Societé Générale
Open Pairs


The final session of the Société Générale World Open Pairs Championship is always the most exciting as the players in contention experience the emotions of success and failure. The barometer scoring means that they have almost instantaneous knowledge of the current standings for the first 16 boards which undoubtedly adds to the tension.

The twin enemies of time and space mean that we can only bring you a few deals but they involve the pairs who were at the business end of the rankings.

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

West North East South
Ramer Zaremba Paulissen Ozdil

Pass Pass 1NT 3ª
Pass Pass Dble All Pass

This deal featured the pairs lying second and third. East had a normal strong notrump and South made the call that would surely attract the majority vote on a bidding panel. Current expert theory says that doubles should be for takeout and with a maximum and a small doubleton spade East had the perfect hand. With an ace and some hopes of a ruff West was happy to pass, especially at this vulnerability.

In the European style he led the ©4, low from two small, and the spot cards in dummy made the situation clear to East. He took the ©AK and returned the ©8 for West to ruff. He duly switched to a club and East took the king and played his remaining heart. Dummy could overruff and declarer came to hand with a diamond ruff to draw trumps, losing another club at the end.

+200 was clearly a good result for the Dutch pair. The next pair we feature from the Netherlands did not do so well.

Board 5. Dealer North. NS Game
ª A J 8
© A Q 10 9 7 5 4 3
¨ 8
§ A
ª K 10 7 4 3 ª Q 6 5 2
© K J 8 © 2
¨ 3 ¨ A K 10 7
§ 10 8 5 4 § Q J 7 6
ª 9
© 6
¨ Q J 9 6 5 4 2
§ K 9 3 2

West North East South
Pszcola de Boer Kwiecien Muller

2§ Pass 2¨
Pass 3© Pass 4©
All Pass

The VuGraph commentators opined that only de Boer knew what he was doing on this deal although to be fair his hand is very difficult to evaluate.

East led the ¨A and switched to his trump. That looks like the end of the matter so far as making the contract is concerned but after East put up the heart king declarer won with the ace, cashed the ©Q and exited with a heart to West's jack. West now played the ª10 covered by the jack and queen. This type of surrounding play is well known but here it was declarer who held the all important ª8 not West. East did well to switch to the §6 eliminating all danger. Declarer was one down, and -100 was not likely to be a great score.

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

West North East South
Psczola de Boer Kwiecien Muller

1¨ 1NT
2¨ 2ª 3¨ Pass
Pass 3ª Pass Pass
Dble All Pass

If de Boer could be given the benefit of the doubt he was surely wrong this time. South was marked with some values in diamonds and he hadn't supported spades over East's 3¨ bid.

It is worth noting that West simply supported his partner rather than make a slightly speculative double of 1NT. That may be partly explained by the light style of opening bids that so many pairs now employ. East did the wrong thing by bidding 3¨, but who would not when your six-card suit has been supported but North was there to save him.

East led the ¨K and declarer won with the ace and knocked out the ©A. East switched to a club and West took the §AQ before playing another diamond. Declarer ruffed and ran the ªQ. West took his king and returned the ª4 which ran to South' eight. He was able to cash the ©KQ and ruff a diamond but had to conceded a trick at the end.

One down doubled was not going to be good, as 3¨ would surely go down with South on lead. It was time to take a look at the leaders.

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

West North East South
Berkowitz Bocchi Cohen Duboin

1§
Pass 1ª Pass 2¨
Pass 2© Pass 3¨
Pass 3ª Pass 4§
Pass 5§ Pass 6§
All Pass

This was a highly artificial auction where South's 2¨ bid was game forcing and 3§ asked for aces. The final contract was sound enough but not the one you would want to be in during a matchpointed pairs. How nice for the Americans to collect a huge result with no values.


Results Contents
Open Pairs F5
Ladies Pairs F5
Société Générale Pairs Final/Session 5
José Damiani address
Normal Lead, but...
A Complete Top!


Return to Top of page To Front Page