Exerting Pressure

In the final of the Open Pairs, there are no easy marks, to which Ishmail Del Monte can attest based on this deal from the fourth final session.

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

Even after two passes, many if not most players would open the North hand with 3ª, allowing East to try a nervous 3NT, which makes with careful play, whereas 4© by West (the possible product of a takeout double by East) is easily defeated if North leads his singleton diamond or switches to it after cashing the ªA at trick one.
Del Monte, however, could not bid 3NT over North's opening of 4ª and the Australians' zero was booked. Del Monte doubled and West, Peter Fruewirth, gave Del Monte his choice of contracts with a bid of 4NT. Double-dummy, Del Monte might have passed that bid, but he apparently interpreted it as showing minors, so he contracted for 11 tricks in diamonds.

The spade lead went to the ace and the heart switch produced a ruff with North's singleton trump. Del Monte saved a trick by finding the §Q, allowing him to cash three rounds of clubs and crossruff the rest, but it was a hollow victory. Minus 200 was still zero out of 70 matchpoints.

In round four, the leaders - Zia Mahmood and Michael Rosenberg - faced Philippe Cronier and Paul Chemla. This was the first deal.

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

West	North	East	South
Cronier	Rosenberg	Chemla	Zia
			Pass
Pass	Pass	1©	Dble
2©	2ª	3¨	3ª
4©	4ª	Dble	All Pass

Chemla was going to make his heart game if he guessed clubs, so Rosenberg could salvage some matchpoints if he could take eight tricks - not an easy task given the foul break in spades. Rosenberg managed, however, with assistance from the defense.

Chemla started with the ©K, continuing with the 3 when Cronier signaled encouragement. Rosenberg ruffed in dummy and played the ¨K, taken by Chemla, who persisted in hearts. Rosenberg ruffed with the ª10, cashed the ¨Q and played the ¨9 to Chemla's 10, pitching a club, as did Cronier.

Chemla erred at that point by cashing the §A, following with the §10. Rosenberg made no mistake, playing low from dummy and taking Cronier's queen with the king. Rosenberg then played a spade to the ace and the ¨8, discarding his fourth club when Cronier ruffed in with the ª9. This was the end position:

	ª K 8 7 © --- ¨ --- § ---
ª Q 6 © A ¨ --- § ---		ª --- © 10 ¨ 4 § 9
	ª J © --- ¨ 8 § J

Whichever of his three cards Cronier chose to play next, Rosenberg could not be prevented from taking the rest of the tricks. A low spade would ride to the jack, followed by a trump coup. The ©A would be ruffed in hand and overruffed in dummy for the same result. That was down two for minus 500 - not a great score (27 out of 70 matchpoints) but minus 800 would have been a near-total disaster (only 3 matchpoints).

On the next round, Americans Bob Hamman and Paul Soloway played cat-and-mouse with Poles Piekarek and Gotard on both deals, and although the Poles emerged with more matchpoints on the round, the damage might have been worse.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª J 8 7 3 © 7 4 3 2 ¨ 10 8 5 § Q 2
ª A Q 9 6 © 10 9 8 ¨ J 9 4 § K 9 4		ª 10 4 © A K Q 6 ¨ K 6 3 § A J 6 5
	ª K 5 2 © J 5 ¨ A Q 7 2 § 10 8 7 3

West	North	East	South
Piekarek	Hamman	Gotard	Soloway
			Pass
Pass	Pass	1NT	Pass
2§	Pass	2©	Pass
2NT	Pass	3§	Pass
3NT	All Pass

A low diamond would have given Hamman and Soloway a chance to hold declarer to nine tricks for a near top, depending on how Gotard attacked spades. Soloway, however, started with a low spade. Gotard played low from dummy, winning the 10 when Hamman inserted the 7. A spade came right back, and Soloway put in the king, taken by the ace. Declarer cashed two high hearts, entering dummy with the ©10, on which Soloway discarded the ¨2. Declarer was now in a position to emerge with 11 tricks, if he cashed dummy's ªQ, then played three round of clubs, ending in hand. He could then exit with a club, forcing Soloway to cash or lead away from the ¨A.

All this is double-dummy, of course, and the course of the play had not given declarer many clues about the distribution of the spade suit. Declarer was more likely to try to endplay Soloway in spades.

After considerable thought, Gotard led up to the ¨K. Soloway won the ace and returned a low diamond. Gotard inserted the 9, Hamman won the 10 and returned the suit. The defenders had their three tricks and about half the matchpoints.

The next deal also took some opportunistic defensive work for Hamman and Soloway to avoid a disaster after they had missed out in the bidding.

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

West	North	East	South
Piekarek	Hamman	Gotard	Soloway
1©	Pass	1ª	Pass
1NT	Pass	2¨ (1)	Pass
2©	All Pass

(1) Transfer

Should Hamman have overcalled 2§ on the North cards at unfavorable vulnerability? He has a good overall hand but at unfavorable vulnerability with only five not-so-robust clubs, it's certainly risky. As you can see, of course, North-South can make 10 tricks in clubs, so bidding on this occasion would have been a winner.

Hamman started with his §Q, which went to the 10, 6 and ace. Declarer ruffed a club in dummy, played a heart to his hand and ruffed his last club. When Piekarek called for a low spade from dummy, Soloway made the excellent play of the king, switching to the ¨10. Hamman won the ¨K and, fully aware of what was going on, cashed his ªA before cashing the ¨A and giving Soloway a ruff. A third round of spades promoted Hamman's ©J to the setting trick. It was good for only 31.9 matchpoints, but letting 2© make would have scored only 9.3.