China
v Japan
by Mark Horton
The draw had brought together two sides from the same hemisphere,
China and Japan. After two sessions China enjoyed a healthy lead,
so Japan were looking for a following wind.
Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
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|
ª K Q J 9 6 3
© K 8
¨ 2
§ 10 9 8 6 |
ª A 8 7
© 10 7 4 3
¨ K J 8 6 5
§ J |
![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª 5 4
© A 6 2
¨ A Q 10 7 3
§ 7 3 2 |
|
ª 10 2
© Q J 9 5
¨ 9 4
§ A K Q 5 4 |
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Takano |
Dai |
Teramoto |
Yang |
|
|
1NT |
Pass |
2§* |
2ª |
3¨ |
3ª |
4¨ |
All Pass |
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|
South led the ace of clubs and switched to the ten of spades, ducked
by declarer and overtaken by North, who switched to the king of
hearts. Declarer won, and combined the drawing of trumps with the
elimination of the black suits before exiting with a heart. However,
there was no endplay and he was one down, -50.
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Shi |
Ino |
Zhuang |
Imakura |
|
|
Pass |
1§ |
1¨ |
1ª |
2ª |
Pass |
3¨ |
4ª |
All Pass |
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The defence need to find their club ruff to defeat Four Spades,
but it is not exactly obvious. East led the ace of diamonds and
switched to a heart. Now it was plain sailing for declarer who simply
played on trumps. +620 and 11IMPs to Japan, just the start they
were looking for.
Board 23. Dealer South. All Vul.
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ª A 6 5 4
© 3 2
¨ 7 3 2
§ Q 8 6 5 |
ª Q 3
© 9 8
¨ K J 10 5 4
§ K 9 7 3 |
![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª J 10 8
© A K J 10 6
¨ Q 9 8
§ A 4 |
|
ª K 9 7 2
© Q 7 5 4
¨ A 6
§ J 10 2 |
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Takano |
Dai |
Teramoto |
Yang |
|
|
|
Pas |
Pass |
Pass |
1© |
Pass |
1NT* |
Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
2ª* |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
North led the five of clubs and declarer won with dummy’s
ace and played a diamond to the jack, a heart to the ace and the
queen of diamonds. South won and played the ten of clubs and when
that held a third club. Declarer won with the king, cashed the diamonds
and took the heart finesse. South won and the defenders had the
rest, down two, -200.
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Shi |
Ino |
Zhuang |
Imakura |
|
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
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|
With East as declarer it was not easy for South to find the club
lead. He went for a spade and the defence played three rounds of
the suit. Declarer could win, force out the ace of diamonds and
claim nine tricks, +600 and 13 IMPs for China.
Board 30. Dealer East. None Vul.
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|
ª K J 9 7 6 2
© 4
¨ 8 3
§ A 8 7 2 |
ª 10 4 3
© K 10 9 6 5
¨ J 4 2
§ K 5 |
![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª Q 8 5
© A Q 7 3
¨ A K 10 9 6
§ 6 |
|
ª A
© J 8 2
¨ Q 7 5
§ Q J 10 9 4 3 |
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Takano |
Dai |
Teramoto |
Yang |
|
|
1¨ |
Pass |
1© |
2ª |
3© |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
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North led the eight of diamonds and declarer won and drew trumps
in three rounds, ending in hand. Then he ran the jack of diamonds
to South’s queen. South cashed the ace of spades and played
the queen of clubs for the king and ace and North took the setting
trick with the king of spades, +50.
Do you consider that the combination of the bidding and the opening
lead (North does not appear to have the ªAK and the suit must be
6-1 so South must have a singleton honour) should have pointed declarer
to the winning line? After drawing trumps declarer must play a club
to cut the enemy communications. Then he will be able to give up
a diamond and lose only one spade, one diamond and one club. I am
inclined to think so.
I set out to check the records and will take you briefly to the
match between Sweden and China.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Ryman |
Zhang |
Ryman |
Gu |
|
|
1¨ |
Pass |
1© |
1ª |
2NT* |
Pass |
3NT |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
Sweden’s Jenny Ryman, who combines both brains and beauty,
knew from her mother’s artificial raise on the second round
that she would be in Four Hearts, so in an attempt to deter North
from leading a spade she deliberately bid 3NT. When the opening
lead was the eight of diamonds that part of her plan had proved
successful. Now she had to make the contract. Drawing all then inferences
I have mentioned above, she won in dummy, drew trumps ending there
and played a club to the king. Now there was nothing the defence
could do and she had picked up 11IMPs for her side.
(Memo from Tacchi to the IBPA: ‘This must be the winning
hand for 2005 – think of the photographer.’)
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Shi |
Ino |
Zhuang |
Imakura |
|
|
1NT |
Pass |
2¨ |
2ª |
3© |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
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|
Here South was on lead, so naturally he cashed the ace of spades.
He switched to the queen of clubs, but when declarer played low
from dummy North, did not in every sense of the word, rise to the
occasion by overtaking with the ace. Now declarer could win the
next trick, draw trumps and give up a diamond. +420 and 10 Imps
for China.
The pairs who got this defence right included Pakistan’s
Alana & Fazli, but of course they did not earn a swing as Fantoni
& Nunes also got it right (admittedly against 5©, but even so
North still led a spade and South returned a low club).
Board 31. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
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ª A Q 10 4 3 2
© 9 5 3
¨ J
§ 8 5 3 |
ª K 9 7 5
© A Q J 8
¨ 6
§ A K 10 9 |
![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª J 6
© 10 7 6
¨ A Q 10 9 8 7 5
§ 2 |
|
ª 8
© K 4 2
¨ K 4 3 2
§ Q J 7 6 4 |
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Takano |
Dai |
Teramoto |
Yang |
|
|
|
Pass |
1§ |
1ª |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2ª |
3¨ |
All Pass |
South led his spade and North took the queen and ace and played
a third spade, ruffed by declarer with the ten, as South discarded
a heart. In due course South scored a trump trick, +130.
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Shi |
Ino |
Zhuang |
Imakura |
|
|
|
Pass |
1§ |
1ª |
2© |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
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|
North led the four of spades and declarer won in hand with the
nine and played a diamond fro the jack and queen. When that held
he cashed the ace of diamonds and ran the ten of hearts. He made
ten tricks, +430, another 7 Imps for China, who were comfortably
in control.
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