Take your best shot

Zia Mahmood and Michael Rosenberg, the Open Pairs leaders after two sessions of the final, will not look back fondly on their second-round meeting with Bob Hamman and Paul Soloway.

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

West	North	East	South
Zia	Hamman	Rosenberg	Soloway
			Pass
2§	4ª	5¨	Pass
5ª	Pass	6¨	6ª
Pass	Pass	7¨	Pass
7NT	All Pass

Soloway didn't want to push the opponents to slam with a 5ª bid, but once they arrived, he was willing to take a chance that the save at favorable vulnerability wouldn't cost too much. He was correct - 6ª was going down three or four depending on Rosenberg's opening lead.

With an eight-card suit facing a very strong hand, Rosenberg figured the grand slam was worth a shot. It might be cold - Zia might have the ©10 or the §Q, for example - or there might be a squeeze. Unfortunately for Zia and Rosenberg, 12 tricks was the limit and minus 100 was the result.

On the next deal, 12 tricks were possible again, but Rosenberg took only 11.

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

West	North	East	South
Zia	Hamman	Rosenberg	Soloway
1§	Pass	1NT	Pass
2©	Pass	3§	Pass
3NT	All Pass

If Zia's reverse into hearts was meant to forestall the lead of that suit, it didn't succeed, as Soloway had the ©5 on the track in due course.

Rosenberg rose with dummy's ©A and ran clubs, starting with the queen, jack, then the ace. Soloway pitched a couple of diamonds on the clubs, and Rosenberg could have scored 12 tricks at that point simply by playing the ¨A then the jack. On the fourth and fifth clubs, however, Rosenberg also discarded diamonds.

On the fourth round of clubs, Soloway pitched the ª4, followed by the ©8 on the fifth club. Rosenberg then played a spade to his jack, claiming after Soloway won the queen. It was plus 660, but it might have been 690.

The next round also featured a deal with potential that was not achieved. This time it was Andrew Robson and Tony Forrester against Norberto Bocchi and Guido Ferraro.

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

West	North	East	South
Ferraro	Robson	Bocchi	Forrester
		Pass	Pass
1§	Pass	1ª	Pass
2©	Pass	2NT	Pass
3©	Pass	4©	All Pass

Robson started with a trump, which Ferraro won in hand with the jack. It is easy to see that 11 tricks are possible via the club finesse or a club ruff since trumps split so favorably. Ferraro, however, played a heart to dummy's queen and called for the §J. Forrester, aware that Ferraro had at least six clubs, did not oblige by covering.

erraro, perhaps thinking about Zia's long-ago Bols bridge tip - if they don't cover they don't have it - went up with the king, holding himself to 10 tricks and a disappointing result.

A couple of rounds later, the leaders at that point - Peter Weichsel and Alan Sontag - faced an American pair - Mark Feldman and Sharon Osberg -- who were well down in the standings. When the round was over, Weichsel and Sontag were no longer in first.

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

West	North	East	South
Feldman	Weichsel	Osberg	Sontag
	1¨	Dble	1ª
Dble	2§	Dble	2¨
2©	3¨	3©	All Pass

Feldman's double was for penalty, and Sontag must have considered doubling 3©, given the vulnerability. Had Weichsel led a club, the contract could have been defeated two tricks for the magic plus 200. Sontag could have gone in with the trump ace on the first lead of hearts and received two club ruffs from Weichsel with a spade trick still to come.

Weichsel, however, led a high diamond, switching to the §7 a trick two. Feldman won the §Q and played a heart to his king, followed by a heart to the jack. Sontag won the ©A and played the ©9, but Feldman won the queen and took another club finesse. Sontag could ruff but there was only one more trick coming.

Considering that 3¨ is cold, plus 100 was a disappointing result.

The next board featured expert play by Weichsel, but he and Sontag didn't get high enough in the bidding.

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

West	North	East	South
Feldman	Weichsel	Osberg	Sontag
		Pass	1¨
2§	Pass	Pass	Dble
2©	2ª	All Pass

The nebulous nature of the Precision 1¨ opener made it risky for Weichsel to make a negative double with the North hand - if Sontag bid hearts, Weichsel would face the choice of 2NT or diamond preference where opener promises no more than two.

Osberg started proceedings with the ©10, which Feldman ducked to Weichsel's king. Weichsel then played a club to dummy's king and Feldman's ace.

The ¨10 was covered by the queen, king and ace, and Weichsel cashed the ªA, and played a spade to the jack and queen. The deal was now an open book to Weichsel, who took full advantage. He played the ¨9, then ran the ¨7, ruffed a club to dummy, pitched his heart on the ¨J and crossruffed for 12 tricks. Plus 230 was an artistic triumph but not the best matchpoint score.

Round 7 featured Jeff Meckstroth (Mixed Pairs winner) and Perry Johnson versus Fred Gitelman and Brad Moss, who finished the day in fifth place. They helped themselves on both boards.

Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
	ª 9 8 6 5 4 3 © 8 2 ¨ K J 7 § K 5
ª 10 2 © 5 3 ¨ A 4 3 2 § J 8 6 3 2		ª A K Q J © J 9 ¨ Q 9 8 § A Q 10 9
	ª 7 © A K Q 10 7 6 4 ¨ 10 6 5 § 7 4

West	North	East	South
Meckstroth	Moss	Johnson	Gitelman
	Pass	2NT	Pass
3NT	All Pass

Meckstroth and Johnson's 2NT opener starts at 19 high-card points, so the East hand qualified. Gitelman was not about to disturb the notrump game with a double - he had no idea that they didn't have a better spot. Gitelman was content to rattle off the first seven tricks for plus 300. Meckstroth would liked to have returned the favor on the next deal, but he didn't have the ammunition.

Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
	ª 10 7 © 5 4 ¨ K 8 7 4 3 § K Q J 3
ª A 9 8 6 © J 9 6 ¨ 6 2 § 10 8 6 4		ª Q 4 3 2 © A Q 7 3 2 ¨ J 5 § 9 2
	ª K J 5 © K 10 8 ¨ A Q 10 9 § A 7 5

West	North	East	South
Meckstroth	Moss	Johnson	Gitelman
		Pass	1NT
Pass	3NT	All Pass

There is a theory that the correct spade lead with Meckstroth's hand is the 9, and in this case it would have been highly effective. If Gitelman played low from dummy, East also plays low, later getting in with the ©A and returning the ªQ. If Gitelman played dummy's ª10 a trick one, East covers and achieves the same result, holding declarer to 10 tricks.

Meckstroth led the ª6, however, and Gitelman had no difficulty taking 11 tricks for a good score.

The next round featured David Berkowitz and Larry Cohen, back on vugraph for a second time in the session, against reigning Bermuda Bowl champs Chip Martel and Lew Stansby. On the first board, Stansby hit on the killing opening lead against a spade game by Berkowitz.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	ª - © 10 9 5 ¨ 10 9 7 4 3 2 § A 10 9 2
ª A K Q 9 8 2 © J ¨ K 5 § Q J 8 4		ª 7 4 3 © A 8 7 4 3 ¨ Q J 8 6 § 7
	ª J 10 6 5 © K Q 6 2 ¨ A § K 6 5 3

West	North	East	South
Berkowitz	Stansby	Cohen	Martel
			1§
1ª	3§ (1)	3ª	Pass
4ª	All Pass

(1) Weak

Stansby's preemptive club raise at unfavorable vulnerability is not for the faint of heart, but it succeeded in robbing Berkwitz and Cohen of bidding space. That's not to say they wouldn't have arrived at game on their own. After all, it's only the bad spade break that defeated the game.

Still, Stansby had to find the killing opening lead, a diamond, which is exactly what he started with. Martel won the singleton ¨A and returned a low spade. Had Berkowitz been able to see all the cards, he could have inserted the 8 to make his contract, but he made the normal play of going up with the ace. He tried the ¨K next, but Martel ruffed and play a second round of trumps. It was impossible for Berkowitz to take 10 tricks from there and he finished at minus 50.