| 37th World Team Championships | Page 2 | Bulletin 13 - Friday 4 November 2005 |
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USA1 v USA2 (Bermuda Bowl) Under One Flag - by Mark Horton Sixteen boards remained to decide which of the two great American Open teams that have graced these Championships would go on to contest the final. USAI led by 18 IMPs, but the Gods delivered a set of deals that were to tax the players to the uttermost.
Open Room
Two Diamonds was Flannery, and when East doubled to show all around values West potted 3NT. North led the ace of hearts and, when his partner unblocked the queen, he continued with the nine. Declarer won and played the king of diamonds. North won and cashed out for two down; +100. Closed Room
Having written a Bols Bridge Tip entitled ‘Don’t be afraid to respond’, I can only praise South’s tactical reply to his partner’s opening bid. Of course, it got his side way too high but, no double, no trouble and the contract was four down; -200. It served notice that North/South were going to make life as difficult as possible - and if East/West in the other room had been able to reach Five Diamonds from the right side it would have been a useful gain. As it was it cost 7 IMPs, moving USAI 25 IMPs clear. Just to show you that the deal is not impossible, here is the brilliant auction that gave Germany a game swing in the Venice Cup semi final.
Three Diamonds promised a heart control and at least five diamonds (a very impressive bid!) and the continuation of Four Hearts showed working values for a diamond slam and was not directly related to hearts. If West had held the ♥A3 she would have bid Six Diamonds.
Open Room
North led the five of hearts and South won and played the ace of spades and a spade - one down; -50. Closed Room
You can contrast West’s rebid with that of his counterpart in the other room. South led a low heart and declarer won in dummy and claimed eleven tricks; +460 and 11 IMPs.
Open Room
At first glance it looks as if a heart lead will ensure the defeat of 3NT, but because of the fall of the jack of spades it can always be made - if declarer decides that is the best option. North led the six of clubs and declarer won in hand, preserving the queen of clubs as an entry to dummy. Declarer considered playing the king of spades but eventually played ace of diamonds and a diamond. Now North needs to go in with the king and switch to hearts, but he ducked. Declarer won with dummy’s queen and played a spade to the king. When that held he went to dummy with a club and played the ten of spades. He was spared any guess when South went in with the ace; +600. Closed Room
West showed 21/23 and denied a five-card major. The lead was again the six of clubs and declarer won in hand and played ace of diamonds, diamond. North again missed his chance and the queen won in dummy. However, when declarer continued with a diamond, discarding a spade from hand, North won and switched to the king of hearts. Declarer could not unscramble his tricks and was one down; -100 and 12 IMPs, reducing the margin to 24 IMPs.
Open Room
North led the nine of spades and West won and played the queen of hearts. North won and played a second spade, forcing dummy to ruff. Declarer played a diamond to the king and North won and gave his partner a diamond ruff. South exited with a club and the contract depended on declarer’s view in trumps. He won the club lead in dummy and played the king of hearts; one down, -100 and a chance missed. Barry Rigal speculated that the best line might be a cunning low diamond at trick two, trying to make it hard for the defence to take a possible diamond ruff. Closed Room
For the second time in the set Meckwell were kept out of the auction on a deal where they could make a game. Declarer was able to ruff a club in dummy; down one, -100. 5 IMPs for USA1, extending their lead to 29 IMPs.
Open Room
South led the jack of clubs and declarer allowed North’s queen to hold. In due course he arrived at eleven tricks; +660. If USA2 were going to win you felt they could not afford to keep missing chances. Closed Room
South led the ten of clubs and declarer won and ran the jack of spades. In due course he made all the tricks to pick up a couple of IMPs.
Open Room
South cashed the ace of hearts and continued the suit. Declarer ruffed and played a club to the jack and queen. North switched to the two of spades and when declarer put in the seven the deal was over; +620. Closed Room
South led the ace of spades and continued with a second spade, so the deal was essentially over; +790 and 5 IMPs.
Open Room
North led the three of spades and South won with the king. It looked as if the contract would be defeated rather easily, but South switched to the nine of hearts. Declarer put up the king and North encouraged with the eight (the alternative is to win and return a heart to make it clear you want a spade back - but that maybe assumes partner has the jack of spades). Declarer played a club to the jack. South won and played a heart, and North won and cleared the suit. Declarer ran his club winners and cashed the king of diamonds. All depended on the diamond guess and, perhaps misled by the play of the spade suit, declarer decided to play North for a doubleton queen of diamonds. That was one down; -100 and yet another opportunity missed. Closed Room
With East as declarer the singleton spade was concealed. South led the three of diamonds and declarer played low from dummy, winning with the king when North produced the ten. East played a heart to the king, which held, and a club to the jack and queen, South returning a diamond rather than the jack of spades that the commentators were calling for. Declarer finessed and crossed to hand with a club to play a heart to the queen and ace. North switched to the three of spades and South won the king and returned the four. When North put up the ace declarer could claim his contract. That must have hurt - and it cost 10 IMPs, leaving USA1 well in control.
Open Room
East led the three of diamonds so declarer made eleven tricks, +460. Closed Room
This needed some luck but it was missing this time and the contract had to fail; 11 IMPs to USAI - home and dry now.
Open Room
3NT can always be defeated, even after the lead of the three of clubs. Declarer won with dummy’s ten and played the king of hearts. When that was ducked he continued with the queen - and South ducked again - fatally. Declarer played a diamond to the queen and ducked a diamond - and was home; +400. Closed Room
When Meckstroth made his inferential bid of Four Hearts South opened fire. After some scrambling East/West located their best fit. South led his club and declarer won with dummy’s king and played a heart. South won and returned the two of hearts. Declarer won and played a diamond but South went up with the ace and played a heart, ruffed by North as declarer discarded one of dummy’s spades. Back came a club, ruffed by South, who played another heart. One way or another the defenders had to take another trick; it came at once when declarer discarded dummy’s jack of spades, North ruffing, and that was down three; -500 and 14 IMPs, the biggest swing of the set. However, it was too late to change the outcome. USA1 would get the chance to defend the title they won in Monaco. |
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