USA II vs Israel

Venice Cup - Round 14

With four rounds to go, USA2 were lying ninth and Israel twelfth, but still in touch. This was a crucial match for both teams and Israel in particular could not afford to lose it.

After a string of flat boards, Israel were first on the scoreboard:

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

West	North	East	South
Poplilov	Breed	Campanile	Quinn
		Pass	1¨
Pass	3¨	3©	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Jackson	Naveh	Hamman	Melech
		Pass	1¨
Pass	2¨	Pass	2NT
Pass	3¨	All Pass

Mildred Breed's diamond raise was pre-emptive and Migry Campanile judged to compete in her six-card major. Shawn Quinn showed suitable respect for the pre-emptive nature of her partner's raise and went quietly so Campanile declared 3© on the lead of ace then jack of diamonds. Campanile ruffed and played a club up, ducked by Quinn. The jack of hearts was covered by queen and king but ducked by Quinn. Campanile played a second club now and Quinn won and exited with a club to dummy. Declarer played a heart to the ten and ace, ruffed the diamond return and drew the last trump before playing on spades; +140. Nurit Naveh made a simple limit raise in the other room and Hanita Melech tried for game, settling for the partscore when Naveh went back to 3¨. After a club lead, Melech could lead up to the king of spades to create a discard for dummy's heart loser; +130 and 7 IMPs to Israel.

Jackson Joan, USA

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

West	North	East	South
Poplilov	Breed	Campanile	Quinn
1¨	Pass	1©	Pass
1ª	Pass	2§	Pass
2¨	Pass	3©	Pass
4©	Pass	4ª	Pass
5©	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Jackson	Naveh	Hamman	Melech
Pass	Pass	1©	Pass
1NT	Pass	3§	Pass
3NT	All Pass

Three No Trump was, of course, an easy make, with Joan Jackson winning the club lead and passing the queen of hearts to establish eleven tricks; +460.

Naveh Nurit, Israel

Campanile and Matilda Poplilov explored the hand more thoroughly before stopping just in time in 5©. Quinn led the seven of clubs to the queen and ace and Campanile played ace and another heart, attempting to minimise the danger of a club ruff. Quinn won the second heart and could have beaten the contract by leading her second club and getting a trump promotion via a third club lead. But Quinn switched to a diamond and Campanile had the rest for +480 and 1 IMP to Israel. A big chance missed by USA2 and errors, I think, by at least two of the participants. Breed had thrown the ª10 on the second heart and perhaps Quinn thought that this, as well as denying the ªA, showed diamond values - a low club being the correct discard if looking to encourage that suit. The diamond switch would require that North hold the ace and queen of diamonds, and might not declarer have played differently if looking at two low diamonds and ace other spade? She could, for example, have tried three rounds of spades before drawing trumps.

But declarer was also at fault, because she could have avoided the trump promotion by returning a club at trick two, intending to play to ruff the third round with dummy's three. The point is that the lead of the seven of clubs is not consistent with South holding king to six clubs, so there should be no danger of North over-ruffing the suit.

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

West	North	East	South
Poplilov	Breed	Campanile	Quinn
	Pass	Pass	1NT
Pass	2¨	Pass	2©
Pass	2NT	Pass	4©
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Jackson	Naveh	Hamman	Melech
	2©	Pass	2NT
Pass	3¨	Pass	4©
All Pass

Breed passed as dealer then transferred and followed an invitational sequence, which Quinn accepted. Poplilov led the king of clubs to the ace and Quinn crossed to the ace of hearts to play a diamond to the nine and king. She ruffed the club return in dummy, drew the remaining trumps and played three more rounds of diamonds. Campanile won her jack but one spade trick was all that was to come for the defence; +420.

Naveh had a weak option available and when she showed her two suits Melech jumped to the heart game, but this time it was played from the other side. Petra Hamman also led a club, however, looking for a ruff. The play record states that Naveh won the ace of clubs, drew trumps in three rounds then played a low diamond from hand, losing to the bare king. She ruffed the club return and laid down the ace of diamonds. From here it appears that there should be no problem in coming to ten tricks but declarer made only nine for down one; -50 and 10 IMPs to USA2.

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

West	North	East	South
Poplilov	Breed	Campanile	Quinn
		Pass	1ª
Pass	1NT	Pass	2ª
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Jackson	Naveh	Hamman	Melech
		Pass	1ª
Pass	1NT	2¨	2ª
3¨	Pass	Pass	3ª
All Pass

Quinn/Breed were allowed a free run to 2ª. Poplilov led the king of clubs to the ace and won Quinn's play of a spade towards the queen to play two more rounds of clubs, Campanile ruffing. From here, it was only a matter of the heart guess for the overtrick after Campanile tried to cash the ace of diamonds. Quinn got the hearts wrong so that was +110.

Hamman overcalled at the other table and that enabled Jackson to compete and push Melech to the three level. Here the lead was a diamond, ruffed, and Melech played a spade to the queen, ducked, and a club for the jack and queen. She too got the hearts wrong and was down one for -100 and 5 IMPs to USA2.

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

West	North	East	South
Poplilov	Breed	Campanile	Quinn
Pass	1ª	2ª	3©
5©	Pass	Pass	5ª
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Jackson	Naveh	Hamman	Melech
Pass	1§	1©	1ª
2©	3ª	4¨	4ª
5©	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

Breed's 1ª opening worked out better than Naveh's 1§. Campanile showed hearts and another and Quinn a constructive or better spade raise. When Breed was not doubling Poplilov's pre-emptive heart jump, it was clear for Quinn to go on 5ª. Campanile cashed the ace of hearts then switched to a trump, so that was +680 to USA2.

At the other table, the slower start to the auction meant that North and South had both done all their bidding by the time that Jackson competed to 5©. Melech could not know of the ten-card fit, though she had some idea of the double fit. Still, 5© rated to go down while 5ª was by no means assured of success, and she settled for taking the money - alas for her, only 100 on this occasion; 11 IMPs to USA2.

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	ª 9 8 5 4 3 © J 8 4 2 ¨ 10 6 2 § 7
ª - © A K 6 ¨ A Q J 8 7 § K Q 10 5 2		ª A Q J 7 6 © 10 5 ¨ K 4 § A J 6 4
	ª K 10 2 © Q 9 7 3 ¨ 9 5 3 § 9 8 3

West	North	East	South
Poplilov	Breed	Campanile	Quinn
		1ª	Pass
2¨	Pass	3§	Pass
4§	Pass	4ª	Pass
7§	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Jackson	Naveh	Hamman	Melech
		1ª	Pass
2¨	Pass	2ª	Pass
3§	Pass	3©	Pass
4©	Pass	4NT	Pass
6§	All Pass

The American auction simply did not get the job done and with thirteen tricks available in any of three denominations they languished in 6§ for +940. Once Campanile had rebid 3§, Israel were always going to reach the grand slam; +1440 and 11 IMPs to Israel.

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

West	North	East	South
Poplilov	Breed	Campanile	Quinn
1NT	Pass	2¨	2ª
Pass	2NT	Pass	3¨
Pass	3ª	Pass	3NT
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Jackson	Naveh	Hamman	Melech
Pass	Pass	Pass	1ª
Pass	1NT	Pass	2¨
Pass	2NT	All Pass

In 2NT, the lead was a heart to the queen and Naveh's ace. She passed the ten of spades to the king and back came a club, on which she played the king. Naveh eventually emerged with ten tricks for +180.

Poplilov's weak no trump created a different scenario in the other room and Breed found herself in game when the partners' respective ranges were difficult to sort out. Still, 3NT could easily be let through so this was an important deal. Campanile rose to the occasion, leading the queen of diamonds through dummy's second suit. Breed ducked but won the second diamond and played a third round. Poplilov won and underled the ace of clubs to Breed's king. After some thought, Breed ran the ten of spades and Poplilov quickly won and cashed out for one off; -100 and 7 IMPs to Israel - enough to win the match by 32-31 IMPs, a 15-15 VP draw. That result was better for USA2 than for Israel but both teams were still alive in the hunt for a top eight place.