The 44th World Team Championships (XVI)

by Phillip Alder

These took place in Wuhan, China, from September 14 to 28. We are looking at the 96- final of the Wuhan Cup Mixed Teams between Russia (Anna Gulevich-Andrei Gromov, Tatiana Ponomareva-Alexander Dubinin and Olga Vorobeychikova-Alexej Gerasimov) and USA-1 (Cheri Bjerkan-Allan Graves, Christal Henner-Uday Ivatury and Jill Meyers- Howard Weinstein). Before we get to the action, answer these bidding problems. What would you do in each of them?

1. With neither side vulnerable, you pick up: ‰ J 10 9 4 2 Š J 7 6 4 ‹ A K Œ 9 8 West North East South Intervenor You Advancer Partner 1Œ (a) 2Œ (b) ?? (a) Two or mote clubs – natural or a with 11+-13 or 17-19 points (b) Natural

2. With both sides vulnerable, you are dealt: ‰ A 6 Š 10 4 3 ‹ 10 9 8 7 3 Œ K J 10 West North East South You Partner Pass Pass 1NT (a) Pass ?? (a) 15-17 points

3. With neither side vulnerable, your hand is: ‰ K 7 6 Š A 8 3 ‹ J 10 8 4 Œ 6 4 3 West North East South Partner Responder You Opener 1NT (a) 3Œ Dble (b) ?? (a) 12+-15 points (b) Negtaive

After Board 54, Russia led by 93 international match points to 89. The next deal was flat; then USA-1 gained 4 imps to tie up the match. After two more flat boards came:

1 North Dlr: South ‰ J 10 9 4 2 Vul: None Š J 7 6 4 ‹ A K Œ 9 8 West East ‰ 8 ‰ K 7 6 Š K Q 5 Š A 8 3 ‹ 5 3 2 ‹ J 10 8 4 Œ K Q J 10 5 2 Œ 6 4 3 South ‰ A Q 5 3 Š 10 9 2 ‹ Q 9 7 6 Œ A 7 Open Room: West North East South Dubinin Ivatury Ponomareva Henner 1Œ (a) 2Œ Pass Pass Pass (a) Two or mote clubs – natural or a balanced hand with 11+-13 or 17-19 points

Closed Room: West North East South Meyers Gromov Graves Gulevich 1NT (a) 3Œ Dble (b) 4Œ 4‰ Pass Pass Pass (a) 12+-15 points (b) Negative

Dubinin and Ponomareva had the right agreement against this one-club opening. Two clubs was natu- ral, and two diamonds would have been Michaels. Even so, it is surprising that Ivatury did not make a negative double. Still, if East had then passed, presumably South would have rebid two spades, and North would have passed. The main culprit for the adverse swing was surely Graves' four-club raise, which pushed Gulevich into four spades. Gulevich won the first trick with her club ace, unblocked dummy's diamond honors, ran the spade jack, repeated the spade , drew East's last and discarded dummy's club loser on the diamond queen. Dubinin also made two clubs, losing one spade, three diamonds and one club. Plus 90 and plus 420 gave Russia 11 imps. After one flat board came:

2 North Dlr: North ‰ A 6 Vul: Both Š 10 4 3 ‹ 10 9 8 7 3 Œ K J 10 West East ‰ Q 7 4 2 ‰ J 9 8 5 3 Š K Q 6 Š A J 7 ‹ K 4 ‹ Q 5 Œ 8 4 3 2 Œ 7 6 5 South ‰ K 10 Š 9 8 5 2 ‹ A J 6 2 Œ A Q 9 Open Room: West North East South Dubinin Ivatury Ponomareva Henner Pass Pass 1Œ (a) Pass 1‹ Pass 2‹ Pass Pass Pass (a) Two or mote clubs – natural or a balanced hand with 12-14 or 18-19 points

Closed Room: West North East South Meyers Gromov Graves Gulevich Pass Pass 1NT (a) Pass 3NT All Pass (a) 15-17 points

Both North-South pairs were using a 15-17 notrump in this position, but only Gulevich upgraded her hand. And then Gromov aggressively went for the vulnerable game. With the friendly lie of the cards, both declarers took nine tricks. So, that meant another 10 imps to Russia, now ahead by 114-93.

To be continued

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