The 15th World Bridge Games (XIII)

by Phillip Alder

In the 96- semifinals of the world women's teams championship in Poland last month, the United States (Lynn Deas-Kerri Sanborn, -Sylvia Shi and Tobi Sokolow-Janice Seamon-Molson) faced China (Yan Huang-Nan Wang, Yan Liu-Yan Lu and Qi Shen-Wen Fei Wang). Before we get to the match, try these problems first.

1. North (Dummy) Dlr: East ‰ 6 4 3 Vul: None Š K Q 10 5 ‹ A Q 7 Œ 7 5 2 West (You) ‰ 10 Š 8 6 4 3 ‹ 8 4 Œ A Q J 10 6 3 West North East South You Dummy Partner Declarer Pass 1‰ 3Œ Dble Pass 3‹ Pass 3‰ Pass 3NT Pass Pass Dble All Pass What does your partner's double ask you to lead? Often it would be your suit, but unless South has brazenly bid three notrump without a club stopper, partner cannot have a good club holding. Instead, it asks for dummy's first-bid suit, which is hearts given the negative double. So, you lead the heart six (second-highest from a weak suit): king, two (encouraging), seven. South plays a spade to her ace, then leads the spade eight. After you discard the club queen, partner wins with the spade jack and shifts to the club nine. How would you plan the defense from there?

2. With both sides vulnerable, you hold:

‰ 10 9 Š A K Q 5 ‹ 7 Œ K Q 10 9 7 4

The auction begins thus: West North East South You Intervenor Partner Advancer 1ΠDble 1NT Pass ??

What would you rebid, if anything? Suppose you opened two clubs, Precision, showing 11-15 points with six-plus clubs or perhaps five clubs and a four-card major. Lefty passes, partner raises to three clubs, which is marked “constructive” on your and righty passes. What would you do now, if anything?

1 After 9 boards, the match was still tied at 14-14. Then the United States gained 3 international match points for one fewer vulnerable undertrick. This was Board 11:

North Dlr: South ‰ 10 Vul: None Š 8 6 4 3 ‹ 8 4 Œ A Q J 10 6 3 West East ‰ A K 9 8 5 ‰ 6 4 3 Š 7 Š K Q 10 5 ‹ K J 9 6 ‹ A Q 7 Œ K 8 4 Œ 7 5 2 South ‰ Q J 7 2 Š A J 9 2 ‹ 10 5 3 2 Œ 9 Open Room: West North East South Shi Wen Wang Palmer Shen Pass 1‰ 3Œ Dble Pass 3‹ Pass 3‰ Pass 3NT Pass Pass Dble Pass Pass Pass

Shi did well to sit for the double of three notrump, but she was confident that South was at least half hoping to scare her into retreating to four spades, a contract she was even happier to double. Many pairs would play this double as asking for a club lead, but North knew West had the king and wisely led the heart six (second-highest from a weak suit). When declarer put up dummy's king, South played an encouraging deuce. (She could also have won and shifted to her club.) West played a spade to her ace, and when North's ten dropped, she continued with the spade eight. When North dis- carded the club queen, South took the trick and shifted to her club. Now came a tough play to find: After winning with her ten, she had to cash the ace, then lead another heart to give her side one spade, two hearts and two clubs. But North played a second heart without cashing the club ace. This allowed Shi to took four spades (with a of her nine), one heart and four diamonds.

Closed Room: West North East South Lu Sokolow Liu Seamon-Molson Pass 1‰ 3Œ Dble Pass 3‹ Pass 3‰ Pass 4‰ Pass Pass Pass

Lu failed to offer her partner a choice of games and paid a high price after perfect defense. The play went: heart to the king and ace, club to the ten, club ace, club , shift to the spade seven. South still had a trick to come for down two. Plus 550 and plus 100 gave the United States 12 imps. After 16 boards, the U.S. led by 33 imps to 14.

2 In the second set, the Chinese started well when, on the first board, Deas and Sanborn had a bidding misunderstanding. The auction began:

West North East South Pass 1‰ Dble 3NT

What does three notrump mean in your partnerships? Strangely, Deas thought it was natural and passed. But if West had held a big , she would have started with redouble. Sanborn was intending it to show a pre-emptive four-spade bid with a defensive trick on the side, her hand being:

‰ Q 10 5 4 Š 8 ‹ 10 3 Œ A 8 7 5 3 2

Three notrump had no chance, going down one. At the other table, Huang responded four spades to reach an unbeatable contract opposite:

‰ A 9 8 7 6 Š K J 9 ‹ A K 8 6 Œ 6

China gained 10 imps. But the Americans recouped that number on Board 20:

North Dlr: West ‰ A K 8 4 Vul: Both Š 9 8 4 ‹ K 6 2 Œ A 6 2 West East ‰ 10 9 ‰ Q J 3 Š A K Q 5 Š J 7 6 ‹ 7 ‹ A 9 5 3 Œ K Q 10 9 7 4 Œ J 8 5 South ‰ 7 6 5 2 Š 10 3 2 ‹ Q J 10 8 4 Œ 3 Open Room: West North East South Sanborn Wen Wang Deas Shen 1Œ Dble 1NT Pass 2Œ Pass Pass Pass

I like Deas' one-notrump response, showing her values and hand-type. Then Sanborn took the low road. She lost two spades and one club to come home with two overtricks. West was more ambitious next door:

3 North Dlr: West ‰ A K 8 4 Vul: Both Š 9 8 4 ‹ K 6 2 Œ A 6 2 West East ‰ 10 9 ‰ Q J 3 Š A K Q 5 Š J 7 6 ‹ 7 ‹ A 9 5 3 Œ K Q 10 9 7 4 Œ J 8 5 South ‰ 7 6 5 2 Š 10 3 2 ‹ Q J 10 8 4 Œ 3 Closed Room: West North East South Huang Sokolow Nan Wang Seamon-Molson 2Œ (a) Pass 3Œ (b) Pass 3Š Pass 3NT All Pass (a) 11-15 points, five-plus clubs and a four-card major, or six-plus clubs (b) Constructive

When West moved over three clubs, East presumably thought that she might as well go for the jackpot, given that surely five clubs was too high. South led the diamond jack, Rusinow promising the queen as well. East won and played a club. North took that trick, cashed the spade king to clarify that suit, then went back to diamonds. The defenders took two spades, four diamonds and one club for down three. Plus 130 and plus 300 were worth 10 imps. After 20 boards, the United States led by 51 imps to 22.

To be continued

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