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 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
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 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
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 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
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 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
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 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
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 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
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 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
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.
|