| 38th World Team Championships | Page 6 | Bulletin 4 - Wendnesday 3 October 2007 |
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England v usa2 - Vc Round 7 by Brian Senior
Going into the third day’s play, both England and USA 2 were going strong near the top of the Venice Cup qualifying rankings and would be looking to consolidate their positions. The session proved to be a relatively quiet affair with few significant swings, though this was not always the case in other matches.
Cheri Bjerkan opened 1♣, potentially a three-card suit, and Kerri Sanborn made a negative double of Nicola Smith’s pre-emptive overcall. Now I can sympathise with Heather Dhondy’s not raising to 5♦ immediately, as once in a while opener will have a weak no trump with no four-card major and be about to pass 4♦ doubled, but when 4♠ came around she should surely have saved at this vulnerability. Smith took the 1♣ opening sufficiently seriously that she led her doubleton heart rather than the singleton club, and that went to declarer’s ace. Bjerkan led a spade to the king and ace. Dhondy played the king of diamonds which Smith overtook to lead her remaining heart as it was possible that Dhondy had the queen-ten. It didn’t matter, of course. Bjerkan won, drew trumps and eventually conceded a club; +620. At the other table, Michelle Brunner opened a weak no trump and that too attracted a 4♦ overcall. Goldenfield doubled that and Brunner passed it out. I don’t know whether the double was penalty or take-out. In my opinion, if it was penalty then 4♠ might have been a better choice; if take-out, then it should have been taken out (with which the late Edgar Kaplan would no doubt have heartily agreed). The penalty was, of course, totally inadequate compensation for the cold vulnerable game. Rhona Goldenfield led the six of spades. Sue Picus won with dummy’s ace, Brunner playing an encouraging ten. With the queen of clubs. Brunner took the ace, cashed the ace of hearts and queen of spades, then played a second heart; down one for -100 but 11 IMPs to USA2.
Bjerkan opened 3♥ and Smith made the obvious 3♠ overcall, ending the auction. Sanborn led her heart, won by the queen. Bjerkan switched to her singleton club. Smith rose with the ace and played ace and another spade to the king. Sanborn was endplayed and exited with a low club to dummy’s ten. Smith cashed the king of clubs, then played the king of diamonds to the ace, Bjerkan dropping the queen. A diamond to the ten now allowed Bjerkan to cash the ace of hearts, the setting trick; -100. Brunner decided that she was too good for a favourable vulnerability 3♥ opening, so tried 1♥ instead. Fair enough, but maybe when partner bids 2♦ it is necessary to rebid 3♥ despite the low point-count, because the hand has been improved by the diamond bid? The play in 2♠ began as we have already seen but, after winning the second club in dummy, Picus tried the ♥6 off the table. Brunner went in with the ace and led a diamond through; eight tricks for +110 and 5 IMPs to USA2.
Both East/West pairs did well to reach the excellent spade slam after North’s heart pre-empt for a flat board at +1430. At the risk of becoming permanently persona non grata with the English ladies, however, I do not understand Goldenfield’s pass over 3♥ doubled. That allowed Shawn Quinn to follow a nice auction with the West cards, while the simple and, to me, automatic raise to 4♥ made life much more difficult for Dhondy, and Smith did well to go on to 6♠ with her close to minimum double. In my experience, telling good opposition that you have a fit for partner does not help them nearly so much as leaving them extra bidding space. With three deals to play USA2 had held their opponents to just 5 IMPs, and led by 21-5, but now came a big swing to the English.
Dhnondy could bid a four-card spade suit so did so, and now Bjerkan’s 2♠ cuebid allowed Smith to show her heart shortage and spade support. Sanborn in turn cuebid 5♦, but neither of these actions did much to excite their respective partners and the bidding died in 5♥. Quinn had to start with a double on the West hand and Brunner simply leaped to 4♥ to put pressure on her opponents. When Picus could bid 4♠, Goldenfield went on to 5♥ because of her substantial extra playing strength, and Brunner guessed that her two aces plus great trump length would be what was required for slam. Of course, slam is a very lucky make, needing the club king to fall, but we are allowed to get lucky once in a while. It was +480 to Sanborn but +1210 to Goldenfield, and that meant 12 IMPs to England. A smaller swing to each team on the last two deals saw USA2 take a narrow win by 26-19 IMPs, 16-14 VPs. Incidentally, you might think that anyone who reached 6♥ on that last deal got lucky, but it is not impossible to go down in 6♥. Firstly, what would you consider to be your best shot should West choose to lead the jack of clubs against the slam? Might you think of running it? And then we heard of one former world champion, who shall remain anonymous (as long as the cheques keep arriving), who received the lead of ace and another spade. He thought that his best chance to make the contract was what is known in England as a Chinese finesse - leading the queen of clubs in the hope that West would not cover. Ouch! |
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