senior bowl final session 2

USA 2 v Indonesia

by Brian Senior

After 16 deals of the Senior Bowl final, USA 2 led Indonesia by 43-40 IMPs. Set Two hardly changed anything, the Americans taking it by 31-29 to extend their lead to 74-69 with 64 deals still to play.

Board 21. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
	♠ 8 4 3 2 ♥ K Q 7 6 5 4 ♦ 6 ♣ J 6
♠ K 10 ♥ 9 8 3 ♦ 10 7 5 3 2 ♣ A 10 4		♠ 9 7 5 ♥ J ♦ A J 9 8 4 ♣ Q 9 7 3
	♠ A Q J 6 ♥ A 10 2 ♦ K Q ♣ K 8 5 2

West	North	East	South
Stansby	Lasut	Bramley	Manoppo
	Pass	Pass	1♣
Pass	1♦	Pass	1NT
Pass	2♦	Dble	2♥
3♦	4♥	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Sacul	Meltzer	Sawiruddin	Baze
	2♥	Pass	4♥
All Pass

Rose Meltzer opened 2♥ and was raised to game by Grant Baze, giving the defence a blind lead. Munawar Sawiruddin led the seven of clubs, third and fifth, and this ran to Meltzer’s jack. Meltzer played ♥K, a heart to the ten, then the ♥A, followed by a low club off the table, losing to Denny Sacul’s ten. Sacul played a diamond to Sawiruddin’s ace and a spade came back, the queen losing to the king. That was all for the defence, +620.

Board 22. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
	♠ A K 10 8 7 3 ♥ 8 3 ♦ A 4 2 ♣ A 3
♠ 4 ♥ J 7 ♦ K Q J 10 9 ♣ K Q 10 4 2		♠ Q 6 2 ♥ K Q 10 9 4 2 ♦ 8 6 5 ♣ 8
	♠ J 9 5 ♥ A 6 5 ♦ 7 3 ♣ J 9 7 6 5

West	North	East	South
Stansby	Lasut	Bramley	Manoppo
		2♥	Pass
3♥	3♠	Pass	4♠
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Sacul	Meltzer	Sawiruddin	Baze
		2♥	Pass
3♥	4♠	All Pass

Both Easts opened 2♥ and both Wests raised pre-emptively to 3♥. Now Lasut contented himself with a 3♠ overcall, raised to 4♠ by Manoppo, while Meltzer jumped to 4♠.

Bramley led the king of hearts against Lasut, who won and played a spade to the ace followed by ace and another diamond. Stansby won the second diamond and played back the jack of hearts, which Bramley overtook to play another heart, ruffed by Lasut, who ruffed his diamond loser with the jack and led the ♠9. When Stansby showed out he conceded one off; –50.

Sawiruddin led his singleton club, the eight being covered by the nine, ten and ace. Meltzer cashed the top spades, then played her remaining club to the five and queen. Sacul returned the ♦Q, ducked, followed by the ♦J to declarer’s ace. Meltzer ruffed her remaining diamond and led the ♣7, ruffing out the king. The ace of hearts was an entry to the club winners, so Meltzer had no heart loser; ten tricks for +420 and 10 IMPs.

Board 23. Dealer South. All Vul.
	♠ A 8 5 3 ♥ 10 8 7 6 4 ♦ 3 2 ♣ J 10
♠ Q J 10 4 2 ♥ A 9 5 3 ♦ J ♣ K 9 5		♠ 9 ♥ Q J 2 ♦ A Q 10 7 5 4 ♣ A 8 4
	♠ K 7 6 ♥ K ♦ K 9 8 6 ♣ Q 7 6 3 2

West	North	East	South
Stansby	Lasut	Bramley	Manoppo
			Pass
Pass	Pass	1♦	Pass
1♠	Pass	2♦	Pass
2NT	Pass	3NT	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Sacul	Meltzer	Sawiruddin	Baze
			Pass
Pass	Pass	1♦	Pass
1♠	Pass	2♦	Pass
2♥	Pass	3♦	All Pass

When East bid and rebid his long diamonds, Stansby continued with 2NT, raised to game, while Sacul preferred to bid 2♥, checking for a major-suit fit, and passed when Sawiruddin bid the diamonds for a third time.

Baze led the king of hearts against 3♦. Sawiruddin took the ace and led the jack of diamonds, playing low from hand. Baze ducked, so Sawiruddin led a low spade off the table, Meltzer going in with the ace and switching to the jack of clubs. Sawiruddin won in hand to play ace then queen of diamonds. Baze won with the king and played back a low club to dummy’s king. Sawiruddin ruffed a spade, drew the last trump and cashed his red winners; ten tricks for +130.

The stakes were considerably higher at the other table, where Lasut led the jack of clubs against 3NT. Stansby ducked, then won the continuation in hand and led the jack of diamonds, overtaking with the queen and losing to the king. Manoppo cleared the clubs and Stansby cashed two top diamonds, then played the queen of hearts to the king and ace. A heart back to the jack was followed by the nine of spades, but the defence had the rest; down three for –300 and 10 IMPs to Indonesia.

Board 24. Dealer West. None Vul.
	♠ ♥ J 6 5 4 3 ♦ K Q 10 9 4 ♣ 7 6 3
♠ A Q J 10 7 6 3 2 ♥ 10 2 ♦ 8 6 ♣ 2		♠ 9 8 5 4 ♥ A Q 8 ♦ A ♣ K J 10 9 5
	♠ K ♥ K 9 7 ♦ J 7 5 3 2 ♣ A Q 8 4

West	North	East	South
Stansby	Lasut	Bramley	Manoppo
4♠	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Sacul	Meltzer	Sawiruddin	Baze
4♠	All Pass

Both Wests opened 4♠. Grant Baze passed the South hand, while Manoppo scraped up a double, ending the auction. They play double as take-out up to 4♥, so this one should have been at least suggestive of a penalty, making it still more aggressive.

Board 31. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	♠ ♥ Q J 9 ♦ K Q 8 5 2 ♣ A Q J 10 9
♠ 6 4 ♥ A 7 5 2 ♦ 6 4 3 ♣ K 8 6 3		♠ Q J 7 ♥ K 10 6 3 ♦ A 10 7 ♣ 7 4 2
	♠ A K 10 9 8 5 3 2 ♥ 8 4 ♦ J 9 ♣ 5

West	North	East	South
Stansby	Lasut	Bramley	Manoppo
			4♠
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Sacul	Meltzer	Sawiruddin	Baze
			3♠
All Pass

Baze opened 3♠, while Manoppo gave full value to the eighth spade and opened a level higher, both ending the auction.

Sacul led the six of clubs against 3♠. Baze rose with the ace of clubs and returned the ♣Q, throwing a heart from hand. Sacul won with the king and played two rounds of hearts. Baze ruffed the second heart and cashed the top spades, making nine tricks for +140.

Stansby also led a club and Manoppo called for dummy’s nine. When that held the trick, Manoppo cashed the ace of clubs, throwing a heart loser from hand. He ruffed a club and cashed the top spades, so had ten tricks for +620 and 10 IMPs to Indonesia, almost flattening the set.

It looked as though this match between two well-matched teams would go down to the wire.