Tournament Stories

The Biggest Penalty ... So Far? - by Phillip Alder

What is the biggest penalty conceded so far during these championships?

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

This was the first board of Round 10 in the Transnational Teams. At one table, which we will allow to remain unrevealed, North opened One Diamond, East overcalled One Spade, and South made a modern-style pre-emptive jump to Three Diamonds. West leapt to Four Spades, not cuebidding Four Diamonds because his diamond cards were not pulling much weight on offense, and he did not wish to dissuade his opponents from ploughing higher.

At most tables, North passed over Four Spades, and it wasn't hard to defeat the contract. South led his singleton heart. North won with the ace and returned the jack as a suit-preference signal for diamonds. South ruffed, put his partner back on lead, and received a second ruff for one down.

At our table, though, North continued with Five Diamonds. I was told that East doubled, although it looks more natural for East and South to pass, and for West to express the opinion that his opponents have gone too high.

East led the ten of spades, West winning with the jack and switching to a heart to declarer's ace.

At this point North could have got out for three down by knocking out the ace of clubs, drawing one round of trumps, and carrying out a merry crossruff. But the North under our flickering candle decided that it could not cost to draw two rounds of trumps. He cashed the ace of diamonds, then played another diamond. What happened next?

The defenders took the rest of the tricks! West drew trumps, put East in with a heart, scored his two top spades, and the East hand was high. That was a cool nine down, Minus 2300.

One observer said that West should drop the queen of diamonds under declarer's ace to make sure that North definitely leads another trump. Then, West would win with the nine, cash the king of diamonds, and play his last trump to guarantee 2000. Do you agree?

Transnational Trump Coup

Many declarers were defeated in 4♠ on this deal from Round 12 of the Transnational Teams. England's Heather Dhondy brought it home, however, to gain 10 IMPs for her team. Dhondy was playing with her old partner from the days when Great Britain played as one nation in international bridge, Scotland's Liz McGowan.

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

The defence began with three rounds of hearts, giving a ruff-and-discard. Dhondy ruffed in the North hand while pitching a club from South, then played the king of spades. East won and played a fourth round of hearts and again Dhondy ruffed in the North hand, throwing her remaining club. Now, suspecting from the line of defence that there might be a problem with the trump situation, she carefully ruffed a club, shortening herself, and laid down the queen of spades, discovering the four-one break. Thanks to her foresight, the bad break was not a problem. Dhondy crossed to dummy with a diamond and started playing winning clubs through East, who could ruff whenever he wanted to, but would be over ruffed, the remaining trump drawn, and winning diamonds cashed. Taking the club ruff before she had seen the bad trump split meant that Dhondy could also have survived a five-one diamond break.

Missing 9 VPs On One Board - by Hans Olaf-Hallen

The Swedish Seniors team had this disastrous board in the last match of the Transnational Open Teams.

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

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Pass	4♣	4♦	Dble
Pass	4♥	Pass	Pass
5♦	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

North's 4♣ showed solid hearts. We don't know why South doubled. Against 5♦ doubled, South led a spade. Declarer won and played four rounds of trumps. East later finessed in clubs and went one down. East should understand that South has no hearts and therefore play the ♣A. Even if South has the ♣K, declarer would be able to play the suit for enough winners later to discard his losing heart. The outcome on this lie of the cards would have been 12 tricks.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Pass	3NT	Pass	4♥
5♣ (!)	5♥	6♣	Dble
All Pass

North's 3NT showed a solid major suit. South doubled 6♣ to stop his partner from bidding 6♥. West's 5♣ seems brave. As North I made the mistake of leading the ♥Q instead of the ♥2. Partner forgot to ruff and the slam was made.

The Hadi team gained 17 IMPs instead of losing a large number. We still won the match, but only 16-14 instead of 25-5, finishing 17th in the qualifying instead of 12th.

Who's Got The Queen? - by Barry Rigal

Consider the deal as a single dummy problem first. You are West.

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

West	North	East	South
		1♠	Pass
2♦	Pass	2♥	Pass
4♥	Pass	5♦	Pass
6♥	Pass	Pass	Dble
6NT	Dble	All Pass

Your partner reaches 6♥ and RHO, on lead, doubles 6♥ - unlikely to be Lightner unless he has forgotten the position (but South is an Austrian expert, this is unlikely).

Gunnar Hallberg declared 6NT doubled on a top club lead and won in dummy. Since hearts figured to be 5-0 as South would not risk a double on just a four-card suit here, the ♠Q figured to be with North - particularly since he had doubled the final contract. But Hallberg paused for reflection. The double of 6♥ must have been with the awareness that the opponents might retreat to 6NT; so maybe the double of 6NT was psychic - protecting his partner's spades? Backing his judgment, Hallberg passed the ♠J, and when the suit behaved he had his 12 tricks. This was the full deal.

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

Eight Ever, Nine Never - by Dave Berkowitz

Board 1 of the final day of the Transnational Open Teams qualifying brought new meaning to an old adage.

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

At the table we saw the auction went as follows.

West	North	East	South
	1♦	1♠	3♦
4♠	5♦	Dble	All Pass

The opening lead was a spade to the jack, followed by a heart. Perhaps a little dismayed by the contract, declarer tried to salvage something when he played the ♦A and another a diamond. The defense drew trumps and took the rest; down nine for Plus 2300

Mike Passell pointed out that against him, he would drop the ♦Q under the ace to give declarer an added incentive to play a disastrous second trump. Mike would play three rounds of diamonds, drawing trumps but giving declarer the jack; down only eight for 2000. Eight ever, nine never probably does not refer to this type of deal. Imagine coming back to lose IMPs for Plus 2000. As usual, after the play North was heard asking if East/West could make game in spades. They could not.