15th World Bridge Series (XVIII)

by Phillip Alder

First today, here is a defense problem followed by a competitive-bidding conundrum.

1. North (Dummy) Dlr: North ‰ J 4 Vul: Both Š K 8 5 2 ‹ 9 7 5 4 2 Œ J 6 East (You) ‰ 8 5 2 Š Q J 10 6 ‹ A Q J Œ 9 7 3 West North East South Partner Dummy You Declarer Pass Pass 1‰ Pass 1NT Pass 2Œ Pass 2‰ Pass 4‰ Pass Pass Pass

West leads the diamond ten. What should East do?

2. With neither side vulnerable, you are dealt:

‰ 4 Š K Q ‹ 9 7 6 2 Œ A K Q 10 9 6 West North East South Intervenor Partner Advancer You 1Œ 1Š 1‰ 4Š ??

What would you do now?

If you pass, it goes back to partner, who doubles to show extra strength. What would you do then?

The 96- final of the McConnell Cup world women's team championship, played in Orlando, Florida, nearly three months ago, was between:

Nicola Smith-Yvonne Wiseman (England), Paula Leslie (Scotland)-Solvi Remen (Norway) and Kathrine Bertheau-Jessica Larsson (Sweden)

Lynn Baker-Karen McCallum, Irina Levitina-Kerri Sanborn (U.S.A.) and -Fiona Brown (England)

After seven deals, Baker led by 24 international match points to 13. That lead was extended by 3 imps over the next five boards. Then came:

1 North Dlr: North ‰ J 4 Vul: Both Š K 8 5 2 ‹ 9 7 5 4 2 Œ J 6 West East ‰ A 9 3 ‰ 8 5 2 Š A 9 7 4 Š Q J 10 6 ‹ 10 6 ‹ A Q J Œ 10 5 4 2 Œ 9 7 3 South ‰ K Q 10 7 6 Š 3 ‹ K 8 3 Œ A K Q 8 Open Room: West North East South Brown Larsson Brock Bertheau Pass Pass 1‰ Pass Pass Pass

Closed Room: West North East South Wiseman McCallum Smith Baker Pass Pass 1‰ Pass 1NT Pass 2Œ Pass 2‰ Pass 4‰ Pass Pass Pass

McCallum gambled a response, then Baker went for the 5-2 spade-fit game. (She might have con- tinued with three diamonds in case that was their best fit; but if that did not transpire, she would have helped her opponents on defense.) Each declarer took ten tricks in identical fashion. The play went: diamond ten to the ace, shift to the ace, another trump, a third trump and a heart toward the king. To defeat four spades, Smith had to play the diamond jack at trick one, keeping communica- tion with her partner. Then the defenders could haven take one spade, one heart and two diamonds. Given the diamond nine on the board (so partner must have led a singleton or high from a doubleton), this seems the correct defense to me. First, a priori South is more likely to be 5=1=3=4 than 5=0=4=4. Second, East did not try to give her partner a diamond anyway. And third, if South is in hearts, from where are four defensive tricks coming? As it was, Baker banked another 10 imps. This was Board 14:

2 North Dlr: East ‰ A 8 6 5 3 Vul: None Š 3 ‹ K J 10 8 4 Œ J 3 West East ‰ K Q 10 7 ‰ J 9 2 Š A 10 9 8 6 Š J 7 5 4 2 ‹ – ‹ A Q 5 3 Œ 7 5 4 2 Œ 8 South ‰ 4 Š K Q ‹ 9 7 6 2 Œ A K Q 10 9 6 Open Room: West North East South Brown Larsson Brock Bertheau Pass 1Œ 1Š Dble (a) 4Š Pass Pass Dble (b) Pass 5Œ 5Š Dble All Pass (a) Spades (b) Extra values

Closed Room: West North East South Wiseman McCallum Smith Baker Pass 1Œ 1Š 1‰ 4Š 4NT (a) Pass 5‹ Dble All Pass (a) Long clubs and shorter diamonds

In the Open Room, five clubs would have gone down one, conceding one heart and two diamonds. But that was tough for Brown to judge, who had some hopes that her partner was void in clubs. Five hearts doubled went the obvious down one, declarer losing one spade, one heart and one club. Baker's four-notrump rebid was brave with four low diamonds. (It would usually be done with a 5=6 hand, and would have been deemed misguided if it had cost a fortune in the face of a misfit.) Against five diamonds doubled, East led the heart deuce (low from an odd number). West won and shifted to a club, taken with dummy's ten. The diamond six held the next trick, then a diamond went to the jack and queen. East shifted to a spade. Declarer, after winning with her ace, would have done best to continue trumps, but she tried to cash the club ace. East's ruff gave the defense four tricks: one heart and three diamonds. Plus 100 and plus 300 gave Smith 9 imps. Each team gained an overtrick imp over the last two boards of the set, which ended with Baker leading by 44 imps to 29.

To be continued

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