Women's Pairs Final Session One

By Brian Senior

The Women’s Pairs final saw 36 pairs playing 35 x 3-board rounds spread over four sessions. There were some lively boards in the first session on Thursday morning, this being the first to catch my eye:

Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul.
	♠ A K J 10 8 7 6 ♥ J 5 ♦ 5 4 3 2 ♣ –
♠ Q 5 3 2 ♥ K 7 6 2 ♦ K 10 ♣ K J 10		♠ 4 ♥ A Q 4 3 ♦ A 8 7 6 ♣ 8 7 6 2
	♠ 9 ♥ 10 9 8 ♦ Q J 9 ♣ A Q 9 5 4 3

West	North	East	South
Baker	Olivieri	McCallum	Arrigoni
1♣	4♠	Dble	All Pass

It was far from unreasonable for Gabriella Olivieri to overcall 4♠ with her seven-four shape but, even after a helpful club lead, permitting a heart discard on the ace, it proved to be a very expensive choice. Olivieri continued by taking the trump finesse then cashing a top spade to get the bad news. Next, she led to the queen of diamonds, losing to the king, and Lynn Baker switched to the two of hearts for the jack and queen. Karen McCallum shot back a low diamond and Olivieri, who had no doubt intended to lead to the jack next, thought for some time before getting it wrong, putting in the nine and losing to the ten. Olivieri ruffed the heart return and led a diamond, McCallum winning the ace then cashing the seven. There was still a trump to come so the contract was three down for –800 and zero matchpoints to North/South, 34 to East/West.

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

West	North	East	South
Arrigoni	Dhondy	Olivieri	Brock
			1♥
Pass	2♣	Pass	2♥
Pass	Pass	Dble	Rdbl
2NT	Dble	Pass	Pass
3♣	Dble	All Pass

Heather Dhondy’s 2♣ response was two-way, either natural or a three-card limit raise, around 9-11, and the 2♥ rebid showed a minimum with at least five hearts. Sitting behind Olivieri I was surprised when she started to think when 2♥ came around to her, and even more surprised when she doubled as it seemed clear that partner had some heart length for her failure to come in earlier, in which case there might not be a fit for East/West. Sally Brock redoubled because she expected her opponents to find a spade fit, and she wanted to be certain that she would get an opportunity to double 2♠. As it turned out, Gianna Arrigoni bid 2NT, two places to play, then ran to 3♣. Dhondy doubled both these contracts.

A trump lead would be best, but the actual lead of three rounds of diamonds only cost a few matchpoints. Brock ruffed and switched to ace and another spade, ruffed. Declarer hoped to find clubs five-one because of the auction, so took a heart pitch on the ♦Q now, only to run into a second ruff. She ruffed the spade return and played ace and another heart, ruffed, but had to give a trick to the jack of clubs at the end as Dhondy could ruff the third heart with the ♣8 to force the ace. That meant down two for –500 and 29 MPs to North/South.

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

West	North	East	South
Brock	Severgnini	Dhondy	Gentili
			2♣
Pass	2♦	Dble	2♥
3♣	3♠	4♣	4♠
Dble	All Pass

Two Clubs was weak with at least four-four in the majors and 2♦ asked. Dhondy doubled to show diamonds and 2♥ denied five spades. Brock competed in clubs, and everyone had another go, ending with a prompt double from Brock, who could have found her partner with somewhat more than she actually held.

Dhondy led a club to the queen and Brock switched to a diamond, Dhondy winning and playing two more rounds of the suit, Maddalena Severgnini ruffing. Best would have been to ruff a club now, but cashing a top trump was not fatal. Severgnini’s next play, queen and another heart was, however, fatal. She continued with the third heart winner and Brock ruffed. Declarer over-ruffed, ruffed a club, ruffed a heart, then another club, but had to give up a trump at the end for down one; –100 and only 4 MPs to North/South.

At the point where she cashed the hearts, declarer needed instead to ruff a club, play a heart to the queen and ruff another club. Now she plays the ace and king of hearts and West is powerless. If she ruffs, declarer over-ruffs, ruffs her last club and leads a heart for a trump coup. If West discards on the third heart then declarer throws a club, leads the ♠10 and stays in dummy for the same trump coup. Five out of 14 declarers in a spade contract made ten tricks.

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

West	North	East	South
Brock	Severgnini	Dhondy	Gentili
1♣	Pass	1NT	3♠
Pass	4♠	All Pass

Having seen Severgnini miss a chance for a big board on the previous deal, this time it was Luigiana Gentili’s turn to have a chance to show her declarer-play skills. Brock’s 1♣ opening was either natural or 11-13 balanced, when it could be as short as a doubleton. Gentili finessed the club queen at trick one, losing to the king, and Dhondy switched to the queen of hearts to dummy’s ace. Gentili took the spade finesse and Brock tried to cash two hearts. Gentili ruffed, drew trumps and played her remaining club to the nine and ace. When she now led the ♣6 off the table, she had to decide who had the ten. Alas, she ruffed, and still had a diamond loser; down one for –100 and 10 MPs to North/South.

This time only two out of 16 declarers in a spade contract managed to make ten tricks, but note that the defenders could have switched to diamonds earlier to take out the entry to the fourth club, ensuring that declarer could not prevail.

Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
	♠ 9 8 6 2 ♥ 7 ♦ A J 8 4 ♣ K 5 3 2
♠ K 3 ♥ K 6 ♦ K 9 7 3 2 ♣ Q 10 9 7		♠ J 10 5 4 ♥ A 10 4 3 2 ♦ 5 ♣ J 8 6
	♠ A Q 7 ♥ Q J 9 8 5 ♦ Q 10 6 ♣ A 4

West	North	East	South
Gentili	Wen Fei	Severgnini	Hong Li
	Pass	Pass	1NT
All Pass

Hong Li Wang opened a 14-16 no trump and played there on the lead of a low diamond to her six. She continued with the queen of diamonds and Gentili judged not to cover. The ♦10 to the jack came next and Severgnini, who had first pitched a heart, now threw a club. Hong Li led dummy’s singleton heart and, after a little thought, let it run, forcing the king. Gentili led a diamond to the ace so Hong Li crossed to the ace of clubs and led the ♥Q to Severgnini’s ace. On the lead of the jack of spades, Hong Li rose with the ace and cashed her heart then the ♣K so had an overtrick for +120 but only 16 MPs – six pairs made nine tricks, two of them in game.

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

West	North	East	South
Gentili	Wen Fei	Severgnini	Hong Li
		1NT	Pass
2♦	Dble	Pass	Pass
2♥	Dble	Pass	3♦
All Pass

Wen Fei doubled to show diamonds, then for take-out at her next turn, so Hong Li bid 3♦, with no great enthusiasm. Gentili led the king of hearts and Hong Li ducked. Now came a club switch and the defence played three rounds, Gentili ruffing with the queen as dummy pitched a heart. Hong Li won the heart return and cashed the top diamonds, then played the jack of spades. Severgnini won the king, underled to Gentili’s queen, and won the return with her ace; three down for –150 but 24 MPs to North/South.

The other four declarers in diamond contracts made fewer tricks than did Hong Li.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	♠ A Q 9 2 ♥ J 3 ♦ 7 6 5 ♣ A K 8 4
♠ 7 ♥ Q 9 8 5 ♦ K Q 9 3 ♣ Q 10 7 2		♠ 10 8 5 3 ♥ 10 7 6 4 ♦ A 10 4 2 ♣ 5
	♠ K J 6 4 ♥ A K 2 ♦ J 8 ♣ J 9 6 3

West	North	East	South
Gentili	Wen Fei	Severgnini	Hong Li
			1♦(i)
Pass	1♠	Pass	2♠
Dble	Rdbl	3♥	3♠
Pass	4♠	All Pass

(i) Precision

Severgnini led her club against 4♠ and Wen Fei put in the nine, the ten forcing the ace. She cashed ♠Q and ♠A then played three rounds of hearts, ruffing, and drew the remaining trumps. Gentili threw a club on the last trump, a fatal error, as now Wen Fei could take the whole club suit, making eleven for +650 and 32.9 MPs. Only one other declarer made an overtrick and half the field went down in 4♠.

Board 16. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
	♠ A K Q 10 7 ♥ 4 ♦ 10 5 ♣ A K 9 8 2
♠ 8 ♥ A J 7 6 5 3 2 ♦ A Q 9 3 2 ♣ –		♠ J 6 5 ♥ 9 ♦ 8 7 6 ♣ Q J 7 6 4 3
	♠ 9 4 3 2 ♥ K Q 10 8 ♦ K J 4 ♣ 10 5

West	North	East	South
Wen Fei	Harasimowicz	Hong Li	Pasternak
4♥	4♠	Pass	Pass
5♦	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

You can understand it, but it feels wrong to bid a second time with the West hand – the suits need more solidity than this – but 5♦ doubled was not hopeless, looking only at the East/West cards.

Ewa Harasimowicz cashed a top spade then tried a top club, ruffed. Wen Fei played ace and another heart but Harasimowicz could ruff with the ten in front of dummy, from which went a spade. She played a top spade, ruffed, and now Wen Fei was starting to lose trump control. She ruffed a heart then led the ♣Q and, after some thought, threw a heart on it. Harasimowicz won the king and played another spade, ruffed in dummy. Declarer played the ♣J, throwing a heart as Malgor-zata Pasternak threw a spade, then ruffed a club and ruffed a heart, over-ruffed; down two for –500 and 22 MPs to North/South. One declarer got out for one down in 5♦ doubled, but two were three down and one four down.

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

West	North	East	South
Wen Fei	Harasimowicz	Hong Li	Pasternak
	1♠	Pass	1NT
Pass	2♦	Pass	2♠
All Pass

Hong Li led a heart, on which Harasimowicz played low so the king won. Wen Fei cashed the king of diamonds but Hong Li, wanting a club through, discouraged. Wen Fei duly switched to a club to the king and ace and Hong Li switched back to diamonds. After getting her diamond ruff, Hong Li played the queen and jack of clubs. Harasimowicz ruffed, crossed to the ace of hearts and led the ♠9 to her queen. Then meant two trump losers for down three; –150 and only 3 MPs to North/South.

Two other declarers went three down, but two went two down and four got out for only down one.