The Women's World Championship Trial III

by Phillip Alder

We are looking at the women's trial to pick the United States team for the world championships in Poland in September. The 120- final was between Lynn Baker-Karen McCallum, Pamela Granovetter-JoAnna Stansby and -Kerri Sanborn; and Beth Palmer-Sylvia Shi, Juanita Chambers-Lynn Deas and Tobi Sokolow-Janice Seamon-Molson. It rated to be a close battle with two such strong teams. The first big swing came on the third deal.

North Dlr: South ‰ Q 3 Vul: E-W Š K 8 2 ‹ J 9 5 4 Œ Q J 10 9 West East ‰ A K 8 6 ‰ J 9 7 Š Q 10 9 7 6 Š 4 ‹ A K 10 2 ‹ Q 3 Œ – Œ A K 7 6 5 3 2 South ‰ 10 5 4 2 Š A J 5 3 ‹ 8 7 6 Œ 8 4 Open Room: West North East South Granovetter Sokolow Stansby Seamon-Molson Pass 1Œ (a) Pass 1Š (b) Pass 2‹ (c) Pass 2Š (d) Pass 3NT (e) Pass Pass Pass (a) Strong and artificial (b) Artificial game-force, unbalanced hand (c) Three-suiter with one minor (d) Relay (e) 4=4=5=0!

Closed Room: West North East South Shi Levitina Palmer Sanborn Pass 1Š Pass 2Œ Pass 2‰ Pass 3Œ Pass 3‹ Pass 3‰ Pass 3NT Pass Pass Pass

In the Open Room, Sokolow led the club jack, Rusinow promising the queen (or from shortness). Granovetter won on the board, played a spade to her ace, and returned a spade toward dummy's jack. North won and led another club, on which declarer threw a heart.

1 When declarer led the spade jack from the dummy, South followed with her ten as a suit- preference for hearts. West overtook with her king and cashed the spade eight, North incorrectly discarding two hearts. (She needed to pitch her club winners to keep the critical red-suit cards.) Now, though, declarer played a diamond to dummy's queen and returned a diamond to her ten. North won and cashed her clubs. When declarer came down to the heart queen and diamond ace-king, North could have led her heart king, which South would have overtaken and raked in the last three tricks for down three. But North exited with a diamond, so the contract was only down one. To make the contract required double-dummy play in this position:

North ‰ – Š K ‹ J 9 5 Œ 10 9 West East ‰ – ‰ – Š Q 10 9 Š 4 ‹ A K 10 ‹ 3 Œ – Œ 7 6 5 3 South ‰ – Š A J 5 3 ‹ 8 7 Œ –

West had to take the second diamond and exit with a low heart to North (or gain a heart trick if South overtook with her ace). At the other table, North led her fourth-highest diamond. Shi won with her ten and led a spade toward dummy's jack, which held the trick when North played low. Now declarer ducked a club, but that suit was not 3-3. Shi ended up taking three spades, four diamonds and two clubs. Plus 100 and plus 600 gave Palmer 12 international match points on the board.

2 The very next board had its funny side.

Dlr: West ‰ 10 7 5 4 2 Vul: Both Š A 9 6 ‹ 8 6 Œ 8 6 3 ‰ A K 9 ‰ Q 8 Š K Q 5 Š 8 7 4 2 ‹ J 4 3 ‹ 10 9 7 Œ J 7 5 4 Œ A K 10 2 ‰ J 6 3 Š J 10 3 ‹ A K Q 5 2 Œ Q 9 Open Room: West North East South Granovetter Sokolow Stansby Seamon-Molson 1‹ (a) Pass 1Š (b) Pass 1NT (c) Pass Pass Pass (a) Various possibilities (b) Forcing for one round, not guaranteeing four hearts (c) Balanced 12-14 without four spades

Somehow, North found a diamond lead. South cashed her five winners in the suit, North discarding two spades and one club . Given that West was known not to have four spades, North should have thrown only spades. South shifted to the heart jack. North took declarer's king with her ace and returned the suit. Now, though, based on that club pitch, declarer dropped South's queen of clubs and took the rest of the tricks with three spades, one heart and three clubs.

Closed Room: West North East South Shi Levitina Palmer Sanborn 1NT (a) Pass 2Œ Pass 2‹ Pass 2NT All Pass (a) 15-17 points

I do not see any reason to upgrade that hopeless 14-point 4-3-3-3 and call it 15. Levitina led her fourth-highest spade. Shi won with dummy's queen, cashed the club ace, and played a heart to her king, which North ducked smoothly. (It would have been better for West to play her queen. Then it would have been harder for North to play low because her partner might have had the king.) Now declarer took the club and the roof fell in. South won and cashed all of her diamonds. Then she pushed through the heart jack, so the defenders took two hearts, five diamonds and one club for down three. Plus 90 and plus 300 gave Baker 9 imps.

3 The only other big swing in this set came on Board 9:

Dlr: North ‰ 7 2 Vul: E-W Š 9 8 2 ‹ Q J 7 Œ A Q 7 5 2 ‰ J 10 9 6 4 ‰ A K 8 5 3 Š J 5 4 Š K 10 6 ‹ A 9 ‹ 3 Œ J 4 3 Œ 10 9 8 6 ‰ Q Š A Q 7 3 ‹ K 10 8 6 5 4 2 Œ K Open Room: West North East South Granovetter Sokolow Stansby Seamon-Molson Pass Pass 1‹ Pass 1NT Pass 2‹ Pass 3‹ Pass 5‹ Pass Pass Pass

That was an excellent auction by North-South, even though on a bad day the contract would not make. West led the spade jack. East won with her king and shifted to a heart. When her queen held, South led a , and claimed when everyone followed.

Closed Room: West North East South Shi Levitina Palmer Sanborn Pass Pass 1‹ Pass 1NT Dble 3‹ Pass 3NT All Pass

Although East led her fourth-highest spade and dummy's queen scored, three notrump was quickly down, declarer losing one diamond and four spades. Plus 400 and plus 50 gave Palmer 10 imps. Baker had several middling gains, though, and at the end of 15 boards, Baker led by 34 imps to 27.

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