USA
1 vs Israel
3rd
Segment
Israel went into the third session 89 IMPs adrift with USA 1 leading
106-27, but they soon picked-up 10 IMPs, when their Closed Room
pair scored an unmakeable game:
Mission Impossible
Board 2. Dealer East.
N/S Vul.
|
|
ª K Q
6
© 9 8
7 5 3
¨ 6
§ J 8
5 2 |
ª
10 7 5 4 2
© J 10
¨ 7
§ A Q 9
6 4 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
A 8
© A 6 4
2
¨ A K 9 8
4
§ K 10 |
|
ª J 9
3
© K Q
¨ Q J 10
5 3 2
§ 7 3 |
|
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Hurd |
Roll |
Wooldridge |
Schneider |
1ª |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
|
South listened carefully to the auction and finally led the ª9,
as it was likely that East might even have had a singleton spade
on this auction. North put up the queen and East won with the ace
to cash three rounds of clubs and two top diamonds. When he then
tried a small heart from hand, South won, cashed all his diamond
and played another spade for North to cash out - Israel +150.
In the Closed Room Israel played in 3NT by West and got a spade
lead, the king, as well:
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Liran |
Kranyak |
Warshawsky |
Mignocchi |
|
|
1¨ |
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
Declarer took the spade lead with dummy's ace and ducked a
small diamond to South's ten, who then cashed the ªJ and switched
to a club. When North erred and inserted the jack, all declarer
had to do, was put up the king and sail home with five clubs, two
diamonds and two major aces - Israel +400 and 11 badly needed IMPs.
A pathetic lead
Only a few boards later, Israel had the chance to score again,
when their North/South pair turned in an excellent result:
Board 5. Dealer North.
N/S Vul.
|
|
ª 10 9
3 2
© Q
¨ 10 7
§ A K
Q 10 6 3 |
ª
8 7 6 5
© 9 7 2
¨ K 8 5 4
3
§ 9 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
-
© A K 10
8 4
¨ Q J 9 6
2
§ J 5 4 |
|
ª A K
Q J 4
© J 6
5 3
¨ A
§ 8 7
2 |
|
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Hurd |
Roll |
Wooldridge |
Schneider |
|
1§ |
2NT |
3© |
5¨ |
5ª |
Pass |
6ª |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
All Pass |
Well done by South, who went on to 6ª realising that partner would
not have bid 5ª without a heart control.
East started with the ©K and must have been disappointed, when a
few seconds later North showed him his cards to claim twelve tricks
- Israel +1660.
But once again, the possible Israeli gain proved to be only a "might-have-been":
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Liran |
Kranyak |
Warshawsky |
Mignocchi |
|
3NT |
4© |
6§ |
6© |
Pass |
Pass |
7§ |
Dble |
All Pass |
|
|
North's absurd opening bid put his side on the road to destruction
and all seemed well for Israel, when North/South not only missed
their spade fit, but also got too high...if only West had led a
heart. When for some strange reason, he selected a diamond instead,
the rest was silence. Declarer scored his grand slam doubled - USA
+2330 and 12 IMPs to regain the lead in this segment.
One more for the road
As the previous board had turned out so well, South tried his luck
on the very next board again:
Board 6. Dealer East.
E/W Vul.
|
|
ª Q 8
5 4 3
© -
¨ Q 9 8
7 4 3
§ 5 2 |
ª
K J 9 7 6
© K 7 4
3
¨ -
§ 9 7 6
3 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
A 10 2
© A J 10
9 8
¨ 6 5 2
§ J 10 |
|
ª -
© Q 6
5 2
¨ A K J
10
§ A K
Q 8 4 |
|
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Liran |
Kranyak |
Warshawsky |
Mignocchi |
|
|
Pass |
1§ |
1ª |
Pass |
2§ |
2ª |
Pass |
4¨ |
Pass |
4ª |
Pass |
5¨ |
Pass |
6¨ |
All Pass |
|
|
|
An amazing 6¨-bid by South proved to be successful when declarer
turned up with a heart void, to ruff East's ©A-lead - USA +920.
At the other table South - unfortunately for his team - was "less
inspired":
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Hurd |
Roll |
Wooldridge |
Schneider |
|
|
Pass |
1§ |
1ª |
Pass |
2§ |
Dble |
2ª |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
Pass |
4¨ |
Pass |
5¨ |
All Pass |
|
|
|
West tried the effect of a ©J-lead, but declarer simply ruffed,
drew one round of trumps and claimed for one overtrick - Israel
+420, but another 11 IMPs away.
Artistic Impression
In bridge, unlike figure skating, there are no points for artistic
impression
Board 8. Dealer West.
None Vul.
|
|
ª J 9
8 3
© A K
9 8 2
¨ A 8
§ K Q |
ª
K Q 10 7 4 2
© 5
¨ Q 10 7
4
§ 10 5 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
6 5
© Q 6 4
¨ K 6 2
§ A J 7
3 2 |
|
ª A
© J 10
7 3
¨ J 9 5
3
§ 9 8
6 4 |
|
Let's compare the auctions in both rooms:
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Liran |
Kranyak |
Warshawsky |
Mignocchi |
2ª |
3© |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
|
|
|
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Hurd |
Roll |
Wooldridge |
Schneider |
2ª |
Dble |
Pass |
2NT1 |
Pass |
3©2 |
Pass |
3ª3 |
Dble |
3NT4 |
Pass |
4©5 |
1 Lebensohl, showing a weak hand
2 Too strong to bid the Lebensohl 3§
3 Cue bid, spade control and a maximum for the 2NT bid
4 Serious NT
5 Nothing more to show
Who would you have given the better marks to, have you made up
your mind? Well, even if you didn't, it's only the points
for technical merit that count, so when both declarers scored ten
tricks, the bottom line was an IMP-less push.
USA 1 kept up their strong performance to win the third set 38-24
to increase their overall lead to 144-40.
|