45 44 The 6th Generali World Masters

By Pietro Campanile

ridge is a partnership The wealth of talents in both champion- West North East South ships was outstanding: in the Men were game", the self-evident Mouiel Zia Bocchi Ferraro truth of this statement is attending four of the previous winners 1♣ 1♠ that it is extremely difficult (Pjotr Gawrys, Jon Baldursson, Paul Dbl 2♠ Pass Pass "Bto identify with absolute certainty the Chemla and Antonio Sementa) as well strongest player in the game. All too often as great champions like Alain Levy, Zia 3♥ Dbl All Pass a pair's success is the result not only of Mahmood, , five out of six The lure of the magic +300 meant that the sum of their individual skill but also members of the new Italian Zia did not hesitate to double Mouiel's of partnership chemistry which can unex- (only missing Lauria), Gabriel Chagas, 3♥ bid and his decision seemed justified and many others. pectedly raise or lower the quality of their since at a first glance declarer looked like In the Ladies, besides four of the previous performance. losing two spades, a diamond, a club and winners (, , Migry The question of "Who is the best player?" two hearts. Zia led his ♠K followed by remains nevertheless an intriguing one and Zur Campanile and Benedicte Cronier), were present great names like Jill Mey- the ♠J then switching to the ♦8. Declarer that is what the Generali World Masters In- ducked the diamond, won by Ferraro with dividual Championship attempts to answer ers, Shawn Quinn, Janice Molson, Sabine the ♦Q, and ruffed in dummy the spade by carefully selecting the top performing Auken, ,Catherine d'Ovidio, continuation. After ♦A and a diamond players all over the world and inviting them and many others. to compete with and against each other In such exalted company it was great to ruffed in hand, he cashed the ♥A and both using the same , based on notice the participation of three Israeli top clubs before leading the last diamond a 5 card major, 15-17 NT structure, closely players: David Birman in the Men, Matilda from dummy, ruffing it low. Declarer then resembling a standard French system. Poplilov and Migry Zur Campanile in the exited with his low club and Zia was Ladies. The 6th edition of this lucrative event has obliged to in and to gift Mouiel with Now let us jump straight into the action: the last two tricks, having to lead from just taken place in the idyllic surroundings 14 None Vul dealer East of Verona, , from the 8th to the 11th his ♥Q10 into declarer's ♥KJ. Essentially ♠ KJ3 of September. The championship was Mouiel succeeded in not conceding a ♥ Q1095 divided as usual in two sections, both single useful trick to the Q109x offside!! ♦ J874 matchpoint scored: the Men's competition ♣ Q9 3♥ doubled making was worth +530 and included a field of 52 participants playing ♠ 972 ♠ 65 a well deserved top. two boards with each other for a total of ♥AKJ62 ♥ 843 Did you spot the winning defense? West 102 boards over four sessions; the Ladies' ♦ 92 ♦ A1063 must switch to a club at trick two (the ♣9 competition included a field of 28, playing ♣ 1043 ♣ AK86 is better than the queen). East eventually three boards with each other for a total of ♠ AQ1084 scores the ♣J and is also able to lead a 81 boards over three sessions. ♥ 7 fourth club to force an early trick in J.L. Quantin and Zia Mahmood against a ♦ KQ5 the West hand, so the contract is defeated classic French partnership of the 80’s": ♣ J752 Christian Mari and Henri Szvarc two tricks. Ironically, Zia had a better chance to defeat this hand if he held two small clubs! (If declarer held the ♣Q, a club shift would still set up a club ruff, which is needed to avoid the trump .) At the end of the first session the top five positions were as follows: 1. Jens Auken Denmark 64.06% 2. I. Del Monte Australia 59.72% 3. Bob Hamman USA 59.55% 4. Tor Helness Norway 58.68% 5. Luis Lantaron Spain 58.51% 45 44

Polish tête-á-tête: Krysztof Martens and Apollinaire Kowalsky Thursday the 9th, the second day of competition, saw the start of the Ladies event: Board 4 All Vul West Dealer ♠ AJ72 ♥ 5 ♦ 74 ♣ Q98752 ♠ Q854 ♠ 1063 ♥109762 ♥ AQ ♦ J85 ♦ AKQ62 ♣ A ♣ KJ10 ♠ K9 ♥ KJ843 ♦ 1093 643 ♣ ♠ J7 continued to accumulate good results in West North East South ♥ - the first rounds only to flounder towards Sokolov von Arnim Migry Osberg ♦ - the end, holding on to a narrow lead over a tight closing pack headed by Andrew Pass Pass 2NT Pass ♣ Q985 85 10 Robson. 3♣ Dbl 3NT All Pass ♠ ♠ ♥1097 ♥ - The third session for the Men started off After South led the ♣6 (top from three ♦ J ♦ Q62 very well for the provisional leader: small, second best from four), declarer ♣ - ♣ KJ Board 4 All Vul Dealer West must have had that all too familiar sinking ♠ - ♠ Q108 feeling when dummy came down and ♥ J84 ♥ 95 she realized that dummy's stiff ♣A meant ♦ 9 ♦ 875 that the lead value of her ♣KJ10 was ♣ 43 ♣ J9874 basically lost. Furthermore, the double Backing her analysis, Migry continued with ♠ J754 ♠ A92 from a suit led by Queen empty would not the ♠10 putting the German in an impossible ♥KQJ7 ♥ A64 be a popular choice and it was a safe bet bind: ducking would give declarer her 9th ♦ Q9 ♦ K4 that at most other tables the lead against trick, while taking would leave her the ♣ 652 ♣ AKQ103 3NT would probably come from a major choice of exiting towards declarer's club ♠ K63 suit providing the vital ninth trick. tenace or giving her access to the good ♥ 10832 Migry took the lead perforce in dummy spade in dummy. ♦ AJ10632 and returned to hand with a high diamond Worth noting that exiting with her last ♣ - to play a spade up. South went in with diamond after taking her ♥K would not have West North East South her ♠K and exited safely with a diamond, helped Osberg much since Migry could now taken by declarer in her hand. A second Auken Forrester Jansma Zia make the hand by cashing her diamonds, spade went to the ♠9, ♠Q and the ♠A and Pass Pass 2NT 3♦ squeezing North down to the ♠J and ♣Q9. von Arnim played back the ♥5 to the ♥Q 4♦ Pass 4♥ All Pass Then a spade lead would force a club and Osberg's ♥K, who continued with a return. 3NT making was worth only 65% as When Zia decided to step in with 3♦, heart to declarer now known stiff ♥A. at the other tables South led a heart, while Auken took the inferior, but perhaps safer, Declarer could now take stock of the two pairs went overboard in 6♦. option to bid 4♦ asking partner to choose position since the heart return had a major, an action usually guaranteeing At the end of the session the first five in provided a lot of information to help her a better fit than the 4-4 he was offering. the rankings were: guessing the actual layout: Osberg had Yet the normal alternative of doubling for five hearts and very likely two spades 1. Tobi Sokolow USA 62.04% take-out might have been misinterpreted (the ♠9 had to be a true card), probably 2. Gloria Ho Taipei 58.33% and one of the key factors for success in three clubs (since von Arnim should at 3. Benedicte Cronier France 56.48% this competition is never to make a call least have a six-carder for her aggressive 4. Germany 54.48% which might be misunderstood, given lead directing double on Queen empty) the nature of these two-boards makeshift 5. Catherine d'Ovidio France 54.17 and therefore three diamonds, giving von partnerships. Arnim's a 4-1-2-6 shape. The second session of the Men was also Anyway Jansma closed the auction with This was the current position with East scheduled on the afternoon of Thursday 4♥ and Zia led the ♦A and the ♦2, a tell- to play: and the surprise leader, Jens Auken, tale suit preference . Jansma took 43 42

Ho’s chase for first place was halted late in the session by this disaster against Migry and Sabine Auken: Board 19 E/W Vul Dealer South ♠ Q1043 ♥ J1073 ♦ J96 ♣ 32 ♠ K2 ♠ J ♥AQ9865 ♥ K42 ♦ Q752 ♦ A10 ♣ A ♣ K1098764 ♠ A98765 ♥ - ♦ K843 The Israeli Ladies Derby: Matilda Poplilov vs Migry Zur-Campanile ♣ QJ5 West North East South his ♦K and drew three rounds of trumps, hung on to his spades, a sign that spade Migry Lara Auken Ho discovering the 4-2 split. After some strength was likely to be split between 1♠ thought, declarer drew the last trump, the defenders. This meant that Zia was 2♥ 2♠ 3♠ 4♠ Forrester discarding a club and a diamond an overwhelming favorite to have a club 5♥ Dbl All Pass (with hindsight a spade would have been and Jansma correctly guessed the best, but that was not at all easy to see as suit finessing immediately the ♣10 and Lara's 2♠ raise with her meagre holding, Zia's ♦2 could show the ♣K and no spade gathering 11 tricks for a 90% score. instead of a pre-emptive 3♠, allowed values). Auken's results were much worse in the Auken to better qualify her heart support A more careful analysis would have made second half of the third round and he was with a 3♠ cue-bid and, after Ho's 4♠, Migry clear to Forrester that a spade pitch was eventually overtaken by Robson, Bocchi had an easier task in bidding on to the 5 quite safe since when Jansma played and Levy. level, despite being red vs green. the fourth trump he could be placed with The ranking at the end of the third 5♥ was aggressively doubled by Lara, an original holding of only three of them, session: presumably because of her trump holding, which gives him also three spades and 1. Andrew Robson England 59.46% without thinking too much of the likely not four, as otherwise he would have 2. Norberto Bocchi Italy 55.78% inference that her partner would draw replied 4♠ to 4♦, therefore Zia had to have 3. Alain Levy France 55.16% from the 2♠ bid and the double of 5♥, started with a 3-4-6-0 shape with the ♠K 4. Jens Auken Germany 55.00% actions which should indicate rather more or ♠A (otherwise declarer would have had 5. USA 54.11% working cards in defense than the J10xx 23 points, since he was already known to In the Ladies competition, Tobi Sokolow in hearts she had been dealt. hold 16 of them outside the spade suit). and the surprise of the tournament, Gloria The Portuguese player led a small spade Back to Jansma, who by now had all Ho from Chinese Taipei, stretched their to her partner's ♠A and Ho, no doubt the clues he needed: South had come lead thanks to a solid second session, concerned about dummy's impressive up with ten red cards and had asked for while Benedicte Cronier hung on in club suit and probably misled by the a club back, while North had steadfastly pursuit. auction, decided to knock out early one of dummy's entries in rather dramatic fashion by returning the ♦K (the so-called “Merrimac ”). That essentially solved all of declarer's problems and 11 tricks were quickly gathered for +850 and a 90% score. Interestingly enough, declarer can survive even after a passive spade return: winning the ♠K and pitching a diamond from dummy, diamond to the ♦A, club ruff (she would lose to a

"Ok Eric, for one last time: are you coming to Eilat?" 43 42

Maria Erhart and Shawn Quinn against Kathy Wei and Benedicte Cronier A sportsmanlike Drumev apologizes to Robson during the prizegiving ceremony if she tried to cash the ♣K first), second If you follow Bocchi's reasoning you A late pick up in Robson's fortunes diamond ruff, ♥K and finally ♣K throwing would have no problem in selecting seemed to be enough to keep his lead to the last diamond, while North can only ruff the right action: your partner has made the end and infact with one board to go he with her original trump trick. a high with 3♣ and simply needed to equal Bocchi's score to If Ho returns a club at trick two, declarer hearts, denying a diamond control, hold on to the trophy. What did he pick up can make it by setting up clubs: ruff the holding at most AJ in the prospective on that crucial last hand? A zero count of ♠K, ruff a club, and lead out four rounds trump suit. There is simply no way he course! of trumps. So in a way, Ho was right to could have done that without very good Board 26 All Vul dealer East dislodge that ♦A. Perhaps she had to lead spades, therefore Bocchi continued with ♠ KJ8 a low diamond at trick two and put declarer 6♣ and was rewarded when his partner ♥ A86 to a guess. But then declarer can make it successfully made the slam holding: ♦ 105 the first way, by ruffing two diamonds and ♠ AKJ74 ♣ AK984 pitching one. It really required a diamond ♥A ♠ 96543 ♠ AQ , which would have been ♦ QJ3 ♥J7 ♥ KQ92 inspirational. ♣ A873 ♦ AQJ64 ♦ K97 The last session for the Men started ♣ 2 ♣ QJ63 in disastrous fashion for the overnight ♠ 1072 leader, Andrew Robson, who managed ♥ 10543 only a 10% average out of the first six ♦ 832 boards, essentially losing almost all of his ♣ 1075 lead to the pursuing pack and in particular Sitting South and partnering the Bulgarian to the Italian star Norberto Bocchi who had Drumev, Robson saw East-West getting to been having a very good round so far. the normal contract of 3NT after West had Let us sit next to him when he is holding: correctly transferred to spades and then invited game with 2NT. Most of the field, ♠ 9 including Bocchi who was also defending ♥J10943 the same contract, had conceded 630 ♦ 8 losing to the obvious three tricks in the ♣ KQ10642 North hand. you hear Jin Jiangshin, your partner and Robson led the ♥3 to the ♥A of his partner currently last in the standings, open 1♠ and Drumev had a decision to make: either and rebid 3♣ over your 1NT. You continue cash out while he could, knowing that the with 4♣ (much more descriptive would diamonds and the spades were likely to be 4♦ as bid by Freeman, both bids provide declarer with a lot of tricks, or look are however far better than Birman’s for the magic ♣Jxx in Robson's hand with pessimistic 5♣ which led to an agitated declarer holding ♣Q10x (declarer must exchange with his partner for the round, be credited with at least the ♣Q since Alain Levy). Your partner now cue-bids A devastated Robson checks the scores he accepted the game invitation) and 4♥, what now? after the last board misguessing the position. Unfortunately 41 40

for Robson, Drumev elected to go for the It is worth adding that Drumev, feeling throughout the tournament. second option and played back a small desperately sorry for his partner’s plight, The final ranking of the Ladies: club, a switch that allowed declarer to made a point of apologizing publicly to 1. Tobi Sokolow USA 59.67% shine by taking his ♣Q, cashing his red him during the prize giving ceremony for 2. Benedicte Cronier France 58.13% suit winners, thus setting up a show- making the play that cost him the victory. 3. Nicola Smith England 56.58% up squeeze on the Bulgarian who was The final ranking of the Men: 4. Gloria Ho Taipei 54.84% forced to jettison a top club honor. Finally 1. Norberto Bocchi Italy 56.68% 5. B. A. Kennedy USA 54.22%. declarer took a spade and finished 2. Andrew Robson England 56.23% As for our representatives, all three of with 11 tricks for +460 and a top that cost 3. Jens Auken Denmark 55.28% them managed to finish in the prizes: 4. Antonio Sementa Italy 53.82% the Englishman the first place and the David Birman placed 13th in the Men, 5. Herve Mouiel France 53.44% 4000 USD difference between the first while Migry Zur Campanile and Matilda and second place cash award!! The Ladies event saw the well deserved Poplilov respectively 12th and 18th in the victory of Tobi Sokolow who had led Ladies.

Norberto Bocchi (Italy) gets the coveted Generali trophy: the Golden Lion. A radiant Tobi Sokolow after the prizegiving

Improve your bridge with me From page 46 Which suit offers the best chances? the cases (half of the 40%). Add that to we are not yet done for. We can still try the Going after diamonds and discarding 60% and you get 80% for this line of play club finesse and thus win half of the time dummy’s ♥2 seems an attractive (actually we would get only 79.2% if we or an additional 8%. Our full chance is thus possibility: the idea is to take the top used more accurate figures, but 80% is about 92%: a magnificent figure, and far diamonds and ruff a diamond. If the close enough for our purposes). better than 80%. diamonds break 3-3 (36%) we make the The complete hand; grand slam. If the dia monds break worse Is there a better line? than 3-3, we take the three top hearts, We can get significantly better odds if we ♠ 5 throwing a club, and make the grand plan to go after the hearts: we discard two ♥ AQ752 slam if the hearts break 3-3. This is not diamonds from the dummy on the third and ♦ AK762 an additional 36% but merely 36% of the fourth trumps, saving all of dum my's hearts, ♣ 74 cases in which the diamonds did not break then we cash three top hearts, pitching ♠ 9873 ♠ 62 favorably, exactly an additional 23% (36% a club, and ruff a heart if we need to. We ♥103 ♥ J986 x 64%). Finally, if neither suit breaks well, will develop an additional heart trick if the ♦ Q1094 ♦ J8 we can try the club finesse. Let us work missing six hearts divide either 3-3 or 4-2. ♣ K53 ♣ J10982 out our chances of success: one red suit This time it is proper to add the chances ♠ AKQJ104 or the other breaks well about 60% of the together. The chance of getting either a 3-3 ♥ K4 time, and both suits therefore break badly or a 4-2 break is the sum of 36% and 48% - ♦ 53 40%. The finesse will succeed in 20% of or 84%. In the remaining 16% of the cases, ♣ AQ6