POLAND v USA 1
Double Vision
- by Ron Klinger
There were three large swings for each side in the clash between two of the favoured teams. The ones to Poland were a little larger and they had slightly the better of the lesser swings to win 52-43 or 17-13 in VPs. The biggest swing of the set came on Board 3, a double doubled game swing with a doubled overtrick in each case:
| Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul. |
| | ♠ A 7 6
♥ 10 8 3
♦ K J 4 3 2
♣ J 7 |
♠ Q J 10 8 5 3 2
♥ 6
♦ 7 6
♣ A 10 8 |  |
♠ K 9 4
♥ Q J 5 4
♦ A Q 10 8 5
♣ 9 | | | ♠ –
♥ A K 9 7 2
♦ 9
♣ K Q 6 5 4 3 2 |
Datum: N/S 80
| West | North | East | South
|
| Kranyak | Araszkiew | Grue | Buras
|
| | | | 1♥
|
| 2♠ | 3♥ | 4♠ | 5♣
|
| Pass | 5♥ | Dble | All pass
|
The ♠Q lead was taken by the ace, South pitching the ♦9. Next came the ♥10: jack – ace – six. When South continued with the ♣6, West needed to rise with the ♣A. When he followed low, the ♣J won and the declarer could pick up East's trumps and make a doubled overtrick, conceding just the ♣A for +750. At the other table:
| West | North | East | South
|
| Kotorowicz | Hurd | Kalita | Wooldridge
|
| | | | 1♥
|
| 2♠ | Pass | 3♠ | 4♥
|
| Pass | Pass | 4♠ | Pass
|
| Pass | Dble | All Pass
| |
The ♥3 was led and declarer could now ruff the two club losers in dummy. With the ♦K onside, he lost just one spade and one heart for +990 and +17 IMPs.
USA1 struck back on the next board:
| Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul. |
| | ♠ Q 10 6 4 3
♥ 8 7
♦ 9
♣ K J 10 5 4 |
♠ 9 5 2
♥ Q 10 3
♦ J 4 3 2
♣ A 8 7 | |
♠ A K J 7
♥ A 9
♦ A 6 5
♣ Q 6 3 2 | | | ♠ 8
♥ K J 6 5 4 2
♦ K Q 10 8 7
♣ 9 |
Datum: E/W 100
At both tables North opened with a two-suited 2♠ opening and East overcalled 2NT. Kranyak (USA1) bravely raised to 3NT, while Kotorowicz passed.
Against Grue, Buras led the ♦K, taken by the ace. East cashed the ♠A to remove South's sole spade and continued with a diamond. South won with the ♦Q and played the ♦10, taken by the jack. Declarer was in complete control. He led the ♠9, ten, jack, and came home with three spade tricks and two tricks in each of the other suits for +600. At the other table the lead was the ♠8. Whether declarer made eight or nine tricks was academic. In fact he scored +120 for the same 10 Imps to USA1.
Two boards later USA1 collected another double figure swing:
| Board 6. Dealer East. :E/W Vul. |
| | ♠ A 7 6
♥ K J 8 5
♦ Q 8 5
♣ 10 6 3 |
♠ K J 10 9 5
♥ 4 2
♦ A 10 6
♣ 5 4 2 | |
♠ 8 4 3 2
♥ A 7
♦ K 7
♣ K Q J 9 7 | | | ♠ Q
♥ Q 10 9 6 3
♦ J 9 4 3 2
♣ A 8 |
| est | North | East | South
|
| Kranyak | Araszkiew | Grue | Buras
|
| | | 1NT | 2♥
|
| 2♠ | 3♥ | 3♠ | Pass
|
| 4♠ | All Pass
| | |
North led a heart and Kranyak thought for an eternity about how to play the trumps before playing the ♥A from dummy. Since it pays to conserve your energy, you might as well play the ♥A at once and then a low spade. If South follows low, you can stew if you wish, but sometimes, as here, the problem resolves itself without any anxiety or pressure. Declarer lost a spade, a heart and a club for a comfortable 620. At the other table spades were never mentioned:
| West | North | East | South
|
| Kotorowicz | Hurd | Kalita | Wooldridge
|
| | | 1♣ | 2NT*
|
| Pass | 4♥ | All pass
| |
*Red suits
The ♣K was led and declarer went one down for –50, but +11 IMPs.
Poland picked up 14-3 in dribs and drabs and then came Board 13:
| Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul. |
| | ♠ A 4
♥ Q 10 3 2
♦ A Q J 9
♣ Q 4 2 |
♠ K 9 5 2
♥ A J 8 5
♦ 7 4
♣ A J 6 | |
♠ Q J 10 8 7 6
♥ 9
♦ 3 2
♣ 10 8 5 3 | | | ♠ 3
♥ K 7 6 4
♦ K 10 8 6 5
♣ K 9 7 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Kranyak | Araszkiew | Grue | Buras
|
| | 1NT | 2♠! | 2NT
|
| 4♠ | Pass | Pass | Dble
|
| All Pass
|
East certainly followed the maxim of '6-4, bid more'. South led the ♠3 to the ace and North returned a spade. When the defence never broached clubs, declarer had to lose two clubs as well as two hearts and a spade for –500. At the other table spades were not mentioned (hardly surprising) and East/West picked up a nice reward:
| West | North | East | South
|
| Kotorowicz | Hurd | Kalita | Wooldridge
|
| | 1NT | Pass | 2♣
|
| Pass | 2♥ | Pass | 4♥
|
| All Pass
| | | |
After a routine Stayman auction East led the ♠Q to North's ace. While 4♥ can be made double dummy, the winning line is a not a reasonable one single dummy and declarer finished one down for –100 and 12 IMPs to Poland, now ahead by 43-25.
USA1 reduced the margin by 8 IMPs with two moderate gains and then leveled the score on Board 18:
| Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul. |
| | ♠ J 9
♥ 10 8 7 2
♦ A Q 8 7 6
♣ K 6 |
♠ 7 3 2
♥ A 5
♦ 10 2
♣ A Q J 10 9 2 | |
♠ K 8 6 5
♥ Q 6
♦ K J 9 4
♣ 8 5 4 | | | ♠ A Q 10 4
♥ K J 9 4 3
♦ 5 3
♣ 7 3 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Kranyak | Araszkiew | Grue | Buras
|
| | | 1♦* | 1♥
|
| 2♣ | 3♣ | Pass | 3♥
|
| All Pass
| | | |
*At favourable vulnerability, anything goes
Not only did East's opening salvo keep N/S out of game, it also convinced declarer to play East for ♥A-6 and so make just nine tricks for +140. At the other table:
| West | North | East | South
|
| Kotorowicz | Hurd | Kalita | Wooldridge
|
| | | Pass | Pass
|
| 3♣ | Pass | Pass | Dble
|
| Pass | 3♦ | Pass | 3♥
|
| Pass | 4♥ | All pass
| |
Declarer made ten tricks for +620 and +10 IMPs.
The last swing came on Board 19:
| Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul. |
| | ♠ A K Q 10 4
♥ Q J 6 4
♦ 9 7 6
♣ 10 |
♠ J 9
♥ 9 7 3
♦ A J 3
♣ A K Q J 7 | |
♠ 3
♥ A K 10 5
♦ Q 10 5 2
♣ 9 8 4 2 | | | ♠ 8 7 6 5 2
♥ 8 2
♦ K 8 4
♣ 6 5 3 |
East/West have a moderate 6♣ available, but one table stayed short of game:
| West | North | East | South
|
| Kranyak | Araszkiew | Grue | Buras
|
| | | | Pass
|
| 1NT | Dble | 2♣ | Pass
|
| 2♦ | All Pass
| | |
Some might suggest that the powerful club suit makes the West hand too strong for a 14-16 1NT. After the ♠A lead and ♣10 switch, declarer made nine tricks for +110. At the other table:
| West | North | East | South
|
| Kotorowicz | Hurd | Kalita | Wooldridge
|
| | | | Pass
|
| 1NT | 2♣ | Dble | 4♠
|
| Pass | Pass | Dble | All Pass
|
Declarer lost the obvious six tricks for –500 and 9 IMPs to Poland, the ultimate margin in the match.
|
