Knockout Punch

By Brent Manley

Entering the third quarter against the favored Nick Nickell team, the Gartaganis squad from Canada was down only 5 IMPs. A good third quarter would put them in position for an upset win and put them in the quarter-final round.

Unfortunately for the Canadians, the Nickell team was also aware of the possibilities for an upset, and they brought their A game to the match, taking the set 49-11 and ending with a comfortable win. Both teams missed an opportunity on the second deal of the set.

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

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Nick G.	Meckstroth	Judith G.
		Pass	Pass
1♥	Dble	2♦ (i)	3♠
Pass	4♣	Pass	4♥
Dble (ii)	6♣	All Pass

(i) Heart raise.
(ii) Not interested in a heart lead.

Rodwell’s psychic opening in third seat seemed to have done the trick, keeping Nick and Judith Gartaganis from the cold grand slam. On the other hand, Paul Soloway and Bob Hamman did not appear to come close to the grand despite the fact that Hamman opened the South hand.

West	North	East	South
Balcombe	Soloway	Colbert	Hamman
		Pass	1♠
Pass	2♣	Pass	3♣
Pass	4♦	Pass	5♣
Pass	5♦	Pass	6♣
All Pass

The result was plus 1390 – no swing.

There was a swing on the next deal, however.

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

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Nick G.	Meckstroth	Judith G.
			Pass
1♣	1♦	Pass	1♠
4♥	All Pass

Eric Rodwell’s 1♣ was strong and artificial. With nine tricks in hand, took a shot at the vulnerable heart game. Nick Gartaganis started with the ♣K and continued with the ♣A. Rodwell ruffed and played a diamond from hand to dummy’s queen and Judith Gartagainis’ king. She correctly switched to a trump, which Rodwell took in dummy. His only chance was to sneak a spade past the ace, should South hold it. Indeed, Judith did hold the ace, and when Rodwell tried a low spade, Judith did play low. Oops! Rodwell claimed at that point for plus 620.

West	North	East	South
Balcombe	Soloway	Colbert	Hamman
1♣	1♦	Pass	2♦
4♥	All Pass

The defense went the same way up to the point where Keith Balcombe led a low spade from dummy. Soloway shot up with the ace, and that was one down and 12 IMPs to Nickell.

Gartaganis gained an overtrick IMP on the next deal and added 6 more IMPs in an unusual way on the deal after that.

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

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Nick G.	Meckstroth	Judith G.
	1♥	3♣	4♣
Pass	4NT	Pass	6♦
Pass	6♥	All Pass

The board was played 16 times, all but one in 6♥ by North (you will see the exception below), and no one found the lead that would trouble declarer the most – a trump. Who would think of a trump holding a club suit such as East’s? Even on a trump lead and continuation, however, North can always take 12 tricks in hearts via a double squeeze. After a trump to the ace and a trump return, declarer wins in dummy, cashes the ♣A and ruffs a club, then cashes his high diamonds and ruffs a diamond, followed by a club ruff, diamond ruff and another club ruff. This is the ending:

	♠ 8 ♥ K ♦ 6 ♣ –
♠ Q 10 ♥ – ♦ Q ♣ –		♠ K 7 ♥ – ♦ – ♣ K
	♠ A J ♥ – ♦ – ♣ 7

North plays the ♥K, and East must discard a spade to keep dummy’s ♣7 from becoming a winner. Declarer then discards the club from dummy and West is done. If he discards his last diamond, declarer’s 6 is good, so West also parts with a spade. Declarer then leads a spade to dummy’s ace, felling the king and queen and taking trick 12 with the ♠J.

At the other table, the auction did not develop as one might expect.

West	North	East	South
Balcombe	Soloway	Colbert	Hamman
	1♥	2♣	4♥
Dble	All Pass

It isn’t known whether Hamman or Soloway considered redoubling (that would have been plus 1880 if they sat for it, a 10-IMP gain for Nickell), but perhaps Soloway was too happy to be doubled with such a good hand. At any rate, 12 tricks were made for plus 1190 and a strange 6-IMP gain for Gartaganis.

The next big swing for Nickell (it could have been a small one) occurred on the following deal.

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

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Nick G.	Meckstroth	Judith G.
1♦	1♠	2♦	3♦
Pass	3♠	4♦	6♠
Dble	All Pass

The Rodwell-Meckstroth system requires a 1♦ opener with the West hand – 1♣ is strong and artificial and a natural, limited 2♣ opener requires a minimum of six clubs. Meckstroth’s 2♦ was natural but non-forcing. Judith had a massive hand after her partner’s 1♠ overcall, so at her second turn she simply shot out the slam. Rodwell doubled for a non-diamond lead, and the club lead by Meckstroth was normal considering that their 1♦ openers often contain strong clubs. The contract was quickly one down for plus 100 to Nickell. At the other table:

West	North	East	South
Balcombe	Soloway	Colbert	Hamman
1NT	Pass	5♦	5♥
All Pass

Balcombe led two high clubs and could have scuttled the contract by continuing the suit – East can uppercut with the ♥7, promoting a trump trick in the West hand. After long thought, however, Balcombe played the ♦10 at trick three and Hamman was soon claiming plus 450 for an 11-IMP gain. Had Balcombe made the club play, the swing would have been only 2 IMPs.

The following board turned out badly for Gartaganis.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	♠ Q 10 3 ♥ 9 8 3 2 ♦ Q 9 8 6 ♣ Q 3
♠ 7 4 2 ♥ Q J 10 ♦ A K J 4 2 ♣ K 6		♠ K 8 ♥ A 7 6 ♦ 3 ♣ J 10 9 8 5 4 2
	♠ A J 9 6 5 ♥ K 5 4 ♦ 10 7 5 ♣ A 7

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Nick G.	Meckstroth	Judith G.
			1NT
Dble	2♦	3♣	All Pass

Over Judith’s weak 1NT, the double showed values, so Meckstroth was happy to try a contract in his seven-card suit. He lost one spade, one heart and one club for plus 130. The bidding didn’t go so well at the other table.

West	North	East	South
Balcombe	Soloway	Colbert	Hamman
			1♠
2♦	Pass	3♣	Pass
3♠	Dble	3NT	All Pass

Hamman started with a low spade to the queen and king. David Colbert could see that it would take a miracle and an unlikely series of defensive errors for him to even come close to nine tricks with the East/West cards, but he soldiered on with an unsuccessful diamond finesse. The final result in this ugly contract was three down, and the Canadians could be thankful they weren’t doubled.

The final swing of the set occurred on the last deal.

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

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Nick G.	Meckstroth	Judith G.
		1♣	Dble
1♠	Pass	4♣	Pass
4♦	Pass	5♣	Pass
5♥	Pass	6♠	All Pass

Over the strong 1♣, Judith’s double apparently showed two suits of the same color. Nick could deduce from the auction and his hand that it was the red suits, so he went quietly despite his eight-card suit.

Meckstroth’s 4♣ showed club shortness, and Rodwell cooperated with a diamond cuebid, enough to convince Meckstroth to employ exclusion Key Card Blackwood, and the good slam was reached. Nick led the ♥10, which went to the king and ace. On the return of a low heart, Rodwell ruffed with the ♠J as North followed. Rodwell led a spade to the ace and claimed when both opponents followed – plus 980.

West	North	East	South
Balcombe	Soloway	Colbert	Hamman
		1♣(i)	Pass
1♦	4♣	Dble	Pass
4♠	Pass	Pass	5♣
Dble	All Pass

(i) Strong, artificial.

Hamman’s 5♣ cost his team 1 IMP and might have cost the entire swing had the Canadians pushed on to their slam, but he bid on anyway. Soloway always had eight tricks and he finished three down for minus 500.