Mixed Pairs - Final Session 2

By Brian Senior

For the second session of the final I watched a few rounds featuring two of England’s top players, Nicola Smith and John Armstrong, and a series of strong opposing pairs, starting with the overnight leaders, Chantal Haemmerli and Alfredo Versace.

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

West	North	East	South
Versace	Armstrong	Haemmerli	Smith
			3♣
Pass	5♣	5♥	All Pass

I suspect that a lot of different actions were tried around the room with the North cards facing a 3♣ pre-empt. As is often the case, the simple space-consuming bid proved to be very effective as Haemmerli had too much to pass and the wrong distribution to double. Smith led the ace of clubs against 5♥, then switched to the queen of diamonds for the king and ace. Armstrong carefully cashed the king of clubs before playing jack and another diamond for Smith to ruff; down three for –300.

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

West	North	East	South
Versace	Armstrong	Haemmerli	Smith
Pass	1♠	Pass	2♣
Pass	2♠	Pass	4♠
All Pass

The 2♣ response was two-way, usually either natural or invitational with three or more spades, which meant that Armstrong could not raise immediately. Not that it mattered very much, as Smith’s next call ended the auction in the normal contract. Haemmerli had no reason to guess to lead a heart so chose a diamond. Armstrong won the ace, cashed the top spades, then crossed to a top club to lead the ♦Q to the king and ruff, then went back to dummy with the other club to take a heart pitch on the ♦J; eleven tricks for +650.

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

West	North	East	South
B. Levin	Armstrong	J. Levin	Smith
	1♣	Pass	1♠
Pass	3♦	Pass	4♠
All Pass

One Club could have been natural or any balanced hand outside the no trump range of 15-17. Armstrong had an awkward rebid. Not wishing to splinter with a stiff ace, he elected to show 18-19 balanced with four-card spade support instead, and Smith settled for game. Alas, on this occasion the heart singleton was the key to the hand. When the king of clubs ruffed out, there was no need to find the ♦Q and Smith had twelve straightforward tricks for +680. For what it is worth, I agree with Armstrong’s choice of call.

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

West	North	East	South
B. Levin	Armstrong	J. Levin	Smith
		1NT	2♣
Dble	2♥	Pass	Pass
3NT	All Pass

Two Clubs showed hearts and another and Bobby Levin showed values then, with a heart stopper but lacking heart length, made the obvious 3NT call at his next turn. Smith led the queen of diamonds, ducked, then the ♦J, won with the king. Jill Levin took the spade finesse, cashed the clubs, repeated the spade finesse, then took a heart finesse even though Smith’s discarding strongly suggested that it would lose – it was a cost-nothing play for the overtrick at this point. When the heart lost, there were just nine tricks for +600.

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

West	North	East	South
Berkowitz	Armstrong	Wei-Sender	Smith
			1♥
Pass	2♥	Dble	Rdbl
2♠	Pass	Pass	3♥
3♠	All Pass

We cannot always have the perfect distribution for a take-out double and Kathie Wei-Sender took the risk that David Berkowitz would compete too vigorously in diamonds because if she didn’t come into the auction now her side would probably be shut out for good. Berkowitz proved what he a good partner he is by competing in spades not diamonds. Armstrong led the queen of spades to dummy’s ace and Berkowitz played a diamond to his king then a trump for the jack and king. Smith cashed the ace of hearts then exited with her remaining trump. Berkowitz won in hand, took the club finesse, then led a second diamond up. Smith took her ace and declarer claimed the rest for +170 and 80% of the matchpoints – clearly not everyone found the take-out double.

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

West	North	East	South
Berkowitz	Armstrong	Wei-Sender	Smith
Pass	1♥	Pass	2♥
2♠	All Pass

After passing initially, Berkowitz competed with 2♠ and must have been well-pleased with the dummy. Armstrong led the jack of diamonds and Smith played three rounds of the suit. Berkowitz won the ♦Q, throwing a club from dummy, then crossed to the ace of clubs to play a spade to the king and ace. He won the club return and led a second spade to his queen, and had to concede a heart and a second spade; eight tricks for +110.

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

West	North	East	South
Baze	Armstrong	Mancuso	Smith
	1♣	1♥	1♠
Pass	2♣	All Pass

The problem for declarer in 2♣ is to avoid the loss of three trump tricks and three tricks in the red suits. Renee Mancuso led the jack of diamonds and Armstrong could have won and taken a diamond pitch on the top spades. However, he would then have been left to play the heart suit himself, with the ace rating to be offside. Instead, Armstrong ducked the diamond. That set Mancuso a problem and her solution cost her side a trump trick when she elected to switch to the two of clubs to the jack and ace. Armstrong took his heart pitch now then ruffed a third round of spades before playing the ten of clubs. Mancuso won, cashed the other club winner and exited with a club, leaving declarer to lead hearts from hand; eight tricks for +90.

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

West	North	East	South
Baze	Armstrong	Mancuso	Smith
		Pass	Pass
2♦	2♠	Pass	4♠
All Pass

Facing a passed partner, Grant Baze felt at liberty to open an off-centre weak 2♦ and this worked out very nicely for his side. Armstrong made a thin overcall and Smith raised to game – maybe she is worth only a raise to 3♠, but the fourth trump is good and if partner is short in diamonds three small will be a good holding in that suit. Even 3♠ would have been too high. Three rounds of diamonds gave Mancuso a ruff and there was still a club and a trump to come; down two for –200 and a good score for the American pair.