North American All Stars Game

The featured match in Round 2 of the IOC Grand Prix for the Generali Trophy was the match between the Women representing USA and Canada. The opening deal saw both teams in a sacrificial mood:

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

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Cartaganis	Kearse	Silverman	Osberg
	1¨	1ª	Pass
2¨*	Dble	2ª	Pass
3ª	4§	4ª	5§
Dble	All Pass

Four Spades is a certainty so it was right for South to press on. East led the king of spades and it did not take declarer wrong to arrive at ten tricks, -200.

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Sanborn	Thorpe	Meyers	Gordon
	1¨	1ª	Pass
2¨*	3§	4ª	5§
5ª	6§	Pass	Pass
Dble	All Pass

The East/West bidding at this table looks more convincing, East taking the view that once West had shown a decent hand with support for spades that she was worth game. That in turn made it easy for West to go on to the five level. Five Spades would not have been defeated, so North was right to go on. However, USA were assured of a swing, and when declarer made a mistake she finished three down, -800 and 12 IMPs away.

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

	Katie Thorpe, Canada

Seventeen points facing eight would normally see an attempt for game being made, but at both tables South opened 1NT and North passed. A reasonable decision? 3-3-3-4 is the worst distribution, but North does have three tens. The main lesson of this hand is for North to know what to do when the opening bid arrives on their side of the screen. A smooth pass might well see East enter the auction to the benefit of North/South.
Game is nothing special, but with West likely to lead a heart and the cards well placed nine or ten tricks are likely. It was Canada who recorded ten to claw back an IMP.

Canada scored rather more heavily on this deal:

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

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Cartaganis	Kearse	Silverman	Osberg
1©	2ª	3©	4ª
5©	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

North's overcall was very timid and came back to haunt her in the play.
North led the king of spades and declarer won with the ace and played a heart to the king and a low club. South went in with the king and placing her partner with a six-card suit for the weak jump overcall played a spade. Curtains, as it was now easy for declarer to establish a club trick for a diamond discard. +850.

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Sanborn	Thorpe	Meyers	Gordon
4§*	Pass	4¨*	Pass
4©	4ª	5©	Pass
5ª	Pass	6©	Dble
All Pass

Four Clubs was Namyats and it a matter of style as to the action North should take. Four Diamonds was a relay and combined with the Five Heart bid was enough to persuade West that East had visions of a slam. The net result was that Canada picked up 16 IMPs.

The match was still in the balance as the last two deal approached.

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

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Cartaganis	Kearse	Silverman	Osberg
			Pass
1ª	Pass	1NT*	Pass
2¨	Pass	2NT	All Pass

Two No-Trumps was an entirely reasonable place to play, but the cards were very well placed for declarer. The opening lead was the queen of clubs, taken by dummy's ace and South, who took the jack of hearts with the ace, played the jack of clubs to East's king.
The nine of diamonds was covered by the king and ace and declarer came to ten tricks for +180.

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Sanborn	Thorpe	Meyers	Gordon
			Pass
1ª	Pass	1NT*	Pass
2¨	Pass	2NT	Pass
3NT	All Pass

The difference here was that West wanted the bonus for game. She was right this time and collected 10 IMPs for her efforts.

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

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Cartaganis	Kearse	Silverman	Osberg
Pass	1NT	Pass	2§*
Pass	2©	Pass	2ª
Pass	3ª	All Pass

West led the ace of diamonds and followed it with a second diamond, declarer winning with the king and discarding a club from hand. A spade to the jack, a club to the ace and a spade saw East go in with the ace. Shortly afterwards declarer claimed ten tricks.

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Sanborn	Thorpe	Meyers	Gordon
Pass	1NT	Pass	2§*
Pass	2©	Pass	2ª*
Pass	3§*	Pass	4ª
All Pass

Two spades was invitational and Three Clubs showed a maximum with a doubleton spade. There were no problems in the play so this time declarer recorded +420 and 6 IMPs.
Canada had won by 7 IMPs, 17-13VP.