1st World Youth Congress Page 2 Bulletin 8 - Saturday 22 August 2009


MP Pairs qualification, 3rd session

by Jos Jacobs and Marjo Chorus

For the third and final session of the matchpoint pairs qualifications we once again went down into the playing catacombs to watch those who have been living there for almost a week now. We did not see any alarming signs of players who were needing treatment shortly but it quickly became clear that it had been an exhausting week for many of us and not only at daytime. So this report will have to deal with quite a number of mistakes but a lot of good bridge as well.

Take for example the first board, a typical example of what a pairs’ event is all about:

Board: 1. Dlr: North/None
 ♠ A 9
A J 4
A 9 8 7 4
♣ Q 10 9

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

WestNorthEastSouth
JassemFaillaTuczynskiZanasi
 1NTPass3NT
All pass    

The auction and the contract are trivial but the play at pairs is not. On a club lead by East, there will be four tricks four the defence if they have kept their communications intact when declarer gives up a diamond trick. On a spade lead, there are 11 tricks as long as declarer does not take the heart finesse after he finds out that West has the length in the suit. Going for a throw-in against a defender with a blank top club and Qx left does not work either. Failla got a low spade lead to his nine from Tuczynski. After giving up a diamond, he cashed all his winners and already had the J in his hand, high above the table, after he had played a heart from dummy at trick 11, when he decided to put it back and play the Ace instead. The extra overtrick made his score go up to 64 mp. The overnight leaders got their revenge on the next board, also a pairs’ game classic:

Board: 2. Dlr: East/NS vul.
 ♠ 9 8 6 4 3 2
Q 9
K 7
♣ 7 3 2

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

WestNorthEastSouth
JassemFaillaTuczynskiZanasi
  1Dble
1♠Pass22
All pass    

1♠ by West was a classic baby psyche as we have been seeing them for more than 75 years all over the world. Still, the spade layout can be such that taking the necessary countermeasures is quite awkward. North can hardly double as he is not strong enough but he might have ventured 2♠ over partner’s 2. Would that have been a natural bid under your current agreements? Anyway, 2 was just made for 13 mp to NS so the round was halved (nearly!) after all. The next board was a competitive classic:

Board: 3. Dlr: South/EW vul.
 ♠ J 10 9 8 6 5 3
8 7
Q J 10 2
♣ -

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

WestNorthEastSouth
TuczynskiOzkurtJassemCelik
     1♣
Pass1♠2Dble
44♠PassPass
5DbleAll pass  

The save against 4♠ must have been quite popular as +100 was worth only 48 mp for NS. In fact, 4♠ should be defeated easily enough, even on a heart lead, as the K shift stands out. Alternatively, the relatively good score for EW may also have been due to the fact that they went down only one, on a top spade lead. If South leads a top club, his partner gets two ruffs with the ♠A as entry for the second; this will mean two down and a much better score. The classic aspect of the deal is of course that though both 4 and 4♠ can already be defeated, the five-level still is reached with great ease. This was proved the other way round by Andy Hung: .

WestNorthEastSouth
SchaferStephensHungSiderov
   1♣
Pass 1122♠
4 4♠Pass Pass
55♠Pass Pass
DbleAll Pass   

West led a heart and when Hung won the trick and produced K at trick two, 5♠ doubled was defeated by two tricks for a fine EW score of 67 mp.

The other board of the round brought the Turks a much better score:

Board: 4. Dlr: West/All vul.
 ♠ -
A K J 9 6 2
Q 8 7
♣ A J 8 3

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

WestNorthEastSouth
TuczynskiOzkurtJassemCelik
Pass12♠4
4♠5♣Pass5
DblePassPassRedble
Pass6All pass  

When South found his hand worth a youthful cuebid, in view of his extra trump length and his useful club spots, North had the patience to wait for the Ace-confirming redouble and then bid the slam out of hand. East led a diamond but it did not matter. Either the diamond loser goes on the clubs or the club loser goes on the Q. Twelve tricks and a fine 63 mp for NS. Next, we have a hand where the cards were very nicely placed for NS:

Board: 7. Dlr: South/All vul.
 ♠ A K 5 2
Q J 9 6
10 8
♣ A J 2

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

Rien Devriendt (North) got a diamond lead against his 1NT contract very unpleasant if the clubs don’t behave as the entry will be gone. Dummy played low and West’s Queen won the trick. Diamonds were continued and the Jack in dummy was allowed to win. Club to the Jack, ♣A (thank you) and the rest of the clubs. As both East and West began to discard spades, Devriendt suddenly had four tricks in that well-kept suit too, ten tricks in all for 62 mp.

Yoshiro Kido at another table also led a diamond to partner’s Queen but Kaneta continued a heart! Kido, distinctly unhappy as his only side entry had gone, looked as if he was facing something unedible on the plate in front of him but he kept up his concentration and continued another low diamond. Dummy won and now declarer, not trusting the clubs, went on to play hearts, calling for dummy’s eight. West did not take his King but luckily for him, declarer was forced to overtake the heart in hand…Kido must have felt a little uncomfortable watching all this. When next declarer played the clubs from his hand, all was well that ended well as West could win his King, cash the K and continue diamonds for one down and 67 mp to a relieved Kido and his partner. A variety of final contracts figured on board 8:

Board: 8. Dlr: West/None vul.
 ♠ K Q 7
6 5
J 7 6 2
♣ J 9 4 3

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

WestNorthEastSouth
JassemKaplanTuczynskiShunta
1Pass2♣Pass
2Pass2NTPass
3♣Pass3NTAll pass

When South led a spade rather than a diamond, declarer already was a tempo ahead as 2♣ was the Polish Club gf relay and spades had not been bid. Declarer won the Ace immediately and ran the hearts when the finesse worked. A club then went to Queen and Ace and, rather than returning the suit or shifting to diamonds, Shunta persisted with spades, giving the Poles an easy overtrick and 60 mp. Aksueyek and Eren also reached 3NT, played by West however, and Tim Verbeek in North led a low club. Declarer called for dummy’s Queen but South won the Ace and continued the suit to North’s nine. Verbeek now shifted to diamonds. Declarer won the Ace and ran the hearts, North discarding a diamond and two spades and South a spade as well. Declarer now was thinking about the overtrick so he did not cash his ♣K but immediately played spades himself. Michielsen won the Jack and, after some thought, returned a diamond to hold declarer to nine tricks and thus saving 19 mp! NS 35 and EW 41 mp now. Andy Hung and Jorrit Schafer indeed reached game in hearts:

WestNorthEastSouth
SchaferDevriendtHungDe Visschere
PassPass1NTPass
2Pass2Pass
3♣ Pass 4 All Pass

Once Hung decides to open 1NT, the thin heart game is quickly reached. South leads a spade to the Ace and East plays the ♣Q, won by South’s Ace. South now is considering his options. A trump to restrict the club ruffs? No, De Visschere decides, “ I can overruff the 4th round.” So back comes a club. Declarer wins the King and continues a spade to North’s King. Now, something goes wrong: North is expecting a doubleton club with South and thus returns the ♣J...Declarer ruffs, takes the heart finesse and has the balance: +450 to EW and 70 mp only 6 mp to NS. Next, we have a very elegantly played hand by probably one of the youngest participants here, Mirza Asfandiyar Hussain from Pakistan:

Board: 11. Dlr: South/None vul.
 ♠ A 8
8 6 5 4 2
5
♣ K 9 7 6 4

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

WestNorthEastSouth
JassemMansoorTuczynskiHussain
   1♠
Pass1NTPass2
Pass2♠All pass  

West led the ♣Q and Hussain won the Ace, cashed the ♣K and ruffed a club. A and a diamond ruff, club ruff and a diamond ruffed with the Ace. On the 13th club, he discarded a diamond, West ruffing with his only trump. The K followed but East overtook (perforce) and led a trump back. Declarer played the Jack but it did not really matter. A low trump back gave him two more tricks for a fine +170 and 63 mp.

Jorrit Schafer finds an excellent lead after this auction on the same board:

WestNorthEastSouth
SchaferZaytounHungAbiu Taleb
   1♠
Pass1NTPass2
Pass2♠Pass4♠
All Pass    

Schafer puts his singleton trump on the table. Declarer wins the Ace and plays A, diamond ruff but with the trumps breaking badly, he can no longer make his contract. One down gives EW 64 mp.

Board: 12. Dlr: West/NS vul.
 ♠ A 10 9 8
J 5 4
4
♣ A J 7 5 2

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

WestNorthEastSouth
JassemMansoorTuczynskiHussain
1Pass2Dble
33♠4Pass
PassDbleAll pass  

On the other board of the round, the Pakistani pair doubles the Poles far too early. Four Spades would have been quite playable; we are wondering if the Poles would have defeated that. Club lead, heart underlead, club and the ♠K as the setting trick… Against 4 the Pakistanis got their diamond ruff at trick 2 but when next they forgot to cash the ♠A, they never saw it back…+690 was worth 74 mp to the Poles.

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

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

The Israeli brothers Dan en Dvir Herfsgang must have liked to return to bed immediately after this board came by:

WestNorthEastSouth
GogomanDvirSchulzDan
 Pass1Pass
1♠Pass2♠Pass
4NTPass5Pass
5*Pass6<Pass
6♠All Pass   

* asking trump Q < yes, and K too The diamond lead was won by dummy’s King and Adele Gogoman takes the losing spade finesse. The trump return goes to her seven and now, she cashes her top clubs and ruffs a club. After that, she plays A and Q, discarding a diamond when South plays low. She crosses to the A now and plays her 4th club which can be ruffed in dummy as North, to Adele’s relief, has to follow suit. Contract made for a mere 63 mp... The next two boards are from an all-Polish encounter, early in the morning:

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

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

WestNorthEastSouth
TuczynskiJaneczkoJassemSzczypczyk
     Pass
Pass1♠2Dble
3Pass4Dble
All pass    

The light opening by North backfired when Aga Szczypczyk could not be stopped doubling at all her turns of bidding. The spade lead made it easy for declarer to get the spades in without the help of a ruff and when South went up with the K when declarer led low to the Q10, all problems were over. On a club lead, this would have been a different story as declarer will be fatally shortened in trumps… Needless to say that losing -790 did not bring NS any matchpoints… They got a fine revenge in the other board:

Board: 20. Dlr: West/All vul.
 ♠ K Q 9 8 7 3
K Q 5
A
♣ A 4 2

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

WestNorthEastSouth
TuczynskiJaneczkoJassemSzczypczyk
Pass1♠Pass1NT
Pass2NTPass3NT
All pass    

Polish Club worked well here as the good spade suit easily came into the picture by the 2NT rebid. A club lead would have restricted declarer to ten tricks but the actual J gave Aga her 11th trick. The score of +660 was worth 65 mp. to NS. Matthew Meckstroth did not really have “the time of his life” yesterday morning because his partner Kevin Dwyer could not be found when play got underway. Just before the moment the pair would be disqualified, Kevin showed up in the playing area. Three boards could not be played but the pair’s position in the table was such that this handicap could easily be overcome. Even more so after a board like this:

Board: 24. Dlr: West/None vul.
 ♠ J 10 5 3 2
Q
A 10 7 6
♣ 9 4 2

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

WestNorthEastSouth
MeckstrothWoodsDwyerSmith
1♣Pass12
34DbleAll pass

After the Strong Club and the 1 negative, Brona Smith says: “Give me a good hand, please,” before dummy comes down. Aimée Woods seems to fulfill her wish but when the second round of clubs costs South a trump card, one down can no longer be avoided. NS 17 mp and EW thus 59. After a quiet start, the auction at the Poles’ table really exploded in the next two rounds of bidding:

WestNorthEastSouth
JassemNistorTuczynskiDobrescu
1♣Pass1Dble
2♣223♣
4♣Pass4Dble
Pass5All pass  

North would have been well advised to pass Dobrescu’s double of 4 as declarer will quickly lose control of the hand if North leads, say, the Q to avoid any trouble and shifts to a diamond. Five Diamonds went two off, undoubled, for the same 59 mp to EW. On board 29, Meckstroth-Dwyer do well again:

Board: 29. Dlr: North/All vul.
 ♠ Q J 8 5
J 9 7
A Q 9 3
♣ 7 6

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

WestNorthEastSouth
MeckstrothDi FrancoDwyerManno
  2♣Pass
PassDbleAll pass  

2♣ was Precision style. Manno’s pass looks doubtful; apparently he is hoping for the magic +200 with no game on for his side. The appearance of the ♣Q in dummy must have been a major setback for him. As Meckstroth remarked, when putting down dummy’s cards: “I don’t have the worst of hands…” Right he was: Dwyer finishes up with and overtrick and 73 of the available mp.

WestNorthEastSouth
JassemUrmanTuczynskiGreenberg
 Pass1♣Pass
1Pass1♠Pass
1NTAll pass   

The quite young Israeli pair Urman-Greenberg miss a great chance in defence on the same hand against the overnight leaders. Diamond lead by North to South’s King and the 5 back on which declarer played the Jack! North won the Queen and, not being able to see if a diamond continuation was correct, shifted to a heart. Declarer immediately put up the Ace and led a club off the board, putting in the eight in his hand which held the trick. Next, declarer led a diamond from hand. North won the nine but South overtook this, cashed the Q and then returned a diamond. North won this and exited with a club to dummy’s Ace. Another club went to South’s King but with the hearts blocked, declarer was only one down for a reasonable score.



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