| 1st World Mind Sports Games | Page 4 | Bulletin 11 - Wednesday 15 October 2008 |
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WOMEN TEAMS Q-FINAL - 6TH Germany v China Beijing Blues by Mark Horton Although the last set started with China just 2 IMPs ahead, one felt that Germany might have missed their chance, as in the previous 16 boards a great card from their youngest pair had been matched by an atypically modest one from the Auken/von Arnim IMP machine. That foreboding was confirmed in short order.
Open Room
The German auction fell short of the mark and the reasonable slam was missed. Declarer won the trump lead in hand, ruffed a spade, cashed the ace of hearts, came to hand with the ace of diamonds and ruffed a second spade. The simple route to twelve tricks now is to cash the ace of clubs, ruff a club, draw the last trump and cash the diamonds, but declarer simply played diamonds, allowing North to score a ruff and hold declarer to +450. Closed Room
If I had any life savings left I would have happily put them on the Chinese pair reaching a slam and they got there in double quick time. South led the three of clubs and declarer won with the ace, ruffed a club, played the king of spades and ruffed it when the ace did not appear from North, ruffed a club, played a diamond to the king and ruffed a fourth club. She cashed the king of hearts, crossed to hand with a diamond and played the ace of hearts, matching it with dummy’s ace of diamonds. North could get a trump but that was all, +980 and 11 IMPs for China.
Open Room
Four Clubs promised the black suits. West will forgive me for describing Four Spades as the underbid of the year/decade/century/millennium. Declarer recorded +480 and must have feared the worst, not least because the diamond position meant that all thirteen tricks were available. Closed Room
For what it’s worth, I prefer the full-blooded preempt made at the other table to the Multi chosen here, but it’s a matter of style. East was able to use Leaping Michaels and over West’s 4NT she showed her heart void and a couple of aces. South led a diamond and declarer won in hand, cashed the ace of spades, then unblocked the diamonds and was soon +980 for another 11 IMP pickup.
Open Room
West led the queen of spades and when that held followed with the king. Declarer ducked, won the third spade and played a heart to the ten. When that held she played the king of hearts and West won and switched to a club for the ten, queen and ace. Declarer crossed to the queen of diamonds and cashed the queen of hearts, claiming when the jack fell, +600. Closed Room
Just as in the other room Two Hearts purported to be weak, but if weak can be this good then maybe South has to make a move. Declare made ten tricks, +170 but lost 10 IMPs. China won going away, deservedly so, as they had bid everything in sight and made enough of their ambitious contracts to show a substantial profit over the course of the match. |
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