| 36th World Team Championships, Monte Carlo, Monaco | Sunday, 9 November 2003 |
Hammer & Tongs
The Canadian players reminded me of a comment the Duke of Wellington made about this troops on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo, ‘I don’t know if they frighten the enemy, but they terrify me.’ Still, if you like error strewn bridge with IMPs flying in all directions this was just what you would be looking for, and it can be rather entertaining.
If my sources are correct, the defence started with three rounds of clubs and declarer ruffed high. (a simpler line is to discard a loser, leaving you with ten very easy tricks, and this also deals with four hearts with North.) He then cashed a top diamond and ruffed a diamond low. South could overruff and play another club and the contract could no longer be made. Very careless.
This time South led a trump and declarer won in dummy and played two top diamonds, discarding spades. South ruffed and played three rounds of clubs, but declarer could ruff high and with the remaining trumps dividing he had ten tricks and 11 IMPs.
This miserable contract drifted three down and Canadian supporters were left wondering why East had failed to double.
East led a heart and West won with the jack and switched to a trump. With two entries to dummy declarer could create a second spade trick and was one down, -200 and a small pick up for Canada.
East led the three of clubs and declarer did not find it difficult to overcome the 5-0 split, making eleven tricks for +450.
South agonised for a long time before deciding to pass out the double. He moved the king of diamonds to the right hand side of his hand (groans), replaced it with a trump (cheers), but eventually spun the diamond onto the table. Declarer could cross ruff the red suits for +730. That cost 15 IMPs. The Canadian Captain left the building. Whereupon the wind changed.
With spades 3-2 and diamonds 3-3 this was very simple, +1460.
The commentators blamed West, saying he should have taken another bid after East had jumped to Two Spades. Still, that East hand looks very good once West has splintered. I leave it to you to apportion the blame.
A weird an and wonderful auction to an apparently hopeless game. Not a bit! West never switched to clubs so North/South recorded +420
West led the ace of diamonds, cashed the king and then took the ace of hearts. Amazing!
If you play Michaels, the generally accepted theory is that you should use the bid when either weak or strong, so East’s hand would qualify under most people’s standards. Why West should imagine that his side could make a slam remains a mystery. –200.
There was speculation that South’s bid of 3NT was meant to be conventional, but there was no obviously visible alert on either side of the screen. In a way it was a pity South decided to stand the double, as we could then have had fun trying to work out the likely penalties against five of either minor. Declarer was soon claiming +990 and 15 IMPs.
The old adage fourth best of your longest and strongest has stood the test of time. When South led the ten of spades was under no pressure. He could win in dummy and finesse the jack of diamonds. It was too late to attack hearts and declarer recorded +600.
No overcall this time and South led the five of hearts. Seeing all the hands it is easy enough to arrive at nine tricks, but life was far from simple for declarer. He won in hand with the queen and played a club to the king. North won and played back a heart.. Declarer won, pitching a spade from dummy and played a club. When South discarded he put up the queen and took a diamond finesse. South could win and cash his hearts for down one, 12 IMPs to Canada.
In the Closed Room the contract was Five Diamonds, making six, +620
When you are dealt hands of the type held by North and South here scientific bidding is often of little help. In due course South backed his judgement with a jump to slam. It was a poor contract, but the bridge Gods were smiling and there was no defence. Another 13 IMPs to Canada, and in a match where 83 IMPs had already been exchanged we had a new leader, Canada by 1IMP.
South picked his moment well, opening a real heap in a suit that his opponent’s could make a game in. When West decided against overcalling 1NT one opportunity had been missed, and a second was passed over when East protected. Declarer scrambled eight tricks for –50.
North led a club to the ace and declarer won the diamond switch in hand. There are various ways to arrive at ten tricks, perhaps the simplest being to play the ten of hearts and overtake it with the jack. If that holds, ruff a diamond with the nine of hearts and play a heart. East followed a different path, but all roads led to Rome, +420 and Chinese Taipei was back in the lead.
South’s opening left East/West with no room to explore. +480.
As you might imagine there were all sorts of results on this board, but one stands head and shoulders above the rest. In the match between Bermuda and Pakistan the following auction took place:
Chinese Taipei prevailed 57-42 IMPs, 18-12 VP (what we call ‘an
overture’). |
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