Tough Day at the Office

By Brent Manley

Bridge players learn to take the good with the bad. In the second final session of the Mixed Pairs, Americans Kerri Sanborn and Larry Cohen had some of each.

This was one of the good ones.

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

West	North	East	South
		Pass	Pass
1♦	2♥	2♠	3♥
Dbl	Pass	4♦	Pass
5♦	All Pass

East, very short on values for her 2♠ bid, did well to pull the double – Cohen had an easy nine tricks. West did less well by carrying on to game. Cohen led the ♣5 to the 6, 8 and jack. Declarer played two rounds of diamonds, ending in dummy, and continued playing clubs. When that did not produce a discard for one of dummy’s hearts, West took his last shot - the ♥A onside – but one down was inevitable. That was good for 78% for Sanborn-Cohen.

They went plus 200 on the next two boards, but only one of them was good (there was a missed game). On Board 6, Sanborn defended brilliantly to earn her side a 75% score.

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
		1NT	2♦
3NT	All Pass

Sanborn’s 2♦ showed diamonds and a major, such as it was. She started proceedings with the ♦Q, ducked by declarer. Now a low heart went to the queen and king. Cohen fired back the ♥10 to dummy’s ace. A spade finesse was next, followed by four rounds of clubs, ending in dummy (Cohen discarded the ♠8, hoping Sanborn read it to mean he had the ♥9). Another spade went to the 10. Declarer cashed the ♠A and got out with a diamond. Sanborn won the ♦A and did not make the mistake of playing her ♥J. Instead, she led a low heart to Cohen’s 9 so that he could cash the ♠K, the setting trick.

This next deal was troublesome for many North-South pairs, but more so for the opponents when the board was played by Sanborn and Cohen.

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
	1♣	1♥	1♠
Pass	2♣	Pass	2♦
Dbl	3♣	Dbl	All Pass

East started with the ♦J, which went to Cohen’s ace. He overtook his ♠Q with dummy’s ace to cash a second high spade for a diamond pitch, then ruffed a spade to hand. He followed with the ♣A and the ♣10. East can be forgiven for playing the ♣Q on this – if Cohen held the ♣J, she would be endplayed on the next round of clubs, forced to lead away from the heart tenace. East was still okay even after she crashed her partner’s ♣J, but instead of cashing the other high club and exiting with the ♣6, East underled her hearts. Cohen gratefully won the ♥K and was soon claiming nine tricks for plus 470 and 98% of the matchpoints.

Sanborn bid boldly and played expertly on the following deal to earn 82%.

Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	♠ K J 6 4 3 ♥ A 5 ♦ 8 6 2 ♣ K 9 4
♠ 10 7 ♥ K 6 ♦ K Q 5 3 ♣ A 7 6 5 3		♠ Q 8 5 2 ♥ 10 9 3 2 ♦ A J 10 ♣ 10 2
	♠ A 9 ♥ Q J 8 7 4 ♦ 9 7 4 ♣ Q J 8

West	North	East	South
			Pass
1♣	1♠	Dbl	1NT
2♦	Pass	Pass	2♥
All Pass

Presumably the 2♥ bid showed at least a tolerance for her partner’s spade suit.

West started with the ♦K, continuing with a low diamond at trick two. One more round of diamonds left West on lead, and he persevered with the ♠10 to the jack, queen and ace. Sanborn now played a heart to dummy’s ace and continued with a low heart, inserting the 8 when East played the 3. Even if East had split her 10-9, Sanborn was going to duck (West needed the ♥K to have an opening hand). West exited with his last diamond, and Sanborn pulled trumps, pitching spades from dummy, and knocked out the ♣A. Plus 110 was a fine score. This next deal was frustrating for Sanborn.

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	♠ 4 ♥ A K 6 4 ♦ K 10 9 7 4 3 ♣ 8 2
♠ 5 ♥ Q 9 8 2 ♦ A 8 5 ♣ K Q 10 9 3		♠ K J 10 6 3 2 ♥ J 7 3 ♦ J 6 2 ♣ 6
	♠ A Q 9 8 7 ♥ 10 5 ♦ Q ♣ A J 7 5 4

West	North	East	South
1♣	1♦	1♥	2NT
Pass	3♥	Pass	3NT
All Pass

The contract has no play on a heart lead, but West’s club suit is too strong for a player to ignore as the opening lead. With the start of the ♣Q, Sanborn had a chance so long as she didn’t duck and give West a chance to find the right switch. Sanborn won the ♣A and played the ♦Q from hand, ducked by West. Unfortunately for Sanborn, she played too quickly and called for a low card from dummy. Now the only chance was to find a doubleton ♦J in an opponent’s hand (a doubleton ace wouldn’t help). It didn’t work out, however, and Sanborn eventually finished two down.