Fading Challenge

McConnell Cup Semi-final

By Tony Gordon

The draw for the McConnell semi-finals pitted the two European teams against the two American teams, and Europe were soon trailing in both matches.

Bessis were only 16 IMPs behind Radin after the first quarter, but Vriend had suffered an embarrassing 63-0 whitewash against Sanborn in the first set and needed to stem the tide to stay in the match.

The second stanza began promisingly for Vriend:

Board 17. Dealer North. Love All.
	ª K Q © 10 3 ¨ A 8 2 § K 9 6 5 4 3
ª J 9 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
Palmer	Vriend	Deas	van der Pas
	1§	1©	Pass
1ª	Pass	3©	All Pass

Marijke van der Pas led the §8 against 3© and the jack lost to North's king. A club was returned, so Lynn Deas played a third round and threw her losing spade as South ruffed. Van der Pas exited with a spade and Deas won her ace, perforce, and played a diamond to the queen and North's ace. A further club from Bep Vriend now promoted a second trump trick for South so declarer was one down for +50 to Vriend.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Simons	Levitina	Pasman	Sanborn
	1§	1©	Pass
1ª	Pass	2§	Pass
2ª	Pass	4ª	All Pass

Irina Levitina made the unfortunate choice of a low club lead against 4ª and Anneke Simons won with the queen and played the ¨Q taken by North's ace. Levitina exited with a second diamond and declarer won the king and cashed the ªA. She now played the §A and ruffed the §J with dummy's remaining trump. Kerri Sanborn over-ruffed, but that was with her natural trump trick, so declarer lost only one further trump trick and scored +420 for 10 IMPs to Vriend.

A missed slam gave those points back on the next board, but board 19 was another gain for Vriend.

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

West	North	East	South
Palmer	Vriend	Deas	van der Pas
			Pass
Pass	1ª	2©	All Pass

Van der Pas began with her singleton spade and Vriend played the ace and switched to her diamond. Deas won with the ace and played a trump to the jack and ace and Vriend gave her partner a spade ruff. Declarer could not avoid losing two diamond tricks and a club, so she was one down for +100 to Vriend.

West	North	East	South
Simons	Levitina	Pasman	Sanborn
			Pass
2ª*	Pass	3©	Pass
4©	All Pass

Five spades and a four-card minor, 6-10 HCP.

The systemic 2ª opening pushed the Dutch pair two levels higher in the other room, but it was not as clear-cut for Sanborn to lead her spade as it had been for van der Pas, and her actual choice of the ¨Q was to have repercussions in the play. Jet Pasman won her ¨A and played a heart to the jack, but Levitina ducked. A low spade from the dummy came next and Levitina rose with the ace as Pasman followed with the jack. Clearly a spade continuation will defeat the contract, but, placing her partner with the missing spade because of her failure to lead one originally, Levitina exited with a low trump instead. Pasman naturally continued trumps and Levitina tok her ace and returned her last heart, but the subsequent appearance of the ª6 from declarer was not a welcome sight. 'Sorry partner, my fault', said Sanborn, as Pasman scored +620 for 12 IMPs to Vriend.

Unfortunately, those points were also given back a few boards later when the Americans were doubled into game, and an eventual session score of 40-39 to Vriend left Sanborn firmly in the driving seat.