China v USA – Women Semi-final Set 1

Many of these players met in the final of the Venice Cup last year in Monte Carlo, where USA came out on top after a close battle. China have been trying to beat various American teams for more than a decade now and there could be no better time than the present to gain some long overdue revenge.

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª - © K 9 7 5 3 2 ¨ J 10 7 § 10 7 6 4
ª 7 2 © Q 10 6 ¨ A K Q 5 2 § A K J		ª A K J 9 3 © A J 8 ¨ 9 6 3 § 5 3
	ª Q 10 8 6 5 4 © 4 ¨ 8 4 § Q 9 8 2

West	North	East	South
Zhang	Meyers	Gu	Montin
-	2¨	2ª	Pass
3©	Pass	3NT	Pass
4NT	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Sokolow	W Wang	Molson	H Wang
-	2¨	2ª	Pass
3NT	All Pass

Both teams missed an opportunity to start the match with a substantial gain as the respective East/West pairs languished in game for a push at +520. Clearly the West players, in particular Tobi Sokolow, have a different idea to mine as to what an overcall of a multi shows.

Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	ª A J 5 4 © Q 3 2 ¨ K 7 5 § 6 4 3
ª 9 8 7 6 © J 8 4 ¨ Q 9 6 2 § A K		ª K Q 10 © 5 ¨ J 10 3 § Q 10 9 8 7 5
	ª 3 2 © A K 10 9 7 6 ¨ A 8 4 § J 2

West	North	East	South
Zhang	Meyers	Gu	Montin
-	-	Pass	1©
Pass	2©	3§	3©
Pass	4©	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Sokolow	W Wang	Molson	H Wang
-	-	Pass	1©
Pass	2©	3§	3©
All Pass

Both Souths competed with 3© over 3§. Though Randi Montin alerted her bid as non-invitational Jill Meyers went on to game anyway. At both tables West cashed the top clubs then, in response to a clear suit-preference signal, switched to a spade.

Hongli Wang, in 3©, simply won the ace of spades, drew trumps and took her nine top tricks for a painless +140.
Montin had to try to find a tenth trick and ducked the spade to Ling Gu’s ten. Back came a club. There is a winning line from her – ruff high and play for West to hold jack to three trumps before ruffing out the spade, but you would be on pretty good form to find that line, and in practice Monton ruffed with the nine and was over-ruffed; down one for –100 and 6 IMPs to China, drawing first blood in the young match.

Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	ª Q 10 4 3 © A Q 10 5 4 3 2 ¨ 5 4 § -
ª K 9 © K 9 8 ¨ K 10 9 6 3 § K 9 7		ª A J 7 6 5 © J ¨ A Q 8 2 § 4 3 2
	ª 8 2 © 7 6 ¨ J 7 § A Q J 10 8 6 5

West	North	East	South
Zhang	Meyers	Gu	Montin
-	-	-	3§
Pass	3©	Dble	Pass
3NT	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Sokolow	W Wang	Molson	H Wang
-	-	-	3§
All Pass

Meyers decided that, as 3§ was surely not going to be a success, she might as well hope to find her partner with some heart support. Now, what do you think of Gu’s double of 3©? True, she had the unbid suits, but I think she did very well to get involved with an effective 11-count. Yalan Zhang had a fairly straightforward response of 3NT. Meyers led a heart to dummy’s jack and Zhang rattled off five rounds of diamonds. Meyers had to keep four hearts or declarer could just cross to the ªA and lead a club up for her ninth trick, so had to throw a spade. But now Zhang played ªK then a spade to the jack and had five spade tricks and 11 in all; +660.

Wenfei Wang did not respond to her partner’s pre-empt at the other table and, while Janice Seamon-Molson was tempted to balance, she had the wrong shortage for a double and an inadequate main suit for an overcall so eventually chose to pass. Three Clubs drifted two off for –100 but that was a further 11 IMPs to China. Surprisingly, those were to be the last IMPs scored by the Chinese during the first session.

Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
	ª 10 7 © K J 7 5 2 ¨ K Q 10 § A K 2
ª 8 5 4 3 © 9 6 ¨ J 9 4 2 § Q 9 3		ª J 9 6 © 10 4 ¨ 7 5 § 10 8 7 6 5 4
	ª A K Q 2 © A Q 8 3 ¨ A 8 6 3 § J

West	North	East	South
Zhang	Meyers	Gu	Montin
-	1©	Pass	2NT
Pass	3ª	Pass	4§
Pass	4¨	Pass	4ª
Pass	5¨	Pass	7©
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Sokolow	W Wang	Molson	H Wang
-	1§	Pass	2NT
Pass	3©	Pass	4NT
Pass	5ª	Pass	7NT
All Pass

Both North/South pairs bid confidently to the cold grand slam. Hongli treated her hand as balanced in response to the strong club then took control on hearing that her partner had a heart suit; +2220. Meyers opened 1© and showed a balanced 14-16 over the forcing response. After a series of cuebids Montin leaped to 7©; +2210.

Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.
	ª 10 8 7 6 © A K ¨ K J 6 2 § A 6 3
ª Q 2 © 8 6 3 ¨ A Q 7 5 § J 10 7 2		ª A K 9 5 3 © Q J 4 2 ¨ 10 9 § K 5
	ª J 4 © 10 9 7 5 ¨ 8 4 3 § Q 9 8 4

West	North	East	South
Zhang	Meyers	Gu	Montin
Sokolow	W Wang	Molson	H Wang
-	-	1ª	Pass
1NT	Pass	2©	Pass
2ª	All Pass

Montin led the §8 and Meyers won the ace then played a second round. Gu won the §K and led the ¨10 to the queen and king. Back came the ¨J. She won the ace and played a heart up. Meyers won the king and played a diamond, ruffed. Gu drew three rounds of trumps then played the ©Q to Meyers’ ace. Meyers cashed the ©10 and played a club; down one for –100.

Hongli led the +9 and Molson put up dummy’s jack, which Wenfei ducked. Molson led a heart off the dummy and Wenfei won, cashed the other heart and played ace and another club. Molson could ruff, draw three rounds of trumps and play winning hearts; +110 and 5 IMPs to USA.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	ª A 10 5 2 © 4 3 2 ¨ Q J 10 § 7 5 4
ª K J 8 7 6 © K Q J 10 9 ¨ 3 § K J		ª Q 4 © 7 5 ¨ K 6 5 4 § 10 9 6 3 2
	ª 9 3 © A 8 6 ¨ A 9 8 7 2 § A Q 8

West	North	East	South
Gu	Montin	Zhang	Meyers
-	-	-	1NT
2§	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Sokolow	W Wang	Molson	H Wang
-	-	-	1NT
2¨	Pass	2©	All Pass

Both Wests came in over 1NT. The board had been rotated in the Open Room and it was Zhang who had to respond to the 2§ overcall showing both majors. She judged to pass, a bit of a random shot, I would have said, and certainly not a successful one on this occasion. Montin led a trump to the ace and Meyers switched to the nine of spades, which ran to the queen. Gu returned a spade for the king and ace and now Montin found the diamond switch, the second round obliging declarer to ruff with the king. Gu led the ©Q from hand but Meyers won and played ace and another diamond fro Montin to ruff. A spade through promoted an extra trump trick for Meyers; down three for –150.

Sokolow also showed both majors and Molson gave preference to hearts. Hongli led a trump to the six and nine and Molson played to the ªQ then a club up, Wenfei taking her ace. She played ace and another heart but, while that prevented spade ruffs in hand, declarer was under no pressure and simply conceded two spades and a diamond; eight tricks for -110 and 6 IMPs to USA.

The set ended with USA ahead by 24-17 IMPs. There was a long way to go, but that was one small step towards yet another world championship final for the Americans.