Sometimes the Gods smile, Sometimes they don't

by Henry Francis (USA)

First semifinal

Board 15. Dealer South. NS Game ª 5 3 © K 10 8 6 5 2 ¨ K 7 § Q 8 6 ª K 8 2 ª Q J 10 9 6 © 4 © Q J 7 3 ¨ 10 9 8 6 4 2 ¨ J 3 § 9 3 2 § 10 7 ª A 7 4 © A 9 ¨ A Q 5 § A K J 5 4

West North East South Klukowski M.Low Wilkosz S.Low     2§ Pass 2¨(1) 2ª Pass(1) 4ª 5©(3) Pass 6§ All Pass

(1) Game force
(2) 22+, balanced
(3) Doesn't have two of the three top honors, would have bid 2© at first turn if he held them

When the Poles played this board, they arrived in six hearts, certainly a reasonable contract. However, the heart distribution was fatal - they lost two heart tricks for down one.

When Marc Low bid two diamonds at his first turn, Sandy Low knew he didn't have two top honors in hearts. So when he later bid five hearts, a slam invitation, she decided to bid six clubs to give Marc a choice of slams. Looking at queen-third in clubs and the broken suit in hearts, Marc decided on clubs. Sandy got a spade lead, gave up a spade and ruffed a spade to score her slam.

Of course Marc and Sandy could have stopped off at four spades and doubled. They would have set this contract at least five tricks and possibly six.

The Lows were not as happy about the next deal. Again they arrived in a fine contract, but this time it didn't work.

Second semifinal

Board 14. Dealer East. Love All ª K Q 10 9 6 © 5 4 2 ¨ Q 10 8 6 § A ª 7 5 3 2 ª J 4 © Q J 8 3 © 6 ¨ K ¨ 9 7 5 § 10 6 4 3 § K Q J 9 8 7 2 ª A 8 © A K 10 9 7 ¨ A J 4 3 2 § 5

West North East South Klukowski M.Low Wilkosz S.Low   3§ 4¨(1) Pass 6¨ All Pass

(1) Leaping Michaels, showing diamonds and a major

If you know where all the cards are, of course you can make all 13 tricks - but Sandy did not have that advantage. She won the club opening lead and took the diamond finesse, losing to the singleton king. Klukoski got out with the heart queen, and Sandy drew the rest of the trumps, very unhappy when she discovered the king had been singleton. But she was still all right as long as she picked up the spades or dropped the heart jack. She cashed the ace of spades and took the spade finesse. Down one for a 10-IMP loss instead of a 10-IMP gain - because Poland played the deal in four hearts.