England v USA2 (Bermuda Bowl)

Rough Start

The first board of a match is not necessarily an indication of how things will turn out, but everyone would prefer to start off on a positive note rather than the reverse.

As it happened, in USA2 versus England, Round 8 of the Bermuda Bowl qualifying, Board 1 was an omen of sorts for the Americans.

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	♠ J 10 9 3 ♥ K Q 7 ♦ J 8 7 5 3 ♣ Q
♠ 7 6 4 2 ♥ 10 8 4 3 ♦ A 2 ♣ 8 7 6		♠ A K Q ♥ J 5 ♦ K 9 6 ♣ A K J 9 4
	♠ 8 5 ♥ A 9 6 2 ♦ Q 10 4 ♣ 10 5 3 2

West	North	East	South
Price	Ekeblad	Simpson	Rubin
	Pass	2♣	Pass
2♥	Pass	2NT	Pass
3♦	Pass	3NT	All Pass

2♣ showed 20-22 balanced. David Price’s 2♥ bid indicated four or more high-card points.

Ron Rubin led a low club to the six, queen and ace. A second club revealed the 4-1 split as Russ Ekeblad discarded the ♦7. When Simpson played a low club from hand at trick three, Rubin won with the ♣10 and Ekeblad discarded the ♠J. Now a low heart went to the queen, and a heart was returned to Rubin’s ace. He exited with his last club. Because of Ekeblad’s spade discard, dummy’s ♠7 was good for the tenth trick.

West	North	East	South
Gitelman	Justin H.	Moss	Jason H.
	Pass	2♣	Pass
2♦	Pass	2NT	Pass
3♣	Pass	3♦	Pass
3NT	All Pass

Jason Hackett started with the passive ♠8. Brad Moss won with the king and cashed a high club. When the queen fell, Moss stopped to consider. The longer he took to decide on his line of play, the clearer it became that he was concerned that the opponents, if let into the lead with a club, would take four heart tricks to defeat the contract.

After studying for a long time, Moss cashed the ♣K and the ♣J, hoping for clues. Finally, he decided to rely on a 3-3 division of the spade suit, although the opening lead of the eight had fetched the three from North, an indication that perhaps that player was still holding ♠J 10 9. Neverthless, Moss cashed the ♠A and continued with the ♠Q. By then, it was too late. When Moss played a fourth round of clubs, South won with the ♣10, and the defenders took the next four tricks with three hearts and a spade. One down was 10 IMPs for England. The Americans pulled to within 1 IMP on the third board when Rubin in the Closed Room played expertly to bring home a good slam.

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

West	North	East	South
Gitelman	Justin H.	Moss	Jason H.
			2NT
Pass	3♠	Pass	3NT
All Pass

Fred Gitelman started with the ♠2, which went to the queen, king and ace. Jason played the ♦A and a diamond to the king, continuing with the queen and a fourth diamond. He knew that the opponents could not take more than three spades, possibly fewer if the suit was blocked. That was Plus 400 for England.

The bidding at the other table was long and involved, starting with South’s strong 1♣. Rubin eventually became declarer in 6♦ from the South seat. The opening lead was the same – a spade. The queen was covered by the king, but 12 tricks were easy if diamondsdivided 3-2 or the jack fell singleton. The ♦A and a diamond to the king revealed the 4-1 split, but Rubin still had plenty of ammunition. He played the ♥Q and a heart to the ace, followed by the ♥K, on which he discarded dummy’s spade. Now a spade ruff was followed by the ♣J to the king and ace. Rubin cashed the ♣Q, leaving this position:

	♠ – ♥ – ♦ Q 10 9 ♣ 8
♠ J 8 ♥ – ♦ J 7		♠ 10 ♥ J ♦ –
	♠ 9 7 ♥ 4 ♦ – ♣ 6

Rubin played the spade from hand, ruffing, then got off dummy with his club. Whoever won the trick would have to play into dummy’s diamond tenace; Plus 920 and 11 IMPs to USA2.

USA2 picked up another 7 IMPs on the next board, putting them into the lead.

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

In the closed room, Ekeblad bid conservatively with the North cards, overcalling West’s 1♠ opener with 2♥, which fetched three passes and made on the nose for Plus 110.

West	North	East	South
Gitelman	Justin H.	Moss	Jason H.
1♠	4♥	All Pass

The vugraph commentators predicted that Justin Hackett would bid more than 2♥, and they were right. Gitelman might have doubled, but apparently that would have been for takeout in their methods.

Moss started with the ♠K, ruffed by declarer, who then played the ♦9 to dummy’s jack. Gitelman won with the ace and, preparing for a possible trump promotion for Moss, played the ♠A. Justin ruffed again, cashed the ♦K and ruffed the ♦8 with dummy’s singleton trump. Gitelman overruffed with the nine and returned the ♠8. Justin discarded his losing club. Moss ruffed and gave Gitelman a second diamond ruff. Justin ruffed high on the fourth round of spades and played another round of trumps. That was two down for Minus 200. The following deal was a disaster for USA2.

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

West	North	East	South
Price	Ekeblad	Simpson	Rubin
			Pass
Pass	1♠	Dble	Pass
1NT	Pass	Pass	2♣
All Pass

Rubin’s silence after the double is curious. Perhaps he was hoping West would bid one of his minor suits. At any rate, 2♣ finished one down for Minus 100.

The wheels came off for Gitelman and Moss at the other table.

West	North	East	South
Gitelman	Justin H.	Moss	Jason H.
			Pass
Pass	1♠	Dble	Rdbl
2♣	Pass	2♦	Dble
2♠	Dble	All Pass

The Hacketts open four-card majors, which may have influenced Gitelman to bid his six-card suit when he might have passed or bid 2♥, which had some chances and at worst one down. 2♠ was not a happy contract for Gitelman. Justin started with the ♠Q and switched to a diamond at trick two. Gitelman won the ♦Q in hand, played a heart to the ace and threw his heart losers on the top diamonds. He ruffed a heart in hand for trick number five, but had only one more trick coming. That was two down for Minus 500 and 12 IMPs to England.

Another 4 IMPs went England’s way when Ekeblad and Rubin were doubled in 5♥ in the Closed Room, going two off for Minus 300 (the vulnerable opponents have 11 tricks available in spades), while Justin was allowed to play in 6♥ undoubled for Minus 150. England picked up another 10 IMPs on Board 11.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	♠ K J 6 3 ♥ 4 ♦ K 8 7 ♣ A 9 6 4 2
♠ A 10 ♥ J 9 8 7 6 2 ♦ 10 2 ♣ K 7 5		♠ 8 7 5 4 ♥ A K 10 ♦ A J 9 ♣ Q J 3
	♠ Q 9 2 ♥ Q 5 3 ♦ Q 6 5 4 3 ♣ 10 8

West	North	East	South
Gitelman	Justin H.	Moss	Jason H.
			Pass
2♥	Pass	2NT	Pass
3♥	Pass	4♥	All Pass

Justin started with a low spade, leaving Gitelman no play for the heart game. There was a loser in each suit and he finished one down for Minus 50. The contract was different at the other table.

West	North	East	South
Price	Ekeblad	Simpson	Rubin
			Pass
2♥	Pass	2NT	Pass
3♠	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Rubin started with a low diamond to the king and ace. Simpson cashed the top two hearts and surrendered the third round to Rubin. A low diamond from South would haveassured defeat of the contract, as would the ♦Q followed by a spade switch, but Rubin cashed the ♦Q, continuing the suit when Simpson followed with the ♦J. Simpson now had time to knock out the ♣A for 10 tricks.

The final swing for England came on Board 18 when Moss found himself in an inferior contract that, thanks to an error by Justin, could have been made. It was not, however.

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	♠ Q J 9 8 6 5 4 ♥ A 9 7 ♦ 7 5 3 ♣ –
♠ A 7 ♥ 10 5 3 ♦ A J 9 8 ♣ Q J 5 4		♠ K 2 ♥ K 8 6 4 ♦ K 2 ♣ A 10 7 3 2
	♠ 10 3 ♥ Q J 2 ♦ Q 10 6 4 ♣ K 9 8 6

West	North	East	South
Price	Ekeblad	Simpson	Rubin
		1♥	Pass
2♣	2♠	3♣	Pass
3♥	Pass	3NT	All Pass

The ♠10 went to dummy’s ace, and Simpson played the ♣Q at trick two. Rubin won with the ♣K and continued with his spade. Simpson won in hand and eventually took the diamond finesse for Plus 400.

West	North	East	South
Gitelman	Justin H.	Moss	Jason H.
		1♣	Pass
2♣	3♠	4♣	Pass
4NT	Pass	5♣	All Pass

Jason started with the ♠10, taken in dummy. The ♣Q followed, ducked to South’s king. A second spade went to declarer’s king. Moss cashed the ♣A, ♣10 and played a club to dummy’s jack. The contract was hopeless on the lie of the cards – that is, until Justin discarded the ♥9 on one of the clubs.

Now Moss could have made the club game if he took the right view. Because Justin had pitched the heart earlier, Moss could have played on hearts and give up one trick without surrendering two. In dummy with the ♣J, he correctly played a low heart, ducked by Justin (it would not have changed the outcome had he risen with the ace). Moss put up the king and now was in a position to make the contract by exiting with a low heart. North would be forced to win, leaving this ending:

	♠ J 9 ♥ – ♦ 7 5 3 ♣ –
♠ – ♥ 10 ♦ A J 9 8		♠ – ♥ 8 6 4 ♦ K 2
	♠ – ♥ Q ♦ Q 10 6 4 ♣ –

If Justin plays a spade, Moss ruffs – and what does Jason discard? The ♥Q is instantly fatal, and a diamond discard promotes dummy’s fourth diamond to a winner. If Justin returns a diamond, Moss wins with the king and plays his fifth club to achieve the same squeeze. Instead of exiting with a heart, however, Moss played his last club. The count for the squeeze had not been rectified, however, and he ended up Minus 50 for a 10-IMP loss.

USA2 picked up 7 IMPs on the final board when Moss and Gitelman collected Plus 200 against 1NT by Justin while the same contract was allowed to make at the other table, but England won the match 52-32 (19-11 VPs).