Netherlands v USA1

Orbis Venice Cup - Round 1

Netherlands and USA1 were both doing quite nicely going into their Round 9 match in the Venice Cup.

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

For the Netherlands, Anneke Simons opened Three Clubs and Jet Pasman made an aggressive response of Three spades, raised to game. Renee Mancuso led a heart and Pasman ducked this to the queen. Shawn Quinn switched to a trump and Pasman rose with the ace. She unblocked the king of clubs and played a heart to the ace then a diamond to the ace. Next came a heart ruff, the ace of clubs for a diamond pitch, and a low diamond. Quinn won the king of diamonds and played the queen of clubs through. It didn't matter what declarer did, of course. She actually ruffed in with the ten, but had to lose two trumps for one down; -50.

At the other table, Randi Montin did not open the South hand. Jill Meyers opened a chunky Two Spades in third seat and played there for +140 and 5 IMPs to USA1.

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

West North East South Quinn Pasman Mancuso Simons 1§ Pass 1¨ Pass 1NT Pass 2© Pass 2NT Pass 3¨ Pass 3ª Pass 3NT All Pass

Two Hearts was forcing and promised longer diamonds. Three Diamonds was also forcing.

It looks as though Quinn intended Three Spades as showing spade values and still looking for the best game, while Mancuso described it as showing slam interest.

Pasman led a club against Three No Trump and the defense took the first five tricks for down one; -100.

At the other table, Marijke van der Pas also opened One Club but her rebid was One Spade. Bep Vriend made an invitational rebid of Three Diamonds over One Spade and van der Pas left her there.

Vriend made 11 tricks for +150 and may have been worried that she had had a losing board. Not to worry - it was actually 6 IMPs in.

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

West North East South v.d.Pas Meyers Vriend Montin   2§ Pass 2¨ Pass 2ª 3© 3ª Pass 4§ Pass 4¨ Pass 4© Pass 4ª All Pass

Two Clubs covered a variety of strong hands, mostly just short of game-forcing strength, or more often a weak two in diamonds. The Two Spade rebid showed a strong hand with spades and when van der Pas supported spades, there was an exchange of cuebids before the Dutch settled in game. The lead was a diamond. Vriend won in hand, drew trumps and led a heart towards the king. She had 11 tricks for +650.

West North East South Quinn Pasman Mancuso Simons   1ª 2© 2ª 3¨ 4ª Pass Pass 5§ Dble 5¨ Dble All Pass

The auction went much better for North/South here. Pasman judged to bid her two suits even when that meant going to the five level, and right she was. The Americans settled for the sure penalty, but 300 was insufficient and Netherlands had gained 8 IMPs to lead by 14-6.

The score had moved on to 15-11 when the next significant swing came along.

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

West North East South Quinn Pasman Mancuso Simons     Pass 1¨ Pass 1ª Pass 2ª Dble All Pass

Simons led the seven of trumps round to the nine. Mancuso led a heart to dummy and a club to her king, then a club back to South's queen. Simons led ace and another spade to dummy's queen. Declarer played a diamond to her king and cashed the king of spades. Now she had a choice of settling for one down by playing a heart to the king, or trying to make the contract by finessing the heart jack, but risking two down in the process. Everything pointed to the heart being offside. For one thing, North could have risen with the diamond ace and cashed two club winners to ensure defeating the contract. Mancuso duly played to the heart king and conceded 100.

West North East South v.d.Pas Meyers Vriend Montin     Pass 1¨ Pass 1ª Pass 1NT Dble All Pass

Meyers passed over One Diamond but then doubled One No Trump, showing a good hand including diamonds. It seems normal for Montin to pass the double, given that she is sitting over the spade bid, but

One No Trump doubled proved to be a good contract. Meyers led her spade to declarer's ten and van der Pas ran the nine of clubs to Montin's queen. She switched to a heart and van der Pas rose with the ace and played a second club to the ten. When that held she played a spade and Montin took her ace to play a second heart through. Again declarer rose, this time with the king, and she now played a diamond towards the king.

Meyers won her ace, cashed the queen of hearts and exited with a diamond, but the defense simply had nowhere to go for tricks and van der Pas was able to untangle seven winners for +180 and 7 IMPs. The Netherlands led by 22-11.

Both East/West pairs bid competently to the slams on Boards 17 and 18, so the score was unchanged going into the last two deals.

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

West North East South Quinn Pasman Mancuso Simons     Pass 1§ Pass 1NT Pass 2© Pass 3§ Pass 3¨ Pass 4§ All Pass

Quinn bid out her shape but, when partner could do no more than retreat to the security of the club fit. But even Four Clubs proved to be one too high. Pasman led a diamond. Quinn won in hand and cashed the top clubs then gave up a spade. Simons won the queen of spades and cashed the queen of clubs before playing another spade, ruffed. Quinn led to the queen of hearts and when that lost had to concede one down; -50.

West North East South v.d.Pas Meyers Vriend Montin     1NT Dble 2¨ Pass 2© Pass 2ª Dble All Pass

One No Trump was mini, 10-12 HCP, and the run-out to Two Diamonds showed either diamonds and a higher ranking suit, or both majors with unequal length. Montin gave preference to Two Hearts, expecting that her partner had the red suits, and Meyers showed that she actually had spades and diamonds by converting to Two Spades. Montin must have been pretty impressed with that development, especially when Vriend doubled.

Meyers won the trump lead and played a club towards her queen. Van der Pas went in with the ace and switched to a low diamond to her partner's queen. Vriend tried a low heart and Meyers ran that to West's ace. She now had nine tricks for +570 and 11 IMPs to USA1.

Board 20. Dealer West. Game All ª 5 2 © K J 8 7 3 ¨ Q 9 3 § 7 4 3 ª K 10 9 3 ª 8 6 © 10 © Q 9 5 2 ¨ A K 8 6 5 4 ¨ J 10 § 5 2 § K J 10 9 6 ª A Q J 7 4 © A 6 4 ¨ 7 2 § A Q 8

The match was all square going into the final board but now USA1 snatched the lead for the first time since Board 3.

In the Open Room, van der Pas/Vriend bid the West and East cards 1¨ - 1© - 2¨ - Pass. That contract had to go one off when the club and diamond honours all proved to be offside; -100. Note how well Montin did to pass throughout with the South cards.

 

West North East South Quinn Pasman Mancuso Simons 1¨ Pass 1© 1ª 2¨ Pass Pass Dble Pass 2ª All Pass

Simons not only overcalled but then doubled Two Diamonds. Pasman might have bid Two Hearts now, and that would have been a much better spot than Two Spades. Against Two Spades, Quinn led a top diamond then switched to her heart. The ten of hearts was covered by jack, queen and ace, and Simons led a diamond towards dummy. Quinn took the king of diamonds and led another one. Mancuso ruffed with the eight and declarer over-ruffed. She ducked a spade and Quinn switched to a club for the king and ace. Declarer cashed the ace of spades and looked very disappointed when East showed out. She played the queen of clubs then a heart to the king and another heart. Mancuso cashed her club winner and Quinn had two trumps to come for two down; -200 and 7 IMPs to USA1.

The Americans had won by 29-22 IMPs, 16-14 VPs, but both teams were looking comfortable for the knockouts.