Round Robin Teams, Round 2

by Jos Jacobs

For Round 2, USA Blue had to play France, a team containing three Beijing Junior World Champions. The latter did not quite live up to their reputation, as we shall see. This was the first board:

Board: 11. Dlr: South/None
	♠ K 10 5 4 ♥ 8 ♦ K Q J 7 ♣ K 5 4 3
♠ 9 7 2 ♥ A Q 10 7 3 2 ♦ 10 2 ♣ A J		♠ A Q ♥ 9 4 ♦ A 9 6 5 ♣ 9 8 7 6 2
	♠ J 8 6 3 ♥ K J 6 5 ♦ 8 4 3 ♣ Q 10

In the Closed Room, the French had stopped in 3♥ which definitely is a reasonable proposition. It made with an overtrick but in the Open Room, the Americans were much more ambitious:

Open Room

After the double, the play was quite straightforward. North led the ♦K which held the trick. The next diamond was won in dummy and declarer now went for the cross-ruff. Diamond ruffed in hand, spade to the queen, last diamond ruffed in hand, ♠A, ♣A, spade ruffed in dummy followed by the ♥9 which held the trick. Declarer thus still held his ♥AQ10 which were good for the last two of the tricks required. USA Blue +590 and 9 IMPs.

The French levelled the match on the next board:

Board: 12. Dlr: West/NS
	♠ 6 2 ♥ A K Q J 9 7 ♦ K 8 3 ♣ K 5
♠ J 7 5 4 ♥ 6 2 ♦ A J 7 ♣ Q 10 4 2		♠ K Q 3 ♥ - ♦ 9 4 2 ♣ A J 9 8 7 6 3
	♠ A 10 9 8 ♥ 10 8 5 4 3 ♦ Q 10 6 5 ♣ -

5♥ can be made thanks to the fortunate layout in spades so the Americans were right when they took the save. Two down, France +300.

Closed Room

Strong Club by North but too much optimism later on. One down, France +100 and 9 IMPs back.

The entertainment continued on the next board:

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

After his very light take-out double, Fay was quite right to take shelter when partner doubled 4♥. This way, the Americans had found an even more profitable save when nobody doubled: France just +200 (two down).

Closed Room

No such aggression from the solid French so the Americans were allowed to play and make their vulnerable game in peace for another +620 and 9 IMPs to them. Again, the French struck back on the next board:

Board: 14. Dlr: East/None
	♠ - ♥ K 10 9 7 2 ♦ A K 5 4 2 ♣ Q 8 3
♠ K 10 6 5 4 ♥ J 8 6 5 ♦ Q ♣ K 10 5		♠ J 3 2 ♥ 3 ♦ J 8 7 6 ♣ J 9 7 4 2
	♠ A Q 9 8 7 ♥ A Q 4 ♦ 10 9 3 ♣ A 6

* Majors

This time, Fay’s aggression was a little mistimed. Down five, France +1100.

Closed Room

A quiet auction to a solid +450 but the French had won 12 IMPs and thus taken the lead by 3 IMPs. Please note that slam is indeed very close: had diamonds been 3-2, there probably would have been 12 tricks without a (possible) club lead. On board 17, it was the Americans’ turn again:

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

Well, the auction was just threatening to run away from the Americans when it duly stopped. Not much harm done; one down and France +50

Closed Room

After the invitational minor suit raise, EW were in trouble as soon as they opened their mouth. There was no longer a way out for them when nobody bid anything over the redouble…

Down two, USA Blue +600 and 11 IMPs.

Two boards later, the American ambitions again led to a razor-sharp game like they did on the first board:

Board: 19. Dlr: South/EW
	♠ Q 5 4 2 ♥ A J 9 8 6 3 ♦ A 7 ♣ 3
♠ A 7 6 3 ♥ Q ♦ K 6 5 4 3 ♣ A Q 6		♠ J 10 8 ♥ K 10 4 ♦ Q ♣ K 9 8 7 4 2
	♠ K 9 ♥ 7 5 2 ♦ J 10 9 8 2 ♣ J 10 5

With the club fit brought into the picture by East, it was suddenly quite easy for West to bid on.

Well done, 10 tricks, and no way for the defenders to both establish five tricks and cash them too. The only danger suit is diamonds but South won’t get the lead any more…

USA Blue +630.

Closed Room

After the more standard 1NT response, the French could no longer reach game when East decided against his club suit coming in... Ten tricks here too, France +180 but 10 IMPs to USA Blue to win the match convincingly 50-26 or 22-8 V.P.