| 10th World Youth Team Championship | Page 2 | Bulletin 7 - Sunday 14 August 2005 |
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CANADA v USA 2 by Ron Klinger Try this problem:
What would you do as South with:
(See Board 19 later) The excitement started on the first board with a possible slam and a sacrifice:
Datum: N/S +570
Lead: ♠A; 12 tricks, +480
Lead: ♣K Declarer lost the obvious five top losers for two down, 300, and 5 Imps to USA2. Both sides bid the slam in the Chile vs USA1 match:
Then USA2 took a phantom sacrifice, but picked up IMPs anyway:
Datum: N/S +170
Lead: ♠A East continued with ♠Q. West had played ♠6, then ♠5. A club switch will defeat the contract, but East played the SK, ruffed in dummy. Next came the ♣A, club discard, and the ♦Q, club discard, run to the ♦K. East shifted to the ♣K, too late, taken by the ace. After ♥K, heart to the ace, declarer threw his remaining club loser on the ♦J for +620.
Lead: ♥4 North won and shifted to the ♣6. East’s ♣K held and he drew trumps, then exited with a heart won by North, who played a third heart. East ruffed and played the ♣Q. North took it and played a fourth heart, ruffed. As South was down to only diamonds East was bound to make a diamond tricks and escape for 300. 8 IMPs to USA2. In Chile versus USA1 both tables reached 4♥ after East opened 1♠. Smith for Chile made his game, not so Grue at the other table. Pacareu led the ♠A and switched at trick 2 to the ♣K, West playing a helpful ♣J. Perhaps the club switch can wait till trick three, but where else could thedefence collect four tricks in all? Grue took the ♣A, played a heart to the ace, pitched a spade on the ♦A and another on the ♦Q. The defence collected two club tricks for one down and 12 IMPs to Chile. It was the same outcome in France versus Israel, where both Norths played in 4♥ after East had opened 1♠ and both Easts led a top spade. The French declarer succeeded, while at the other table O. Bessis also switched to the ♣K at trick two and the contract went one down.
Datum: N/S +200 In Canada vs USA2 both sides played in 3♣ for +110. There was far more excitement in the other BBO matches. Chile versus USA1:
(i) Majors West led the ♥A: six five seven and continued with the ♥3. Ten tricks to South, +430.
(i) Majors No doubt North regrets that 2♠ bid now, but the aftermath was not easy to foresee. West led the ♠J to give the defence four tricks there and when East switched to the ♥J, they had five more tricks. Down five, -250, and 12 IMPs to USA1. France versus Israel:
*Majors West led the ♥4; ten tricks and France +430.
(i) Majors South began with three rounds of clubs and switched to the ♦K, followed by the ♦8, ruffed with the ♠6. Declarer cashed the ♥A and ♠SK and continued with the ♠J, seven, eight, five. The next spade drew North’s trump. As South had a doubleton spade, declarer played South to have started with ♥Q-x-x and led the ♥J. This pinned North’s ♥10 and gave declarer nine tricks for +140 and 11 IMPs to France. Things were quiet for the next ten boards, then:
Datum: N/S -140
Lead: ♣9 Declarer made nine tricks for +140.
Lead: ♥9 South ducked the lead to West, who continued with the ♦9: two eight! ace. South played a low heart, West winning to play ♦6, ten, queen, five of clubs. A club to the jack was followed by the ♣K. South won and cashed the ♥A for the third and final trick for the defence. +630 and 10 IMPs to Canada. A like gain ensued on the next board:
Datum: N/S +40
Lead: ♥4 This was a helpful lead and declarer made nine tricks for +400.
Lead: ♣2 The auction made a heart lead unattractive and East started with the ♣2, three, nine, queen. The ♥Q was taken by the ace and East shifted to the ♦10, king, ace. Back came the ♦4 to the ♦Q. Declarer now played a club to the ace and another club. East took the ♣K and exited with his last club. Declarer cashed the ♠A, ♠K and went one down for 50 and 10 IMPs to Canada. In Chile vs USA1, a similar ending was reached. This was the auction:
(i) Forcing Lead: ♣4The lead went to the ♣9 and ♣Q and North played the ♦2 to the queen and ace. West shifted to the ♠7, king, four, two. North led the ♥Q, ace, six, seven, and East reverted to a low club, won by North, who continued with the ♣A and another club. East exited with a diamond to dummy’s king, leaving this ending:
Grue produced a very pretty stepping-stone endplay via ♠10 to the ace, ♥9 to the ♥K and the ♠J exit. East won and played the ♥4. Grue finessed the ♥8 to score a well-deserved 400. That was worth 10 IMPs to USA1 when 3NT went one down at the other table.
Datum: N/S +350
Lead: ♦A It needs a trump lead to defeat 4♠ by South. West shifted to the ♥4 at trick 2 and East took the ♥A. West won the diamond return and now switched to the ♠3. South won, ruffed a diamond and drew trumps, overtaking the ♠Q en route. Dummy’s second club winner allowed South to ditch his remaining diamond loser and the heart finesse was ten tricks for +420.
Lead: ♣Q Declarer can succeed (play ♣A, ♣K pitching a heart and lead a heart), but this is not obvious with no opposition bidding and declarer went one down for 50 and 10 IMPs to USA2.
Datum: N/S +80
(i) Artificial, negative South led the ♠5 and declarer’s ninth trick appeared early. +400 to USA2.
(i) Artificial, negative Lead: ♥9 The double stopped South from leading a low spade, but it did not prevent nine tricks. Declarer covered the ♥9 with the ♥10, ♥J,♥A. Declarer played his top diamonds, followed by a fourth diamond to dummy to play the ♥2: eight, king. The ♥7 was taken by the ♥Q, leaving the ♥6 high. Nine tricks, +150, but 6 IMPs to USA1.
Datum: N/S +260
Lead: ♥10 This was ducked to West’s king and, wishing to remove the entry to the ♥A, West shifted to the ♣7: three, ten, ace. Declarer continued clubs and East won with the ♣Q and cashed the ♣K. West played the ♥9 on this and so Eastexited with a heart. North took it with the ♥Q and played the ♠A, ♠K, praying for an opponent to hold ♠10 doubleton. It was not to be. North now played a low diamond. East rose with the ♦Q and played the ♠10 to take the contract two off; +100 to Canada.
Lead: ♣7 Declarer made ten tricks for +430 and 11 Imps to Canada, who won the match by 41- 35, 16-14 in VPs. Eric Kokish, commentating on BBO made two salient points about the auction. After (2♥) 2♠ (Pass) ?, 2NT should be played as forcing and if you bid 2NT you can still finish in 4♠, but if you bid 3♠, you will not play 3NT. |
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