Russia v Egypt (Bermuda Bowl)

The House of Sudden Snow - By Mark Horton

You could hardly find two more contrasting countries than Egypt, with its vast tracts of sand and lazing sunshine, and Russia with its snow and ice. Both command a special place in history and it should be no surprise that each attracted the attention of both Napoleon and your humble scribe.

There was plenty to keep the audience entertained – but most of the IMPs went in the direction of the Egyptian team.

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

It was interesting to see the contrasting bidding styles of the North/South pairs on this deal:

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Kholomeev	El Ahmady	Zlotov	Sadek
		Pass	1♣
Pass	1♠	Pass	2NT
Pass	3NT	All Pass

In his pre-match interview with Chip Martel, Tarek Sadek had explained that his partnership used to play complex methods but now use very simple ones. They led to an easy contract here, but on VuGraph while Paul Chemla was full of praise, Barry Rigal pointed out that if the ♥K was the ♠Q and the spade finesse was wrong, then 3NT would go down. As it was, declarer quickly claimed ten tricks and +630.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Nadim	Gromov	Hesmat	Dubinin
		Pass	1♣*
Pass	2♣	Pass	2♦*
Pass	2NT*	Pass	3♣*
Pass	3♦*	Pass	4♠
All Pass

This time the Precision auction and a few relays saw North/South reach the major-suit game. Here declarer lost a heart, a spade and a diamond, +620, no swing.

Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	♠ J 10 9 3 ♥ A Q 10 ♦ 10 ♣ A 8 4 3 2
♠ 6 5 ♥ K 8 6 5 2 ♦ K Q J 5 4 3 ♣		♠ A Q 4 2 ♥ J 9 7 4 3 ♦ A 2 ♣ J 6
	♠ K 8 7 ♥ ♦ 9 8 7 6 ♣ K Q 10 9 7 5

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Kholomeev	El Ahmady	Zlotov	Sadek
			3♣
Pass	5♣	All Pass

It was suggested on vugraph that West might have come in with Three Diamonds, or later with Five Diamonds. How easy it is to be a paper tiger! Anyway, there was nothing to the play, declarer losing a diamond and a spade, +400.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Nadim	Gromov	Hesmat	Dubinin
			Pass
1♦	Dbl	1♥	3♣
4♥	5♣	Dbl	Pass
5♦	Dbl	5♥	Pass
Pass	Dbl	All Pass

Once South eschewed the opportunity of a preemptive opening, the auction took a totally different course. With a double fit and no defence, West was not prepared to sit for his partner’s double of five clubs, and he ensured a swing for his side when he removed it. When South led the seven of spades it turned out to be a decision worth 15 IMPs.

On Board 5 both East/West pairs bid these cards to four hearts:

♠ Q 10 7 6 ♥ K Q 4 ♦ 9 7 3 ♣ 9 8 5

♠ J ♥ 10 9 5 3 2 ♦ A K ♣ A Q 10 7 4

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

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Kholomeev	El Ahmady	Zlotov	Sadek
			3♠
Pass	Pass	Dbl	All Pass

What do you make of East’s double of three spades? Would, as was suggested by a member of the audience, a bid of four clubs have shown clubs and hearts? (One wag suggested East should try 3NT?!) When West – perfectly reasonably – passed, Egypt were assured of another huge result.

Declarer won the opening spade lead in dummy and drew trumps, discarding two diamonds from dummy. Then South played the eight of hearts, covered by the ten, queen and king. With West having the jack of diamonds, there was nothing the defenders could do to prevent nine tricks, +530. Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Nadim	Gromov	Hesmat	Dubinin
			2♦*
Pass	2♥	3♣	All Pass

This was a comfortable spot for East/West. Indeed, if the defenders start with two round of spades and then take the ace of clubs, North must switch to a top heart to break up the impending double squeeze. Here South cashed one spade and switched to the nine of hearts – well done – but it was still 13 IMPs to Egypt.

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	♠ A K 10 9 8 4 ♥ Q 10 3 ♦ 8 7 ♣ 9 2
♠ Q 5 ♥ J 9 8 6 5 4 ♦ J 5 ♣ Q 10 8		♠ 6 ♥ A K 7 2 ♦ K Q 10 6 3 2 ♣ J 6
	♠ J 7 3 2 ♥ ♦ A 9 4 ♣ A K 7 5 4 3

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Kholomeev	El Ahmady	Zlotov	Sadek
Pass	2♦*	Pass	2♥
Pass	2♠	Dbl	Pass
4♥	Pass	Pass	4♠
Pass	Pass	Dbl	All Pass

When four spades was doubled South wore the expression of a man who was about to mount the scaffold. Of course North easily made all the tricks for +1390. Of course that was not necessarily a good result for North/South.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Nadim	Gromov	Hesmat	Dubinin
2♦	2♠	Dbl	5♥*
Pass	6♣*	6♦	Pass
Pass	Dbl	6♥	6♠
Pass	Pass	7♥	Pass
Pass	Dbl	All Pass

Do you think South gave his partner every reason to bid the Grand Slam? After all, he did make two forcing passes to show he had first-round control in both red suits. Whatever, declarer made eight tricks, -1100 but a gain of 7 IMPs.

Of course when it came to this board there was no shortage of stories from other matches, which will be told in tommorrow’s bulletin.

Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
	♠ ♥ A J 10 9 7 4 ♦ A 10 8 6 ♣ 10 9 3
♠ A Q J 6 5 3 ♥ K 8 2 ♦ K 4 ♣ 7 4		♠ 8 7 4 2 ♥ Q ♦ Q 9 3 2 ♣ K Q J 8
	♠ K 10 9 ♥ 6 5 3 ♦ J 7 5 ♣ A 6 5 2

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Kholomeev	El Ahmady	Zlotov	Sadek
	1♥	Pass	2♥
2♠	Pass	3♠	Pass
4♠	All Pass

North led the ten of clubs, and when declarer put up dummy’s king, South ducked. The eight of clubs came next, ducked by South, allowing North to win with the nine. North cashed the red aces and exited with a diamond. Declarer won in hand and had to guess trumps. When he laid down the ace of spades he was –100.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Nadim	Gromov	Hesmat	Dubinin
	2♦*	Pass	3♥
3♠	4♦	4♠	All Pass

North led the nine of clubs and when declarer put up dummy’s king South took the ace and returned the suit. Now declarer carried on with clubs, getting rid of both his losing diamonds. A spade to the queen was followed by a heart and declarer had eleven tricks, +650. That was another 13 IMPs to Egypt, who now led 50-8.

They went on to win 23-7 VP – a severe blow to the fancied Russian team – but a result that put Egypt in a strong position.