China v Argentina (Venice Cup)

If one is looking for a major upset, what better than to watch top versus bottom, in this case high-flying China against struggling Argentina in the Venice Cup. Of course, one has to watch quite a few such match-ups to catch the upset, and this was not to be one, as was indicated on the very first deal.

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

West	North	East	South
Boldt	J. Wang	Iribarren	Sun
	1♥	Pass	1♠
Pass	1NT	Pass	3♥
Pass	4♥	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Zhang	Herrera	Gu	Alegre
	1♥	Pass	1♠
Pass	1NT	Pass	3♣
Pass	3♠	Pass	4♠
All Pass

Two five-three major-suit fits, both with strong trump suits, but one makes and the other does not. Jian Wang and Ming Sun, for China, reached 4♥ by North and there was nothing that the defence could do to defeat that contract. Gloria Iribarren led a diamond to the two and ace, and Silvia Boldt switched to a club for the queen and king. Iribarren returned a heart now and Wang won, drew the rest of the trumps and knocked out the ace of spades; +420.

For Argentina, Florencia Herrera and Eleonora Alegre reached 4♠ by South. Yalan Zhang led a club to the queen and king and Ling Gu switched to her heart. When Zhang won with the ace of spades, she could give her partner a heart ruff, get a diamond back to the ace (declarer guessed correctly to play low to save an undertrick), and give Gu a second ruff; down two for -100 and 11 IMPs to China.

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

West	North	East	South
Boldt	J. Wang	Iribarren	Sun
			Pass
1♥	Pass	1♠	Pass
3♣	Pass	4♥	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Zhang	Herrera	Gu	Alegre
			Pass
1♣	Pass	1NT	Pass
2♥	Pass	3♦	Pass
4♣	Pass	4♥	Pass
4NT	Pass	5♦	Pass
6♥	All Pass

The natural Argentinian auction stopped in game after Iribarren jumped to 4♥ over the game-forcing 3♣ rebid when perhaps she was worth a more encouraging 3♥ call. That looked to be a very good thing to do, however, as slam rated to fail due to the four-one trump break. Boldt chalked up +650 and was no doubt reasonably happy with her result.

The Precision auction saw Gu show a balanced positive, then 11-13 with heart support. She could not cooperate over the 4♣ slam-try and then denied a key card over 4NT. Zhang guessed to go on to slam. Herrera cashed the ace of spades and continued with a second spade. Zhang won in dummy, pitching a club, and played a heart to hand, noting the appearance of the nine on her right. Clearly, the nine is far more likely to be from either ♥J 9 or ♥ J 9 x than the actual holding. However, Zhang’s table presence, aided by the fact that the opening lead had been an unsupported ace, convinced her to lead low to the ♥10 next. A few seconds later she had made her slam for +1430 and 13 IMPs to China, when it could so easily have been 13 the other way. Well done, Zhang.

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

West	North	East	South
Boldt	J. Wang	Iribarren	Sun
1♣	Pass	1♠	2♥
3♣	Pass	3♦	Pass
4♦	Pass	4NT	Pass
5♣	Pass	5♦	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Zhang	Herrera	Gu	Alegre
2♣	Pass	2NT	Pass
3♣	Pass	3♠	Pass
4♦	Pass	4♠	Pass
4NT	Pass	5♦	Pass
6♦	All Pass

After the 1♣ opening, the Argentinian E/W pair found diamonds but the wrong player was in control at the key point in the auction and, looking at two low hearts, could not bid the slam with any confidence. After two rounds of hearts, Iribarren played safely for her contract; +600.

Zhang’s Precision 2♣ opening silenced her opponents and Gu responded 2NT, puppet to 3♣ to allow her to show the two-suiter at her second turn. Four Diamonds set trumps, 4♠ was a cuebid, and 4NT asked for key cards, after which Zhang bid the slam. Herrera tried a trump lead so Zhang drew a second round of those and set up the clubs, pitching her heart loser along the way; +1390 and 13 IMPs to China, who led by 37 IMPs after just four boards.

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

West	North	East	South
Boldt	J. Wang	Iribarren	Sun
	1NT	Pass	2♣
Pass	2NT	Pass	3NT
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Zhang	Herrera	Gu	Alegre
	1NT	Pass	2♣
Pass	2♦	Pass	2NT
Pass	3NT	All Pass

Both Norths declared 3NT after a Stayman auction. Gu led the ♦10 to dummy’s ace. Herrera immediately ran the ♣6, then played two more rounds of clubs. Zhang won and cashed the ace of hearts before reverting to diamonds, but there were only two defensive tricks to be had in that suit; +600.

Iribarren led a spade and Jian Wang, wanting to be in dummy to play on clubs, won with the king. She led the ♣J to queen and ace, then the ♣10, ducked, and a third club to the king. Boldt played back a spade so Wang won and crossed to the ace of diamonds to cash the clubs. But the club winners squeezed declarer and, when she now tried a heart towards the king, Boldt could rise with the ace and play a diamond through to allow Iribarren to take three winners in that suit for one down; -100 and 12 IMPs to Argentina. There was no way home on the spade lead. Had declarer won in hand and crossed to the ♦A to play on clubs, West would have had two entries to play diamonds through.

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

West	North	East	South
Boldt	J. Wang	Iribarren	Sun
		3♥	Pass
4♥	Pass	Pass	5♦
Dble	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Zhang	Herrera	Gu	Alegre
		4♥	All Pass

Gu’s 4♥ opening stole the pot. After a club lead she had the first twelve tricks for +680.

Iribarren’s 3♥ opening was raised to game, and knowing that her opponents had a trump fit persuaded Sun to save in 5♦, where she was doubled. Boldt led clubs and the spade ruffs were not found; down two for -300 but 9 IMPs to China.

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

West	North	East	South
Boldt	J. Wang	Iribarren	Sun
1♠	Pass	1NT	Pass
2♣	Pass	3♣	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Zhang	Herrera	Gu	Alegre
1♠	Pass	1NT	Pass
2♣	Pass	3♣	Pass
3NT	All Pass

Two identical forcing notrump auctions as far as 3♣ saw Boldt pass, which looks normal to me, and Zhang try 3NT. Presumably the Chinese pair play 3♣ as a little more forward-going than do my clone and I - a partnership for which the world is not yet ready.

Three Clubs made a painless +130. After a low diamond lead to the ten and queen, 3NT was on the spade guess. After six rounds of clubs, South had thrown one spade and two hearts, North one spade, one diamond and three hearts, making it pretty clear who was guarding the queen of spades; +400 and 7 IMPs to China.

Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
	♠ A 8 7 ♥ A 4 2 ♦ J 8 2 ♣ A J 9 8
♠ 10 9 6 5 ♥ 9 8 5 ♦ A 5 4 3 ♣ 7 2		♠ K Q 4 ♥ K Q 10 7 6 3 ♦ K Q 7 ♣ Q
	♠ J 3 2 ♥ J ♦ 10 9 6 ♣ K 10 6 5 4 3

West	North	East	South
Boldt	J. Wang	Iribarren	Sun
		1♥	Pass
Pass	1NT	2♥	2NT
Pass	3♣	Pass	Pass
3♥	4♣	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Zhang	Herrera	Gu	Alegre
		1♣	Pass
1♦	Pass	1♥	Pass
2♥	Pass	3♥	Pass
4♥	All Pass

The natural opening never threatened to get to the heart game. After what became a competitive partscore auction, Wang declared 4♣. She won the heart lead and drew trumps, eliminating hearts along the way. As West had only one diamond entry, East was eventually endplayed to hold the spade losers to one; -50.

Zhang had to respond to the strong club opening, of course, and she had a routine raise to 2♥. When Zhang invited game, I am not quite sure where the reraise to game came from, but it proved to be an excellent decision. Gu won the diamond lead in hand and played the ♥Q, dropping the jack. Herrera ducked both the ♥Q and the next heart, which was won in dummy for a spade play. The club loser went away and Gu had eleven tricks for +450 for 9 IMPs to China.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	♠ Q 9 8 7 ♥ A 8 6 2 ♦ J ♣ Q 10 9 4
♠ 10 4 3 ♥ J 10 5 ♦ A Q 5 4 ♣ A J 5		♠ A 6 5 ♥ K Q 7 ♦ 10 9 8 7 2 ♣ 7 6
	♠ K J 2 ♥ 9 4 3 ♦ K 6 3 ♣ K 8 3 2

West	North	East	South
Boldt	J. Wang	Iribarren	Sun
			Pass
1♦	Pass	2♦	Pass
2NT	Pass	3NT	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Zhang	Herrera	Gu	Alegre
			Pass
1♦	Pass	1NT	Pass
Pass	Dble	All Pass

Argentina bid aggressively to the thin no-trump game, against which Wang led a spade. Declarer won the second round, after which the play record ends. The contract was one down, which suggests that she ran the ♦10 and North did not switch to clubs after cashing the spade winners; -50.

Alegre passed Herrera’s delayed take-out double of 1NT then led a heart, which put Gu under no pressure at all. The ♥J lost to the ace and a heart came back to the king. Gu played ace then queen of diamonds and soon had eight tricks for +280 and 8 IMPs to China. China won the match by 84-12 IMPs, converting to 25-0 VPs, and extending their lead at the top of the ranking list.