Notes From The Bermuda Bowl

by Barry Rigal

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

West	North	East	South
Lambardi	Lindkvist	Madala	Fredin
			Pass
Pass	1♣	1♠	Dble
Pass	1NT	All Pass

A low spade would have given Magnus Lindkvist the option of playing dummy's nine, which would have led to his defeat. Agustin Madala, however, started with the ♥5, which went to the nine and queen. Lindkvist played a low diamond to the queen and king, and Pablo Lambardi switched to the ♠10, ducked to his partner's queen. Now the ♣10 went to Lambardi's ace, and another spade would have scuttled the contract, but he continued with a heart instead; Plus 90.

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

West	North	East	South
Lambardi	Lindkvist	Madala	Fredin
			1NT
Pass	2♥	3♦	Pass
Pass	3NT	Pass	4♠
All Pass

West led the ♦4 to the ace. Peter Fredin played a club to the ten and king. West continued with a diamond to the ten. Now what? Can you blame Madala for ploughing on with the ♦K? Fredin ruffed with the jack, played the ♠A, led a club to the queen and continued with the ♠K and another spade. When the suit went 3-3, Fredin could claim.

Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	♠ J 7 5 2 ♥ 8 ♦ K 10 9 8 3 2 ♣ K 8
♠ 9 8 6 ♥ Q 10 5 3 ♦ A 6 ♣ J 7 5 2		♠ A 3 ♥ A K 9 2 ♦ Q J 7 5 ♣ Q 10 4
	♠ K Q 10 4 ♥ J 7 6 4 ♦ 4 ♣ A 9 6 3

West	North	East	South
Lambardi	Lindkvist	Madala	Fredin
			1♣
Pass	1♦	1NT	Pass
2♣	2♦	2♥	Pass
3♥	All Pass

In the other room, East made 1NT. Madala had to make nine tricks in hearts.

The ♠K went to the ace, and declarer played the ♥A and ♥K (an error according to Deep Finesse), then a diamond to the ace and another diamond, taken by North's king (South discarded a club). A spade was led to South's ten. Now the correct defense is another heart. Declarer wins the ♥10, ruffs a spade and plays a winning diamond, but South ruffs and will get a spade trick in the end. South, however, did not continue with a heart, instead playing another spade. East ruffed, leaving this position:

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

Declarer played a low club, ducked to North's king and now there was no way to defeat the contract. If Northreturned a club (what happened in practice), and South won, East could ruff the spade return in hand, cash a high club and play diamond winners to execute a trump coup on South. The winning defense is for South to win the ♣A and play a trump. Now if declarer wins with the ♥10 and cashes the queen, the defense gets a spade when North comes in with the ♣K. If declarer does not cash the ♥Q, playing a club instead, North can win the king and promote a trump trick for South by playing a fourth round of spades.