The Ecstasy, The Agony - And The Sign Of Relief

by Sheri Winestock

Any non-playing captain or coach will tell you that it is much more stressful to watch the results coming into the vugraph theatre than it is to play. Depending on whether or not you have been in one of these positions, you may or may notbelieve them.

Sitting in the vugraph theatre watching the Closed Room on Bridge Base Online, Steve Landen and I (captain and coach, respectively, of USA2 in the Bermuda Bowl) say this deal.

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

West	North	East	South
	Ekeblad		Rubin
		Pass	1♣
Pass	1♠	Pass	1NT
Pass	2♣	Pass	2♦
Pass	3♣	Pass	4♦
Pass	4NT	Pass	5♣
Pass	5♦	Pass	7♦
All Pass

Here is what the bidding means:

1♣ = strong, artificial and forcing.
1♠ = game forcing with at least 6-4 distribution.
1NT = relay.
2♣ = six-card minor.
2♦ = relay.
3♣ = six diamonds and four hearts.
4♦ = sets trumps and asks North how he likes his hand, trumps and whether maximum or minimum.
4NT = Likes hand, likes trumps, 0 or 3 controls, including the trump king.
5♣ = asks about the trump queen or a seventh trump.
5♦ = negative response.
7♦ = this is our spot.

With our deft analysis, we immediately noted that 7♦ was the only grand slam that could be made. We were delighted to watch Russ Ekeblad and Ron Rubin bid to 7♦.

As we watched for the board to be played in the Open Room and noticing many Minus 100s in the other matches, we planned our submission for the best-bid-hand contest. Alas, Walter Fornasari (North) and Luis Palazzo (South) for Argentina reached the grand on this most efficient auction.

West	North	East	South
		Pass	2♣
Pass	3♦	Pass	5NT
Pass	7♣	Pass	7♦
All Pass

Fred Gitelman (West) did have a chance to double 7♦ with his spade void. Of course, declarer can overruff. Still, the speculation by the vugraph commentators was that double may have influenced South to run to 7♠. There was no double, so we will never know.

Our speculation was that South should know that Brad Moss (East) would almost certainly not be able to get the opening lead right, since Moss could have at most four spades, in which case North was also void, and with three or fewer spades (when a spade lead would sink the contract), he would surely lead from a different, longer suit. Redouble, therefore, is clear! So Fred's pass allowed us toescape a loss of 11 IMPs. Is that stressful? You be the judge.