East meets East

When China, tenth, faced Australia, eighth, in Round 12 of the Bermuda Bowl, both teams were hoping for a good result. As is often the case with early morning matches the bridge did not always reflect the ability of the players.

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

West	North	East	South
Shi	Del Monte	Zhuang	Fruewirth
			Pass
Pass	1¨	1ª	3§
Pass!	3ª*	Pass	4§
All Pass

If Three Clubs implied some support for diamonds then North was probably wrong to pass, even facing a passed partner. What one makes of West’s silence is another matter. On the lead of the jack of hearts declarer made eleven tricks, +150.

West	North	East	South
Antoff	Fu	Simpson	Zhao
			Pass
Pass	1¨	2¨*	3§
3ª	4¨	4ª	4NT*
Pass	5¨	All Pass

East got his hand across in one go with the Michaels cue bid, but West did not follow the law, and North/South were not hard pressed to reach the game that made all the tricks on the king of hearts lead. +440 gave China 7 IMPs.

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

West	North	East	South
Shi	Del Monte	Zhuang	Fruewirth
Pass	1¨	Pass	2§
Pass	2¨	Pass	3©
Pass	4©	Pass	4NT*
Pass	5¨*	Pass	5ª*
Pass	6©	All Pass

South tried for a grand slam, but North did not have any interest. Six Hearts was easy enough, +1430. Several pairs attempted the Grand Slam, but only one declarer, who managed to declare from the North side and received the lead of the ace of diamonds, survived the bad club break.

West	North	East	South
Antoff	Fu	Simpson	Zhao
Pass	Pass	Pass	1§
1©*	2¨	Pass	2©
Pass	2NT	Pass	3NT
All Pass

This looks odd, but West’s bid showed a spade suit – at least as far as West was concerned. East thought it was natural. A director was called and in the fullness of time the result was changed to Six Hearts, +1430, no swing.

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

West	North	East	South
Shi	Del Monte	Zhuang	Fruewirth
Pass	1¨	1NT	Pass
2¨*	Pass	2©	All Pass

With the ten of hearts and the ace of spades well placed, declarer emerged with nine tricks, +140.

West	North	East	South
Antoff	Fu	Simpson	Zhao
Pass	Pass	2§*	Pass
2©	Pass	3¨	Pass
4¨	Pass	5§	All Pass

We can all understand why East rebid Three Diamonds, but it worked out badly. Five Clubs was hopeless and finished two down, giving China another 6 IMPs, and subject to board 4, a lead of 18-0 IMPs.

On board nine one declarer played in hearts where the trumps suit was distributed like this:

	© J 10 2
© A 7 6		© Q 9
	© K 8 5 4 3

He managed to lose four tricks in the suit by leading low to the jack, subsequently seeing each defender score a ruff with a low trump.

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

West	North	East	South
Shi	Del Monte	Zhuang	Fruewirth
		Pass	1ª
Pass	2§	Pass	2©
Pass	3§	Pass	3ª
Pass	3NT	All Pass

3NT is not without chances – it made at several tables, but East led a heart and that meant declarer had no hope at all, -1, -100.

West	North	East	South
Antoff	Fu	Simpson	Zhao
		Pass	1ª
Pass	1NT*	Pass	2©
3§	All Pass

Three Clubs is not the obvious spot to end up in, but it does have play. Declarer won the diamond lead in hand and does best to play a spade. He preferred the queen of trumps, which should have led to defeat, but a muddled defence allowed him to scramble home, +110.

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

West	North	East	South
Shi	Del Monte	Zhuang	Fruewirth
			Pass
Pass	Pass	1§	Pass
2§	Dble	2¨	2©
Dble	Pass	2ª	Pass
3§	All Pass

An easy contract, ten tricks, +130.

West	North	East	South
Antoff	Fu	Simpson	Zhao
			2§*
Pass	2¨*	3§	Pass
5§	Dble	All Pass

	Haojun Shi, China

There was considerably more at stake at this table. North knew South had a weak hand with both majors, and if it could be this weak the double looks a trifle optimistic.

Everything hinged on how declarer played the diamond suit. Notice that North did not open third in hand, which was certainly a clue that might have pointed declarer in the right direction. No, declarer eventually finessed in diamonds and was one down.
(Ron Tacchi pointed out that at his local club in Vaupillon they would all make Five Clubs, as they have not yet learnt about the finesse.)

On Board 12, China, who was now ahead 35-0, failed to take advantage of a very poor piece of declarer play, missing an obvious trump promotion to defeat a cold game.

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

West	North	East	South
Shi	Del Monte	Zhuang	Fruewirth
			1©
1ª	3§	3¨	3©
Pass	4©	Dble	All Pass

When West led a trump declarer soon wrapped up eleven tricks, +990.

West	North	East	South
Antoff	Fu	Simpson	Zhao
			1©
2ª	3§	3¨	3©
Pass	4©	All Pass

West found the threatening lead of a club and it was hardly obvious that declarer had to play to ruff a spade in dummy. He went up with the ace, dropping the queen from his hand, and played a trump. East went up with the ace and played a club. Declarer, who had unblocked the six of hearts, won in dummy and could have set a nasty trap by playing a club. If East discards declarer can get rid of his losing diamond, so he must ruff. Now declarer overruffs and West must withhold the jack of hearts, otherwise declarer will have an entry to the winning clubs via the four of hearts.

In practice declarer played a trump and the defenders made no mistake. That gave Australia a significant swing at the last gasp, 14 IMPs. That reduced their margin of defeat, 19-39 IMPs, 10-20VP.