A Bug's Life

It’s too bad there is no warning system that can tell you it’s not your day at the bridge table – that a better plan would be to head for the golf course or the shopping mall.

That was the experience of the team that faced the Roy Welland squad in the second qualifying session of the Rosenblum. In case you’re wondering, the headline refers to a song on the Dire Straits album, “On Every Street.” The track is called, “The Bug,” and include this passage “. . .sometimes you’re the windshield, sometimes you’re the bug.” At any rate, five boards into the 14-deal match, Welland’s opponents were behind 53-0 on their way to a 78-9 thrashing. There’s not much of interest to report in such a match, but there was the curiosity of the following three deals.

Board 17. Dealer North. None Vul.
	♠ K 6 5 ♥ A K 9 ♦ 8 7 6 4 3 ♣ 9 4
♠ 8 ♥ Q J 10 8 7 2 ♦ – ♣ K Q J 7 6 2		♠ A 9 7 4 3 2 ♥ 4 3 ♦ 10 9 5 ♣ 5 3
	♠ Q J 10 ♥ 6 5 ♦ A K Q J 2 ♣ A 10 8

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

Lew Stansby, South, explained Chip Martel’s 3♥ bid as showing five or more spades, the reason for his leap to the spade game. Martel, of course, would have preferred diamonds if given the chance. Declarer won the spade lead with dummy’s ace and advanced a club. She continued with the ♣Q after the king won. Stansby took the ♣A and could have secured a heart ruff, but he played the ♦K. Declarer, apparently playing a heart contract right at the moment, “ruffed” with a low heart. When that was sorted out, she ended up two down for minus 300 – seemingly not a bad result since North-South can make 5♦.

Unfortunately for them, the contract at the other table was 4♥doubled on the lead of the ♠5. That produced minus 590 for North-South and 13 IMPs for Welland. Next came:

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	♠ J 9 5 3 ♥ A 9 8 2 ♦ Q 9 7 4 ♣ 6
♠ Q 8 2 ♥ K J 6 4 3 ♦ – ♣ A K 7 5 4		♠ 7 6 ♥ Q 7 5 ♦ J 10 6 3 ♣ J 10 9 2
	♠ A K 10 4 ♥ 10 ♦ A K 8 5 2 ♣ Q 8 3

West	North	East	South
		Pass	1♦
2NT	Dbl	4♣	4♠
5♣	Pass	Pass	Dbl
All Pass

Stansby started with the ♠K, switching to his singleton heart at trick two. He took the heart ruff and cashed the ♠A for plus 300. That was 11 IMPs to Welland inasmuch as North-South took the push to 5♠ at the other table, finishing two down.

It was déjà vu all over again on the next deal.

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

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

West started with the ♥Q, perhaps hoping partner could ruff. Indeed, East was short in hearts, but not short enough. Stansby took the ♥A and played the ♦J, ducked by East. At this point, 5♦ could have been defeated, but it didn’t work out that way.

After West showed out of diamonds, Stansby switched gears, playing a spade to the ace, followed by the ♣A for a spade pitch from dummy. Stansby next played the ♣Q from hand, covered by the king and ruffed in dummy. On the play of dummy’s ♥K, East ruffed with the ace (a major error) and continued with a low diamond, taken by Stansby in hand. He played the ♣10 next and West erred by covering. Stansby ruffed in dummy, ruffed a heart to hand, pulled the last trump and claimed with two good clubs and an overtrick in his doubled contract. Plus 650 was good for 12 IMPs after declarer in 5♦ at the other table went down. When everyone pulled their hands out of Board 20, Stansby noted with relief that there would be no 2NT overcall by West, the dealer, because “I’m not opening a diamond.”