Taking a punch
In the opening round of the Bermuda Bowl, USA I faced Australia.
After two boards, the Aussies had a lead of 27-0, thanks to two
slam swings. There were still 14 boards to play, however, and the
Americans proved themselves resilient enough to come back for a
45-37 victory.
These were the first two deals of the match.
Board 1. Dealer North. None
Vul. |
|
ª 10 8 5
© K Q 7
¨ K 6
§ Q 10 6 5 2 |
ª 9
© 8 5 4 2
¨ Q J 8 7 4 2
§ K 9 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª 7 6 4 3
© J 10 6
¨ 5 3
§ J 8 7 4 |
|
ª A K Q J 2
© A 9 3
¨ A 10 9
§ A 3 |
In the closed room, Richard Freeman and Nick Nickell conducted
a short auction to a no-play grand slam. There was once chance –
a singleton §K – and the suit did not cooperate. Down one
for minus 50.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Thomson |
Nickell |
Richman |
Freeman |
|
Pass |
Pass |
2§ |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
6ª |
Pass |
7ª |
All Pass |
|
|
|
In the open room, Ishmael Del Monte and Rob Fruewirth took their
time and a dozen bids to find the right spot. There was nothing
to the play, and Fruewirth scored up plus 980 for a 14-IMP gain.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Hamman |
Del Monte |
Soloway |
Fruewirth |
|
Pass |
Pass |
2§ |
Pass |
2¨ (1) |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3§ (2) |
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
4¨ |
Pass |
4© |
Pass |
4ª |
Pass |
5§ |
Pass |
5© |
Pass |
5ª |
Pass |
6ª |
All Pass |
|
(1) 5-8 HCP balanced, or 9+.
(2) Asking for a five-card major.
Board 2. Dealer East. N-S
Vul. |
|
ª A K J 10 9 8 4 3
© A 6 4
¨ 10
§ A |
ª Q 7 5 2
© 8 5
¨ Q 6
§ Q J 9 7 2 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª -
© J 9 7 2
¨ K 9 8 7 5 2
§ K 5 4 |
|
ª 6
© K Q 10 3
¨ A J 4 3
§ 10 8 6 3 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Thomson |
Nickell |
Richman |
Freeman |
|
|
1¨ (1) |
Pass |
1ª |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
(1) Four or more hearts.
|
![](../Graphics/photos/Bull_3/us1-01-Nickell.jpg) |
|
Nick Nickell,
USA |
On the second board, Nickell and Freeman again made quick work
of the auction, arriving at their game contract with one bid. As
you can see, Bobby Richman’s decision to open the bidding
with the East hand – plus Matthew Thomson’s response
of 1ª -- made it
very difficult for Nickell and Freeman to reach the excellent slam.
As you can see, the only possible loser looking at the North-South
cards is in the trump suit. Indeed, that is the only trick Nickell
lost.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Hamman |
Del Monte |
Soloway |
Fruewirth |
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
2§ |
3¨ |
Pass |
Pass |
4ª |
Pass |
5¨ |
Dble |
Pass |
Pass |
Redbl |
Pass |
5© |
Pass |
6© |
Pass |
6ª |
All Pass |
|
|
![](../Graphics/photos/Bull_3/aus-06-DelMonte.jpg) |
|
Ishmael Del Monte,
Australia |
In the open room, Paul Soloway did not consider the East hand an
opener, clearing the way for another good auction by the Australians.
Soloway’s 3¨
bid did not hamper Del Monte and Fruewirth, although the Aussie
partisans in the vugraph audience had an anxious moment when Fruewirth
bid 6©. That contract
in one match was down four tricks. Del Monte was never going to
play anything but spades with his hand, however. He won the opening
diamond lead with the ace and took a spade finesse, claiming for
one loser when Soloway showed out. That was plus 1430 and another
13 IMPs to Australia.
The Americans started their comeback on board 3 when Fruewirth
and Del Monte overbid to 3ª, going down three, while their teammates
scored plus 110 in 2©.
Australia had a chance for a another big swing on board 4, but
Del Monte and Fruewirth missed a chance for a big number against
Hamman and Soloway.
Board 4. Dealer West. All
Vul. |
|
ª 8 5 3
© K 8 4 3
¨ K J 10 4
§ K Q |
ª 6 4 2
© A Q 9 6
¨ A 5
§ J 8 7 6 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª Q 9 7
© J 5
¨ Q 7 6 3
§ 10 5 4 2 |
|
ª A K J 10
© 10 7 2
¨ 9 8 2
§ A 9 3 |
In the closed room, Thomson opened a weak 1NT and managed only
five tricks for minus 200. In the open room, Del Monte let plus
800 slip through their fingers.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Hamman |
Del Monte |
Soloway |
Fruewirth |
Pass |
1¨ |
Pass |
1ª |
Dble |
Redbl |
2§ |
Dble |
Pass |
2ª |
All Pass |
|
Del Monte’s redouble showed three-card spade support. His
removal of his partner’s double of 2§ is mysterious. Soloway
was headed for minus 800 on any kind of reasonable defense. Instead
of gaining 12 IMPs, the Australians lost 2.
Australia lost another 2 IMPs when Fruewirth made an unsuccessful
guess at trick one in 3NT, the result being down two compared to
down one at the other table.
A vulnerable game swing sent another 12 IMPs to USA I, pulling
them to with 10 at 27-17. The next board brought the Americans even
closer.
Board 8. Dealer West. None
Vul. |
|
ª A 6 5 4
© K 10 9 2
¨ 8 7
§ 10 4 3 |
ª K J 8 7
© Q 8 7
¨ 5 4 2
§ Q 6 2 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª Q 10 2
© 6 3
¨ Q 10 9 6
§ A K 9 5 |
|
ª 9 3
© A J 5 4
¨ A K J 3
§ J 8 7 |
In the closed room:
West |
North |
East |
South |
Thomson |
Nickell |
Richman |
Freeman |
Pass |
Pass |
1ª (1) |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
All Pass |
|
|
|
(1) Four or more diamonds.
Nickell led the ©9 and the defenders quickly had the contract
two down for plus 300.
Del Monte had a dhance to minimize the damage, but it didn’t
work out.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Hamman |
Del Monte |
Soloway |
Fruewirth |
Pass |
Pass |
1¨ |
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
Pass |
2© |
2ª |
3© |
All Pass |
|
|
|
|
![](../Graphics/photos/Bull_3/us1-03-Hamman.jpg) |
|
Bob Hamman, USA |
Soloway started with the top two clubs, continuing to Bob Hamman’s
queen. Hamman continued with the ª7,
ducked to Soloway’s 10. Soloway played a low diamond, and
Del Monte went up with the ace. He played a spade to his ace, ruffed
a spade, cashed the ¨K
and ruffed a diamond. When Del Monte played his fourth spade, Soloway
pitched the ¨Q. Del
Monte ruffed and played the ¨J,
misguessing by ruffing with the ©K
in hand. Hamman had a trump trick coming and declarer was minus
50. That was 8 IMPs to USA I, now trailing 27-25.
The next three boards were relatively flat, although USA I picked
up a couple of overtricks IMPs to pull into a 27-27 tie. They took
the lead on board 13.
Board 13. Dealer North. All
Vul. |
|
ª J 7 6 3
© A 9 7
¨ Q 8 3
§ A J 9 |
ª A
© 10 5 3 2
¨ A 10 9 7
§ K 7 6 5 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª 10 9
© K Q J 8
¨ K 6 4
§ Q 10 4 3 |
|
ª K Q 8 5 4 2
© 6 4
¨ J 5 2
§ 8 2 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Thomson |
Nickell |
Richman |
Freeman |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
|
|
|
Richman was lucky to get out for down one in his weak 1NT after
Freeman got off to the normal spade lead. At the other table:
West |
North |
East |
South |
Hamman |
Del Monte |
Soloway |
Fruewirth |
|
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
1© |
Dble |
2NT |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
|
|
Soloway’s 2NT was a heart raise.
Fruewirth didn’t deem his hand worthy of a weak two-bid,
but he liked it better after partner’s takeout double. He
combined the luck of avoiding a penalty double with a nice play
to hold the loss to minus 200.
Hamman started with a heart, taken with the ace at trick one.
He played a spade to the queen and ace, and Hamman played a heart
to Soloway’s jack. A low club was returned to the king and
ace. Fruewirth then cashed the ªJ and played dummy’s ©9, discarding
his losing club on that trick as Soloway covered, no doubt wishing
he had unblocked the suit. Fruewirth’s play forced Soloway
to open diamonds or surrender a trick to dummy’s §J. As you
can see, if Fruewirth had ruffed the heart, he was due to lose a
club and three diamonds. It was strictly a moral victory, however,
as USA I gained 7 IMPs to pull ahead at 34-27.
The next-to-last deal sealed the victory for the Americans.
Board 15. Dealer South. N-S
Vul. |
|
ª 10 9 4
© 10 7 4 3
¨ K 9 7 2
§ K 7 |
ª K Q 7 5
© J 5 2
¨ A Q 5
§ Q J 2 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª A J 8
© A K Q 9 6
¨ J 6
§ 10 9 8 |
|
ª 6 3 2
© 8
¨ 10 8 4 3
§ A 6 5 4 3 |
Hamman opened the West hand with a strong 1NT and was soon in 3NT,
taking 11 tricks for plus 460.
At the other table, Thomson and Richman got way overboard.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Thomson |
Nickell |
Richman |
Freeman |
|
|
|
Pass |
1§ |
Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3NT |
Pass |
6© |
All Pass |
1§ was artificial and strong (15+). Unfortunately, he had a bare
minimum. Barring a calamity for the Americans on opening lead, which
wasn’t going to happen, the contract had zero chances. Indeed,
it wasn’t long before Thomson was recording minus 50. That
was 11 IMPs to the Americans.
|