USA
1 vs Thailand
Segment 2
As the second session of the semi-final under way Thailand were
in need of a good start so as to put some pressure on their opponents.
Session 2. Board 1.
Dealer North. None Vul.
|
|
ª A 10
7 6
© J 8
5 3
¨ 5
§ J 9
8 6 |
ª
K 5 2
© K Q 10
7 6
¨ Q 10 7
§ A 2 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
4 3
© A 9 4
¨ A 9 8 6
3
§ K 7 3 |
|
ª Q J
9 8
© 2
¨ K J 4
2
§ Q 10
5 4 |
|
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Mignocchi |
Chitngamkurd |
Grue |
Trimanka |
|
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
1© |
Pass |
2§* |
Dbl |
2¨ |
Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
|
Joe Grue, USA
|
|
East's use of Drury gave South the chance to double, although
it is not entirely clear why he wanted to take it, and as
a result East/West avoided the hesrt game. A club lead would
almost certainly lead to the defeat of 3NT but South's bid
was for take out and North lead a spade. Declarer won with
the king, cashed the king of hearts and played a low heart.
US supporters were willing him to put in the nine but he eventually
went up with the ace. He then decided to simply clear the
hearts, hoping there might be a way to endplay South to lead
away from the king of diamonds. Careful defence made sure
that did not happen, and the contract was one down, -50.
Could Thailand start with a game swing?
|
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sasibut |
Wooldridge |
Limsinsopon |
Campbell |
|
Pass |
1¨ |
Pass |
1© |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2§* |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
|
|
Four Hearts had no hope when North led the eight of clubs and declarer
finished two down, -100 and 3 IMPs to USA I.
Session 2. Board 3.
Dealer South. E/W Vul.
|
|
ª K J
6
© 7
¨ 10 8
6
§ Q 10
9 8 6 2 |
ª
Q 10 8 2
© J 10 5
¨ 7 5 2
§ J 7 5 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
A 7 4
© K Q 9
4 3
¨ A K Q
§ A 4 |
|
ª 9 5
3
© A 8
6 2
¨ J 9 4
3
§ K 3 |
|
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Mignocchi |
Chitngamkurd |
Grue |
Trimanka |
|
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
2§ |
Pass |
2©* |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
|
South led a heart and declarer did not waste time, simply claiming
nine tricks. East/West had done well to avoid the 5-3 heart fit
and sure enough the auction in the other room was totally different:
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sasibut |
Wooldridge |
Limsinsopon |
Campbell |
|
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
3§ |
Dbl |
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
You could make a case for East to
bid 3NT at either of his turns, however the question was could
he make Four Hearts?
South led the king of clubs and declarer won and made the reasonable
but losing play of the king of hearts. However, South, who should
have won this and played a club, gave declarer a chance by ducking.
Now declarer can get home by playing a low spade and putting
in the eight.. Not an easy play to find and when declarer missed
it he was eventually one down, -100 and 12 IMPs to the USA.
If declarer plays a low heart at trick two he can set up a winning
position by leading either the queen or ten of spades. |
|
Jaturong Yaempan, Thailand
|
Session 2. Board 5.
Dealer North. N/S Vul.
|
|
ª K 8
7 6 4 2
© Q 4
¨ Q J
§ A 10
6 |
ª
10 9 3
© 9 8 6
5 2
¨ K 3
§ Q 7 2 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
J 5
© A K J
7 3
¨ 7 4 2
§ 9 8 3 |
|
ª A Q
© 10
¨ A 10
9 8 6 5
§ K J
5 4 |
|
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Mignocchi |
Chitngamkurd |
Grue |
Trimanka |
|
1ª |
Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
3§ |
Pass |
3NT? |
All Pass |
|
What was North thinking of?
East led the ace of hearts and West played the nine, promising an
odd number. When East played the king, West started unblocking,
so that his partner took all five heart tricks for the defence.
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sasibut |
Wooldridge |
Limsinsopon |
Campbell |
|
1ª |
2© |
3¨ |
4© |
Pass |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
|
|
As at the other table, the players from Thailand fell in love with
their hearts, although overcalling on the East hand is, shall we
say, dubious.
South did well to bid Four Spades and was not troubled in the play,
ruffing the second heart in dummy, cashing the ace of spades and
eventually losing a trump and a diamond for +620 and another 12
USA I IMPs.
Neither team coped with the next deal:
Session 2. Board 6.
Dealer East. E/W Vul.
|
|
ª 4
© A Q
9 8 7 6
¨ A K Q
5 3 2
§ - |
ª
9 7 3
© K 10
¨ 10 9 7
6
§ Q 5 3
2 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
Q J 10 6 2
© 3 2
¨ 8 4
§ A 10 8
6 |
|
ª A K
8 5
© J 5
4
¨ J
§ K J
9 7 4 |
|
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Mignocchi |
Chitngamkurd |
Grue |
Trimanka |
|
|
Pass |
1§ |
Pass |
1¨ |
1ª |
Pass |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
3NT |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
|
One Diamond is a strange way to start proceedings on the North
hand, and although he reversed and clearly showed a powerful red
two suiter you can't help but feel that North should have bid more
somewhere along the way. +510.
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sasibut |
Wooldridge |
Limsinsopon |
Campbell |
|
|
Pass |
1§ |
Pass |
1© |
1ª |
Dbl |
Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
3NT |
Pass |
4¨ |
Pass |
4© |
Pass |
4ª |
Pass |
5§ |
Pass |
5¨ |
Pass |
5© |
All Pass |
|
|
|
This might make a good hand for one of those 'You be the Jury'
type features, although it looks as if South should have jumped
to Six Hearts at his final turn.
So a missed opportunity.
The only pair to bid the slam were from Israel:
West |
North |
East |
South |
Bjarnarson |
Roll |
Askgaard |
Schneider |
|
|
Pass |
1§ |
Pass |
1© |
1ª |
Dbl |
2ª |
4NT |
Pass |
5¨ |
Pass |
6© |
All Pass |
|
In making sure his side got to a slam I think North had the right
idea, although you could compose hands where it was better to play
in diamonds.
Session 2. Board 7.
Dealer South. All Vul.
|
|
ª 10 9
4
© 10 2
¨ K J 10
8 7
§ A Q
10 |
ª
A K 8 6
© K Q 6
4
¨ Q 9 3
§ K J |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
7 5 3
© A 7
¨ 5 4 2
§ 8 7 6
5 2 |
|
ª Q J
2
© J 9
8 5 3
¨ A 6
§ 9 4
3 |
|
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Mignocchi |
Chitngamkurd |
Grue |
Trimanka |
|
|
|
Pass |
1¨ |
Pass |
Pass |
1© |
1NT |
All Pass |
|
|
North led the tem of hearts and declarer won with the king and
ducked a spade, South winning to return a heart. In dummy for the
only time declarer tried a club to the king. North won and cashed
the queen and tem of clubs. South had followed with the three, four
and nine, but any suit preference inference was lost on North who
played a spade, one down instead of three down.
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sasibut |
Wooldridge |
Limsinsopon |
Campbell |
|
|
|
Pass |
1§ |
1¨ |
3§ |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
|
Brad Campbell, USA
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|
North led the jack of diamonds and South put up the ace and
switched to the queen of spades. If declarer had ducked smoothly
he might have arrived at seven tricks with some help, but
he won and played the jack of clubs. He finished down three,
-300 and 5 IMPs to the USA team, looking in very good shape
at this point.
Finally something good happened for Thailand:
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Session 2. Board 8.
Dealer West. None Vul.
|
|
ª K 5
2
© 9 8
3
¨ Q J 10
3 2
§ 8 6 |
ª
6
© J 5
¨ A 8 4
§ A Q J
9 7 5 3 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
Q 10 9 7 4
© A K Q
10
¨ 6 5
§ 4 2 |
|
ª A J
8 3
© 7 6
4 2
¨ K 9 7
§ K 10 |
|
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Mignocchi |
Chitngamkurd |
Grue |
Trimanka |
1§ |
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
2§ |
Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
3§ |
Pass |
All Pass |
|
West's clubs could have been weaker, so it was not absurd to pass
with the East hand - but it gave Thailand a chance.
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sasibut |
Wooldridge |
Limsinsopon |
Campbell |
1§ |
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
2§ |
Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
3§ |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
South led a heart and it was soon over, +490 and eight badly needed
IMPs.
Session 2. Board 11.
Dealer South. None Vul.
|
|
ª Q 10
7 2
© A Q
10 7
¨ A 4 2
§ 6 3 |
ª
A 9 4
© K J 6
4
¨ 9 7
§ A J 9
4 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
J 8 6 3
© 9 3 2
¨ 6 3
§ K Q 7
5 |
|
ª K 5
© 8 5
¨ K Q J
10 8 5
§ 10 8
2 |
|
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Mignocchi |
Chitngamkurd |
Grue |
Trimanka |
|
|
|
2¨ |
Dbl |
3¨ |
3ª |
All Pass |
East's 'Gruesome' bid met with a grizzly fate. South led the king
of diamonds and switched to a heart for North. Back cam a diamond
followed by three more rounds of hears. Declarer ruffed with the
eight and South overruffed. A slight misplay later Declarer was
down five, -250.
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sasibut |
Wooldridge |
Limsinsopon |
Campbell |
|
|
|
2¨ |
Dbl |
3¨ |
All Pass |
|
Declarer made tem tricks for +130 but lost 3 IMPs.
So far the set had been going well for the USA in terms of points
scored but now the tide turned.
Session 2. Board 13.
Dealer North. All Vul.
|
|
ª J 9
3
© 10 4
¨ J 8 5
3
§ A 10
6 3 |
ª
K Q 8 4
© K 7 3
2
¨ 10 7
§ J 8 5 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
7 6 5
© Q J 8
¨ K Q 9 6
4 2
§ 7 |
|
ª A 10
2
© A 9
6 5
¨ A
§ K Q
9 4 2 |
|
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Mignocchi |
Chitngamkurd |
Grue |
Trimanka |
|
Pass |
Pass |
1§ |
Pass |
1¨ |
Pass |
1© |
Pass |
3§ |
Pass |
5§ |
All Pass |
|
|
|
West led the tem of diamond and declarer won and crossed to dummy
with a trump to play the ten of hearts. East did not split his honours,
so West won and thinking his side needed spade tricks, switched
to the king of spades. That was all the help declarer needed and
he was able to ruff his losing hearts in dummy for +600.
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sasibut |
Wooldridge |
Limsinsopon |
Campbell |
|
Pass |
2¨ |
Dbl |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3§ |
All Pass |
|
|
|
A sensible result that cost 10 IMPs.
Session 2. Board 15.
Dealer South. N/S Vul.
|
|
ª K 5
© Q 9
7 6 3
¨ J 10
9
§ J 10
6 |
ª
6 3
© A 10 4
¨ Q 7 3
§ K 9 8
7 3 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
Q 10 9 8 7 4
© 8 2
¨ A 4
§ 5 4 2 |
|
ª A J
2
© K J
5
¨ K 8 6
5 2
§ A Q |
|
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Mignocchi |
Chitngamkurd |
Grue |
Trimanka |
|
|
|
1¨ |
Pass |
1© |
2ª |
Dbl |
Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
|
|
West led a club and declarer won and went after the hearts. When
West won and cleared the clubs declarer only needed the spade finesse
for nine tricks, +600.
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sasibut |
Wooldridge |
Limsinsopon |
Campbell |
|
|
|
1¨ |
2§ |
Pass |
2ª |
All Pass |
West's amazing bid kept North/South quiet and although it looks
as if declarer must lose three spades, one heart, one diamond and
one or two clubs. However, South, with an awkward lead, selected
the six of diamonds and when declarer put up the queen one loser
had vanished. A later error by the defence allowed him to record
+110. 12 IMPs to Thailand, who had managed to win the set 38-37
having trailed 35-1 after 7 boards.
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