CHINA HONG KONG v JAPAN

by Ron Klinger

This was a very tight match with eight push boards. The match began with a weak opening, which kept the opponents out of game.

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

Datum: N/S 440

West	North	East	South
Tanaka	Yiu	Ikemoto	Leung C
2♥(i)	All Pass

(i)Weak, both majors

West	North	East	South
Mak K	Shiga	Ng FY	Yokoi
	Pass	1♦	Pass
1♥	Pass	2♦	Pass
3NT	All Pass

Lead: ♠6
Mak played the ♣2 at trick 2 and Yokoi flew ♣A to play the ♠J, queen, king, ♣4; ten tricks made for +430 and+6 IMPs to China Hong Kong. Then Mak/Ng produced a very fine defence:

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

Datum: N/S +360

West	North	East	South
Mak K	Shiga	Ng FY	Yokoi
		1♠	Pass
2♠	3♥	3♠	4♥
All Pass

Lead: ♠A
If East continues automatically with the ♠K, declarer will make 4♥. He will be able to draw trumps and discard the ♦Q on the fourth round of clubs. On the ♠A Mak signalled with the ♠5, encouraging. Ng continued with the ♠8 to the queen and Mak shifted to the ♦7. Declarer had no option but to finesse the ♦Q and that was one down.

West	North	East	South
Tanaka	Yiu	Ikemoto	Leung C
		1♠	Pass
2♠	All Pass

Lead: ♣A
Clubs were continued and declarer ruffed the third round to draw trumps, cross to the ♥A and lead a diamond. That was nine tricks for +140 and 1 IMP to Japan. After two matching partscore exchanges, Japan suffered a calamity:

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

Datum: N/S +660

West	North	East	South
Mak K	Shiga	Ng FY	Yokoi
		1♣	2♥
3♦	Pass	3NT	Pass
Pass	4♥	Dble	All Pass

Lead: ♣K
Two principles have stood me well in the past: (1) Do not save against 3NT, and (2) Do not save with doubleton support opposite a weak two or a weak jump-overcall. North broke both rules and it cost plenty. West cashed the top clubs and switched to the ♥5: two nine king. Declarer returned a heart to the jack and ace. East switched to the ♦Q, ducked, followed by the ♣A (South pitching ♠7), ♠A and a spade to the king. West played the ♦K, ace, ruffed with the ♥10, and East exited with the ♥4. Declarer still had a diamond to lose for down six; 1400. At the other table East/West had an undisturbed auction to 3NT and made twelve tricks for +690 but 12 IMPs to China Hong Kong. After Japan collected 9 IMPs for defeating vulnerable contracts by two tricks in each room, Mak/Ng bid to a failing slam:

Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
	♠ J ♥ J 8 6 ♦ Q J 10 7 2 ♣ Q 9 7 3
♠ 9 5 ♥ A K 10 4 ♦ A K 9 5 4 3 ♣ 8		♠ A K Q 6 3 2 ♥ Q 7 ♦ ♣ K 6 5 4 2
	♠ 10 8 7 4 ♥ 9 5 3 2 ♦ 8 6 ♣ A J 10

Datum: N/S 200

West	North	East	South
Mak K	Shiga	Ng FY	Yokoi
		1♠	Pass
2♦	Pass	2♠	Pass
3♦	Pass	3♠	Pass
4♥	Pass	4NT	Pass
5♥	Pass	6♠	All Pass

Yokoi led the ♣A and scored a trump trick later for one down.

West	North	East	South
Tanaka	Yiu	Ikemoto	Leung C
		1♠	Pass
2♦	Pass	2♠	Pass
3♥	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Lead: ♣J
Declarer cashed out and had ten tricks when the ♥J dropped. 10 IMPs to Japan. The only other swing of note occurred on the last board:

Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
	♠ A J 10 ♥ 4 2 ♦ 7 6 4 3 ♣ K 10 9 3
♠ K 8 ♥ 10 8 7 ♦ A Q J 10 9 8 ♣ 5 2		♠ 9 7 6 4 3 ♥ K 6 5 3 ♦ 2 ♣ J 6 4
	♠ Q 5 2 ♥ A Q J 9 ♦ K 5 ♣ A Q 8 7

Datum: N/S +450

West	North	East	South
Mak K	Shiga	Ng FY	Yokoi
1♦	Pass	1♥	Dble
2♦	Pass	Pass	Dble
Pass	3♣	All Pass

Lead: ♦2

West	North	East	South
Tanaka	Yiu	Ikemoto	Leung C
Pass	Pass	Pass	1♣
2♦	3♣	Pass	3NT
All Pass

Lead: ♦Q
With the major-suit kings well-placed, declarer made eleven tricks for +660 and 11 IMPs to China Hong Kong, who had a narrow win, 36-28, 16-14 in VPs.