USA1 v France

Orbis Bermuda Bowl - Round 16

Out for revenge

The last time France and USA 1 faced each other in the Bermuda Bowl, the stakes were as high as they can get.

It was the final in Hammamet, Tunisia, in 1997, and the French came away with a convincing victory.

On Thursday, the two teams met again, in Round 16 of the Orbis Bermuda Bowl round-robin.

This time, USA 1 got the better of France with a 42-20 victory, at least mildly damaging their chances of qualifying for the quarterfinal round of the event.

Each team had several chances for major swings, but it was the Americans who capitalized more often, starting with this slam swing.

 

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

West North East South Freeman Bompis Nickell De StMarie 1§ Pass 1ª Pass 2ª Pass 3© Pass 4ª Pass 4NT Pass 5ª Pass 6ª All Pass

Richard Freeman's 3© could have been a mere game try, and when Nick Nickell accepted by leaping to game, Freeman checked to make sure the partnership was not off two aces, and bid the slam. There was nothing to the play, and Freeman racked up plus 980. At the other table:

West North East South Multon Meckstroth Mari Rodwell   1§ Pass 1ª Pass 2ª Pass 2NT(1) Pass 4ª All Pass

(1) Forcing, asking East to clarify his raise.

Something happened on the way to the slam. If Christian Mari meant his 4ª bid to be encouraging, the message didn't get through to Franck Multon, who appeared to be giving thought to pressing on before finally passing. He made the same 12 tricks as Freeman and lost 11 IMPs in the process.

USA 1 gained 2 IMPs on the next board, but it could have been 9.

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

West North East South Freeman Bompis Nickell De StMarie     1NT Pass 2¨(1) Pass 2© Pass 3NT Pass 4© All Pass

(1) Transfer to hearts.

Freeman led his singleton spade, and although Thierry de Sainte Marie did not take the heart finesse, the defenders had the timing to hold him to 10 tricks. That was plus 420 to France. At the other table, Jeff Meckstroth and Eric Rodwell had Mari running from 1ª redoubled, which probably would have produced two overtricks.

West North East South Multon Meckstroth Mari Rodwell 1§ Pass 1ª Dble Pass Pass Rdble Pass Pass 1NT Dble 2§ Pass Pass Dble All Pass

Rodwell led the §Q, ducked by Meckstroth to Mari's king. Mari followed with the ª10, taken by Rodwell with the king. The §J was next, and after that held, Rodwell underled the ©A to Meckstroth's king. Meckstroth played a third round of trumps then played the ©J to the queen and ace. Rodwell continued with a third round of hearts, forcing Mari to use his last trump.

Mari then played the ªQ, ducked by Rodwell, leaving this position:

ª 7 © 8 5 ¨ Q J § — ª — ª J 6 5 © — © — ¨ 10 8 5 4 ¨ A 9 § 9 § — ª A 9 © — ¨ K 6 3 § —

Mari played a low spade, pitching a diamond from dummy when Rodwell covered with the 9. Had Rodwell exited with a diamond, the defense would have collected plus 800. Rodwell wasn't sure about the diamond position, however, so he played the ªA at trick 10. Mari ruffed, played a diamond to his ace and cashed the good ªJ for his sixth trick and minus 500, holding the loss on the board to 2 IMPs.

On Board 8, 6NT was played from the wrong side at both tables, but neither South found the killing opening lead.

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

West North East South Freeman Bompis Nickell De StMarie 1§ 2ª 3NT Pass 6NT All Pass

Unable to see through the backs of the cards, in which case he would have led the §Q, de Sainte Marie led the ª4 and Nickell wrapped up 13 tricks (de Sainte Marie no doubt discarded one too many hearts). At the other table:

West North East South Multon Meckstroth Mari Rodwell 1§ 1ª 2¨ Pass 2ª Pass(1) 3NT Pass 4¨ Pass 4© Pass 4NT Pass 5ª Pass 6NT All Pass

(1) Alerted. Meckstroth explained that if he doubled, it would tell Rodwell not to lead a spade.

Considering that Meckstroth did not double 2ª, Rodwell was always going to lead a spade. Rodwell held onto his hearts, however, and Mari had to settle for for 12 tricks and a 1-IMP loss.

Here is a lead problem. As East, you hold

ªQ 10 9 7 ©Q J 7 3 ¨ K 9 7 § Q

and you hear your right-hand opponent open a Precision 1§. LHO bids 2¨ (balanced 8-10) and RHO follows with 2NT, raised to 3NT by South. Choose your opening lead.

If you picked a spade, write minus 11 IMPs on your scorecard. If your lead was a heart, you win 6 IMPs. The full deal:

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

West North East South Freeman Bompis Nickell De StMarie Pass Pass Pass 1§ Pass 1¨ Pass 1ª Pass 2§ Pass 2© Pass 3§ All Pass

Marc Bompis had no trouble taking 11 tricks for plus 150. At the other table:

West North East South Multon Meckstroth Mari Rodwell   Pass Pass Pass 1§(1) Pass 2¨(2) Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass

(1) Precision.
(2) Ostensibly 8-10 balanced.

Considering that he was actually a high-card point below the minimum for the 2¨ bid, Rodwell's bid of 3NT looks more than a bit aggressive. The contract meets Bob Hamman's criterion for efficacy, however, since it made.

A low heart lead, of course, would have allowed the defenders to take the first five tricks for plus 100, but Mari led the ª10, which Meckstroth ran to his jack. Declarer got the good news at trick two when his §A felled Mari's singleton queen. From there, Meckstroth unblocked spades and ran clubs. In the end, he played a diamond to the ace and a diamond to Multon's king. Multon surrendered a second overtrick when he underled his ©A. Plus 660 and 11 IMPs to USA 1.

France responded with an 11-IMP gain on the following deal.

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

West North East South Freeman Bompis Nickell De StMarie     1¨ 1© Pass Pass Dble All Pass

Freeman took four tricks, suffering a penalty of minus 500. At the other table, Mari came to his partner's rescue.

West North East South Multon Meckstroth Mari Rodwell 1¨ 1© Pass Pass Dble Pass Pass 1NT Dble 2§ Pass Pass Dble All Pass

Mari didn't fancy putting his hand down as dummy in a doubled heart contract, so he suggested playing in a minor. The 2§ contract actually had plays, but it didn't work out for Multon.

Meckstroth led the ¨K, switching to the ªJ. Rodwell went up with the ace and returned the suit. Multon won the ªK and cashed the ªQ. Next he played the ¨8 to Rodwell's queen, and when Rodwell returned the ¨2, VuGraph commentators speculated that Multon could actually make his contract by ruffing with the §Q, cashing the ©A and playing a club to the ace, followed by a club. He would then lose only one spade, one club and three diamonds.

Multon, however, discarded a heart on the trick. Meckstroth ruffed and returned the ª10, allowing Rodwell to discard his heart. He later ruffed the ©A with a low trump and still had the §K to come. Even at that, minus 100 was still good for a 9-IMP gain for France, trailing by only 11 at that point.

On the next deal, France had a chance for a gain if they could reach a game missed in the other room. The fly in the ointment was that Meckstroth and Rodwell stole the deal with one of their super-aggressive opening bids. Not that that was all bad for France, considering the end result.

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

West North East South Freeman Bompis Nickell De StMarie Pass Pass 1¨ Pass 1ª Pass 1NT Pass Pass 2© Pass Pass 2NT All Pass

De Sainte Marie led the ©Q and Nickell ended up with 10 tricks for plus 180. At the other table East-West never got into the auction.

West North East South Multon Meckstroth Mari Rodwell Pass 1ª Pass 1NT(1) Pass 2© Pass 2ª All Pass

(1) One-round force.

Ignoring the vulnerability and the threadbare spade suit, Meckstroth was right in there with an opening bid. The play went relatively quickly, but not pleasantly for North-South. Mari started with a low diamond to Meckstroth's ace. He played a low heart from hand at trick two, taken by Mari with the king. Next came the §A and a club to Multon's king, with the §Q after that. Meckstroth ruffed and played a heart to dummy's queen.

The ¨K was next for a heart pitch from the North hand. When Meckstroth played the ¨Q, Multon ruffed with the ªQ and played back the §5, Meckstroth threw away his last heart as Mari ruffed with the 7, but Mari cashed the ªA and got out with a diamond as Multon threw his last club. Meckstroth ruffed but had to lead away from his ªJ 9 into Multon's ªK 10. That was down three, minus 300 and 3 IMPs to France.

At that point, France trailed by only 8, 27-19. USA 1 collected 5-IMP gains on three separate boards to increase the lead and end France's comeback hopes.