Meltzer v Milner

Orbis Transnational Teams - Final

Two USA teams met in the final of the Orbis Transnational World Open Teams Championship, though Milner included Fred Gitelman of Canada and Meltzer, Cesary Balicki and Adam Zmudzinsnki of Poland, making for a true transnational ending.

Milner gained an overtrick IMP on Board 1, but Meltzer took the lead two boards later.

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

West North East South Jacobus Weichsel Milner Meltzer     Pass Pass 1© Dble 2ª Pass 3© Dble Pass 3ª Pass 4ª All Pass

We have no information about the meaning of South's Two Spade bid. Maybe it was a fit-jump, or maybe some kind of mixed raise. Anyway, Peter Weichsel signed-off in Three Hearts and Reese Milner doubled for a second time. When Mark Jacobus bid his spades, Milner raised to game. The 4-1 trump split and shortage of entries to the West hand meant that there was too much work to do in Four Spades and Jacobus drifted one off; -100.

West North East South Zmudzinski Moss Balicki Gitelman     Pass Pass 1© Dble 4© Pass Pass Dble All Pass

Fred Gitelman made a big pre-emptive raise to Four Hearts. Again, East doubled, but Adam Zmudzinski passed the take-out double, expecting to beat Four Hearts while the fate of Four Spades was somewhat problematical.

Cesary Balicki had an unattractive opening lead and chose the ace of clubs, the suit in which someone was most likely to hold a singleton and therefore establishing the king would be least significant. Balicki switched to ace then queen of spades.

Brad Moss won the king, throwing a diamond, then played a diamond to the jack and queen.

He had to lose the two red aces but could manage the rest; two down for -300 and 9 IMPs to MELTZER.

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

West North East South Jacobus Weichsel Milner Meltzer Pass Pass 1¨ Pass 1ª 1NT Dble Pass Pass Rdble Pass Pass Pass Pass 3ª All Pass

West North East South Zmudzinski Moss Balicki Gitelman Pass 2© 2NT 3© Dble Pass 4ª All Pass

I guess that you would want to be in game on the North/South cards, though only because you are vulnerable. The bad trump position meant that nine tricks were the limit this time. That was +140 to Rose Meltzer-Johnson but -100 for Gitelman; 6 IMPs to MELTZER.

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

West North East South Jacobus Weichsel Milner Meltzer   1© Pass 2§ 3¨ 4§ 5¨ 6§ All Pass

West North East South Zmudzinski Moss Balicki Gitelman 1© Pass 2§ 3¨ 3© 5¨ 5NT Pass 6§ 6¨ 6© All Pass

North/South have a double fit, of course, providing a very cheap save. Both pairs found the diamond fit, but neither tried spades, and the East/Wests were allowed to play the slam of their choice; +1370 for Jacobus and +1460 for Balicki (after a club lead), for 3 IMPs to MELTZER.

Board 8. Dealer West. Love All ª K 7 6 4 © A J 7 4 2 ¨ 9 8 3 § 3 ª — ª A J 10 9 5 © Q 9 5 © 8 3 ¨ A 4 ¨ 7 6 § A K 9 8 7 6 52 § Q J 10 4 ª Q 8 3 2 © K 10 6 ¨ K Q J 10 5 2 § —

West North East South Jacobus Weichsel Milner Meltzer 1§ 1© 1ª 2¨ 3NT All Pass

West North East South Zmudzinski Moss Balicki Gitelman 1§ 1© 1ª 2¨ 3§ 3¨ 4§ 4© 5§ Pass Pass 5¨ Dble All Pass

Jacobus's Three No Trump rebid stole the pot. He would have been defeated by a heart lead, but Meltzer had not had time to show her heart support, so it was natural for Weichsel to lead a diamond. Jacobus had ten tricks; +430.

Zmudzinski's Three Club rebid allowed Moss to get his diamond support in at a comfortable level. Gitelman was never going to defend Five Clubs now. When he bid Five Diamonds, Zmudzinski doubled. He led the nine of hearts, thinking that Balicki might have a singleton. That solved the heart problem for Gitelman. He won the heart ten and tried the queen of diamonds. Zmudzinski took his ace and led the nine of clubs, looking for a spade ruff. When Gitelman ruffed the club, Zmudzinski smiled ruefully and shortly afterwards wrote down -550 on his scoresheet; 14 IMPs to MILNER.

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

West North East South Jacobus Weichsel Milner Meltzer   3§ Pass

West North East South Zmudzinski Moss Balicki Gitelman   2§ Pass 2¨ Pass 2ª Pass 3ª Pass 4ª All Pass

Do you like that vulnerable Three Club opening? The suit isn't great but it was the action chosen at four of the six tables in the various finals. Each time, Three Clubs was passed out for -200 or -300. Milner conceded the latter score.

You may like Balicki's Precision-style Two Club opening no better, but it was a lot more successful. Zmudzinski enquired and discovered that his partner had a minimum with no four-card major. That was not great news, but after a while he decided that he might as well see it through and bid Three Spades. Balicki raised to game and there was no real problem in the play after a low heart lead; +620 and 14 IMPs to MELTZER.

Board 11. Dealer South. Love All ª A K 10 9 © 10 8 7 5 ¨ A 5 § 10 8 7 ª — ª Q J 8 6 2 © K Q J 4 3 © 9 2 ¨ 8 2 ¨ 10 7 6 4 3 § A Q J 6 4 3 § 5 ª 7 5 4 3 © A 6 ¨ K Q J 9 § K 9 2

West North East South Jacobus Weichsel Milner Meltzer     1¨ 2NT Pass 3© Pass © All Pass

Surprisingly, Weichsel never joined in the auction, despite his partner's One Diamond opening bid. Four Hearts looks as though it could be quite a struggle, but Milner got out for only one down after the lead of the king of diamonds; -50.

West North East South Zmudzinski Moss Balicki Gitelman     1¨ 2NT Dble 3© Pass Pass 3ª Pass 4ª Pass Pass Dble All Pass

Moss got himself to Four Spades and Balicki informed him that this was not going to make. Balicki led his club to the jack and Zmudzinski continued with two more rounds of clubs. Balicki ruffed and switched to a heart. Moss won the ace of hearts and played a spade to the ace, confirming the bad trump break. He continued with four rounds of diamonds then exited with a heart. Balicki could be endplayed now to get only one more trump trick; two down for -300 and 8 IMPs to MELTZER.

Board 12. Dealer West. NS Game ª A K Q J 9 5 4 © 4 3 ¨ 8 4 § A 9 ª 10 8 2 ª 6 © 10 7 5 © A K 2 ¨ K Q 6 3 2 ¨ A J 10 7 § 3 2 § K Q 8 6 5 ª 7 3 © Q J 9 8 6 ¨ 9 5 § J 10 7 4

West North East South Jacobus Weichsel Milner Meltzer Pass 1ª Dble Pass 2¨ 3ª 4¨ All Pass

West North East South Zmudzinski Moss Balicki Gitelman Pass 1§ Pass 1ª Pass 1NT Pass 2§ Pass 2ª Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass

East has bid Four Diamonds under pressure so should West bid on to game? Probably the answer is yes, but it is obviously less clear than if east had had the opportunity to jump to Four Diamonds. The play is a little awkward in Five Diamonds from declarer's point of view, but the favourable positions in both minors mean that the problems are all in his mind and 11 tricks are always made; 6 more IMPs to MELTZER. They led by 50-16 at this point but MILNER finished the set strongly, though they needed some good fortune on this next deal.

Board 13. Dealer North. Game All ª 2 © K 8 7 6 ¨ K 10 7 5 2 § Q J 3 ª K Q J 9 5 4 ª A 7 6 © Q 9 © J 5 4 2 ¨ 9 6 ¨ A 4 3 § A 9 8 § K 7 4 ª 10 8 3 © A 10 3 ¨ Q J 8 § 10 6 5 2

West North East South Jacobus Weichsel Milner Meltzer Pass 1§ Pass 1ª Pass 1NT Pass 4ª All Pass

West North East South Zmudzinski Moss Balicki Gitelman Pass 1§ Pass 1ª Pass 1NT Pass 2§ Pass 2ª Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass

Balicki/Zmudzinski did very well to reach the cold Three No Trump when Zmudzinski enquired, found that his partner was minimum with three spades, and asked again with Two No Trump. When Balicki showed that he was completely balanced, Zmudzinski passed Three No Trump and that was +600.

A club lead and continuation beats Four Spades, but even on the actual diamond lead it takes the finesse of the nine of hearts to create a parking place for the club loser. Jacobus duly brought home his game to pick up a fortunate IMP for MILNER.

The next deal saw Balicki make a shaded opening that got his side to a poor game, which duly failed by a trick, while Milner passed and subsequently played a partscore, making; 6 IMPs to MILNER.

Board 15. Dealer South. NS Game ª Q 8 7 5 4 2 © 7 2 ¨ 5 § J 8 7 3 ª A 10 6 ª K J 9 © A 9 8 5 © Q J 10 ¨ 7 6 4 3 ¨ A K 10 9 8 2 § A 6 § K ª 3 © K 6 4 3 ¨ Q J § Q 10 9 5 4 2

West North East South Jacobus Weichsel Milner Meltzer Pass 1¨ Pass 2¨ Pass 2NT Pass 4¨ Pass 4© Pass 4ª Pass 5¨ Pass 6¨ All Pass

The inverted raise led to a smooth auction to the top spot; +940.

West North East South Zmudzinski Moss Balicki Gitelman Pass 1§ Pass 2¨ Pass 2© Pass 2ª Pass 3¨ Pass 3© Pass 3ª Pass 4§ Pass 4¨ Pass 5¨ All Pass

Zmudzinski opened a Polish Club, either a weak no trump or a strong club, and Two Diamonds was natural and forcing. The whole auction was very unclear from here and neither player felt confident to bid the slam; +440.

That was 11 IMPs to MILNER, who trailed by 33-50 after 16 of the 48 boards of the final.