An Alternative Error

Barry Rigal can always be relied upon to deliver interesting news to the Bulletin. Tuesday’s edition referred to this deal where Bobby Wolff stole a 6NT contract:

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

As John Mohan pointed out to Barry, If declarer looks for a genuine ending he can make life very tough for the defence.

For instance after cashing the diamonds and spades you would reach this ending:

	ª A © A K 7 ¨ - § J 5
ª - © Q 10 3 ¨ - § A 9 7		ª - © 9 8 2 ¨ - § Q 3 2
	ª - © J 5 ¨ - § K 10 6 4

When North plays the ace of spades we have all made worse plays than discarding a small heart (it breaks the general rule that if you feel threatened by a squeeze you should hold onto the suit on your right. Editors). In that case after declarer discards a club from dummy West is squeezed.

If East discards a club, West must be careful to discard a heart, as a club discard would enable declarer to run the jack of clubs and then endplay West with the ace of clubs.

Best bid hand?

By Tommy Gullberg

The Danish Senior team took on Indonesia, the leaders in the event, on Tuesday afternoon. Stig Werdelin is playing with his brother Ole; that left the field clear for Steen Moller to play with Peter Lund.

They wrapped up a 22-8 victory, and the highlight was a double-figure swing on a deal where Peter and Steen (a once-a-year partnership) bid a grand slam with a combined 25HCP.

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

West	North	East	South
S Moller	Lasut	P Lund	Manoppo
	Pass	1§	Pass
1ª	Pass	1NT	Pass
2¨*	Pass	2ª	Pass
3ª	Pass	4¨**	Pass
4NT	Pass	5¨***	Pass
5ª	Pass	6¨****	Pass
7ª	All Pass

* Game-forcing checkback.
** Diamond control no club control.
*** Zero or three key cards.
**** Three keys with the ¨K.

	Peter Lund, Denmark

Steen Moller relayed with a game-forcing 2¨ and then raised to 3ª to make a mild invite to slam. Peter Lund accepted with a 4¨ bid that denied the ace or king in clubs.

Now Moller used keycard and signed off over the response, which might have been no key cards. Lund was able to accept with 6¨, which denied the ªQ (5NT would have promised that card) but showed the ¨K; that made it easy for Moller to drive to 7ª, and with trumps 2-1 he had 13 tricks without a finesse.

In the other room Indonesia reached the small slam -- not so terrible you would have thought, but that was still an 11IMP pick-up for the Danes.

Egypt v Brazil/Argentina Revisited

The limited nature of the hand records from the other table meant that I missed a little gem in yesterday’s match report from the Senior Bowl. I am indebted to Gabriel Chagas for letting me know the full story of the deal below.

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

West	North	East	South
Wattar	Chagas	Samie	Assumpcao
			Pass
1©	Pass	1ª	Pass
2§	Pass	2¨	Pass
3©	Pass	3NT	Pass
4©	All Pass

In the other room Brazil/Argentina played 2©+1 for +140. Chags led a deceptive nine of diamonds against 4© and, having won in hand, at trick two declarer tried the §3. Had that slipped past Chagas, declarer could then have unblocked the ace of spades and crossed to the king of diamonds to take two club pitches on the king and queen of spades ; contract made. But Chagas got it right by going up with the ace of clubs and now the three trump losers meant an inevitable one down.

Well defended.

Taking Care

Four Hearts was a popular spot on this deal from round 8 of the Venice Cup but it was not always made. Nevena Senior, representing England against India, showed that the game could not be defeated if declarer took proper care.

Board 24. Dealer West. None Vul.
	ª 7 4 © K 9 4 2 ¨ 10 6 5 4 3 § J 8
ª Q 10 5 © A Q 8 ¨ 8 7 § A K Q 9 2		ª A 9 3 © 10 7 6 5 3 ¨ A 9 2 § 6 5
	ª K J 8 6 2 © J ¨ K Q J § 10 7 4 3

West	North	East	South
Penfold		Senior
1§	Pass	1©	1ª
1NT	Pass	2§(i)	Pass
3©(ii)	Pass	4©	All Pass

(i) Checkback
(ii) Maximum with three hearts

South made the normal lead of the king of diamonds and the first necessary piece of care was to duck this trick. Senior won the diamond continuation and played a heart to the jack, queen and king. Now North switched to a spade. If declarer ducks this trick, the auction suggests that she runs the risk of conceding a spade ruff. As it happens, that danger does not materialize, but South can win the spade and force dummy to ruff a diamond, after which there is no low heart in dummy to allow North’s hearts to be picked up. On that line, declarer must be careful. Having ruffed the diamond, she must not cash the ace of hearts before playing the three top clubs, pitching a spade should North discard. Now a club ruff is followed by a heart to the ace and the lead is in dummy for the trump coup. North can discard her remaining spade on the third club but that does not matter as declarer has established the fifth club for a second spade discard if need be.

There is no need for declarer to risk a six-one spade split, however. Senior rose with the ace of spades and played the top clubs, over-ruffing on the third round. Now she ruffed her diamond loser, cashed the heart ace and ruffed a club, leaving South with nothing but spades. She could draw the last trump and play a spade towards the queen at trick twelve, South being obliged to give dummy the last trick; ten tricks for +420.

Morning Exercise

I know you like to read the Bulletin over breakfast, so to put you in the mood for today’s play here is a beautiful piece of play accompanied by a simple problem for you to solve.

ª J 7 3 © J 5 4 3 ¨ A 3 2 § 9 8 7
ª A Q 10 6 2 © A K Q 10 ¨ Q 7 § J 10

You are in Four Hearts and West leads the nine of spades. How should you play?

While you are thinking about that here is a deal from the Venice Cup match between the two European countries who have won the last two Venice Cups, Netherlands and Germany.

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

West	North	East	South
Von Arnim	Vriend	Auken	Van de Pas
	Pass	1§*	1ª
1NT	Pass	2©	Pass
4©	All Pass

Bep Vriend, The Netherlands

South led the queen of spades and prospects looked poor to say the least. Declarer won in hand and played a top heart. South won and having seen a discouraging spade from partner at trick one switched to a diamond for the three, eight and jack. Declarer cashed a top heart and crossed to dummy with the jack of hearts. It was still possible to play North for a doubleton king of diamonds but declarer did not believe in this possibility. Instead she played the queen of diamonds, covered by the king and ace. North thought about unblocking the ten, but from her point of view it was still possible her partner had started with the doubleton ten of spades and she played low. Now declarer could exit with a diamond and South was endplayed.

Okay, back to the problem. It is another variation on unblocking. You must play the seven of spades from dummy at trick one. That caters for West having led a singleton nine of spades with trumps 4-1 or from ª9854. In the former case you will win in hand, draw trumps ending in dummy and play the jack of spades. East must cover; you win and can go back to dummy with the ace of diamonds in order to finesse in spades.

When I tell you that on both these deals the declarer was the same person you will understand that Sabine knows all about unblocking!