Brazil v USA1 (Bermuda Bowl)

By Mark Horton

When the second session of the quarter-final got under way Brazil needed to score some points, otherwise they were in danger of being out of contention almost before the match had started.

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

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Villas-Boas	Rodwell	Chagas	Meckstroth
		Pass	Pass
1♣	Dbl	1♠	Pass
1NT	2♥	2♠	3♥
Pass	4♥	All Pass

You can be pretty sure that you will get value for money when Meckwell are on vugraph. Here South’s raise to Three Hearts left nothing unsaid and saw Rodwell press on to a hopeless game.

East led the jack of hearts, and declarer won and played three rounds of spades, ruffing with the nine of hearts. West overruffed and switched to the king of clubs. Declarer won and drew trumps, but was two down; -200. Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Freeman	M.Branco	Nickell	P.Branco
		Pass	Pass
1♣	Dble	1♠	Pass
1NT	2♥	All Pass

East led the two of clubs, and declarer won and played three rounds of spades, ruffing the third round low. West overuffed and played the king of clubs. Declarer ruffed, cashed a top heart and ruffed a spade. West overuffed, but declarer could claim; +110 and 7 IMPs for Brazil.

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

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Villas-Boas	Rodwell	Chagas	Meckstroth
			1♦*
Pass	1♥	Pass	1♠
Pass	2♦*	Pass	2♥
Pass	2NT	All Pass

If I heard the explanation correctly, Two Diamonds was a one-round force (Two Clubs would have been forcing to game). Meckwell have made a living from bidding games on minimum values, so it was a surprise to the audience when they stopped short.

East’s lead of the two of diamonds was covered by the four, queen and ace, and declarer unblocked the hearts and played a diamond to the jack. East won and switched to the queen of spades, covered by the king and ace. West returned a spade and East won and played a third round, at point declarer claimed the rest; +180. Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Freeman	M.Branco	Nickell	P.Branco
			Pass
Pass	1♥	Pass	1♠
Pass	2♦	Pass	2♠*
Pass	2NT	Pass	3NT
All Pass

East led the two of clubs, and West won and returned the suit. Declarer’s ten was allowed to hold and he crossed to dummy with a heart to play diamond to the jack. East won and switched to the queen of spades, for the king and ace. The defenders could get another spade trick but declarer had the rest; +400 and another 6 Brazilian IMPs.

Brazil were leading the session 14-3 but then suffered as Meckstroth unleashed another thunderbolt - and was backed up to perfection by his partner.

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

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Villas-Boas	Rodwell	Chagas	Meckstroth
			2♦*
2NT	Pass	3♦*	Pass
3♥	4♠	Pass	Pass
Dble	All Pass

South’s emaciated opening eventually got spades into the picture and enabled North to take a two-way shot. Four Spades might make, or be a good save against Four Hearts.

A diamond lead would result in a quick one down - West wins and returns the suit, while a heart lead also leavesdeclarer with too much to do. However, to the consternation of the sizeable Brazilian contingent, East led the six of clubs. Now, provided declarer could pick his way through the minefield, he could not be defeated. West won the ace of clubs, cashed the ace of diamonds and switched to the six of hearts. Declarer won and played a spade to the queen and ace, East discarding the six of hearts. West switched to the four of diamonds and the last critical point had been reached. East had discouraged on the ace of diamonds, so the finesse was a valid option. But declarer went up with the king, discarded a diamond on the king of clubs, ruffed a diamond and took the marked spade finesse for +790. Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Freeman	M.Branco	Nickell	P.Branco
			Pass
1NT	Pass	2♦*	Pass
2♥	Pass	3♥	Pass
4♥	All Pass

East/West were given a free run to the heart game. North led a low spade, and declarer ruffed and ran the jack of hearts. North won and played another spade, and declarer ruffed and took the heart finesse, drew the last trump and played a low diamond. When North produced the king declarer could claim; +620 and 16 IMPs.

After a series of deals where neither side could claim any advantage, Brazil gave their cheering section cause to celebrate with two big swings.

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

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Villas-Boas	Rodwell	Chagas	Meckstroth
	Pass	Pass	3♥
Dble	Pass	4♠	Pass
5♣	All Pass

Five Clubs was easy. North led the king of hearts, and South overtook it and cashed the queen - but declarer then claimed; +600.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Freeman	M.Branco	Nickell	P.Branco
	Pass	Pass	3♥
Dble	Pass	4♠	All Pass

It was suggested on vugraph that if you double Three Hearts with the West hand it is because you are intending to bid Five Clubs over Four Spades, but that was not West’s choice at this table. South led the four of diamonds, and declarer won in dummy and cashed the ace of spades. The appearance of South’s nine gave declarer pause for thought, but he decided to play a spade to the king - and could no longer make the contract. He tried three rounds of clubs but North ruffed and the defenders took two hearts and switched to a diamond. Declarer can escape - if that is the right word - for one down by taking the king and playing a winning club, but he finessed and was two down; -200 and 13 IMPs for Brazil.

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

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Villas-Boas	Rodwell	Chagas	Meckstroth
		1♥	Pass
1♠	Pass	4♥	All Pass

Having discovered a spade fit, Chagas was happy to bid game in his powerful suit. The defenders started with two rounds of diamonds, and declarer ruffed and drew trumps in three rounds. He started spades by playing low to the queen, but the contract was secure; +420.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Freeman	M.Branco	Nickell	P.Branco
		1♥	Pass
1♠	Pass	3NT*	Pass
4♠	All Pass

3NT must have some conventional significance - Tacchi says in Vaupillon it shows two minor-suit singletons - but,although I cannot find it on the convention card, it must have shown spades.

North led a club, and declarer took the ace and ruffed a club. He cashed dummy’s top hearts discarding diamonds, and ruffed a heart with the eight of spades. When North discarded the two of diamonds declarer ruffed a club with the five of spades and South overruffed. He exited with a diamond, and declarer ruffed and played a club. North discarded the jack of diamonds, and declarer ruffed with the king of spades and played a heart, ruffed in turn by South, West and North. North’s trump exit meant one down; -50. At the point where declarer played a winning club he can prevail by simply discarding a heart. South ruffs and plays adiamond, but declarer ruffs in hand, plays a club and makes two more tricks however North plays. It’s too late at night to decide if declarer had any reason to follow that line - the bottom line was that Brazil had another 10 IMPs and kept their hopes alive.