39th World Team Championships Page 4 Bulletin 9 - Monday 7 September 2009


USA2 - Russia (Bermuda Bowl Round 21)

No cold war in Sao Paulo - by Brent Manley

With one round to go in the Bermuda Bowl qualifying, USA2 was solidly in position to make it to the knockout phase. There was no real danger that they would miss the cut, but it’s always good, from a psychological standpoint, to end on a positive note. The Americans did that, and then some, starting with board 3.

Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
 ♠ Q 9 7 6
K 9
8 3 2
♣ A J 4 2

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

WestNorthEastSouth
DubininHammanGromovZia
   Pass
PassPass1Pass
1♠Pass2Pass
2NTPass3Pass
4All Pass   

This forlorn contract never had a chance Andrei Gromov was always going to lose three trump tricks and the ♣A and when he misguessed in diamonds, he was two down for minus 200.

WestNorthEastSouth
RodwellMatushkoMeckstrothKhokhlov
   Pass
PassPass1Pass
1♠Pass2Pass
2NTAll Pass   

Georgi Matushko led a low spade, taken by Eric Rodwell in dummy with the king. On his play of a low heart, Youri Khokhlov went up with the ace and returned the ♠J to Rodwell’s ace. Rodwell played the Q to North’s king. Matushko then made the curious play of a low club to dummy’s king. Reading the situation correctly, Rodwell passed the 9 through South, then cashed three more rounds of diamonds before putting South in with a heart to the jack. The defenders had the rest, but plus 100 meant a 3-IMP loss.

The next deal helped the Americans to even more IMPs.

Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul.
 ♠ A 2
Q 10 4
A J 9 6 3
♣ 5 4 3

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

WestNorthEastSouth
DubininHammanGromovZia
1♠Pass3♠4
4♠5All Pass  

Zia Mahmood’s bold 4 in the face of the weak spade raise by Gromov paid off handsomely. With his two aces and good trump support, Bob Hamman was happy to take the push over 4♠ by Alexander Dubinin. Zia won the spade lead in dummy and floated the Q to West. He won the heart return in hand to play a diamond up, and his problems were solved when Dubinin put up the K. Now there was no need to think about the club finesse. Plus 650 to USA2.

WestNorthEastSouth
RodwellMatushkoMeckstrothKhokhlov
1♠Pass2♠3
4♠All Pass   

Rodwell had to lose a trick in each suit, but he was happy to concede minus 100 against the result in the other room. That was II IMPs to the Americans.

More IMPs went to USA2 on the next deal.

Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
 ♠ 8 6
10 8 6
10 9 8 5 3
♣ 7 5 2

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

WestNorthEastSouth
DubininHammanGromovZia
 PassPass2♣
Pass22♠2NT
All Pass    

Dubinin led a spade to the 6, queen and 4. The defense could have taken the next five club tricks had Gromov found that switch, but he continued with a spade to Zia’s jack. Now on the run of the diamonds, West pitched down to the doubleton Q and three clubs, while East got rid of all his clubs and came down to three spades and two hearts. When Zia played a heart from dummy after finishing the diamonds, Gromov went up with the king. Zia won the ace, cashed the ♠A and exited with a heart to West’s now-bare queen. He had to give Zia a club at the end for plus 150.

WestNorthEastSouth
RodwellMatushkoMeckstrothKhokhlov
 PassPass1♣
Pass11♠Dble
2♠PassPass3NT
All Pass    

It seemed from the bidding that declarer had spades will stopped, so Rodwell didn’t bother with that suit, instead leading his fourth-best club. Khokhlov won the ♣J and rattled off five rounds of diamonds, ending in dummy. Declarer played a low spade from dummy, ducking when Jeff Meckstroth went up with the king, Back came a club and declarer was soon entering minus 100 on his scorecard. Six more IMPs to USA2.

The score was 40-8 in favor of the Americans when Russia scored in double digits for the first time, on the last deal of the match.

Board 16. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
 ♠ K J 10 6 4
K 9 8 4 3
10 2
♣ 6

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

WestNorthEastSouth
DubininHammanGromovZia
WestNorthEastSouth
PassPassPass1
Pass1♠Pass3♣
Pass3NTAll Pass  

Gromov started with the Q, taken by Hamman in dummy with the ace. He played the ♠Q, overtaking in his hand when Dubinin ducked. Hamman then finessed in diamonds, losing to the queen. Hamman ducked when Dubinin continued with the 10, and when Dubinin exited with a diamond to Hamman’s 10, the contract was doomed. He cashed the K and played the ♠J to West’s ace. The ♣K followed (a nice play in case Hamman had a singleton ♣Q), and Hamman was limited to eight tricks for minus 50.

WestNorthEastSouth
RodwellMatushkoMeckstrothKhokhlov
PassPassPass1♣*
Pass1♠Pass2
Pass2Pass3NT
All Pass    

1♣ Artificial, possibly strong.

Rodwell started with the 10 to Kkokhlov’s ace. The ♠Q was next, ducked all around, and when Khokhlov played a low diamond from hand, Rodwell played low. The 10 gave Rodwell the entry he needed to drive out the ♠A while retaining the reentry to dummy after spades were made good. He finished with plus 490 for an 11-IMP gain, but it was still and impressive win for the Americans, who finished in fourth place in the round robin standings.



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