Brilliancy Missed

They say that slams often come in pairs, but how often do squeezes follow on consecutive deals.

Two tremendous Power Rosenblum semi finals left everyone, players, spectators and commentators emotionally drained. Midway through the final session there were two deals that might have altered the outcome:

Board 24. Dealer West. None Vul.
	ª Q 10 8 7 5 © 8 ¨ Q 10 7 3 § A J 8
ª K 3 © K Q 10 7 2 ¨ 8 6 5 4 § 10 2		ª J 4 2 © A 5 4 ¨ A K 2 § K Q 9 6
	ª A 9 6 © J 9 6 3 ¨ J 9 § 7 5 4 3

The contract at both tables was 3NT and a spade was led at both tables, West winning the second round. Can you see how declarer might make the contract? Not by playing a club, as North will win and cash three more spades. The answer is to follow Harrison Gray's suggestion, subsequently taken up by Hugh Kelsey and amplified by Patrick Jourdain in his Bols Bridge Tip and play off your long suit.

Rocket Science is not required to see that North is squeezed by the last heart.

Board 25. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	ª 10 9 © 9 3 ¨ K 8 5 4 § Q 9 7 6 3
ª A 8 5 4 © 10 7 5 4 ¨ Q J § J 10 5		ª K Q 7 6 © Q 8 2 ¨ A 6 § A K 8 2
	ª J 3 2 © A K J 6 ¨ 10 9 7 3 2 § 4

This time the contract is a testing Four Spades. It was suggested you have to play this from the East seat to have a chance but that isn't true. Anyway, when East is declarer South starts with three rounds of hearts and North ruffs with the nine of spades. On aa diamond switch declarer is sure to go up with the ace, as he needs the club finesse in any event. Now he cashes the king of spades and sees the ten fall. The winning line is to finesse the eight of spades, ruff a heart high and draw the last trump. You pass the jack of clubs and then play the last trump to squeeze North in the minors.

Difficult yes, impossible, no.

If North is on lead and the defence start with four rounds of hearts North ruffs in and declarer has to overuff in dummy. Now he cashes the other top spade and finesses as before. A diamond to the ace executes a Vienna coup. Declarer comes back to hand with a trump and plays as in the other line. In some ways this is easier to find as the theory of restricted choice suggests that North does not have ªJ109.

Congratulations to Lynn Deas, who found this line of play in the McConnell final.

Dutch Delight

Women's Pairs Final Session 1

By Tony Gordon

Marijke van der Pas found a neat endplay on the following hand from the first session of the Women's Pairs final.

Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
	ª 10 8 © Q 10 8 5 3 ¨ 9 8 7 6 § 6 4
ª Q 4 3 © A K 7 6 ¨ Q 10 5 § A 10 3		ª K 9 6 5 2 © - ¨ A K J 2 § Q 8 7 2
	ª A J 7 © J 9 4 2 ¨ 4 3 § K J 9 5

West	North	East	South
v. der Pas		Vriend
1NT	Pass	2©	Pass
2ª	Pass	3¨	Pass
3ª	Pass	4©	Pass
4ª	All Pass

After a transfer sequence and a slam try by Bep Vriend, van der Pas became declarer in 4ª. She won the heart lead in hand, discarding a club from dummy, and continued with a spade to the king and ace. South persevered with hearts, so declarer won in hand again and discarded a second club from dummy. The ªQ was followed by a heart ruff, and she then crossed back to the ¨Q to ruff her last heart. Having eliminated hearts, she now cashed dummy's diamonds. South postponed her demise by declining to ruff, but she was then endplayed with the ªJ and had to lead away from the §K to give van der Pas a well-deserved overtrick and most of the matchpoints.

The Italians at their Best

By Sam Leckie

We were down to the last four in the Power Rosenblum. The all powerful Lavazza team - my favourites to win the trophy) were playing Fredin of Sweden.

In the closed roomI watched Bocchi-Duboin against Henner (the sister of Marilu Henner - star of Taxi) and Rosenbloom (I guess you have to try and win a trophy that already has your name on it).

It did not take long for a deserved 11 IMP swing to the Italians.

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

West	North	East	South
Duboin		Bocchi
		1NT	Pass
2©	Pass	2ª	Pass
3NT	Pass	4ª	All Pass

On the king of diamonds lead West eventually scored a diamond ruff for ten tricks.

In the other room they reached the alternative game via 1NT - 3NT and a diamond lead left declarer with only eight tricks.

Board 12 produced another big swing for the Italians

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	ª A J 8 5 © 9 5 2 ¨ J 10 § Q J 10 6
ª K 6 4 3 2 © A 6 3 ¨ 7 2 § 9 4 3		ª Q 10 9 © K Q J 10 7 ¨ A Q 5 3 § A
	ª 7 © 8 4 ¨ K 9 8 6 4 § K 8 7 5 2

West	North	East	South
Duboin		Bocchi
Pass	Pass	1©	Pass
2©	Pass	4©	All Pass

South led his singleton spade and North played the jack. Declarer won with the queen and continued with the ten of spades on which South discarded the five of clubs. North won and returned the jack of diamonds and declarer took the ace, drew two rounds of trumps, cashed the nine of spades and played a trump to dummy for ten tricks.
In the replay a club lead forced declarer to try for diamond ruffs and North's ability to overruff led to two down and another 11 IMPs.

At the quarter the Italians had outplayed their opponents and led 50-8 IMPs.