USA
v China - Losing streak
The USA team in the Open series entered play in round 13 in first
place by a slim margin over China, their opponents in that round.
When the 20 boards had been played, China had regained first place
with an impressive victory over the Americans, who went on to lose
the next two matches as well.
China wasted little time jumping out in front, although the swing
was one play away from going the other way.
Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
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ª Q 5 3
© K Q 4 2
¨ 7
§ K Q 10 6 4 |
ª 10 7
© J 10 7
¨ K Q 5 2
§ 8 7 3 2 |
![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª A J 9 6 2
© A 9 5
¨ J 9 8 3
§ 5 |
|
ª K 8 4
© 8 6 3
¨ A 10 6 4
§ A J 9 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sun |
Levin |
Xin |
Weinstein |
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|
|
1¨ |
Pass |
2§ |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3© |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
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Shaolin Sun started with the ©J to the king and ace, and the defenders
had their first chance to scuttle the contract with a switch to
diamonds, but Xin Li continued with the ©9. The was ducked, giving
Xin another chance, but he persisted in hearts and Steve Weinstein
was soon claiming his contract.
The auction took a much difference turn at the other table, where
Roy Welland and Bjorn Fallenius opposed Haojun Shi and Zejun Zhuang.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Welland |
Shi |
Fallenius |
Zhuang |
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|
|
1¨ |
Pass |
1© |
1ª |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3NT |
Dble |
All Pass |
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Fallenius took a long time after his partner’s double to
decide on his opening lead. Had he chosen dummy’s first bid
suit, the outcome would have been much different, but he finally
chose a low spade. Shi won the ªQ in hand, entered dummy with a
club and played a heart to the king. This was the last chance for
Fallenius to find the killing diamond switch, but he didn’t
know about the five-card club suit in the North hand, so he ducked
the heart. That was enough for Shi, who led a spade from hand, claiming
his contract after Fallenius went in with the ªA. Shi took five
clubs, two spades, a heart and a diamond for plus 550.
China earned a larger swing on the next board when Welland and
Fallenius bid to a very optimistic 6ª that failed while their Chinese
counterparts stopped in a sensible game.
The following deal turned out to be a push, but it could have been
a swing for USA had only one card been different.
Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
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ª J 8 5
© Q 4 2
¨ K Q
§ 9 7 6 4 3 |
ª 7
© A 10 9 6 3
¨ 9 7 5 4
§ K Q 5 |
![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª K Q 9 6 4 3
© 7
¨ J 10 8 3 2
§ 10 |
|
ª A 10 2
© K J 8 5
¨ A 6
§ A J 8 2 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Welland |
Shi |
Fallenius |
Zhuang |
|
Pass |
2¨ |
Dble |
2ª |
All Pass |
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With spades splitting 3-3, Fallenius was able to land the part
score for plus 110, which looked like a potential pickup considering
how many high-card points North/South were looking at.
Unfortunately, the duplication in diamonds was a liability for
the contract chosen by Levin and Weinstein.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sun |
Levin |
Xin |
Weinstein |
|
Pass |
2¨ |
2NT |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
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Sun started with his singleton spade to the queen and ace. Weinstein
won and played a heart from hand to dummy’s queen. Now came
a low club to the 10, jack and queen. It was not difficult for Sun
to find the killing diamond switch. Had either the North or South
hand contained one extra diamond, the combined AKQ in the suit would
have been good for more than two tricks. As it was, the diamond
switch was sufficient to kill the contract and USA had to settle
for a push instead of an 11-IMP gain.
More IMPs were in store for China on another deal which could have
been a swing for USA on the following deal.
Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
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ª A Q 8 2
© A K 7 6 4
¨ A Q J
§ 9 |
ª 6
© Q 9 8 3
¨ K 6 2
§ A K 10 5 2 |
![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª 10 7 5 3
© J 5 2
¨ 5 4
§ Q 6 4 3 |
|
ª K J 9 4
© 10
¨ 10 9 8 7 3
§ J 8 7 |
In the closed room, Shi and Zhuang settled into a comfortable 4ª,
just making for plus 420. Weinstein and Levin were more ambitious.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sun |
Levin |
Xin |
Weinstein |
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|
|
Pass |
1§ |
Dble |
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
4§ |
Pass |
4© |
Pass |
4NT |
Pass |
5§ |
Pass |
6ª |
All Pass |
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West can always defeat the contract by leading a club honor and
continuing the suit – the 4-1 trump split dooms the slam.
It is equally effective to lead a high club and continue with a
diamond, taking a vital late entry out of dummy.
Sun, however, started with his low trump, giving Weinstein a chance.
He won the ª9 in hand and could have succeeded on this line of play:
heart to ace, heart ruff, diamond to jack, heart ruff, ªK, diamond
to queen, pull trumps and claim, losing only the low club.
Weinstein, however, won the ª9 in hand and took a diamond finesse
at trick two. Now it was impossible to ruff the hearts good and
get back to dummy to cash them after pulling trumps. Weinstein played
a heart to the ace and ruffed a heart, then played to dummy’s
¨Q. The ¨A was ruffed and a club returned – one down and 10
IMPs to China, now leading 35-4.
Board 15 was especially painful for the Americans.
Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
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ª A J 9 8 2
© 6 5 3
¨ A 7 6
§ K J |
ª 10
© A K Q 10 7
¨ 8 3 2
§ A 4 3 2 |
![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª K 5 4 3
© 4 2
¨ K J 9 5 4
§ 8 6 |
|
ª Q 7 6
© J 9 8
¨ Q 10
§ Q 10 9 7 5 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Welland |
Shi |
Fallenius |
Zhuang |
|
|
|
Pass |
1© |
1ª |
2§ |
2ª |
3¨ |
All Pass |
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Fallenius’s first bid showed a diamond suit, and he sensibly
passed when Welland accepted the transfer. After the lead of the
§K, Welland lost two diamonds, a club and a spade for plus 110.
The auction was not as good in the open room, but the result was
tough for the Americans to take.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sun |
Levin |
Xin |
Weinstein |
|
|
|
Pass |
1© |
1ª |
Dble |
2ª |
3§ |
Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
5¨ |
All Pass |
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There is no legitimate play for this silly contract, but unfortunately
for USA Weinstein chose the ¨10 for his opening lead. Levin ducked
this to the jack. Declarer entered dummy with a heart and played
a second diamond. Not unreasonably, Levin played the ¨A, and he
could only grimace when Weinstein’s queen appeared. From there,
declarer lost only the ªA, scoring plus 400 for another 7 IMPs to
China.
The final score would have been much worse if not for the next-to-last
deal.
Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
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ª K J 9 5 4 3
© A K Q 9
¨ -
§ A 7 2 |
ª 7 2
© 10 6 5 3
¨ Q 10 6
§ Q 8 6 5 |
![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª Q 10
© J 8 7 2
¨ A 9 7 4 2
§ J 9 |
|
ª A 8 6
© 4
¨ K J 8 5 3
§ K 10 4 3 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sun |
Levin |
Xin |
Weinstein |
|
|
|
1¨ |
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
3© |
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
4§ |
Pass |
4ª |
Pass |
6ª |
All Pass |
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Levin made several tries to elicit a cuebid from Weinstein, simply
leaping to slam when Weinstein refused all invitations. Xin started
with the ©7 and Sun inexplicably played low, allowing Levin to win
the ©9 in hand. He played a low trump from hand, and when the 10
poppped up he simply played a second spade to the king, claiming
13 tricks when the queen fell. Even if West had held three spades
to the queen, Levin’s contract was secure since he could play
hearts, discarding clubs, and engineer a club ruff in dummy.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Welland |
Shi |
Fallenius |
Zhuang |
|
|
|
1¨ |
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
5¨ |
Pass |
5ª |
Pass |
6§ |
Pass |
7ª |
All Pass |
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Shi’s 5¨ was Exclusion Key Card Blackwood, and 6§ was a grand
slam try, accepted by Zhuang.
Fallenius led the ©8, and Welland correctly played the 10. Now
Shi had two ruffs to take in dummy, but he was due to succeed because
of the 4-4 heart split and the favourable lie of the trumps.
Declarer won the ©A, then played a club to the king and another
to the ace. Two high hearts from hand were good for two club pitches
from dummy, and when North played his third club, East ruffed in
with the 10. Declarer overruffed with the ace, playing a spade from
dummy to the 9 and queen. One down was a 14-IMP gain for USA but
the result was a 46-23 defeat.
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