The 44th World Team Championships (VI)

by Phillip Alder

These took place in Wuhan, China, from September 14 to 28. We are looking at the progress of the only American team to win a medal, USA-1 in the mixed event: Cheri Bjerkan-Allan Graves, Christal Henner-Uday Ivatury and Jill Meyers-Howard Weinstein. In the 96- semifinal, they played against England: Sally Brock-Barry Myers, Fiona Brown-Michael Byrne and Frances Hinden-Graham Osborne. First, though, here are some competitive bidding questions.

1. With only the opponents vulnerable, you are dealt:

‰ – Š A J 8 7 6 5 ‹ Q 8 6 3 Œ K Q 5

The auction starts thus:

West North East South Responder Partner Opener You Pass 1‰ 2Š 4Š (a) 5Š (i) Pass ?? (ii) 5‰ ?? (a) Splinter bid: four or more spades, at least game-going values and a singleton or in hearts

What would you do in each situation?

2. With only your side vulnerable, you pick up:

‰ 8 6 3 Š K Q 7 ‹ Q 8 7 5 2 Œ K 2

This bidding begins at a high level:

West North East South Opener You Responder Partner 5ΠPass Pass Dble Pass ??

What would you do?

After 38 of the 96 boards, USA-1 led by 114 international match points to 63. England gained 1 imp on the next two deals. Then:

1 North Dlr: North ‰ 10 9 8 Vul: E-W Š K Q 10 3 2 ‹ K 7 2 Œ 4 2 West East ‰ K Q 6 4 ‰ A J 7 5 3 2 Š – Š 9 4 ‹ A J 9 5 4 ‹ 10 Œ 10 9 6 3 Œ A J 8 7 South ‰ – Š A J 8 7 6 5 ‹ Q 8 6 3 Œ K Q 5 Open Room: West North East South Bjerkan Brown Weinstein Byrne Pass 1‰ 2Š 4Š 5Š 5‰ All Pass

Closed Room: West North East South Osborne Graves Hinden Meyers Pass 1‰ 2Š 4Š 5Š Pass 6Š 6‰ 7Š Dble All Pass

Both Wests made a splinter raise. After that, there were varying degrees of optimism and pessimism. Weinstein judged well to bid five spades. He lost two club tricks and registered a painless plus 650. Meyers plowed into six hearts, but when Osborne bid six spades, Graves took a in the auction to minimize the potential loss. Seven hearts doubled went down two, so USA-1 gained 8 imps. The next two deals were flat. This was Board 44:

2 North Dlr: West ‰ 8 6 3 Vul: N-S Š K Q 7 ‹ Q 8 7 5 2 Œ K 2 West East ‰ J 10 7 4 ‰ K 5 Š – Š 9 8 6 5 4 ‹ 3 ‹ A J 10 6 4 Œ A J 10 9 8 7 6 3 Œ 4 South ‰ A Q 9 2 Š A J 10 3 2 ‹ K 9 Œ Q 5 Open Room: West North East South Bjerkan Brown Weinstein Byrne 5Œ Pass Pass Dble Pass 5‹ All Pass

Closed Room: West North East South Osborne Graves Hinden Meyers 5Œ Pass Pass Dble Pass Pass Pass This was another example of the Americans taking the profit at the five-level and the English trying for an uncertain vulnerable game. (See Board 38 in my last article.) Against five diamonds, East led his club. West won with her ace and returned a suit-preference six. East ruffed and gave his partner a heart . After a spade to the king and ace, declarer played dummy's diamond king to get the bad news. East took that trick and led another spade to dummy's queen. Now North played carefully to get out for down three. She led a heart to her king, overtook the heart queen with dummy's ace, discarded her last spade on the heart jack and ruffed the heart ten to give this position: North ‰ – Š – ‹ Q 8 7 Œ – West East ‰ J 10 ‰ – Š – Š – ‹ – ‹ J 10 6 Œ 10 Œ – South ‰ 9 2 Š – ‹ 9 Œ –

The diamond seven endplayed East.

3 North Dlr: West ‰ 8 6 3 Vul: N-S Š K Q 7 ‹ Q 8 7 5 2 Œ K 2 West East ‰ J 10 7 4 ‰ K 5 Š – Š 9 8 6 5 4 ‹ 3 ‹ A J 10 6 4 Œ A J 10 9 8 7 6 3 Œ 4 South ‰ A Q 9 2 Š A J 10 3 2 ‹ K 9 Œ Q 5

Against five clubs doubled, Graves (North) led the heart king. Declarer ruffed and played two rounds of trumps. North shifted to a diamond, won with dummy's ace. Now came the spade five from the board. If South had played low, she could have taken three spade tricks for down two, but she understandably won with her queen. Still, plus 100 here and plus 300 at the other table gave USA-1 9 imps and the lead by 127 imps to 64. Things were getting desperate for England.

To be continued

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