37th World Team Championships Page 5 Bulletin 9 - Monday 31 October 2005


Notes From The Bermuda Bowl

by Barry Rigal

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

♠ 10 8
10 9 6 2
K 9
♣ A J 8 6 2
Bridge deal
♠ K Q 7 4 2
8 5 4 3
A 8 2
♣ 10
 ♠ J 9 5
A J 7
Q 7 4
♣ Q 7 5 3

WestNorthEastSouth
LambardiLindkvistMadalaFredin
   Pass
Pass1♣1♠Dble
Pass1NTAll Pass  

A low spade would have given Magnus Lindkvist the option of playing dummy's nine, which would have led to his defeat. Agustin Madala, however, started with the 5, which went to the nine and queen. Lindkvist played a low diamond to the queen and king, and Pablo Lambardi switched to the ♠10, ducked to his partner's queen. Now the ♣10 went to Lambardi's ace, and another spade would have scuttled the contract, but he continued with a heart instead; Plus 90.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
 ♠ K 8 6 5 3
J 7 3
A J 7
♣ Q 7

♠ 10 4 2
K 9 6 4 2
4 3
♣ K 3 2
Bridge deal
♠ Q 9 7
10
K Q 10 9 8 6
♣ J 8 6
 ♠ A J
A Q 8 5
5 2
♣ A 10 9 5 4

WestNorthEastSouth
LambardiLindkvistMadalaFredin
   1NT
Pass23Pass
Pass3NTPass4♠
All Pass    

West led the 4 to the ace. Peter Fredin played a club to the ten and king. West continued with a diamond to the ten. Now what? Can you blame Madala for ploughing on with the K? Fredin ruffed with the jack, played the ♠A, led a club to the queen and continued with the ♠K and another spade. When the suit went 3-3, Fredin could claim.

Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
 ♠ J 7 5 2
8
K 10 9 8 3 2
♣ K 8

♠ 9 8 6
Q 10 5 3
A 6
♣ J 7 5 2
Bridge deal
♠ A 3
A K 9 2
Q J 7 5
♣ Q 10 4
 ♠ K Q 10 4
J 7 6 4
4
♣ A 9 6 3

WestNorthEastSouth
LambardiLindkvistMadalaFredin
   1♣
Pass11NTPass
2♣22Pass
3All Pass   

In the other room, East made 1NT. Madala had to make nine tricks in hearts.

The ♠K went to the ace, and declarer played the A and K (an error according to Deep Finesse), then a diamond to the ace and another diamond, taken by North's king (South discarded a club). A spade was led to South's ten. Now the correct defense is another heart. Declarer wins the 10, ruffs a spade and plays a winning diamond, but South ruffs and will get a spade trick in the end. South, however, did not continue with a heart, instead playing another spade. East ruffed, leaving this position:

 ♠ J

10 9 8
♣ K 8


Q 10

♣ J 7 5 2
Bridge deal

9
Q J
♣ Q 10 4
 ♠ 4
J 7

♣ A 9 6

Declarer played a low club, ducked to North's king and now there was no way to defeat the contract. If Northreturned a club (what happened in practice), and South won, East could ruff the spade return in hand, cash a high club and play diamond winners to execute a trump coup on South. The winning defense is for South to win the ♣A and play a trump. Now if declarer wins with the 10 and cashes the queen, the defense gets a spade when North comes in with the ♣K. If declarer does not cash the Q, playing a club instead, North can win the king and promote a trump trick for South by playing a fourth round of spades.



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