bermuda bowl final - session 7

Norway v USA 1

by Brent Manley

With two sets to play in the Bermuda Bowl, USA 1 was staring at a deficit of more than 80 IMPs and were in need of some momentum if they were going to overtake their Norwegian opponents to win the Bermuda Bowl.

The Americans got just what they wanted on the first board.

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	♠ K J 8 5 ♥ J ♦ Q 5 ♣ A 9 7 5 3 2
♠ 9 ♥ K 10 9 6 4 ♦ 10 9 8 6 4 ♣ 10 4		♠ Q 7 6 3 ♥ A 7 3 ♦ 7 3 2 ♣ K Q J
	♠ A 10 4 2 ♥ Q 8 5 2 ♦ A K J ♣ 8 6

West	North	East	South
Helgemo	Garner	Helness	Weinstein
	1♣	Dble	Rdbl
3♥	Pass	Pass	Dble
Pass	3♠	Pass	4♠
All Pass

Tor Helness led the ♣K to start, ducked by Steve Garner. Helness switched to a low diamond, and Garner won in dummy, cashing two more diamonds to discard his singleton heart. Next he played dummy’s other club, which went to the 10 and jack. Helness played the ♥7, ducked in dummy and ruffed by Garner. At this table, declarer had the advantage of the information provided by Helness’s takeout double and Helgemo’s jump in hearts. Garner cashed the ♠K then ruffed a club low, establishing the suit. He ruffed a heart to hand and played a winning club through Helness, who could ruff but was helpless to prevent an overtrick. That was plus 450 to USA 1.

West	North	East	South
Zia	Tundal	Rosenberg	Groetheim
	2♣	Pass	2♦
Pass	2♠	Pass	4♠
All Pass

Ulf Tundal’s 2♣ was natural, and when Glenn Groetheim asked for more information with his 2♦ bid, he discovered the spade fit and bid the game. Michael Rosenberg started with a low diamond, and Tundal played three rounds of the suit to discard his heart loser. He then played a club to the ace and a club to Rosenberg’s queen. He ruffed the heart return and played a third club from hand, ruffing with dummy’s ♠10. If the play record is accurate, Zia Mahmood underruffed this trick with the ♠9. Tundal lost his way from there, cashing dummy’s ♠A, ending his chances of making the contract. That was minus 50 and 11 IMPs to USA 1.

The Americans lost 7 of those IMPs back on the next deal as Howard Weinstein made a pushy game try and ended up minus 200 against accurate defense by Helgemo and Helness while Zia and Rosenberg were minus 100 at the other table.

More IMPs went to Norway on this deal.

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

West	North	East	South
Helgemo	Garner	Helness	Weinstein
1♦	1♠	2♥	2♠
Pass	Pass	3♣	All Pass

Helgemo’s decision to pass in what appeared to be a forcing auction earned another swing for his side. Helness had to lose one heart, one spade and one club, but he finished with plus 130.

West	North	East	South
Zia	Tundal	Rosenberg	Groetheim
1♦	1♠	2♥	2♠
3♦	Pass	4♣	Pass
4♥	All Pass

There was no hope for this contract with the hearts breaking as they did. Minus 100 meant 6 more IMPs to Norway.

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

West	North	East	South
Helgemo	Garner	Helness	Weinstein
			1♦
Pass	1♠	Pass	2♣
Pass	2♥*	Pass	3♥
Pass	3♠	Pass	3NT
Pass	4♣	Pass	4♦
Pass	6♣	All Pass

Garner and Weinstein seem to have gotten lost in the auction, and the good grand slam was missed.

West	North	East	South
Zia	Tundal	Rosenberg	Groetheim
			1♦
Pass	1♥	Pass	2NT*
Pass	3♣	Pass	3♥*
Pass	4♣*	Pass	4♥
Pass	4♠	Pass	4NT
Pass	7♣	All Pass

Groetheim’s 1♦ opener was limited in the context of their Viking Club system, and South’s rebid of 2NT showed a maximum with four hearts. 3♣ relayed for more information, and 3♥ showed 1-4-4-4 shape. 4♣ was a natural slam try, and 4♥ showed five controls (A=2, K=1). There was no stopping them from there – another 13 IMPs to Norway.

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	♠ 9 7 5 4 ♥ 7 5 4 3 ♦ 10 8 3 ♣ A 8
♠ A K Q 6 ♥ A 10 8 ♦ K 9 7 5 ♣ K 7		♠ J 10 8 3 ♥ Q 2 ♦ 4 ♣ 10 9 6 4 3 2
	♠ 2 ♥ K J 9 6 ♦ A Q J 6 2 ♣ Q J 5

West	North	East	South
Helgemo	Garner	Helness	Weinstein
1♦	Pass	1♠	Pass
4♠	All Pass

Weinstein’s opening lead was the sneaky ♦Q. Helness studied the card suspiciously before ducking. Weinstein switched to the ♣Q at trick two. Helness covered, Garner won with the ace and could have assured the defeat of the contract with a heart switch, but that play was not at all clear. On the return of the ♣8, Weinstein took the ♣9 with the jack and could have defeated the contract by playing the ♦A (declarer must ruff in hand, meaning he cannot pull trumps and cash the good clubs). After some thought, however, Weinstein played a third club. Helness ruffed high in dummy, then pulled trumps, ending in hand, and ran his good clubs, squeezing South in diamonds and hearts for plus 420.

West	North	East	South
Zia	Tundal	Rosenberg	Groetheim
2NT	Pass	3♣	Pass
3♦	Pass	3NT	All Pass

The system notes say that Zia and Rosenberg play regular Stayman over 2NT openers, so Zia’s decision to deny holding a major can be interpreted only as Zia’s trying to create a swing. It worked, but not as he had hoped. 3NT was a truly miserable contract. Tundal led a spade to Zia’s queen. He played the ♣K next, taken by Tundal with the ace. A low heart went to the 2, jack and 8. Groetheim played the ♦Q, ducked, then another diamond went to the 7 and 8, and the ♦10 was returned to Zia’s king. Zia then cashed his spades, ending in dummy, forcing Groetheim to discard his ♦A. On the play of the ♥Q, Groetheim covered, and Zia was able to claim one down with the ♥10 and ♦9. Still, it was another 10 IMPs to Norway, who ended the set ahead in comfortable position for a world championship.