The World Championship Trials (VIII)

by Phillip Alder

The Open Trial to select our two teams for this year's world championship took place from April 28 to May 11 in the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Schaumburg, IL, northwest of Chicago. Let's start with two bidding problems.

1. With neither side vulnerable, you hold:

‰ 10 4 Š Q 10 9 7 4 ‹ 10 9 7 4 3 Œ J

The bidding starts:

West North East South Advancer Partner Intervenor You 1‰ 3Œ Pass 3NT Pass Pass ??

Would feel called on to do something positive?

2. With both sides vulnerable, you are dealt:

‰ A 7 3 2 Š A K 6 ‹ 4 Œ K 9 8 4 2 West North East South Advancer Partner Intervenor You Pass 1‹ Dble Pass 2Š Pass ??

What would you rebid, if anything?

1 We are looking at the 120- quarterfinal match between the thirteenth seeds, Marty Harris, Jacob Morgan, Jay Barron, Howard Liu and Ai-Tai Lo, and the fifth-seeded Andrew Rosenthal, Aaron Silver- stein, David Berkowitz, Alan Sontag, Eldad Ginossar and Chris Willenken. After 90 boards, Rosenthal had gained a lead of 27 international match points (216-189). Would the Rosenthal surge continue over the penultimate session? This was the first board:

North Dlr: North ‰ K Q J 8 6 3 Vul: None Š 3 ‹ K Q 8 5 Œ K 9 West East ‰ A 9 2 ‰ 7 5 Š A J 8 5 Š K 6 2 ‹ A J 6 ‹ 2 Œ Q 10 8 Œ A 7 6 5 4 3 2 South ‰ 10 4 Š Q 10 9 7 4 ‹ 10 9 7 4 3 Œ J Open Room: West North East South Rosenthal Morgan Silverstein Harris 2‰ (a) Pass Pass Dble Pass 3Œ (b) Pass 3NT Pass Pass Pass (a) 8-15 points, denies four hearts (b) Promises some values

North led the spade king. West took the second spade, then, determined to keep North off the lead, ran the club queen, which North did not cover. When the jack appeared, declarer claimed eleven tricks: one spade, two hearts, one diamond and seven clubs.

Closed Room: West North East South Barron Ginossar Liu Willenken 1‰ 3Œ Pass 3NT Pass Pass 4Œ Dble 4‹ Pass Pass Dble Pass Pass Pass

Willenken, judging that West had some club fit, deduced that his partner had length in one of the red suits. So he bravely sacrificed with four clubs. Four diamonds doubled could have gone down two if the defenders had forced North to hearts. Then East-West could have taken one spade, one heart, two diamonds and one club. However, after East led the club ace and shifted to the spade seven, West tried to give his partner a spade ruff. Declarer won with dummy's ten, played a diamond to his king, ruffed the club king on the board and led another . The contract now went down one. Plus 460 and minus 100 gave Rosenthal 8 imps.

2 The next three deals were flat. Then came:

North Dlr: North ‰ A K 5 Vul: N-S Š J 7 ‹ K Q 8 4 Œ J 9 6 5 West East ‰ 6 4 3 2 ‰ Q 10 8 7 Š K Q 8 4 Š 10 6 5 3 ‹ A 9 7 6 ‹ 10 Œ A Œ 10 8 4 2 South ‰ J 9 Š A 9 2 ‹ J 5 3 2 Œ K Q 7 3 Open Room: West North East South Rosenthal Morgan Silverstein Harris 1NT (a) Pass 2NT (b) Pass 3Œ (c) Pass 3NT Pass Pass Pass (a) 14-17 points (b) Puppet Stayman (c) No five-card major

Three notrump could have been defeated, but it was very difficult. East led the spade seven, taken by dummy's nine. Now came a diamond to the king and a diamond back to dummy's jack and West's ace. What should East have discarded? It looked obvious to pitch a heart, but that was fatal. East had to throw a spade or club, and West had to shift to the heart king. Then the defenders could have taken three hearts, one diamond and one club. After the heart pitch, though, that suit was blocked for the defenders – notice dummy's useful nine. West returned a spade. North won and played a club to the king and ace. Declarer took the next spade, crossed to dummy with a club, finessed the diamond eight and had nine tricks: three spades, one heart, three diamonds and two clubs.

Closed Room: West North East South Barron Ginossar Liu Willenken 1Œ (a) Pass 1NT (b) Dble Pass 2Œ (c) Pass 2Š 2NT Pass 3Œ Pass Pass Pass (a) Balanced with 11-14 or 18-19 points or natural (b) 9-11 points (c) Partner, please pick a major

Three clubs could have gone down two after East led a diamond, received a diamond ruff at trick two and shifted to a heart . But the play record ceases and the result is given as down one. Still, plus 600 and plus 100 was a gain of 12 imps. Down two would have been worth an extra

3 imp, but surely that wouldn't matter. Over nine of the last ten deals, Harris gained a net of 9 imps. The other big swing occurred on Board 103:

North Dlr: North ‰ J 9 Vul: Both Š J 8 7 5 2 ‹ K J 6 3 Œ A 7 West East ‰ K 10 8 6 5 ‰ Q 4 Š 10 4 Š Q 9 3 ‹ 10 8 7 ‹ A Q 9 5 2 Œ J 10 5 Œ Q 6 3 South ‰ A 7 3 2 Š A K 6 ‹ 4 Œ K 9 8 4 2 Open Room: West North East South Rosenthal Morgan Silverstein Harris Pass 1‹ Dble Pass 2Š Pass 3Š Pass 4Š All Pass

East led the spade queen, which held, and continued with his second spade. North took that in the dummy and played a diamond to his jack. East won and shifted to a low trump. Declarer won with dummy's ace and played three rounds of clubs, ruffing the last in his hand. When they split, he crossed to dummy with a trump and discarded a diamond on a club. East could ruff, but was endplayed to lead away from the diamond ace. North lost only one heart and two diamonds.

Closed Room: West North East South Barron Ginossar Liu Willenken Pass 1‹ Dble 1‰ 2‹ (a) Pass 2Š Pass Pass Pass (a) Hearts and some nine or ten points

Both North and South were a tad cautious, missing the so-so game. With less pressure, Willenken played more cautiously and took only eight tricks. Plus 620 and minus 110 gave Harris another 11 imps. The session ended with the score at Rosenthal 228 Harris 224. It rated to be an exciting final fifteen boards.

To be continued

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