § 8 3 ª 8 2 © 9 7 6 4 ¨ 9 3 2 § A 7 6 5

West North East South Saltsman Meyers Cimon Montin     Pass 1¨ Dble 1ª Pass 2§ Pass 2© Pass 2NT Pass 3ª All Pass

Barbara Saltsman knew very well that Francine Cimon's fourth suit then repeat her spades sequence was forcing, but she hated her hand and decided to pass anyway. Three Spades lost two trump tricks and two aces for +140. On another day that could have been a winning board, whatever you may feel about breaking discipline in this fashion, but today was not a good one for Saltsman.

West North East South Sokolow Reus Seamon Gordon     Pass 1¨ Dble Rdble 1© Pass Pass 2ª Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass

The lead against Three No Trump was a low heart. Tobi Sokolow rose with dummy's ten and, when that held, played on clubs. Dianna Gordon won the second club and returned a heart. Sharyn Reus took her ace and cleared the suit but Sokolow could cash her clubs and play on spades, confident that the hearts wee breaking evenly. She had nine tricks without requiring the favourable diamond position. That was worth +600 and 10 IMPs to USA1.

Board 22. Dealer East. EW Game ª A Q 10 9 4 © J 9 3 ¨ A J 6 3 § 5 ª J 8 7 3 2 ª K 6 © K 10 6 5 © A 8 7 4 2 ¨ 9 2 ¨ K Q 7 4 § A J § Q 8 ª 5 © Q ¨ 10 8 5 § K 10 9 7 6 4 3 2

West North East South Saltsman Meyers Cimon Montin   1© 3§ 4© All Pass

West North East South Sokolow Reus Seamon Gordon   1© 4§ 4© All Pass

The size of South's pre-empt did not affect the outcome, with both West players making the same Four Heart call. Randi Montin led a club against Cimon. Declarer took the finesse and led a diamond up. Jill Meyers went in with the ace and looked for a way to put her partner in to get a club ruff.

Thinking that her partner would probably have led a singleton spade, she decided that the best shot was to lead a low spade and hope that Montin held the king.

Cimon played the king of spades then cashed two rounds of hearts. She could ruff a diamond in dummy and claim ten tricks; +620.

Gordon led her spade on the go and Reus won and gave her the ruff. There was a diamond and a heart to come for the defense; one down for -100 and 12 IMPs to Canada - their first gain of the set.

Board 27. Dealer South. Love All ª K Q J 10 4 3 2 © K 10 9 8 5 ¨ — § 8 ª 9 5 ª 7 © Q J 7 © 4 3 ¨ A 10 8 7 6 ¨ K J 5 4 2 § A 7 3 § K Q J 5 2 ª A 8 6 © A 6 2 ¨ Q 9 3 § 10 9 6 4

West North East South Saltsman Meyers Cimon Montin     1NT Pass 4ª 4NT Pass 5¨ 5ª Pass Pass 6¨ All Pass

Montin opened a mini no trump on the South cards and Meyers jumped to Four Spades in response. Cimon's Four No Trump was unusual, normally based on both minors, and Saltsman chose diamonds. When Meyers went on to Five Spades, Saltsman in turn bid one more. Nobody doubled and Six Diamonds drifted a couple off for -100.

West North East South Sokolow Reus Seamon Gordon     Pass 1¨ 4ª 5¨ 5ª Pass Pass 6¨ Pass Pass 6ª Dble All Pass

Gordon did not have an opening bid in her methods, leading to a very different auction. When the music stopped, Reus was in Six Spades Doubled - one down for a further 100 to USA1, and 5 IMPs.

Board 28. Dealer West. NS Game ª 9 8 7 4 2 © 10 4 ¨ 10 9 7 6 3 § 2 ª A 10 ª Pass © — © Pass ¨ A K Q 4 ¨ Pass § A Q 9 8 7 4 3 § All Pass ª Q J 5 © A Q J 3 ¨ J 8 5 § K 10 6

West North East South Saltsman Meyers Cimon Montin 1§ Pass 1© Pass 2¨ Pass 3© Pass 4§ Pass 4© Pass 4ª Pass 5© All Pass

Saltsman was not completely confident that her Four Club would be understood, and neither was she 100% confident as to the meaning of Four Hearts. When she bid Four spades, however, Cimon felt that she knew enough about what was going on to jump to the excellent slam, so the partnership were clearly on somewhat firmer ground than Saltsman had thought. There was nothing to the play, declarer winning the spade lead, ruffing a diamond and playing on clubs; +920.

West North East South Sokolow Reus Seamon Gordon 1§ Pass 1© Pass 2¨ Pass 3© Pass 4§ Pass 4© Pass 4ª Pass 5© All Pass

The American auction didn't get the job done at all. Janice Seamon-Molson felt that she had to jump to Three Hearts as Two heart would not have been forcing. After Sokolow had continued with Four Clubs and Four Spades, she was in a not dissimilar position to Cimon's but had less reason to suspect the seventh club. Her sign-off in Five Hearts was not a success. There were four trump losers for two down; -100 and 14 IMPs to Canada.

Board 31. Dealer South. NS Game ª K 8 7 5 2 © 5 2 ¨ K J 5 § 10 7 5 ª A J 10 4 ª Q 9 © Q 8 © K J 7 6 4 ¨ A 6 4 ¨ Q 10 3 § 9 8 6 2 § K Q J ª 6 3 © A 10 9 3 ¨ 9 8 7 2 § A 4 3

West North East South Saltsman Meyers Cimon Montin     Pass Pass Pass 1© Pass 1ª Pass 1NT Pass 3NT All Pass

West North East South Sokolow Reus Seamon Gordon     Pass Pass Pass 1© Pass 1ª Pass 1NT Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass

Saltsman was willing to jump straight to game, upgrading her heart queen and spade intermediates, while Sokolow preferred to merely invite game. It made no difference, of course, as East was maximum and raised to Three No Trump anyway.

Both Montin and Gordon led a high diamond to partner's king, and both Meyers and Reus switched to a club. Reus chose the club five and that went to the king and ace. Gordon returned a club and declarer was in control. Seamon-Molson played a heart to the queen and a second heart to king and ace. Gordon played a third club and declarer won and took the spade finesse; +400.

Meyers switched to the seven of clubs and Cimon put in the jack. Montin took the ace and thought for quite some time before coming up with the right answer. She played a diamond and Cimon won in hand and took the spade finesse. Meyers won her king and played another diamond. When Montin later won the ace of hearts she had the thirteenth diamond to cash for one down; -50 and 10 IMPs to USA1.

The set score was 31-26 to USA1, and after 32 boards they led by 6 IMPs - still nothing in it.