On thin ice
Entering play on Friday, Australia lay
third in Group B. When the day was over, the team had fallen
to fifth, losing two matches, one of them to Monaco. The other
loss, to Finland, is covered in this report. The good news for
Australia is that the team did make it to the round of 16.
Proceedings started positively for Australia
when Matthew Thomson made a good decision to probe for a major-suit
fit on this deal while the Finnish pair in the other room dropped
the ball in the auction.
Board 2. Dealer East. N/S
Vul. |
|
ª
A J 5 3
© K Q 4
¨ A K 10
7 3
§ A |
ª
Q 8 2
© 9 8 7
¨ Q J 6
§ 10 9 7 2 |
![Bridge deal](../../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
9 7
© A 10 6 3
2
¨ 8
§ K Q J 5
4 |
|
ª
K 10 6 4
© J 5
¨ 9 5 4 2
§ 8 6 3 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Kiema |
Newman |
Koistinen |
Thomson |
|
|
1© |
Pass |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3§
(1) |
Pass |
3¨
(2) |
Pass |
3©
(3) |
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
|
|
(1) Five-card Stayman.
(2) At least one four-card major.
(3) Showing four spades.
|
Kauko Koistinen led the §K to Peter Newman's
ace. He cashed the ¨K, then followed with the ªA and a spade
to the 10. A club return forced declarer to ruff, but he was
still in control. He played the ©K, which was ducked, then played
the ¨A and a third diamond, clearing the suit. A heart went
to Koistinen's ace, and he forced Newman's last trump with a
club back. Newman ruffed, ruffed his good ©Q with dummy's ª6,
pulled the last trump and claimed for plus 620.
est |
North |
East |
South |
Marston |
Pesonen |
Burgess |
Stubb |
|
|
1¨
(1) |
Pass |
1ª
(2) |
Dble |
2§ |
Pass |
Pass |
2¨ |
All Pass |
|
(1) Hearts.
(2) Relay.
|
The
Australian bidding seemed to knock the Jukka Pesonen and Sakari
Stubb right out of the auction, although it seems that South
might have raised 2¨
to three, giving them a fighting chance to find their spade
fit. No doubt the auction did not necessarily indicate that
North's hand was so strong, but 3¨
surely would have been a safe spot even with South's weak hand.
Even 5¨ was cold
on the lie of the cards, and with East bidding two suits, there
was a good chance North would get the spade suit right. As it
was, Pesonen took 11 tricks for plus 150. That was 10 IMPs to
Australia.
Finland, trailing 12-0, cut the margin
to 1 IMP on the following deal, which featured a comical defensive
sequence by Thomson and Newman.
Board 5. Dealer North. N/S
Vul. |
|
ª
A Q 7 3
© 2
¨ Q 8 5
§ J 9 8
6 2 |
ª
K 9 8
© Q J 7 6
4
¨ 10 7 6
§ 10 5 |
![Bridge deal](../../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
6
© K 10 9 8
5 3
¨ K J
§ K Q 4 3 |
|
ª
J 10 5 4 2
© A
¨ A 9 4 3
2
§ A 7 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Marston |
Pesonen |
Burgess |
Stubb |
|
Pass |
1¨
(1) |
Dble |
3© |
Dble |
4© |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
|
|
(1) Hearts.
|
Stubb had no trouble with this contract,
taking 10 tricks (it seems he should finish with 11, but the
play record is not available) for plus 620. At the other table,
Osmo Kiema and Koistinen judged well to save at 5©, and they
got a bonus for their trouble.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Kiema |
Newman |
Koistinen |
Thomson |
|
Pass |
2© |
Dble |
Redble |
|
2ª |
Pass Pass |
4© |
4ª |
5© |
Dble |
All Pass |
|
|
|
Had Thomson led the ªJ, the difference
between plus 300 and plus 500 would have been the guess in diamonds
- on the bidding, Koistinen probably would have gotten it right.
But Thomson led the ¨A, apparently with the idea of giving his
partner a ruff. Koistinen followed with the ¨J, and Thomson
seemed to misread this card, for he continued with a low diamond
to dummy's 7. Newman, with a clear lapse in concentration, put
in the queen. The only explanation for that play is that Newman
believed his partner had started with ¨A K x x x and that Koistinen
had falsecarded with an original holding of ¨J 9.
At any rate, Koistinen won the ¨K and
played a low heart. Continuing the odd sequence, Thomson won
and played a third diamond! The grateful Koistinen discarded
his singleton spade and claimed for the loss of a club before
the bug got at him. Minus 100 was good for an 11-IMP gain for
Finland.
A series of pushes ensued, until Finland
broke through into the lead.
Board 9. Dealer North. E/W
Vul. |
|
ª
4
© 8 7 6
5 2
¨ A Q 8 7
2
§ 7 2 |
ª
8 3
© A K Q 9
3
¨ 10 6 3
§ A 8 6 |
![Bridge deal](../../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
K Q J 10 9 7 2
© J 4
¨ 5 4
§ 9 4 |
|
ª
A 6 5
© 10
¨ K J 9
§ K Q J
10 5 3 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Kiema |
Newman |
Koistinen |
Thomson |
|
Pass |
2¨
(1) |
3§ |
3ª
(2) |
All Pass |
|
|
(1) Multi.
(2) Signoff if the suit is spades.
|
Double dummy, the contract can be defeated
with a heart lead. South wins the first round of trumps, puts
North in with a diamond for a heart ruff, then cashes another
diamond and knocks out dummy's §A. South will win either a club
later or another heart ruff on the next trick. But when partner
overcalls at the three level and you are short in that suit,
you lead it unless you have X-ray vision. After the lead of
the §7, Kiema made nine tricks for plus 140.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Marston |
Pesonen |
Burgess |
Stubb |
|
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
4ª |
Pass |
Pass |
5§ |
Dble |
All Pass |
|
|
Paul
Marston led the ©A,
and Stubb was soon claiming 11 tricks for plus 550. The contract
is always cold, but after a spade lead, declarer would have
to play carefully, winning the ªA
and continuing with a heart at trick two to avoid defeat.
The combined plus 690 was good for 12
IMPs to Finland, now in the lead, 23-12.
Finland tacked on another 5 IMPs when
Marston and Stephen Burgess, running from 1NT doubled, landed
in their 5-2 heart fit instead of their 5-4 diamond fit. 2©
doubled went for 800. If the opponents, who were on for 4ª (bid
and made in the other room) had doubled 2¨, it was possible
to hold that to down one for minus 100 and a significant gain.
Another 11 IMPs went to Finland when Kiema
and Koistinen bid a slam missed at the other table.
The score was 39-19 Finland when self-inflicted
disaster struck the Australians again.
Board 14. Dealer East. None
Vul. |
|
ª
A 9 6
© A K J
8 6
¨ J
§ K J 6
3 |
ª
K 10 5 4
© 2
¨ K 8 2
§ 10 9 8 7
4 |
![Bridge deal](../../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
Q J
© 9 7 5 3
¨ A Q 7 6 5
§ A Q |
|
ª
8 7 3 2
© Q 10 4
¨ 10 9 4
3
§ 5 2 |
Burgess, in 3¨ with the East cards, took
10 tricks for plus 130. Matters got out of hand in the open
room.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Kiema |
Newman |
Koistinen |
Thomson |
|
|
1NT |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
2¨ |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
4ª |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
All Pass |
|
|
Thomson did all he could to discourage
Newman, but Newman pressed on anyway, with disastrous consequences
as the Finns took every trick that was coming to them.
Kiema started with the ¨K, followed by
a heart to the queen. Thomson did the best he could, ruffing
a diamond in dummy and pressing on with hearts, hoping to weaken
West's trumps. Kiema ruffed and got out with a spade. Thomson
played the ace and continued with hearts. Kiema ruffed the heart
continuation and played a club to the king and ace. Koistinen
cashed the ¨A and the §Q, the continued with diamonds, allowing
the defenders to take the ªK and ªQ separately for down five.
That was 1100, and 14 IMPs to Finland, now in front, 53-29.
Thomson, showing how well he can shrug
off a bad result, played well on the next board to get 10 IMPs
back for Australia.
Board 15. Dealer South. N/S
Vul. |
|
ª
10 8 5 3
© A 9 6
4
¨ 5 4
§ A Q 4 |
ª
A 6 4
© K 8
¨ Q J 10 7
2
§ K 10 8 |
![Bridge deal](../../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
9
© J 10 5 2
¨ K 9 3
§ 9 7 6 5
2 |
|
ª
K Q J 7 2
© Q 7 3
¨ A 8 6
§ J 3 |
Pesonen and Stubb stopped in 3ª with the
North-South cards, taking 10 tricks for plus 170. Australia
had a chance for a gain.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Kiema |
Newman |
Koistinen |
Thomson |
|
|
|
1ª |
2¨ |
3© |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
|
|
3© was a good spade raise, and Thomson
aggressively bid game.
Kiema led the ¨Q to Thomson's ace, and
Thomson played the ªK at trick two. Kiema ducked, and Thomson
played the ªJ. Kiema won the ace and played a low diamond to
East's king. The §5 was returned to the jack, king and ace,
and the question at that point was whether Thomson would get
the hearts right.
Thomson cashed the ª10 and the §Q and
ruffed a club to hand and a diamond in dummy. Thomson at that
point knew 11 of Kiema's cards, so Thomson could cash the ©A
and follow with low hearts from both hands. The ©K fell on air,
and Thomson had his vulnerable game.
A good auction by Kiema and Koistinen
on the following deal resulted in a game swing to Finland.
Board 18. Dealer East. N/S
Vul. |
|
ª
K Q 2
© A Q 6
3
¨ 9 7 5 3
§ 8 7 |
ª
6 5
© 10 9 5
¨ K J 8 4
§ A K 8 3 |
![Bridge deal](../../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
A J 10 9 7 3
© J
¨ Q 6 2
§ Q J 3 |
|
ª
8 4
© K 8 7
4 2
¨ A 10
§ 10 6 4
2 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Marston |
Pesonen |
Burgess |
Stubb |
|
|
1©
(1) |
Pass |
1NT (2) |
Pass |
2ª |
All Pass |
(1) Hearts.
(2) Relay.
|
There are only 22 high-card points, but
the hands fit very well. East had an easy ride to 10 tricks.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Kiema |
Newman |
Koistinen |
Thomson |
|
|
1ª |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
2NT (1) |
Pass |
3©
(2) |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
|
(1) Do you have shortness?
(2) Hearts.
|
Kiema liked his hand a lot better having
discovered there were no wasted values in hearts. Thomson led
the ¨A and another diamond, threatening a ruff, and indeed the
contract would have failed with the spade honors divided. Koistinen
had no choice, however, but to play for some luck in spades.
He won trick two with the ¨K and played a low spade to his jack.
Declarer played a club to the ace and another trump, and when
Newman played the ªQ and Thomson followed, Koistinen claimed
for plus 420 and another 6 IMPs.
Finland seemed poised to make a run at
the round of 16, but they were thumped in the first set Saturday
by Lebanon, ending their hopes.
|