Bridge is a Game
of Two Halfs
Everyone knows that soccer is a game of two halfs, but the same
is equally true of bridge. Having missed the first six deals of
the match between Poland and Brazil, when little of significance
happened, we wandered into the VuGraph just in time to catch the
tail end of the seventh deal.
Dealer South. East/West Vul
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|
ª A K Q 9 7 5 2
© K 9 7
¨ 9
§ 5 2 |
ª -
© A Q 10 8 4 3
¨ Q 8 3
§ K Q 9 6 |
|
ª J 10 6 4 3
© 5 2
¨ 10 6 4
§ J 7 4 |
|
ª 8
© J 6
¨ A K J 7 5 2
§ A 10 8 3 |
According to the screen, Brazil had gone three down in Four Spades
in the Closed Room. Declarer must have won the club lead, got the
bad news about trumps and taken a first round diamond finesse.
In the replay, the Poles bid all the way to Six Spades and escaped
for the same three down and another dull flat board. Resisting the
temptation to go for a coffee we waited for the next deal:
Dealer West. All Vul
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ª A J 10 6
© Q 5 2
¨ A Q 9
§ Q 6 3 |
ª 9 8
© K J 10 9 3
¨ K J 4
§ 9 8 2 |
|
ª K 7 5 4
© A 8
¨ 7 6 3
§ J 10 7 5 |
|
ª Q 3 2
© 7 6 4
¨ 10 8 5 2
§ A K 4 |
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Balicki |
Chagas |
Zmudzinski |
Brenner |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2§* |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
2NT |
All Pass |
|
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|
Chagas had no reason to accept his partner's invitation. Under
no real pressure he made eight tricks, +120.
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Figueredo |
Pszczola |
Campos |
Kwiecen |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
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The stakes were higher here. East led the four of spades and declarer
let it run to his jack. A club to the king was followed by the ten
of diamonds, coverd by the king and ace. When declarer played the
six of spades East put up the king and switched to the ace of hearts
and a heart. That simply speeded things up and Poland had 11 IMPs.
Dealer North. North/South Vul
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|
ª K
© Q 10 9 7
¨ K 6 5 4
§ K 8 7 3 |
ª A J 8 6 4
© J 6
¨ Q J 3 2
§ J 2 |
|
ª 3
© 8 4 3 2
¨ 10 9 8 7
§ A Q 10 9 |
|
ª Q 10 9 7 5 2
© A K 5
¨ A
§ 6 5 4 |
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Balicki |
Chagas |
Zmudzinski |
Brenner |
|
Pass |
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3© |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
Four Spades was doomed from the start by the bad trump break and
declarer finished no less than four down. Given the nature of the
auction might West not have ventured a double?
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Figueredo |
Pszczola |
Campos |
Kwiecen |
|
Pass |
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3¨* |
Pass |
3ª |
All Pass |
|
Three Diamonds was alerted as showing a singleton or void diamond,
which did not improve North's hand. A slightly inaccurate defence
allowed declarer to escape for only one down so Poland had another
7 IMPs.
Dealer East. East/West Vul
|
|
ª A Q 9
© K Q J 6
¨ Q 8 5
§ Q 9 7 |
ª K 8 2
© 9 7 5 4
¨ K J 10 3 2
§ A |
|
ª J 10 6 4
© A 8
¨ 9 7 6
§ J 8 5 4 |
|
ª 7 5 3
© 10 3 2
¨ A 4
§ K 10 6 3 2 |
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Balicki |
Chagas |
Zmudzinski |
Brenner |
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
1¨ |
1NT |
All Pass |
|
Should South invite with a reasonable five card suit and a couple
of decent high cards? Brenner did not think so, and with eight tricks
being the limit on a diamond lead, it appeared he had made the winning
decision.
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Figueredo |
Pszczola |
Campos |
Kwiecen |
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
1¨ |
Dble |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3§ |
Pass |
3NT |
Dble |
All Pass |
An overcall of 1NT would have been conventional, so North had to
start with a double. When South invited, North accepted and East
doubled. That was a good idea, but West read something into it and
led a heart, which was not. Declarer was allowed to win the first
trick in dummy, and ran the nine of clubs. When West had to win
with the ace the result was not in doubt and Poland had another
11 IMPs.
Dealer South. All Vul
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|
ª A 9 4
© 10 7 6
¨ A 8 6 2
§ K Q 4 |
ª 8 2
© 8 5
¨ K J 10
§ A J 10 9 8 7 |
|
ª Q J 10 7 6
© K J 3 2
¨ 7 5
§ 6 5 |
|
ª K 5 3
© A Q 9 4
¨ Q 9 4 3
§ 3 2 |
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Balicki |
Chagas |
Zmudzinski |
Brenner |
|
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
1¨ |
1ª |
Dble |
2§ |
Pass |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
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Three No-Trumps is the obvious resting place for North/South, and
it did not take long for Brazil to get there. East led the five
of clubs and declarer was allowed to win with the king. He cashed
the ace of diamonds and played a diamond to the queen and king.
West played back the jack of clubs and declarer played low! Now
West cashed his clubs for three down, -300.
Even if declarer had put up the queen of clubs he would not have
made the contract, as the winning line involves making four heart
tricks, and the play in diamonds had already left declarer a vital
entry short.
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Figueredo |
Pszczola |
Campos |
Kwiecen |
|
|
|
Pass |
3§ |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
All Pass |
|
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Perhaps West had the previous board on his mind when he ventured
Three Clubs. With perfect defence the defenders can inflict an 1100
penalty, but the +800 they achieved was enough for 15 IMPs.
Dealer West. None Vul
|
|
ª K 10 8 3
© 4
¨ K 10 9 6 3 2
§ 8 3 |
ª A 4 2
© J 9 6 2
¨ A Q 4
§ A J 5 |
|
ª J 6 5
© K 5 3
¨ J 7 5
§ K Q 6 2 |
|
ª Q 9 7
© A Q 10 8 7
¨ 8
§ 10 9 7 4 |
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Balicki |
Chagas |
Zmudzinski |
Brenner |
1NT |
2¨ |
3NT |
All Pass |
North led the ten of diamonds and declarer won with the queen and
played a heart to the king and ace. South switched to a spade and
declarer had no way to arrive at more than eight tricks.
After the diamond lead there is a double dummy route to nine tricks.
Declarer must play to eliminate the black suits. In the fullness
of time he will finish in dummy and play a heart towards the ©J962,
ensuring two heart tricks. Clearly impossible to find after North's
overcall.
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Figueredo |
Pszczola |
Campos |
Kwiecen |
1NT |
2¨* |
3NT |
Dble |
All Pass |
|
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The overcall also promised a major, and the double asked North
to lead it. Declarwer elected to take the second spade and played
a low diamond toward the jack. North put up the king, cashed his
spades and played a heart. -300 and another 6 IMPs for Poland.
Over the last five boards, Poland had blitzed
Brazil 50-0 IMPs!
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