Brazil  v   sweden    -    BB Round 4

by Brent Manley

Entering the second day of play in the Bermuda Bowl on Monday, Brazil and Sweden were both in need of a lift. The Swedes stood 19th out of 22 teams, and Brazil was not much better – tied for 17th. Each team was hoping to start a winning run to get back into the qualifying picture.

The South Americans were the ones whose wishes were granted as they fashioned a 48-18 win. The first misstep occurred early in the match.

Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	♠ 6 3 ♥ Q 2 ♦ A 10 9 3 ♣ A Q 9 4 2
♠ K 7 5 ♥ 10 7 4 ♦ K 4 ♣ K 10 8 7 6		♠ J 2 ♥ K J 9 6 3 ♦ Q J 8 5 2 ♣ 5
	♠ A Q 10 9 8 4 ♥ A 8 5 ♦ 7 6 ♣ J 3

West	North	East	South
Bertheau	Chagas	Nystrom	Villas Boas
			1♠
Pass	1NT	Pass	2♠
Pass	3♠	All Pass

Peter Bertheau started with the ♦K, ducked by Miguel Villas Boas. He won the diamond continuation with the ace, then played a spade to the queen and king. Declarer played the ♥Q on the low heart return, ducking when Fredrik Nystrom produced the king. The ♦J was ruffed with the ♠8. Declarer then played the ♣J, ducked all around. Villas Boas could have simply pulled trumps and taken another club finesse, but he ran the rest of his trumps, catching the opponents in a double squeeze. Bertheau had to release his heart guard in the end to keep from baring the ♣K, allowing Villas Boas to discard the ♣Q. When he played his last club to the ace, East had to find a discard from the ♦Q and the ♥J 9. That was a nice plus 170, but still potentially a loss because of the missed game.

West	North	East	South
Figueiredo	Efraimsson	Brenner	Morath
			1♠
Pass	2♣	Pass	2♠
Pass	4♠	All Pass

Mauricio Figueiredo started with a low heart: queen, king, 5. Diego Brenner continued with a low diamond to the king and ace. A heart to the ace was followed by a heart ruff, and dummy’s last spade went to the queen and king. Figueiredo continued with the ♦4 to the 3, jack and 7, and when Brenner played a third round of diamonds, Anders Morath discarded the ♣3, perhaps believing that West still had a low diamond and that East had underled the queen. The diamond ruff was the fourth trick for the defense, so instead of gaining 6 IMPs, the Swedes lost the same number.

Board 8. Dealer West. None Vul.
	♠ 6 5 4 3 ♥ J 10 9 ♦ 10 7 3 ♣ 5 4 3
♠ 2 ♥ A K 8 4 ♦ K 8 4 2 ♣ A J 6 2		♠ K 10 8 7 ♥ Q 7 6 5 ♦ A Q ♣ K 9 8
	♠ A Q J 9 ♥ 3 2 ♦ J 9 6 5 ♣ Q 10 7

West	North	East	South
Bertheau	Chagas	Nystrom	Villas Boas
1♦	Pass	1♥	1♠
2♣	Pass	2♦	Pass
3♣	Pass	4♦	Pass
4♥	All Pass

The 1♠ overcall by Villas Boas served to slow down Bertheau and Nystrom, and the fact that Bertheau’s opener was limited (they play a strong 1♣ system) also kept the Swedes from going past game. Nystrom made an overtrick for plus 650.

West	North	East	South
Figueiredo	Efraimsson	Brenner	Morath
1♦	Pass	1♥	Pass
3♥	Pass	3♠	Pass
4♣	Pass	4♦	Pass
4NT	Pass	5♦	Pass
6♥	All Pass

Morath started with a trump, taken in dummy with the ace. A spade went to the king and ace, and another trump was returned. Diego Brenner won the second heart in dummy with the king, played a diamond to his ace and followed with a spade ruff. Another diamond went to East’s queen, and a third spade was ruffed. When Brenner played a club to his king and followed with the ♥Q, Morath could see that pitching a minor was fatal, so he let go of the ♠Q, hoping partner had the 10. Brenner held that card, however, and he was able to claim plus 980 and an 11-IMP swing to Brazil.

Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.
	♠ A 10 ♥ J 9 3 2 ♦ 10 9 ♣ K 9 8 3 2
♠ K Q J 5 2 ♥ K Q 4 ♦ J 5 ♣ 10 6 4		♠ 8 7 6 4 3 ♥ 7 6 5 ♦ K 8 ♣ A J 7
	♠ 9 ♥ A 10 8 ♦ A Q 7 6 4 3 2 ♣ Q 5

West	North	East	South
Bertheau	Chagas	Nystrom	Villas-Boas
		Pass	1♦
1♠	Dble	2♥	3♦
Pass	3NT	All Pass

Nystrom’s 2♥ showed a “good” spade raise. That didn’t deter Gabriel Chagas, who took his best shot at the vulnerable notrump game. With the ♦K onside and the suit 2-2, Chagas had an easy nine tricks

West	North	East	South
Figueiredo	Efraimsson	Brenner	Morath
		Pass	1♦
1♠	Dble	4♠	5♦
All Pass

The Swedes did not have a shot at 3NT in the closed room because Brenner simply raised his partner to game with his five-card trump support. Morath could have doubled for a plus (most likely 500), but he tried 5♦. It did not strain the defenders to come up with three tricks, however, and the contract was one down. That was 12 IMPs to Brazil.

Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
	♠ 9 2 ♥ Q 6 4 ♦ Q 9 8 ♣ J 7 6 5 3
♠ K 4 3 ♥ K J 9 8 3 ♦ 7 4 3 ♣ A 4		♠ Q J 10 8 7 6 5 ♥ A 7 5 ♦ A 2 ♣ 10
	♠ A ♥ 10 2 ♦ K J 10 6 5 ♣ K Q 9 8 2

West	North	East	South
Bertheau	Chagas	Nystrom	Villas Boas
	Pass	1♠	2NT
3♦	5♣	5♦	Pass
5♠	All Pass

Undeterred by the diamond cuebid, Villas Boas started with the ♦J. Nystrom won with the ace and put the ♠J on the table. Villas Boas won perforce and continued with the ♦K, then the deceptive ♣Q. Nystrom took the ♣A, ruffed a club, played a spade to dummy’s king and ruffed a diamond. He then cashed two more trumps. The key to making the contract obviously was figuring out how to play hearts for no losers, if indeed it was possible.

West	North	East	South
Figueiredo	Efraimsson	Brenner	Morath
	Pass	1♠	2NT
3♦	5♣	5♠	All Pass

Morath started with the ♣K, and play followed a line similar to that in the open room (Morath played the ♦10 when in with the ♠A). At the critical point, however, when declarer played a low heart from hand, Morath produced the ♥10, brilliantly promoting the possibility that he started with the ♥Q 10 doubleton. Indeed, declarer fell for it, winning with the ♥K in dummy and playing the jack to his ace. When the queen didn’t fall, it was one down and 13 IMPs to Sweden, a bright spot in an otherwise dismal set.