To Save Or Not To Save?

The first final session of the Mixed Pairs featured a couple of bidding decisions for East/West – To save or not to save, that was the question.

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

West	North	East	South
Ozdil	Kowalski	Zuhal	Miszewska
1♥	Pass	3♥	Dble
4♥	4♠	Pass	Pass
5♥	Dble	All Pass

Melih Ozdil had a close decision when 4♠ came around to him. In theory, he did the wrong thing when he went on to 5♥, as a club lead beats 4♠. However, in reality Apolinary Kowalski was surely about to make 4♠, as Ak Zuhal’s normal lead was the queen of hearts, after which there is no defence.

Kowalski led a spade against 5♥ doubled. Qzdil won the ace and led a low heart, which Kowalski ducked. Dummy’s jack won and Ozdil played a club up. Ewa Miszewska went up with her ace and returned a spade, ruffed, and Ozdil played king of clubs then ruffed a club, then led a diamond. Again Miszewska went in with the ace and again she returned a spade. Ozdil ruffed, cashed the ace of hearts and ruffed a club, crossed to the ♦K and played his winning club. Kowalski could ruff but Ozdil had a trump at the end; down two for –300.

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

West	North	East	South
Cichocki	T. Helness	Hocheker	G. Helness
		Pass	1♥
Dble	3♥	3♠	4♥
Pass	Pass	4♠	Pass
Pass	Dble	All Pass

Poles Miroslaw Cichocki and Danuta Hocheker had topped the qualifying standings and continued to do well early in the final. Hocheker bid only 3♠, what her hand was worth, over Tor Helness’s pre-emptive heart raise but, when Gunn Helness went on to game, Hocheker judged correctly to bid again. In 4♥ there are just two clubs and a trump to be lost, so two down in 4♠ doubled would be a good save. Gunn led her singleton queen of diamonds to the king and ace and Hocheker put in the eight on the low diamond return. Gunn ruffed, cashed the ace of hearts, then switched to a club, but there were just the top trumps to come; -300.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	♠ 8 5 ♥ 10 ♦ J 10 9 8 7 4 3 2 ♣ 9 6
♠ K Q J ♥ A Q 8 7 6 4 3 ♦ A Q ♣ 3		♠ A 9 4 3 ♥ 9 2 ♦ K 6 ♣ K Q 8 7 2
	♠ 10 7 6 2 ♥ K J 5 ♦ 5 ♣ A J 10 5 4

West	North	East	South
			Pass
1♣(i)	3♦	Dble	Pass
3♥	Pass	3♠	Pass
4♣	Pass	4NT	Pass
5♠	All Pass

Names have been concealed to protect the guilty on this deal. West intended 4♣ as a cuebid in support of spades – he presumably expected more than four cards in partner’s hand – but East took the bid as natural and asked for key cards. The response showed two plus the trump queen – you work it out – and East worked out that partner could not intend clubs to be trumps as she was looking at the queen of that suit, so passed.

The play was no more pretty than the bidding. Declarer won the diamond lead on table and led a club to the king and ace. She won the return of the jack of clubs in hand and played a heart to the queen followed by the ace of hearts, which was ruffed. Declarer lost a little concentration from here and ended up down three for –150. Of course, 5♠ is cold after a diamond lead! Declarer simply needs to play for the diamonds to be eight-one and the club ace to be with the shortage. If that sounds a little improbable, consider that the 3♦ overcall was made at adverse vulnerability. The play is to win the ♦K and take the heart finesse. Now cash three rounds of trumps and, when declarer discovers that they are four-two, play ace of hearts and another heart, discarding a club from hand. South is powerless. Holding only black cards, she has to give the lead to declarer, who can then draw the last trump, cross to the ace of diamonds, and cash all the hearts, losing just one heart and one club.