Down to the wire

By the time you get to the knockout stage of the Power Rosenblum, there are no easy draws. Just ask the competitors in the Johnson-Kowalski match, who entered the fourth quarter of their match only 4 IMPs apart (Johnson leading).

In the open room, Mark Lair-Eddie Wold opposed Apolinary Kowalski-Piotr Tuszynski, while Geoff Hampson-Eric Greco went against Krzysztof Jassem-Piotr Gawrys in the closed room.

The Poles had gained 2 overtrick IMPs when the Americans earned a 12-IMP swing on an opening lead by Tuszynski that worked out very badly.

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

The auction was the same at both tables.

West	North	East	South
Jassem	Hampson	Gawrys	Greco
Lair	Tuszynski	Wold	Kowalski
1NT	Pass	3NT	All Pass

In the closed room, Hampson led the ª6 and declarer went up with the king and ran the ©10. North won with the jack and played another spade. Declarer ducked, won the next spade and cashed his top hearts. When they failed to deliver he turned to the club suit, but there was no joy there either and the contract was one down, minus100.
If declarer had elected to try the club suit first he might have found the winning line. South has to discard a diamond on the third round of the suit and at that point it costs nothing for declarer to exit with the ten of clubs. South can discard another diamond on that but if North cashes the 13th spade South will be squeezed in the red suits. If North exits with a diamond West will surely get the ending right, winning with the ace and exiting with a diamond to endplay South.

In the open room, Tuszynski started the defense with the ©J. Lair won the ace and fired back the suit, pleased to see the 8 appear from North. Lair now had three heart tricks, three clubs, a diamond and two spades - and a 12-IMP gain.

There would be no more scoring for the Americans, however, as the Poles blanked them the rest of the way to win the match and move on to the round of 16.

This board cost the Johnson team 5 IMPs.

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

West	North	East	South
Jassem	Hampson	Gawrys	Greco
		1©	2ª
Pass	4ª	Dble	All Pass

Once South had made his weak jump overcall North was never going to sell out to 4©, although in practice that contract would probably have failed. There was nothing to the play in 4ª doubled, declarer losing two hearts, one diamond and two clubs for minus 300.

The auction was different in the open room.

West	North	East	South
Lair	Tuszynski	Wold	Kowalski
		1©	2ª
3©	4¨	4©	Pass
Pass	4ª	All Pass

Lair's decision not to double seems strange. Perhaps he was concerned about the position of his diamond king after North's 4¨ bid. At any rate, the same tricks were taken on defense but Lair and Wold recorded only plus 100 - a 5-IMP loss.

This deal was also a small swing for Kowalski.

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

West	North	East	South
Jassem	Hampson	Gawrys	Greco
Pass	2§*	Pass	2©*
Pass	2NT	All Pass

East led the ªJ and declarer won and played a diamond to the jack. West won, played back the ª8 to partner's 10, won the next two spades and played back a diamond for a fast one down and plus 50.

West	North	East	South
Lair	Tuszynski	Wold	Kowalski
Pass	1§*	Pass	1¨*
Pass	2NT	All Pass

North's 1§ was Polish and his 2NT rebid showed 21-22 balanced. Wold led the ©2 to the 10, queen and ace. Tuszynski cashed four rounds of clubs, Wold pitching the ¨7, a discard that was fatal to the defense, on the fourth club, Lair the ©5. Tuszynski then played a diamond to the 10, jack and king and Lair returned a heart. It might seem that a spade is better, but declarer can simply win the ace, drive out the ¨A and get home with eight tricks. As it was, on the heart return, Tuszynski won the ace and played the ¨Q. Wold won and cashed two hearts, but that was it for the defense and Tuszynski had nine tricks for plus 150 and another 5 IMPs.

The next deal sealed the match for the Poles.

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

West	North	East	South
Jassem	Hampson	Gawrys	Greco
	Pass	Pass	1§*
1NT	Pass	2§*	Pass
2¨*	Pass	3NT	All Pass

North led the ª4 and declarer played the 10, taking South's king with the ace. He now played four rounds of diamonds and North won and played the ªJ. Declarer won with the queen, and confident the spades were 4-3 simply cashed the long diamond and played ace and another heart. He took the last two tricks to bring his total to nine for plus 600.

West	North	East	South
Lair	Tuszynski	Wold	Kowalski
	Pass	Pass	2§
2NT	Pass	3§	Dble
Pass	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Kowalski's 2§ was ostensibly 11-15 with a club suit, six or more or with a four-card major if only five. Lair inquired about 2§ and was told what the pair's agreement is, but Lair didn't allow for Kowalski to be opening light in third seat.

Tuszynski led the §J, taken by Lair with the ace. Lair then cashed the ¨Q, then the ¨K, on which Kowalski discarded the ©2, then a diamond to the ace, on which Kowalski threw the ©8. On the fourth round of diamonds, Kowalski discarded the ª7, Lair a low club. When North exited with the ©7, Lair went up with the ace.

He was still in position to make his contract, but on the fifth diamond, he discarded his ª5. Lair then played a heart to his queen and Tuszynski's king, winning the heart return in hand. Had he held onto his spade, Lair would then have been able to put Kowalski in with a club to a return of a spade, which he could run up to the queen for his ninth trick. Kowalski won the club and returned a spade to Lair's blank ace, winning the last two tricks with his black kings for down one and a 12-IMP gain.

This deal, near the end, was a push but it was interesting nonetheless.

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

West	North	East	South
Jassem	Hampson	Gawrys	Greco
1§*	Pass	1©	Pass
2¨*	Pass	2NT	Pass
3NT	Pass	4§	Pass
4¨	Pass	4ª	Pass
6©	All Pass

South led the ªK and declarer put up dummy's ace and discarded a club from hand. Setting out on a voyage of discovery he ruffed a spade, crossed to dummy with a heart to the king and ruffed another spade. Now he cashed the ©A and when North discarded the contract depended on locating the §Q. (Our notes say North's card on the ©A was the §7, but we suspect our fading eyes got that wrong).

Declarer took three rounds of diamonds and ruffed dummy's last spade. He was confident he knew South was 5-3-3-2, so he naturally played a club to the ace and ran the jack. South won and could claim two down.
A perfect example of the operation being a success but the patient dying.

In the open room, the auction was protracted and Byzantine.

West	North	East	South
Lair	Tuszynski	Wold	Kowalski
1§	Pass	1©	1ª
Dble	2ª	3ª	Pass
4ª	Pass	5ª	Pass
5NT	Pass	6§	Pass
6¨	Pass	6©	All Pass

Lair's double showed three-card heart support, and 5NT asked Wold to pick a slam.

Kowalski led the ªK and Wold played the contract essentially the same as Gawrys did -North discarding a diamond on the ©A. Wold also knew South's pattern, so he finessed through the hand with three clubs, going down two when Kowalski won, picked up the last trump and cashed a spade.