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India vs Japan - Venice
Cup - Round 4
This session featured a very lively set of boards and almost every
match was high-scoring. The Asian match-up of Japan and India was
no exception.
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Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
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| |
ª 10 8 7
© K 10 2
¨ A K 6 5
§ Q 5 4 |
ª K 6 5
© A J 7 4
¨ 10 8 7 2
§ 3 2 |
 |
ª Q J 9 3 2
© 8 5
¨ Q J 3
§ 9 8 6 |
| |
ª A 4
© Q 9 6 3
¨ 9 4
§ A K J 10 7 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Yamada |
Sicka |
Hayashi |
Chothia |
| |
|
|
2§ |
| Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Singapurin |
Setoguchi |
Karmarkar |
Ota |
| |
|
|
1§ |
| Pass |
1¨ |
Pass |
1© |
| Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
2§ |
| Pass |
3§ |
Pass |
3NT |
| All Pass |
|
|
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In the open room, Feroza Chothia's 2§ opening was Precision-style
and Bimal Sicka just blasted into the most likely game contract.
Most likely, perhaps, but unsuccessful from her side as Makiko Hayashi
had an automatic spade lead. Sicka ducked the spade queen but had
to win the continuation, on which Yuko Yamada unblocked her king.
Sicka cashed out the clubs then tried a heart but Yamada won that
and returned her last spade for one down; -50.
In the other room, Hiroko Ota opened a natural 1§ and a fourth-suit
forcing auction saw her declare 3NT from the opposite seat. Yvette
Singapurin chose to lead the seven of diamonds. Ota won the ace
and played a heart for the queen and ace. Back came a spade but
it was too late for the defence. Taking no risks, Ota settled for
her contract; +400 and 10 IMPs to Japan.
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Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
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| |
ª A Q 6 4 2
© K 9
¨ K 10 6
§ A K 4 |
ª 10 9 8 5
© A Q 7 3 2
¨ 5 4
§ Q 9 |
|
ª J 7
© J 10 8
¨ Q 9 3 2
§ J 10 8 5 |
| |
ª K 3
© 6 5 4
¨ A J 8 7
§ 7 6 3 2 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Yamada |
Sicka |
Hayashi |
Chothia |
| |
|
Pass |
Pass |
| Pass |
1§ |
Pass |
1NT |
| Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
2NT |
| Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Singapurin |
Setoguchi |
Karmarkar |
Ota |
| |
|
Pass |
Pass |
| Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
1NT |
| Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
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The Indian strong club methods led to a slightly different auction
but the opening leader had much the same information at both tables.
Not that it mattered as both had a routine low heart lead. Both
declarers rose with the king of hearts and cashed the black winners
then had a decision to make. If hearts were splitting evenly the
safe play would be to establish the fifth spade, while an uneven
heart split would require a winning diamond guess. For Japan, Ota
got it wrong and was down one for -50, while Chothia judged to play
on diamonds and, with West marked with the greater major-suit length,
played East for the ¨Q. Right she was and that meant +430 and 10
IMPs to India.
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Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul.
|
| |
ª A K
© J 5 3
¨ A 8 7 6 2
§ A 10 8 |
ª Q 7 5 4
© Q 10 6 2
¨ 5 4 3
§ Q 7 |
|
ª 9 8 6 3
© 9
¨ K J 10
§ K 9 4 3 2 |
| |
ª J 10 2
© A K 8 7 4
¨ Q 9
§ J 6 5 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Yamada |
Sicka |
Hayashi |
Chothia |
| Singapurin |
Setoguchi |
Karmarkar |
Ota |
| |
|
|
Pass |
| Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2¨ |
| Pass |
2© |
Pass |
3NT |
| Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
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After identical auctions, both Easts led the nine of spades and
both declarers covered in dummy. Yamada did not play her queen.
Sicka won the king and tried a low diamond, Hayashi going in with
the king to lead a second spade to declarer's ace. Sicka was in
control now. She cashed the top hearts and queen of diamonds then
ruffed the spade and started running the diamonds. Yamada could
take two heart tricks but that was all; +620.
At the other table Singapurin did play the ªQ at trick one, which
looks to be an error, does it not? Yet here declarer failed in her
contract, perhaps taking her eye off the ball because of the play
at trick one. Nobuko Setoguchi won the spade and cashed a second
spade before playing a heart to the ace then pitching a club on
the ten of spades. Though she could ruff dummy's third club in hand,
she had to go down from here, actually failing by two tricks for
-200 and 13 IMPs to India.
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Board 8. Dealer West. None Vul.
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| |
ª A K 9 8
© A 8 6
¨ A 9 8 3
§ 10 8 |
ª 2
© K J 9 7 5 4 3 2
¨ Q
§ A K 4 |
|
ª J 7 6
© Q 10
¨ J 10 7 2
§ J 9 6 5 |
| |
ª Q 10 5 4 3
© -
¨ K 6 5 4
§ Q 7 3 2 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Yamada |
Sicka |
Hayashi |
Chothia |
| 1© |
1NT |
Pass |
2ª |
| 3© |
3ª |
All Pass |
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Singapurin |
Setoguchi |
Karmarkar |
Ota |
| 4© |
Dble |
Pass |
4ª |
| All Pass |
|
|
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I would have expected South to invite game facing a 1NT overcall
so was surprised when Chothia only removed to 2ª then did not go
on when her partner competed over 3©. Chothia justified her decision
in a way by only making nine tricks. She won the heart lead and
threw a club from hand rather than a diamond. That left her to lose
two tricks in each minor; +140.
Singapurin's 4© opening ensured that her opponents would play in
game, once Setoguchi had decided that she had to get involved with
the North cards. Of course, ten tricks can always be made by playing
to ruff two clubs in dummy, but Ota's task was made considerably
easier by Singapurin's club lead; +420 and 7 IMPs to Japan.
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Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
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| |
ª A 9
© A K Q 9 7
¨ Q J 7 4 2
§ Q |
ª 6 2
© J 10 6 3
¨ 8 3
§ 9 8 7 3 2 |
|
ª K Q J 7 4 3
© 8 5 2
¨ 9
§ A 10 5 |
| |
ª 10 8 5
© 4
¨ A K 10 6 5
§ K J 6 4 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Yamada |
Sicka |
Hayashi |
Chothia |
| |
|
|
1¨ |
| Pass |
1© |
1ª |
Pass |
| Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
3¨ |
| Pass |
4NT |
Pass |
5¨ |
| Pass |
6¨ |
All Pass |
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Singapurin |
Setoguchi |
Karmarkar |
Ota |
| |
|
|
Pass |
| Pass |
1© |
1ª |
2¨ |
| Pass |
2ª |
Dble |
3§ |
| Pass |
4¨ |
Pass |
4NT |
| Pass |
6¨ |
All Pass |
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Chothia opened with a Precision 1¨ and Sicka drove to slam on discovering
that she was facing genuine diamonds and one ace (no Key Card Blackwood
here). Ota did not open the South cards but caught up later, showing
both her suits then trying for slam - accepted by Setoguchi, of
course. Flat at +920.
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Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
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| |
ª 6 5
© J 10
¨ J 9 8 7 5 2
§ 10 4 2 |
ª K 10 9 8
© K 6 5 4 3
¨ -
§ Q 8 6 5 |
|
ª A 7 2
© Q 9 2
¨ A K Q 4
§ J 9 7 |
| |
ª Q J 4 3
© A 8 7
¨ 10 6 3
§ A K 3 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Yamada |
Sicka |
Hayashi |
Chothia |
| |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
| 2§ |
Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
| 2ª |
Pass |
3© |
All Pass |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Singapurin |
Setoguchi |
Karmarkar |
Ota |
| |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
| 2¨ |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
| 2ª |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
Yamada' sequence showed five hearts and four spades with invitational
values and Hayashi settled for the heart partscore. Chothia led
a low heart to the ten and queen and Hayashi quickly cashed three
top diamonds, pitching clubs from the table. She continued with
the losing diamond, throwing the last club, and Sicka won and played
back the jack of hearts. Chothia won and played another heart, run
to declarer's nine. Hayashi now played ace of spades and a spade
to the king, losing two spades for +140.
Singapurin showed the same distribution with at least invitational
values and Marianne Karmarkar took a rosier view of her hand than
her counterpart in the other room, jumping to 4©. Ota led three
rounds of clubs, leaving Karmarkar to play the trumps for one loser.
Having won the third club in hand, it was natural to play a heart
to the king and another one back. With the jack and ten falling
doubleton, the contract was home for +620 and 10 IMPs to India.
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Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
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| |
ª A 9 7 6 5 4 3
© A K
¨ 5
§ K 4 3 |
ª J 8 2
© 9 8 6 5 3
¨ 9 6 2
§ J 7 |
|
ª -
© Q 4 2
¨ Q J 8 7 3
§ A Q 10 5 2 |
| |
ª K Q 10
© J 10 7
¨ A K 10 4
§ 9 8 6 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Yamada |
Sicka |
Hayashi |
Chothia |
| |
|
1¨ |
Dble |
| Pass |
6ª |
All Pass |
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Singapurin |
Setoguchi |
Karmarkar |
Ota |
| |
|
1¨ |
Pass |
| 1© |
1ª |
2§ |
2¨ |
| Pass |
2© |
Dble |
4ª |
| All Pass |
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This one was decided by South's initial decision over the 1¨ opening.
Where Ota passed, being uninspired by a flat 13-count with seven
points in her opponent's suit and no outside four-card suit, Chothia
was prepared to overlook all those weaknesses and make an immediate
take-out double. Inevitably, the Japanese pair only reached game,
while Sicka just blasted into slam facing the take-out double.
At first sight, Hayashi's choice of opening lead, ace and another
club, was the only lead to give Sicka her twelfth trick but, of
course, a heart lead is no better as East has three suits to guard
and is crushed by the run of the trumps. Only a diamond lead, which
takes out the dummy entry for the squeeze, breaks the slam. And
even now it takes a diamond honour to be certain, as otherwise a
brave declarer could put in the ten at trick one.
Both declarers made twelve tricks; +680 to Japan but +1430 to India
and 13 IMPs.
India had built up a handy lead of 59-31 IMPs but the last two boards
saw Japan make a strong recovery.
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Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
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| |
ª K 10 8 6 3
© K Q J 9 4 2
¨ J 4
§ - |
ª Q J 5 4
© A 5
¨ Q 10 9 7 2
§ Q 2 |
|
ª 7 2
© 10 7 6
¨ A K 5
§ 10 9 8 7 6 |
| |
ª A 9
© 8 3
¨ 8 6 3
§ A K J 5 4 3 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Yamada |
Sicka |
Hayashi |
Chothia |
| |
|
|
2§ |
| Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
2NT |
| Pass |
3© |
Pass |
3NT |
| Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Singapurin |
Setoguchi |
Karmarkar |
Ota |
| |
|
|
1§ |
| Pass |
1© |
Pass |
2§ |
| Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
3§ |
| Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
4© |
| All Pass |
|
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Chothia's 2§ was Precision and her response to the 2¨ relay showed
either a maximum 15-17 or six strong clubs. Like their counterparts
at the other table after a natural 1§ opening, the Indians reached
the inevitable heart game.
Hayashi led three rounds of diamonds and Sicka ruffed the third
round and crossed to the ace of spades. She threw two spades on
the top clubs and now passed up the slight extra chance of playing
the §J - see the difference if West has ©A10 instead of ©A5 - in
favour of a spade to the king and the last spade. When Hayashi could
ruff in front of dummy with the ©10 that was one down; -50.
In the other room, Karmarkar led a low trump. Singapurin won the
ace and played the ten of diamonds to the jack and king. Karmarkar
cashed the ace of diamonds then played the ©10, but this defence
was not good enough. Setoguchi won and played some more trumps then
found the lucky club position and had ten tricks for +420 and 10
IMPs to Japan.
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Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
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| |
ª K J 10 6 5
© Q 8
¨ K Q 7
§ A 9 4 |
ª 9 8 7 4 3
© K 6 3 2
¨ 9 6
§ 8 5 |
|
ª Q 2
© 10 4
¨ J 10 8 5 3 2
§ K J 3 |
| |
ª A
© A J 9 7 5
¨ A 4
§ Q 10 7 6 2 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Yamada |
Sicka |
Hayashi |
Chothia |
| Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2¨ |
| Pass |
2© |
Pass |
3§ |
| Pass |
3NT |
Pass |
6NT |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Singapurin |
Setoguchi |
Karmarkar |
Ota |
| Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2¨ |
| Pass |
2© |
Pass |
3¨ |
| Pass |
3NT |
Pass |
4§ |
| Pass |
4¨ |
Pass |
4NT |
| All Pass |
|
|
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I think that justice was done on this deal when Sicka went down
in 6NT because I really hate that leap to slam on the South cards.
Surely the descriptive 4§ preferred by Ota in the other room is
correct and it enabled the Japanese pair to look at slam but then
stay at a safe level on a combination where slam is really quite
poor.
Setoguchi actually made twelve tricks in 4NT. She won the diamond
lead and played on hearts. Eventually, she pitched her club son
the established hearts and made two overtricks when the queen of
spades happened to be doubleton; +690.
Sicka avoided the fatal heart lead, of course. She won the diamond
lead in dummy and passed the §Q then later took a second club finesse
and drifted two down for -200 and 13 IMPs to Japan. Had Sicka guessed
the trumps correctly, she could have made her slam courtesy of the
fortunate spade layout.
Despite the last two deals, India had achieved a narrow win, by
59-54 IMPs or 16-14 VPs.
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