| 10th World Youth Team Championship | Page 2 | Bulletin 9 - Tuesday 16 August 2005 |
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Canada v Israel by Ron Klinger With two matches to go, Canada was a comfortable fourth and Israel was sixth, 24 VPs behind. Israel would need a good win to try to make the semis. Canada had collected 4 IMPs when the biggest swing of the match occurred:
Datum: N/S +220
Lead: ♣5 The ♣J lost to the ♣Q. West switched to the ♦5, taken by the ace, and a spade to the jack fetched the ace. West continued diamonds and North took the ♦K and ♦Q before cashing the ♠K. The ♥3 to the ♥K was followed by a club ruff. That brought declarer’s tally to six tricks and ♠Q and another spade would have made eight. However, he ruffed a spade in dummy to ruff another club in hand. East could over-ruff and draw trumps for one down; 100. Over 2♥ South might have given preference to spades to give North another chance with a 16+ hand. South did bid again at the other table, but it was not 2♠:
Lead: ♣10 South won, led the ♠J, spade to the king and a third spade. West shifted to the ♥J, ducked to the king and declarer claimed nine tricks for +600 and 12 IMPs to Canada. Then Israel took a phantom:
Datum: N/S +20
Lead: ♠6 West won and returned a heart. In the fullness of time declarer lost three clubs for 100. West might have returned a spade for East to ruff for two down.
Lead: ♥A North cashed two hearts and the ♦A, followed by the ♠J. Afraid of a diamond ruff, declarer rejected the club finesse and finished two down for 300. North could have achieved at least the same penalty via ♥A, ♦A, ♥J ruffed, diamond ruff. A loss of 300 would have been worthwhile if N/S could make 4♥. As they did not, it was 9 IMPs to Canada. Then both sides made game when game was also available in the other direction.
Datum: N/S 550
Lead: ♣10 After the club lead the contract was cold for eleven tricks; Canada +650. Note that 5♦ is cold for N/S on very modest values. Looks like you must bid with a decent seven-card suit. At the other table Canada missed an opportunity to defeat 4♠.
(i) Multi (ii) Transfer me to your major North led the ♥5 to the king and ace and now the defence can take four tricks. Declarer played a club and North took the ace, cashed the ♦A, followed by the ♥Q. He then played a diamond and declarer was safe. After taking the ♣A, perhaps North should play the ♥Q first. Then, when North plays the ♦A, South might know enough to discourage diamonds and so ask North to revert to hearts. Egypt had the same auction as Canada for +650 on the ♣10 lead. At the other table:
The ♣10 lead meant there was no swing. Hungary, New Zealand and USA1 scored double game swings, while game in spades was made at both tables in Chile v China Hong Kong, Pakistan v USA2, Australia v Japan and Norway v Poland. On Board 9, at favourable vulnerability, Grainger had opened 1NT on
and was doubled for 300 to the opposition. At the other table this hand opened 1♣ and the Canadian E/W played in 2NT for +120 for 5 IMPs to Israel. Not long after, 1NT was doubled again:
Datum: N/S +10
West led the ♣Q and East overtook to return the ♣10 South following with the ♣3. West played the ♣9 to let East hold the trick and East switched to the ♥3. Declarer ducked and West scored the bare king. The defence now had seven tricks for +50.
Here, too, the ♣Q was led, but East followed with the ♣10. That gave West the impression that South had started with ♣A-J-x. West switched to the ♦4 to the jack and king. South cashed the ♥A with a satisfying outcome, followed by the ♠Q, king, ace. Seven tricks for +180 meant 6 IMPs to Canada who now led 39-10. Each side had won 9 IMPs apiece when the last deal appeared:
Datum: N/S +1430
Lead: ♦A Declarer had twelve tricks without any problems for +1430.
Lead: ♥A Playing slam-sacrifice doubles, West would double 6♥ with two defensive tricks. The Pass shows zero or one defensive trick. East doubles to show one and West sacrifices with zero, passes with one. South continued hearts and East ruffed. North won the club exit and played a second club, ruffed in dummy. On the ♠4 North rose with the ♠K and played a third club, ruffed in dummy to play the ♠8. North took the ♠A and shifted to the ♦6, but East did not go for the gag. He rose with the ♦A, drew the last trump and conceded a trick to the ♦K. That was four down for 1100 and 8 IMPs to Israel. That left the score Canada 48, Israel 27, 19-11 in VPs. |
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