Michael Seamon Junior United States Bridge Championships (XXII)

by Phillip Alder

The United States Bridge Federation junior trials were held in Atlanta, from December 27 to January 1. They were to select the U.S. teams for the world youth championships, which will be played next August in Suzhou, China, some 65 miles west of Shanghai. First today, here is a bidding quiz.

1. With only the opponents vulnerable, you pick up: ‰ A 3 2 Š 9 4 ‹ A K 7 Œ K Q 7 6 3

After two passes, righty opens (i) one heart or (ii) one spade. What would you do in each case?

2. With only your side vulnerable, your hand is: ‰ J 8 3 2 Š Q 10 9 8 ‹ 8 6 5 Œ 5 3

The auction begins:

West North East South You Partner Pass 1NT (a) Pass ?? (a) 15-17 points

What would you do, if anything?

3. With only your side vulnerable, you are dealt: ‰ J Š A 5 2 ‹ 10 8 6 5 Œ K Q 7 6 5

The bidding starts:

West North East South Partner Responder You Opener 1Œ Dble 1‰ 2‹ Pass (a) Pass 2‰ ?? (a) Fewer than three spades

Do you agree with two diamonds? If not, what do you prefer? What would you do now, if anything?

1 We are looking at the 60- under-21 semifinal between Stella Wan-David Zheng, Jacob and Luke Williams, and Yuchen Xu-Dian Qi and Lingyi Ma-Di Wu. With one quarter to be played, Xu led by 127 international match points to 109. This was a low-scoring set that started with a dynamite whimper!

North Dlr: West ‰ 10 8 4 Vul: E-W Š 7 3 ‹ Q 9 6 Œ J 10 9 8 5 West East ‰ 6 5 ‰ K Q J 9 7 Š K J 6 2 Š A Q 10 8 5 ‹ 10 8 5 4 3 2 ‹ J Œ 2 Œ A 4 South ‰ A 3 2 Š 9 4 ‹ A K 7 Œ K Q 7 6 3 Open Room: West North East South Wu Zheng Ma Wan Pass Pass 1Š Dble 4Š Pass Pass Dble Pass 5Œ 5Š Dble Pass Pass Pass

Closed Room: West North East South L. Williams Qi J. Williams Xu Pass Pass 1Š 2Œ 4Š 5Œ 5Š Dble Pass Pass Pass

How bizarre that both Easts incorrectly opened one heart instead of one spade. But it certainly worked well here. (If the Easts had opened one spade, I guess the Souths would have overcalled one notrump. After that, North-South probably would not have found their club fit, but East-West would have got into hearts.) I much prefer Wan's double to Xu's two-club . Then, after West pre-empted in hearts, East took the push to five hearts. The Souths assumed three of their four potential defensive tricks would live, but they were wrong. There was no defense, declarer conceding only one spade and one diamond. The board was flat at plus 850. Xu gained an overtrick imp on the next deal. Then came Board 48:

2 North Dlr: East ‰ J 8 3 2 Vul: N-S Š Q 10 9 8 ‹ 8 6 5 Œ 5 3 West East ‰ A K 6 ‰ 9 5 Š K 5 4 Š J 6 3 2 ‹ K 9 7 ‹ A 10 4 Œ J 10 9 6 Œ K 7 4 2 South ‰ Q 10 7 4 Š A 7 ‹ Q J 3 2 Œ A Q 8 Open Room: West North East South Wu Zheng Ma Wan Pass 1NT Pass 2Œ Pass 2‰ Pass Pass Pass

Closed Room: West North East South L. Williams Qi J. Williams Xu Pass 1NT Pass Pass Pass

Do you or don't you? The odds slightly favor using Stayman, but if opener does not have a four-card major, the minus score in two of a major in a 4-3 fit could be more than it would have been in one notrump. In theory, two clubs was the winner. Two spades was makable, but one notrump was not. Against two spades, West led the club jack. South won with his queen, cashed the heart ace and led another heart, putting in dummy's nine when West played low smoothly. Now the contract could have been defeated – in theory. East shifted to a low diamond. West took that trick and had to lead the heart king, which would have been a great play to find. Instead, West exited with a low . South played accurately from there. He won with his queen, cashed the club ace, ruffed his club eight and led a diamond. East went in with the ace and returned a trump. West took his winners and exited with the club ten, but South ruffed and, aided by the 3-3 split, took the diamond jack and diamond three. Against one notrump, the defenders plugged away at clubs and eventually took two clubs, two diamonds, one heart and two spades for down one. Plus 110 and plus 100 gave Wan 5 imps. Then came:

3 North Dlr: South ‰ K Q 9 8 3 2 Vul: E-W Š J 9 8 ‹ Q 7 4 Œ 2 West East ‰ 10 6 5 4 ‰ J Š 10 6 3 Š A 5 2 ‹ A K 9 3 ‹ 10 8 6 5 Œ A 9 Œ K Q 7 6 5 South ‰ A 7 Š K Q 7 4 ‹ J 2 Œ J 10 8 4 3 Open Room: West North East South Wu Zheng Ma Wan 1Œ Dble 1‰ Pass 1NT Pass 2‰ All Pass

Closed Room: West North East South L. Williams Qi J. Williams Xu 1Œ Dble 1‰ 2‹ Pass (a) Pass 2‰ 3‹ 3‰ Pass Pass Pass (a) Fewer than three spades

I agree with Jacob Williams' two-diamond advance. His three-diamond bid worked well, reaching a makable contract. In spades, with four top losers, it came down to playing the trump suit without loss to collect nine tricks. Zheng, only in two spades, did on round two. Qi, in three spades, did not. Plus 140 and plus 50 gave Wan another 5 imps, making the match score 128-119 to Xu with eleven boards to go.

To be continued

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