Stories From The Championship

Appreciation

Gunnar Hallberg was the victim on this deal from the first session of the IMP Pairs on Wednesday, but he appreciated his opponent's deviousness so much that he felt compelled to report it. Hallberg was North.

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

West	North	East	South
	1♥	Pass	2♦
Pass	2NT	Pass	3♥
Pass	4♥	Pass	Pass
Dble	All Pass

East led the ♦3, which Hallberg won in dummy. Hallberg tried to reason why West would double out of the blue. Was it a trump stack? A trump void?

After some thought, he played a low heart from dummy, and the queen appeared from West. Expecting East to show out, Hallberg was surprised when East followed. Still thinking there was some kind of trump stack out against him, Hallberg played a low spade from hand, planning to ruff at least one spade.

West won the spade and played a diamond, ruffed by East. Hallberg finished two down when, on the lead he got, he could have made two doubled overtricks.

He could only laugh about it and credit West with a clever plot. "He knew what he was doing," said Hallberg.

Fiona's Feat

This deal comes from an event long past – the Mixed Pairs – but it is so good it is worth it anyway. The heroine was Fiona Brown of Australia, playing with Ireland's Hugh McGann.

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

West	North	East	South
	Pass	Pass	2♦
3♦	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Instead of leading a spade, Brown hit on the killing lead of a low club, which declarer ducked. McGann won the king and returned the suit. Declarer did well to win the ace at trick two, leaving the suit blocked. Declarer played a diamond from dummy, ducked by McGann, and when East continued with the other high diamond from hand, Fiona discarded the blocking ♣10 and the contract was two down for a great score for North/South.