Brachman v Lasut

Transnationals Round 9

Board 21. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
	ª 8 © Q 7 6 2 ¨ K 10 8 3 2 § J 9 4
ª J 10 9 6 3 © 5 4 ¨ J 7 4 § Q 7 5		ª A K © A J 8 3 ¨ Q 9 6 § A K 6 3
	ª Q 7 5 4 2 © K 10 9 ¨ A 5 § 10 8 2

West	North	East	South
Karwur	Passell	Panelewen	Brachman
	Pass	1§	Pass
1¨	Pass	1©	Pass
1ª	Pass	1NT	Pass
2©	Pass	2ª	Pass
2NT	All Pass

Geoff Hampson, USA

In the other room Eric Greco and Geoff Hampson, for BRACHMAN, had a standard auction to 3NT, which had to fail by a trick. Franky Karwur and Santje Panelewen, for LASUT, stopped in 2NT after Panelewen had shown 20-21 balanced and Karwur transferred then invited in no trump (the first four bids were all artificial).

Malcolm Brachman found a safe lead when he chose a club and Panelewen won the king then cashed the top spades, learning of the bad break in that suit. He continued by cashing the remaining clubs and Mike Paqssell threw a diamond to go with the heart that had gone on the second spade, Brachman a spade. Now Panelewen ducked a heart and Brachman won the nine. After a moment’s thought he returned the ©10 for the queen and ace, but a few seconds later found himself back on lead with the king of hearts. Declarer had established the ©J but when Brachman now cashed the ªQ that had to go away to keep three diamonds – a diamond had earlier been thrown from dummy to keep a spade guard. No matter, Brachman could do no better than switch to ace and another diamond now and Panelewen had to make the ¨Q at trick 13; +120 and 5 IMPs to LASUT.

Board 25. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	ª 8 7 4 2 © 8 ¨ 8 6 5 4 3 § A K 6
ª K Q 6 3 © J 10 3 ¨ K Q J 9 § Q 3		ª A J 9 © K 9 ¨ 2 § J 10 9 8 7 5 4
	ª 10 5 © A Q 7 6 5 4 2 ¨ A 10 7 § 2

West	North	East	South
Karwur	Passell	Panelewen	Brachman
	Pass	Pass	3©
Pass	Pass	4§	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Greco	Lasut	Hampson	Manoppo
	Pass	3§	3©
4§	Dble	All Pass

Panelewen did not like to open 3§ on a jack-high suit with so much outside strength but, when Brachman’s third-seat pre-empt came around to him he knew that Karwur was marked with some strength and tried 4§. Alas, Karwur had too much wasted in diamonds and 4§ was easily defeated by two tricks. Brachman led a spade and Panelewen won in hand to play a club to the queen and king. Passell switched to his heart and, though Panelewen did his best by putting up the king, the spots were such that Brachman had no difficulty in reading the position. He cashed the two red aces then played another club; down two for –200.

Hampson was quite happy to pre-empt as East and Greco competed to 4§ over the 3© overcall. Not every pair in this tournament would be able to make a penalty double on the North hand, many playing double as take-out, but Henky Lasut was not hampered by his methods and he doubled, penalties. There were the same five unavoidable losers; down two for –500 and 7 IMPs to LASUT.

Board 29. Dealer North. All Vul.
	ª 10 8 6 5 © K Q 9 8 ¨ A 8 3 2 § 5
ª 9 4 © A 10 7 4 3 2 ¨ 10 4 § A 9 3		ª A J 7 © J 5 ¨ K Q J 9 7 6 § 8 2
	ª K Q 3 2 © 6 ¨ 5 § K Q J 10 7 6 4

West	North	East	South
Karwur	Passell	Panelewen	Brachman
	Pass	1¨	3§
3©	Pass	4¨	4ª
Pass	Pass	Dble	All Pass

Brachman made a jump overcall in clubs then came again to show the spades and found a four-four trump fit. Karwur led the ten of diamonds to dummy’s ace and Brachman played a spade to the king then a heart up. Karwur won the ace of hearts and continued diamonds, forcing declarer to ruff. Now Brachman played the king of clubs to the ace and, fortunately for him, Karwur was out of diamonds. After considerable thought, Karwur led his remaining spade to partner’s ace and Panelewen played a diamond, forcing declarer to ruff with the queen of trumps. But Brachman could play two winning clubs to get rid of the remaining red losers from the dummy, so all Panelewen came to was the jack of spades for down one; -200.

At the other table Eddy Manoppo overcalled 4§ then competed in spades. Nobody doubled and he too was down one on essentially the same line of play; -100 but 3 IMPs to LASUT.

Board 30. Dealer East. None Vul.
	ª Q 8 2 © A 4 3 2 ¨ 7 § Q 10 8 3 2
ª J 9 3 © 7 6 ¨ A 8 6 5 § A 9 6 4		ª 7 4 © K 10 9 8 5 ¨ Q 4 3 2 § K J
	ª A K 10 6 5 © Q J ¨ K J 10 9 § 7 5

West	North	East	South
Karwur	Passell	Panelewen	Brachman
		Pass	1ª
Pass	1NT	Pass	2¨
Pass	3ª	All Pass

The Indonesians bid 1ª - 2ª at the other table and made a peaceful +110. When Mike Passell judged to make an invitational three-card raise, Brachman was a level beyond his safe limit. However, all was not lost as Karwur led a heart and Brachman ducked this to the king. Back came a heart to the jack and now Brachman could have made the hand simply by playing for trumps to be three-two – just draw trumps ending in dummy, take a club pitch on the ©A and give up two diamonds. Instead, he played a spade to the queen and took the club pitch now. Karwur ruffed and returned his last trump and Brachman played a club to the ten and jack. Back came a heart, ruffed, and now declarer’s choice of diamond play was decisive. He actually played the ¨K to the ace, ruffed the club return and passed the jack of diamonds, losing to the queen for down one; -50 and 4 IMPs to LASUT. Had the first diamond play been other than the king, it would have run round to the queen but then there would have been a successful ruffing finesse against the ace to make the contract.

LASUT won the match by 20-2 IMPs, converting to 20-10 VPs.