Round 5: Turkey v USA - University

This round featured a very quiet set of deals with very few swing opportunities. Both sides played fairly accurately, leading to a low-scoring 25-6 win for the Americans. The USA won a partscore swing on the very first deal:

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

West	North	East	South
Kranyak	Dalkilic	Glickman	Eskizara
-	Pass	1ª	Pass
2ª	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Paksoy	Greenberg	Seker	Pahk
-	Pass	1ª	Pass
1NT(i)	Pass	2§(ii)	Dble
Pass	2©	Pass	Pass
2ª	3©	All Pass

(i) Forcing
(ii) Clubs or any strong hand

Joon Pahk’s aggressive take-out double in the Closed Room allowed N/S to locate their heart fit and compete to the three-level. Against 3©, East, Basar Doga Seker cashed the ace-king of clubs and then switched to a spade. Declarer carefully won in hand to unblock the ¨A, and played a small heart towards dummy. East won and played a spade to dummy’s now-bare ace. The play proceeded: diamond ruff, heart to dummy’s king, diamond ruff, spade ruff, diamond ruff, club ruff. The final trick was won by Serhat Ozer Paksoy’s master trump, but declarer already had nine tricks in the bag. Note the precise timing of the crossruff: if declarer wins the first spade in dummy, he will lack the entries to take three diamond ruffs in hand and his contract will fail.

In the Open Room, West, John Kranyak judged to downgrade his flat 10-count and the American pair bought the contract cheaply in 2ª. Marc Glickman had no trouble taking nine tricks for +140 and 7 IMPs to the USA.

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

West	North	East	South
Paksoy	Greenberg	Seker	Pahk
-	-	-	Pass
Pass	1©	Dble	2¨(i)
Pass	2©	Pass	Pass
2S	Pass	Pass	3©
All Pass

(i) Good heart raise

West	North	East	South
Kranyak	Dalkilic	Glickman	Eskizara
-	-	-	Pass
Pass	1©	Dble	4©

Despite his five-card trump support, Pahk judged well to compete to only 3© because of his balanced pattern, and indeed only nine tricks were there for the taking. In the Open Room, the no-play game was reached; minus 50, and 5 more IMPs to the USA.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª 8 6 2 © 10 8 3 ¨ A Q 8 5 4 § 10 8
ª K Q 10 5 4 © J 7 6 5 ¨ 7 § Q 6 4		ª A 7 © A Q 9 4 ¨ K 6 3 2 § A J 2
	ª J 9 3 © K 2 ¨ J 10 9 § K 9 7 5 3

West	North	East	South
Paksoy	Greenberg	Seker	Pahk
-	-	-	Pass
Pass	Pass	1¨	Pass
2©(i)	Pass	4©	All Pass

(i) Five spades, four hearts, 7-9 points

West	North	East	South
Kranyak	Dalkilic	Glickman	Eskizara
-	-	-	Pass
Pass	Pass	1¨	Pass
1ª	Pass	2NT	Pass
3C(i)	Pass	3©	Pass
4©	All Pass

(i) Checkback

The gadget used in the Closed Room had the unfortunate side effect of wrong-siding 4©. North, Ari Greenberg led the §10 and there was nothing declarer could do to avoid losing the §K, ©K, a club ruff, and the ¨A. In the Open Room, East’s club holding was protected from the opening lead and Glickman easily scored up his contract for +420 and 10 big IMPs to the USA.