Roller Coaster

The first Venice Cup match to appear on VuGraph featured Germany and USAII. The German certainly team looked the part in their team uniforms (However, I am reliably informed they shrink when washed!)
It proved to an interesting, if not flawless encounter, with the Americans getting the big swings while Germany kept collecting bits and pieces.

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

West	North	East	South
Reim	Mancuso	Nehmert	Rogers
			Pass
1¨	Pass	1ª	Pass
3ª	Pass	4§	Pass
4ª	All Pass

Nothing wrong with that, +680.

West	North	East	South
Wittes	Auken	Cohen	Von Arnim
			Pass
1¨	3§	3ª	5§
5ª	Pass	6ª	All Pass

I agree 110% with Three Clubs. That gave East a problem, as although Three Spades looks obvious the suit is a bit thin. Since you are going to game in any event double is certainly a viable alternative. Whatever, when East did bid spades South had to decide how many clubs to bid. (There is a case for passing, but players don’t do that very often.) The effect of Five Clubs was to force West to support at a high level, and East bravely added a sixth spade. If South had simply raised to Four Clubs would East have bid on over Four Spades? That was 13IMPs to USAII – keep that number in mind.

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

West	North	East	South
Reim	Mancuso	Nehmert	Rogers
Pass	Pass	3©	Dble
Pass	4¨	All Pass

A classical preempt pushed North/South a contract they could not make. The defenders had no trouble collecting two clubs, a club ruff, and a trick in each red suit, down two, +200.

West	North	East	South
Wittes	Auken	Cohen	Von Arnim
Pass	Pass	2ª*	2NT
All Pass

Science did not show up well on this board, as West was left in the dark about which suit her partner held. She led the seven of diamonds, and declarer won in hand and repeated the diamond finesse. East won and decided not to switch to a low heart, preferring her singleton club. When West ducked South’s queen, declarer had secured an eighth trick, an unlikely outcome, but worth 8 IMPs.

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

West	North	East	South
Reim	Mancuso	Nehmert	Rogers
	1§	Pass	1©
2¨	All Pass

It seems to me you should make Two Diamonds. Say North starts with three rounds of spades. You win and guided by the bidding, play a heart. If you are allowed to win with the king you cash the top trumps and exit with a heart. In due course the defenders will have to open the club suit for you. The line of play adopted by West need not concern us, the contract was one down, -50.

West	North	East	South
Wittes	Auken	Cohen	Von Arnim
	1NT	Pass	Pass
Dble	2§	Pass	Pass
2¨	Pass	Pass	3§
All Pass

It takes a heart lead to defeat Three Clubs, but East naturally led her partner’s suit. West won and switched to the eight of spades. Declarer won and passed the ten of clubs. West took the king and played a second spade. Declarer could win, draw trumps and play a spade, establishing a parking place for her second heart. +110 and a small pick up for Germany.

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

West	North	East	South
Reim	Mancuso	Nehmert	Rogers
			1NT
Pass	2¨*	Dble	2©
3¨	4§	Pass	4¨
Pass	4ª	Pass	5¨
Pass	5©	All Pass

The Americans stopped just in time, +650.

West	North	East	South
Wittes	Auken	Cohen	Von Arnim
			1NT
Pass	2¨*	Dble	Pass*
Pass	3§	Dble	4§*
Pass	4¨*	Pass	4©
Pass	4ª*	Pass	5¨*
Pass	6©	All Pass

South’s pass either denied heart support, or suggested that it would be better for North to declarer in hearts. Four Clubs promised a maximum for hearts and Four Diamonds was a cue bid, (it is possible South read it as a retransfer) and a couple of cuebids later the slam was reached.

From North’s point of view, if the South hand was along the lines of ªKQ73 ©AQ42 ¨A106 §65 the slam would have excellent chances.

Having doubled twice already, (incurring a modest amount of criticism from the commentators), East now failed to double, but West was on the ball, leading a spade to end any speculation about declarer divining the trump position. That was a second 13 IMP pick up for USA II.

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

West	North	East	South
Reim	Mancuso	Nehmert	Rogers
Pass	Pass	4©	All Pass

Even though South was facing a passed partner, it was quite a view to pass. With an awkward lead South went for the four of diamonds. North won and switched to a club. South did not take her ace, and when East played a spade she once again withheld the highest card in the suit. That was the final error, as declarer could draw trumps, get back to dummy and repeat the club finesse for a miraculous +420.

West	North	East	South
Wittes	Auken	Cohen	Von Arnim
Pass	1NT	4©	4ª
All Pass

The mini notrump meant there was no risk of North/South missing the spade game. West led the three of hearts and East won with the queen and after due consideration switched to the jack of clubs! (On a non club lead declarer can make Four Spades, but I would not want to stake my life on it.) From South’s point of view it was inconceivable that East held the king of clubs and there was a simple winning line that did not risk the jack of clubs being a singleton: take the ace of clubs and play ace and another spade. When West won with the king and played back a club declarer knew what had happened. Watching on VuGraph it seemed to me that the tempo argued against East having a singleton club – but trust me it is always much harder at the table.

Still, Germany had 9 IMPs.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª Q 7 2 © A Q 6 4 3 ¨ A K 9 § 5 3
ª 10 5 3 © K 7 5 2 ¨ 7 5 § J 9 7 6		ª A K J © 10 ¨ Q J 10 6 4 3 § K Q 10
	ª 9 8 6 4 © J 9 8 ¨ 8 2 § A 8 4 2

West	North	East	South
Reim	Mancuso	Nehmert	Rogers
			Pass
Pass	1©	2¨	2©
Pass	Pass	Dble	Pass
3¨	All Pass

South led a heart and North won and switched to the five of clubs. When declarer put up the king South took the ace, ending any defensive interest in the hand. +110.

West	North	East	South
Wittes	Auken	Cohen	Von Arnim
			Pass
Pass	1NT	Dble	Pass
Pass	2©	3¨	All Pass

South led the nine of hearts (they lead low from a doubleton) and North won and switched to the three of clubs. South ducked, North won the trump return, played a second club and received her club ruff. Now she could cash the master trump and follow with the ace of hearts, ensuring she got a spade trick for two down.

Board 13. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª 7 5 4 © A J 8 ¨ A J 5 2 § A J 6
ª Q 10 8 3 © 5 2 ¨ Q 9 6 3 § 9 8 3		ª J 9 2 © Q 9 6 4 ¨ K 10 8 7 § 7 4
	ª A K 6 © K 10 7 3 ¨ 4 § K Q 10 5 2

West	North	East	South
Reim	Mancuso	Nehmert	Rogers
	1NT	Pass	2§*
Pass	2¨*	Pass	3§
Pass	3NT	All Pass

The heart lead gave declarer twelve tricks and +690.

West	North	East	South
Wittes	Auken	Cohen	Von Arnim
	1NT	Pass	2§*
Pass	2¨*	Pass	3§
Pass	3¨	Pass	4¨*
Pass	5©	Pass	6§
All Pass

	Sabine Auken, Germany

This was a very playable contract. In isolation, the right play in hearts is to play East for the queen, as you can also pick up ©Q9xx. You could also go for a dummy reversal, but you are one entry short, and would need to find West with the heart queen. Declarer won the spade lead, played a club to the ace and a club to the king. Now she played a diamond to the ace and a second diamond, on which East played the king. Declarer can still get home now by crossing to dummy with a trump and running the jack of hearts – she would need to finesse the nine later if East covers – but on this day you just knew that the slam swing could only go one way. A heart to the queen saw East win and that gave USA II a third 13 IMP pick up.

Despite losing 39 points on three deals, Germany were still in contention, and on the penultimate deal a brilliant analysis by Sabine Auken retrived some important IMPs.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	ª 6 © K 5 4 2 ¨ A J 10 6 4 2 § A 2
ª K 10 9 5 © Q 10 8 ¨ 9 7 5 3 § 6 3		ª A 2 © J 7 3 ¨ Q 8 § K Q 9 8 7 4
	ª Q J 8 7 4 3 © A 9 6 ¨ K § J 10 5

West	North	East	South
Reim	Mancuso	Nehmert	Rogers
			1ª
Pass	2¨	Pass	2ª
Pass	3¨	Pass	3ª
Pass	4ª	All Pass

West led the three of clubs and declarer finished two down, -200.

West	North	East	South
Wittes	Auken	Cohen	Von Arnim
			1ª
Pass	2§*	Dble	2¨*
Pass	2NT	Pass	3ª
Pass	3NT	All Pass

So, North/South had reached the game that might make, but unless East led a low club the genral view was that declarer would go down, winning the high club lead in hand and playing the ace and jack of diamonds. However, Sabine looked further. Suppose you follow that line and the diamonds are 3-3? When the defenders take the queen of diamonds they can switch to a heart. Declarer cannot afford to duck, as that will risk the loss of two spade, a heart, a diamond and a club. So you win in hand and cash the diamonds – but the last one will squeeze the dummy! You will e down to ªQJ8 ©A §J10 and have no safe discard. So, Sabine won the club lead with the ace and played a heart to the nine. This tremendous effort was worth every one of the 13 IMPs it earned. USA II had won an exciting match by 43-39 IMPs, 16-14 VP.

(As an aside, we heard later about a declarer in the Bermuda Bowl match between Pakistan and Australia who had found himself in 3NT on a high club lead. While he was considering his play to trick two, he overheard a comment at another table making it clear the queen of diamonds was doubleton. He called the Director and explained. There was some suggestion that dummy might take over the play – but this was rightly rejected. What interests me is what if declarer, having called the Director had offered the same analysis as Sabine? Should play be allowed to continue? )