12th World Bridge Championships Page 6 Bulletin 7 - Friday 16 June  2006


A First Look

By Brian Senior

The Good:

Round 3: Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
 ♠ J 7 3
K Q J 9 5
3
♣ K Q 9 6

♠ Q 9 8
10 8 6
K 5 2
♣ A 4 3 2
Bridge deal
♠ A K 10
7 4 2
10 8 7
♣ J 10 8 7
 ♠ 6 5 4 2
A 3
A Q J 9 6 4
♣ 5

WestNorthEastSouth
David WiltshireKieran Dyke
 1Pass2
Pass2Pass2♠
Pass2NTPass3
Pass3NTAll Pass  

Lead: ♠A

The defence took the first three spade tricks and West shifted to the ♣2: queen – seven – five. Wiltshire crossed to the A, cashed the thirteenth spade and then ran the hearts. This was the position with one heart to go:

 ♠ –
9
3
♣ K 9

♠ –

K 5
♣ A 4
Bridge deal
♠ –

10 8
♣ J 10
 ♠ –

A Q J 9
♣ –

Wiltshire played his last heart and everyone threw a diamond. Wiltshire now had the choice of playing West to be down to ♣A and K-x, but he picked the position perfectly and played the A to drop the singleton king.

The Bad:

In another match, after the same auction, East at one table led the ♣J to the ace. West returned the ♣2, won by North who took the diamond finesse next. West ducked smoothly and declarer ran home for nine tricks.At the other table, after a similar auction (3 rather than 3), East began with ♠A, followed by ♠K. West unblocked the ♠Q to allow East to run five spades. Oops. No swing.

The Ugly

Round 4: Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
 ♠ Q 8 7 3 2
A 9 6 5 4
10 3
♣ 2

♠ A K J
Q 7 2
Q J 9 8 5
♣ 10 3
Bridge deal
♠ 4
K 8 3
A K 6 2
♣ A Q 9 8 5
 ♠ 10 9 6 5
J 10
7 4
♣ K J 7 6 4

WestNorthEastSouth
   Pass
11♠2♣Pass
2NTPass3♠Pass
3NTPassPassDble
PassPassRdbleAll Pass

Lead: 5

No doubt South was hoping for a little more from North’s vulnerable overcall opposite a passed hand and doubled because of his favourable club holding. The heart lead went to the ten and queen and West ran the ♣10 to the jack. Back came the ♠10, won by the king, North playing ♠7. South won the next club and agonised whether to play another spade or to lead a heart to reduce the loss to ‘just’ 1000.

He opted for the J return. Hoping against hope that South might have Q-x-x (where was West’s opening bid in that case?), North ducked and declarer had the rest for +1200.



Page 6

  Return to top of page
<<Previous Next>>
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
To the Bulletins List