| 10th World Youth Team Championship | Page 4 | Bulletin 5 - Friday 12 August 2005 |
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CANADA v POLAND by Ron Klinger Try this problem: Dealer West. E/W Vul.
What would you lead as West from:
(See Board 16 later) This match featured two of the leaders, Poland first and Canada running third. First blood went to Canada:
Datum: N/S +100
Lead: ♦A East continued diamonds and declarer lost one spade, one heart and the ♦A for +170. That looked like a potential loss, but look what happened at the other table:
Lead: ♣4 North won and led the ♠4, hoping to sneak a spade trick before reverting to hearts. Grainger made no mistake. He rose with the ♠K and shifted to ♦A and a second diamond. As West had the ♥A entry, declarer went four down for 200 and 9 IMPs to Canada. As East was known to have spade length and had chosen a low club lead, there was a reasonable chance that East might be short in diamonds. In that case North could tackle hearts first to knock out the entry to the danger hand. If East has the ♣K and not three diamonds, it will be safe to let East in later in spades. Poland collected a small return on the next board:
Datum: N/S +530
Lead: ♦2 Declarer took the ♦A, cashed the ♣A and pitched the ♦J on the next club. He had little trouble making eleven tricks from there; Canada +650.
Lead: ♣6 Declarer won and led the ♥5. South rose with the ♥A, cashed the ♦A and played the ♦3. Declarer won with the ♦K and played a spade to the jack and queen. South thus came to six tricks and declarer was 800; 4 IMPs to Poland. This same contract was played a little later at both tables:
Datum: N/S 230
West led the ♥7: three two ace and South played the ♣3: six ace - ♥8. On the ♦J from dummy East won with the ♦Q, cashed the ♦A and switched to the ♥10. South pitched the ♠10 and finished two down for 300. When declarer came off dummy with a diamond thedefence had a chance for 500. East could play the ♦A, then ♦K as suit preference for spades and play another diamond for West to ruff. If West trusts the SPS for spades, he can underlead his spades to East’s ♠K and score another diamond ruff.
The ♥J was led and declarer also went two down; no swing. Poland made a game on Board 11 that failed in the other room but Canada retrieved the loss on Board 16:
Datum: N/S 20
West led the ♦A and in due course the defence collected a club and two spades. At the other table:
Here West began impatiently with a suit-preference ♦9. With no evidence of a long suit in dummy, there was nourgency to try to find a quick entry in partner’s hand. South won, ruffed the other diamond, drew trumps and led the ♣J, queen and ace. ten tricks for +420 and 10 IMPs to Canada. Then Demuy produced a neat ruse in the bidding:
Datum: N/S +450
After North raised hearts, South is worth 4♥, but that was bound to fetch 4♠ and, after 5♥, perhaps East/West have a good save in 5♠. To try to buy the hand in 5♥, Demuy bid a modest 3♥ first. It worked. West doubled 5♥ and led the ♠5, taken by the ace. The ♦4 came next and East won with the ace to play the ♥3. Demuy rose ♥A, and cross-ruffed diamonds and spades twice. He then finessed the ♣Q and disposed of his last diamond loser on the ♣A. Demuy scored 650 for a hard-earned 5 IMPs against 450 at the other table.
Lead: ♥2 Declarer took the ♠A and played the ♦4. East won and played a second spade. South cross-ruffed diamonds and the black suits. Not vulnerable does not mean invulnerable. Witness:
Datum: N/S +640
Lead: ♠5 North captured the ♠J and ran the ♣J to the king. After a spade to the king and a diamond, declarer had ten tricks for +630. At the other table short honours and poor suits proved a fatal attraction:
Lead: ♥10 Declarer won and played a low club. North took the ♣J and played another heart. South won the next club and played ♠K and another spade to North’s ♠10. When the ♦A dropped West’s king, North cashed the ♠A, ♠Q and continued diamonds. Declarer could make only his last trump for five down, 1100, and 10 IMPs to Poland. The IMPs went back to Canada on the last deal:
Datum: N/S 370
Lead: ♥8 Many would raise to 2♠ at once on the East cards. South won trick one and switched to the ♠3. Declarer ducked and the ♠J won. After a diamond to the ace, heart ruff, ♦K, diamond ruff, heart ruff, had ten tricks for +170.
Lead: ♥6 South won and tried ♣K and another club, but declarer ruffed and made ten tricks without raising a sweat for +620 and 10 IMPs to Canada, who finished in front by 38-31,16-14 in VPs. |
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