The World Championship Trials (II)

by Phillip Alder

The trials to select seven of the eight United States teams for this year's world championships were played in Schaumburg, IL, from May 10 to June 9. (USA 1 for the was decided last year.) As is our wont, here is a quick quiz.

1a. With both sides vulnerable, you are dealt:

‰ K 9 4 3 Š A K 8 3 ‹ A 3 Œ J 10 6 West North East South Responder Partner Opener You 1Œ Dble 1‹ 2‰ Pass ??

What would you do?

2. With only the opponents vulnerable, you pick up:

‰ 9 2 Š 7 5 4 3 ‹ K J 10 7 5 Œ 10 4 West North East South Partner Advancer You Intervenor 1NT Pass Pass Dble (a) Pass 2Œ 2‹ 3‹ (b) Pass 4‰ All Pass (a) Minor one-suiter or major two-suiter (b) Good hand with at least 5-5 in the majors

What would you lead?

1b. Suppose instead the auction begins like this:

West North East South Responder Partner Opener You 1‹ (a) Dble 3‹ (b) 3‰ Pass ?? (a) 2-plus diamonds, (10+) 11-15 points (b) Pre-emptive

What would you do now?

1 We are looking at the 120- semifinal in the Bermuda Bowl trial between Marty Fleisher-Chip Martel, Eric Greco-Geoff Hampson and Joe Grue-Brad Moss, and Oren Kriegel-Ron Smith and John Diamond-Brian Platnick. With five boards to be played, Fleisher led by 238 international match points to 237. This was the next deal:

North Dlr: East ‰ A 10 8 7 5 Vul: Both Š 9 4 ‹ J 8 Œ Q 9 5 4 West East ‰ 2 ‰ Q J 6 Š J 7 6 Š Q 10 5 2 ‹ K Q 6 5 4 2 ‹ 10 9 7 Œ 8 3 2 Œ A K 7 South ‰ K 9 4 3 Š A K 8 3 ‹ A 3 Œ J 10 6 Open Room: West North East South Kriegel Moss Smith Grue 1Œ Dble 1‹ 2‰ All Pass

Closed Room: West North East South Greco Platnick Hampson Diamond 1‹ (a) Dble 3‹ 3‰ Pass 4‰ Pass Pass Pass (a) 2-plus diamonds, (10+) 11-15 points

The different opening bid affected the auctions. In the Open Room, Moss showed his values at a com- fortable level, and Grue had no thought of going higher. At the other table, Greco's three-diamond pre-emptive raise pushed Platnick into advancing with three spades, and Diamond felt he had enough to bid game. However, after the club-ace lead and a diamond shift, declarer had to lose one spade, one diamond and two clubs. Plus 140 and plus 100 gave Fleisher 6 imps, ahead by 7. After a flat board came the decisive deal:

2 North Dlr: West ‰ A 8 6 Vul: N-S Š 9 ‹ 9 6 2 Œ Q J 9 8 5 3 West East ‰ K 7 5 ‰ 9 2 Š K J 10 Š 7 5 4 3 ‹ Q 8 3 ‹ K J 10 7 5 Œ A K 7 6 Œ 10 4 South ‰ Q J 10 4 3 Š A Q 8 6 2 ‹ A 4 Œ 2 Open Room: West North East South Kriegel Moss Smith Grue 1NT Pass Pass Dble (a) Pass 2Œ 2‹ 3‹ (b) Pass 4‰ All Pass (a) Minor one-suiter or major two-suiter (b) Good hand with at least 5-5 in the majors

Closed Room: West North East South Greco Platnick Hampson Diamond 1NT Pass Pass Dble (a) Pass 2Œ 2‹ 2Š (b) 2NT Pass 3‹ All Pass (a) Minor one-suiter or major two-suiter (b) Both majors

In the Closed Room, the defense against three diamonds was accurate: spade queen, king, ace; heart to the ace; heart ; spade to the ten; heart ruff; and the diamond ace to come for down two. In the Open Room, Grue took the high road on the second round of the auction, which per- suaded Moss to jump to four spades. What did you select against four spades? In these situations, a is often best – and it was here. At double-dummy, East had to choose the spade deuce. He had to keep the spade nine to reduce declarer's hand- options. When Smith led the club ten, West won with his king and shifted to the spade five, which was covered by the eight, nine and queen. Declarer cashed the heart ace, ruffed a heart and ran the club eight, discarding dummy's diamond four. West took the trick and returned a club, ruffed by East and overruffed on the board to give this position:

3 North Dlr: West ‰ A Vul: N-S Š – ‹ 9 6 2 Œ J 9 5 West East ‰ K 7 ‰ – Š K Š 7 4 ‹ Q 8 3 ‹ K J 10 7 5 Œ 7 Œ – South ‰ J 10 4 Š Q 8 6 ‹ A Œ –

Declarer ruffed a heart with his spade ace, discarded the heart eight on the club jack, played a diamond to the ace and led the spade jack. After West took the trick, the dummy was high. Moss had lost only two clubs and one spade – nicely done. That was 11 imps to Fleisher , and when the last two boards were flat, Marty Fleisher-Chip Martel, Eric Greco-Geoff Hampson and Joe Grue-Brad Moss were through to the final by 255 imps to 237.

To be continued

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