Mixed Brew

We all know that it is remarkably easy to make mistakes when playing bridge. In the second match to be featured on VuGraph between teams from England and Poland the players took some time to get into their stride and some excellent bridge was interspersed with a number of unforced errors.

Board 17. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª K Q © 10 3 ¨ A 8 2 § K 9 6 5 4 3
ª 9 8 6 5 3 2 © 2 ¨ Q J 4 § A Q J		ª A 4 © A Q J 8 7 6 ¨ K 7 6 § 10 7
	ª J 10 7 © K 9 5 4 ¨ 10 9 5 3 § 8 2

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Zmudzinski	Justin	Balicki	Jason
	1NT	2©	Pass
2ª	Pass	3ª	Pass
4ª	All Pass

Having advertised a 14-16 notrump North led a club, so declarer was off to a good start. He won, crossed to the ace of spades, played a club to the ace and ruffed a club. South overuffed and switched to a diamond and North won and played a club. South could ruff that and North's king of spades was the setting trick.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Wright	Pszczola	Hallberg	Kwiecien
	1§*	1©	Pass
1ª	Pass	3©	Pass
3NT	All Pass

North led the five of clubs and declarer won with the queen. There was some suggestion that declarer could get home by attacking spades, that is wrong. Say declarer plays two rounds; North wins and plays a heart. Even if declarer rise with the ace and plays a diamond all North has to do is duck and the contract is hopeless.

Wright took his best chance by attacking hearts, playing one to the jack. All South has to do is win this and play back a club, but he ducked. Declarer cashed the ace of hearts, discarding a spade and played a third round of the suit. South won, and despite the apparently encouraging club discard from his partner, switched to a diamond. Even so there is no way for declarer to get home. North won and switched to a spade and declarer could not avoid the loss of five tricks. No swing.

Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	ª A 9 8 4 2 © A 8 6 5 ¨ 10 § A Q 6
ª K Q 10 5 3 © J ¨ 8 7 4 3 § K 8 7		ª J 6 © K Q 10 7 4 2 ¨ A K 6 5 § 5
	ª 7 © 9 3 ¨ Q J 9 2 § J 10 9 4 3 2

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Zmudzinski	Justin	Balicki	Jason
			3§
Pass	3NT	4©	Pass
Pass	5§	Dble	All Pass

The moral of this deal might be that those who live by the sword…
Four Hearts was going for a number, but when North bid on it was his side that suffered a penalty, Five Clubs costing -300.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Wright	Pszczola	Hallberg	Kwiecien
			2ª*
Pass	3§*	4©	All Pass

South's opening bid could have been either minor, so North did not risk a double. Even so, the contract was clearly hopeless and was quickly three down, another -300 and a big swing to the Polish team, ahead now by 31 IMPs.

Board 21. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
	ª Q 8 3 © Q J 8 3 ¨ 7 6 5 2 § Q 4
ª 10 7 5 4 © 9 4 2 ¨ A J 9 8 § K 9		ª A J 6 2 © A ¨ K Q § 10 7 6 5 3 2
	ª K 9 © K 10 7 6 5 ¨ 10 4 3 § A J 8

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Zmudzinski	Justin	Balicki	Jason
	Pass	2§*	All Pass

Two Clubs was a sensible spot and declarer easily arrived at ten tricks, +130.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Wright	Pszczola	Hallberg	Kwiecien
	Pass	1§	1©
Dble*	1NT*	3ª	Pass
4ª	All Pass

The fate of this contract turned on the location of the ace of clubs and the spade break. South led a heart and declarer won and played a club to the king. When that held he was in good shape and played a second club. South overtook his partner's queen and tried to cash the king of hearts but declarer ruffed and played the jack of spades. South won and played another heart but declarer ruffed, cashed the ace of spades and could claim when the suit broke. 7IMPs to reduce the lead to 25.

Board 22. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
	ª J 8 4 3 © 10 6 4 ¨ K J 6 2 § J 9
ª A 10 6 2 © K 8 5 ¨ Q 10 § A 6 3 2		ª Q 9 © A Q 3 2 ¨ 9 8 3 § Q 7 5 4
	ª K 7 5 © J 9 7 ¨ A 7 5 4 § K 10 8

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Zmudzinski	Justin	Balicki	Jason
		Pass	Pass
1§*	Pass	1©	Pass
1ª	Pass	1NT	All Pass

South led the four of diamonds and the defenders took four tricks in the suit. The play records are not available as we go to press, but as declarer went one down it is reasonable to assume that at some point declarer allowed North to get in clubs and when he switched to a spade declarer guessed wrong.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Wright	Pszczola	Hallberg	Kwiecien
		Pass	Pass
1§	Pass	1©	Pass
1ª	Pass	3§	Pass
3©	Pass	5§	All Pass

East/West were playing a weak notrump and Wright sowed the seeds of his own destruction when he decided not to open one. No one could double but the contract was three down and the margin was back up to 30 IMPs.

Board 26. Dealer East. All Vul.
	ª 8 7 3 2 © 7 3 ¨ K 9 5 4 2 § K 7
ª J 5 4 © 10 6 ¨ 10 8 6 3 § J 10 3 2		ª Q 10 6 © A K 9 8 5 ¨ J § 9 8 6 5
	ª A K 9 © Q J 4 2 ¨ A Q 7 § A Q 4

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Zmudzinski	Justin	Balicki	Jason
		Pass	2§*
Pass	2¨*	Pass	2©*
Pass	2ª*	Pass	2NT
Pass	3§*	Pass	3¨*
Pass	3©	Dble	Redbl
All Pass

You could say this was an unlucky board for North/South as doubtless East would have doubled with a doubleton diamond - and then the contract is cold. As it was there were eight tricks, no more, no less and that was -400.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Wright	Pszczola	Hallberg	Kwiecien
		Pass	1§*
Pass	1¨*	1©	2NT
Pass	3NT	All Pass

West led a heart and declarer quickly claimed 11 tricks for what must have been a surprising 14 IMPs. Things were beginning to look serious now but the English team came back strongly on the next deal:

Board 27. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª 10 6 © 7 ¨ Q 9 4 § A J 9 8 5 3 2
ª 7 © A 9 4 2 ¨ 8 7 5 3 2 § K 6 4		ª A Q J 9 2 © K Q 5 ¨ A K J 10 § 7
	ª K 8 5 4 3 © J 10 8 6 3 ¨ 6 § Q 10

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Zmudzinski	Justin	Balicki	Jason
			Pass
Pass	3§	Dble	Pass
3©	Pass	3ª	Pass
3NT	All Pass

North led the eight of clubs and declarer won with the king. He did not make the winning guess in diamonds and was two down, -200.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Wright	Pszczola	Hallberg	Kwiecien
			Pass
Pass	2ª*	Dble	Pass
3©	Pass	3ª	Pass
3NT	Pass	4¨	Pass
5¨	All Pass

Many Polish players use a system of responses called Mafia - Majors always first in answering - so it was amusing to see West show his heart suit rather than his diamonds. In any event it was a fine effort to get to Five Diamonds and declarer played it well.

He ruffed the second club, cashed two top trumps, the ace of spades, ruffed a spade, ruffed the king of clubs and cashed the king of hearts. With a complete count he could pass the queen of spades and claim.

Board 28. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	ª A K Q 9 6 © A 7 ¨ A K § Q 10 7 3
ª J 7 5 © 6 4 ¨ J 10 9 8 6 2 § A 6		ª 10 8 © K J 10 2 ¨ Q 7 4 § K 9 5 4
	ª 4 3 2 © Q 9 8 5 3 ¨ 5 3 § J 8 2

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Zmudzinski	Justin	Balicki	Jason
Pass	2§*	Pass	2¨*
Pass	2©*	Pass	2ª*
Pass	2NT	Pass	3¨*
Pass	3©	Pass	3NT
All Pass

A diamond lead would have sunk declarer's ship, but East selected the four of clubs and ten tricks were soon in the bag, +630.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Wright	Pszczola	Hallberg	Kwiecien
2¨*	Dble	3¨	Pass
Pass	Dble	Pass	3©
Pass	3NT	Pass	4©
Pass	4ª	All Pass

3NT would certainly have failed at this table, so the Poles did very well to get to Four spades. By doubling a second time before bidding 3NT North made it clear that he was happy to consider alternatives. Some players suggested South might have had six hearts but then he might have bid at once over Three Diamonds, or jumped to Four Hearts, or bid Four Diamonds over 3NT.

East led the ten of spades and declarer must have been sure the club honours were split. He drew trumps, East discarding a diamond on the third round and played the queen of clubs. West won and switched to the jack of diamonds. Declarer won, cashed his other diamond and played the ace of hearts and a heart. East played the ten but declarer simply ducked. East had no good play and when he exited with a club declarer could claim.