USA1 v Israel – Senior Bowl Round Three

Both USA1, a team which includes some of the champions from Paris 2001, and Israel, had solid if unspectacular first days here in Monte Carlo and were looking to put a little momentum into their challenge when they met on day two. The first half of the match saw plenty of swings. Unfortunately, one of the teams did not have a scorer and we were unable to get full details from that table.

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª K J 10 9 5 3 © 10 ¨ 9 4 § Q 9 7 6
ª 8 7 4 © J 9 2 ¨ K Q J 10 8 3 2 § -		ª 6 2 © A 8 7 4 3 ¨ A 7 5 § 8 5 3
	ª A Q © K Q 6 5 ¨ 6 § A K J 10 4 2

West	North	East	South
Levit	Baze	Romik	Kasle
Hayden	Schwartz	Bates	Zeligman
	2ª	Pass	4ª
All Pass

Both Norths opened with a weak two bid and were raised directly to game. East can make a safe black-suit lead or an aggressive red-suit lead. For USA1, Roger Bates chose aggression, underleading the ace of diamonds. Garey Hayden won the diamond and continued with a second round, hoping that to force dummy to ruff might promote a defensive trump trick. Not this time – Adrian Schwartz could ruff with the ace and overtake the queen then draw trumps and run the clubs for +480.

At the other table Pinhas Romik found the killing lead of a club. Yeshayahu Levit ruffed and could his partner back in with the two red aces to receive two more ruffs; down two for –100 and 11 IMPs to Israel.

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

West	North	East	South
Levit	Baze	Romik	Kasle
	1©	2©	2ª
4ª	Pass	Pass	5¨
Pass	6¨	Pass	Pass
6ª	Dble	All Pass

Pinhas Romik, Israel

Romik showed spades and a minor and Gaylor Kasle a constructive heart raise, over which Levit jumped to 4ª. When that came back around Kasle knew that his partner was short in spades and introduced his long diamond suit. Grant Baze didn’t have much for his opening but what he did have was three aces and a diamond fit. He raised to 6¨, which of course should be defeated, but Levit could see that both sides had a double fit and he didn’t like the look of his doubleton ©Q one little bit. He saved in 6ª and Baze doubled then led the ace of diamonds. Levit ruffed in dummy and led the ªQ. Might North have had the ©Q and not the §A for his raise to six? Kasle could have taken 800 by winning the first spade and switching to a club but he was not sure that his partner held the ace. Instead he ducked but won the second spade and led a heart to the ace. Baze didn’t want to save declarer a possible club guess so just played back a diamond and Levit could draw trumps and knock out the club after taking a diamond pitch on the ©J; down two for –300.

At the other table the music stopped in 4ª doubled and again the club ruffs went missing. That was rather more serious this time, however, as the defence only came to three aces for –590 and 13 IMPs to USA1.

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

West	North	East	South
Levit	Baze	Romik	Kasle
			1¨
Pass	Pass	Dble	Pass
1ª	2¨	2©	Pass
3©	Pass	4©	All Pass

At the other table, Bates played in 3©, just making for +140, so there would be a swing one way or the other once the Israelis got to game. Kasle cashed a top diamond and got a strong signal from Baze so underled his other diamond at trick two. Baze won the ¨Q and switched to a deceptive §3. Romik had little option but to run that and Kasle won the king the reverted to diamonds, forcing declarer to ruff. Romik cashed the ©A, then thought for some time before cashing the ©K. That was down one for –100 and 6 IMPs to USA1 instead of 10 IMPs to Israel. The bidding suggested that South was balanced and he would therefore hold one of the major-suit kings but probably not both as he could not have a strong no trump type, so a close decision.

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

West	North	East	South
Levit	Baze	Romik	Kasle
1¨	Pass	1©	1ª
3NT	All Pass

Levit opened 1¨ then rebid 3NT, showing long and strong diamonds. The misfit left Romik with no reason to move on and the fall of the queen of diamonds meant that Levit made eleven tricks for +460. It looks as though the Americans had a difference of opinion as to the meaning of the same sequence at the other table, though I do not have the details, as they reached 6©. This was beyond the ability of Bates to bring home for some strange reason; down one for –50 and 11 IMPs to Israel.

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

West	North	East	South
Levit	Baze	Romik	Kasle
	1§	1ª	Pass
4ª	All Pass

Would you just blast 4ª as West because you hold five-card support form partner’s overcall, or would you try to make a less committal bid and improve your chances of achieving a plus score? Levit went for the straightforward approach and reached the poor game. Kasle led a club and the eight forced Romik’s king. He ducked a diamond and back came the queen of clubs from Baze. Romik won and eliminated the minor suits before playing tom the ªK and ace. Kasle played back a passive trump but Romik had seen more than enough to know to play for ©Q10 onside rather than ©AQ. He led the ©9 and that was covered by ten, jack and ace; +620.

At the other table the Americans stopped in 2ª, making ten tricks for +170 but 10 IMPs to Israel.

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

West	North	East	South
Levit	Baze	Romik	Kasle
		1©	Pass
3¨	Pass	4©	All Pass

Three Diamonds was a Bergen invitational raise and Romik had an easy 4© call. Kasle led a spade to the queen and ace and Romik had no reason to suspect that spades were breaking so badly. He played a diamond up and Kasle won the ace, noted Baze’s ten, and gave his partner a spade ruff. Baze switched to ace and another club to declarer’s king and Romik crossed to dummy with a diamond, led the ©Q, then thought for along time. Finally, he decided to run the heart and was down one for –100. He explained afterwards that he would always have gone down had Kasle ducked the first diamond as he would have had no reason not to take the heart finesse, so it seemed reasonable to play the same way now.

A club was led at the other table and a second round played back to declarer’s king. With only one club loser, Bates could afford to lay down the ace of hearts and the fall of the king meant that he had an overtrick; +650 and 13 IMPs to USA1.

USA1 led at half-time by 39-36 IMPs. The second half.