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Home , Andrew Robson, David Bakhshi, David Bird (bridge), David Gold (bridge), Hold up (bridge), Nicola Smith

World Teams Championships

Heartbreaks in Chennai click by link

AS a result of their excellent finishes in the Euro- round robin played, England were outside the pean championships, England sent powerful teams qualifying positions and had some top teams to to all three sections of the 2015 World Champion- play. Suddenly hitting top form, they beat leaders ships in Chennai. The formats for the Bermuda France by 20-0 VPs. and Bowl (open), the (women) and the showed both skill and bravery in their bidding of d’Orsi Bowl (seniors) were the same: a complete this deal: round-robin with the top eight teams advancing to a knock-out. The started under a black cloud. N/S Game. Dealer South. Following investigations triggered by Norway’s ´ J 10 5 , who won the International Bridge ™ 4 Press Association’s ‘Bridge Personality of the Year’ t A K Q J 10 award as a result, three world-class pairs were ® A Q 9 6 exposed as cheats (see page 29). In various click ´ K ´ Q 9 8 6 3 2 ways they had colluded to infor - ™ 10 9 6 3 2 N ™ A Q J 8 5 link W E mation about their cards. This involved the t 8 4 3 S t 9 6 positioning of the containing the bidding ® J 8 3 2 ® cards, the direction in which the was ´ A 7 4 placed on the table and various other illegal signals. ™ K 7 Three qualifying teams from the European zone t 7 5 2 were withdrawn: Monaco, Israel and Germany. A ® K 10 7 5 4 fourth team, Poland, had one pair barred but did not withdraw their team. Bridge’s biggest ever cheating scandal made head lines across the world. West North East South Volcker Bakhshi Bessis Gold The Bermuda Bowl Round Robin Pass Pass 1t 1´ 2® Pass 3™ 4™ 5t 5™ Pass Pass 6® Pass Pass Dble All Pass

David Bakhshi’s 3 ™ was a agreeing clubs. When Frederic Volcker competed with 5 ™, e

g Bakhshi made a , inviting David Gold to d u G bid a slam even though he was a passed hand. Gold a n U n B A E did exactly that, completing a fine auction. He won

: : o o t t o o the diamond lead and continued with the ace and h h P P king of trumps. After finessing the ®9, he drew the David Bakhshi – David Gold last and led towards the ™K for his twelfth Our open team was: and Andrew trick. That was +1540 and 14 IMPs against +620 for Robson, David Bakhshi and David Gold, Jason and 5®+1 at the other table. Justin Hackett, non-playing captain Simon Cope This win was followed by a 15.38-4.62 victory and coach Andrew Murphy. With a good part of the against USA1. The round robin ended with these

www.ebu.co.uk December 2015 English Bridge 23 teams in the top eight: (1) Bulgaria 277.74, (2) China 274.90, (3) Poland 267.87, (4) England Game All. Dealer South. 267.18, (5) France 256.68, (6) USA1 243.67, (7) ´ J 8 3 USA2 236.56, (8) Sweden 225.18. England had ™ Q J 8 6 5 fourth pick of opponents and were left to play USA1 t J 8 7 4 in the quarter-finals. ® 5 The sixty-five pairs in the Butler comparison were ´ A 10 7 ´ Q 4 2 headed by Brazil’s Gabriel Chagas – Miguel Villas- ™ 2 N ™ K 7 3 W E Boas (+1.00 IMPs per board). Bakhshi – Gold were t K 5 S t A Q 10 3 2 in 3rd place on +0.95 IMPs, with Forrester – Robson ® K J 10 9 8 6 3 ® Q 7 in 9th place on +0.56 IMPs. Splendid ratings. ´ K 9 6 5 ™ A 10 9 4 The Venice Cup Round Robin t 9 6 ® A 4 2 Our Women’s team was: and , Heather Dhondy and Nevena Senior, Fiona Brown and Catherine Draper, with non-playing West North East South captain Derek Patterson and coach David Burn. Holland Cysneiros Hallberg De Carvalho England started slowly, as is their custom, then Pass raced into the qualifying zone. A small stall saw 1® Pass 1t Dble them drop down, but all was well as the round robin 2® 2™ 3NT All Pass ended: (1) Denmark 304.11, (2) USA2 288.03, (3) USA1 281.05, (4) Italy 278.87, (5) England 277.73, South led the ™10 against 3NT. Which card should (6) China 274.12, (7) Netherlands 274.09, (8) North play, do you think? France 266.55. USA1 had third pick and chose to He judged to play an encouraging ™8 rather face England in the quarter-finals. than the clearer ™J and Hallberg won with the ™K. The sixty-six pairs in the Butler comparison were Prospects appeared to be hopeless but Gunnar the headed by . . . wait for it . . . Fiona Brown and Magician was not about to give up. At trick two he Catherine Draper with a mind-boggling +1.28 led the ®7. South had little reason to expect that IMPs per board. Unless my memory is at fault, this the hearts were ready to run. He played low in the is the third time that Fiona Brown (in partnerships hope that North might win with the ®Q and with Catherine Draper and Susan Stockdale) has return a heart. Gunnar called for dummy’s ®K, headed the Butler in a European or World keeping the position of the ®Q under wraps. He championship. Sally Brock and Nicola Smith were continued with the tK and a diamond to the 10, 15th with +0.64 IMPs and Heather Dhondy and which won. On three more rounds of diamonds Nevena Senior were 21st with +0.51 IMPs. Excellent South threw two spades and thought for a while ratings for all our pairs. about his third discard. Deciding that he might be endplayed if he threw a low club, baring the ace, he The d’Orsi Trophy (Seniors) Round Robin relied on partner for the ®Q and discarded his ®A! That was +690 and 13 IMPs to England when Our Seniors team was: 3NT went one down on the same lead at the other Gunnar Hallberg and John table. Holland, Paul Hackett and The round-robin result was: (1) USA1 298.89, (2) David Mossop, David Price Australia 286.21, (3) Ireland 280.95, (4) Poland and Colin Simpson, with 273.84, (5) England 259.93, (6) USA2 255.12, (7) non-playing captain Simon Norway 253.27, (8) Sweden 250.41. All three n o s

n Cochemé. England teams had reached the quarter-finals. e s a H

In the first round of the The sixty-seven pairs in the Butler comparison r e t

e round-robin, Gunnar Hall - were headed by USA1’s – Michael P

: o t

o berg produced some trick - Rosenberg (+1.12 IMPs per board), with Hallberg – h P ery to land this ‘impossible’ Holland in 3rd place (+0.88 IMPs) and Hackett – Gunnar Hallberg game: Mossop in 6th place (+0.77 IMPs).

24 English Bridge December 2015 www.ebu.co.uk The Quarter-finals other table, this was the bidding:

World-class players sometimes produce world-class West North East South plays. Step forward, : Bakhshi Levin Gold Weinstein 1® Pass 1t 1™ 2t Pass 2™ Pass N/S Game. Dealer West. 3´ Dble Redble Pass ´ K Q 6 5 2 3NT All Pass ™ 9 8 t 9 7 2 3´ was a splinter bid. Levin led the ™9 to the ™J, ® J 9 6 Bakhshi holding up, and Weinstein switched to the ´ 7 ´ A J 9 ´3. Levin played a deceptive ´K, won with the ace. ™ A 6 2 N ™ 10 7 5 Bakhshi now wanted to develop the clubs without W E t 6 5 4 3 S t A K Q 10 allowing North on lead to play a dangerous spade ® A K 8 7 2 ® 10 4 3 through the ´J-9. He led a club to the ace, returned ´ 10 8 4 3 to a diamond and led another club, ducking when ™ K Q J 4 3 the ®Q appeared. This classic landed t J 8 +430 and 10 IMPs. ® Q 5 England led 101-99 after the first day and 201-153 with one set of 16 boards to play. USA1 fought back strongly, scoring 35 IMPs on three consecutive West North East South boards, but England held their nerves to win by Rodwell Forrester Meckstroth Robson 215-195. Brilliant! 1t Pass 2t Pass The Venice Cup quarter-final against USA1 2´ Pass 2NT Pass started with a spectacular board: 3® Pass 3t Pass 3™ Pass 3NT All Pass Love All. Dealer North. 1t could be on only two diamonds. 2 t was natural ´ A 3 and forcing. 2 ´ announced a diamond fit and ™ K Q J showed shortage. 3NT looks secure, doesn’t it? If the t A 7 ™K is led, declarer can for one round and ® A 10 6 5 3 2 then set up the clubs, losing a trick to North ─ the ´ K Q J 10 6 2 ´ 9 8 7 5 4 safe hand. Magic is needed to beat the contract and ™ 7 3 N ™ A 10 5 W E Robson duly led the ™4! t Q J 4 3 2 S t K 10 8 6 There is logic behind this amazing lead. Firstly, if ® Void ® J you happen to find partner with ™A-x, you will be ´ Void able to run five tricks. Secondly, if declarer holds ™ 9 8 6 4 2 ™10-x-x-x opposite dummy’s ™A-x, he may rise t 9 5 with the ace. Not expecting South to have underled ® K Q 9 8 7 4 the K-Q-J, he will place North with a doubleton honour and aim to block the defenders’ suit. Kibitzers on Bridge Base Online were still gasping West North East South at the choice of lead when the showed that Zur-C. Brock Meyers Smith Meckstroth had called for dummy’s ™A. Reluctant 1® Pass 1t to allow North on lead in case he switched to a 3´ Dble 4´ 5® spade, he hoped that Robson held only four hearts. Pass 5´ Pass 6® Meckstroth played three top diamonds and led the All Pass ®10, covered by the queen and ace. He returned to the t10 and led another club, won by North. He The 1 t response showed hearts. led the was not greatly entertained when a heart return t6 but the diamond loser went away on the ´A and gave Robson four heart tricks for one down. At the +920 was recorded. A spade was cheap, as

www.ebu.co.uk December 2015 English Bridge 25 you see. What would happen at the other table? West North East South Forrester Kalita Robson Nowosadzki West North East South 2NT Pass Draper Wolpert Brown Levin 3® Pass 3´ Pass 2NT Pass 3t 4™ Pass 4NT Pass 3´ 4® 4´ 5® 5´ Pass 5NT Pass Dble 6™ Dble All Pass 6™ Pass 7´ All Pass

Catherine Draper’s lead- Forrester’s 4 ™ agreed spades and suggested a slam. directing double of 5 ® Robson’s RKCB 4NT discovered two aces and the prompted Fiona Brown to ´Q. His 5NT showed all six key-cards and asked lead the ®J. Yes! Draper partner to name a side-suit king. How would you ruffed and that was one play 7 ´ when South leads the ´9? down for 14 splendid Robson won with the ´J. To lead the ´4 next IMPs. This gave a new would cost the grand slam. Robson was intending to

F B

W meaning to ‘leading a a heart in his hand, after which it would be

: s o

t singleton to get a ruff’. essential to draw trumps ending in the West hand if o h P England led by 103-87 they broke 4-1. He therefore led the ´10 next, North Catherine Draper after the first day. The discarding a diamond. After the ™Q, ™A and a heart scores tightened but Eng - ruffed with the ´K, kibitzers on BBO saw that land then ran away to win by 225-184. We had two declarer could draw the outstanding trumps and teams in the semi-finals, each of whom had make the grand with a diamond . overcome formidable USA1 opponents. My wife Robson wanted to take and I celebrated with champagne that night. whatever extra chances were The England seniors fought strongly against available. His next move was Poland in their quarter-final, taking the lead near to cash the tA, in case South the end. Eventually they lost by 219.5-196 to end had a singleton tQ. Al - n o s

their campaign. though South still held two n e s a

trumps, Robson next played H

r e t

The Semi-finals the ®A-K. Commentators e P

: s

suggested that this might o t o h

After the exhilaration of the previous day, both lead to a show-up squeeze, P semi-finals started poorly for England. In the where North would be Andrew Robson Bermuda Bowl England trailed Poland by 86-49 squeezed in the minors when this deal arrived (Poland had stopped in 6 ´, (forced to reduce to two diamonds), after which making twelve tricks, at the other table): declarer could drop a possible doubleton tQ from South. Since North could not be 6-4 in the minors when he had already shown four major-suit cards, E/W Game. Dealer East. such an ending would arise only if North held ´ 2 ®Q-J-10 and six low diamonds. ™ 7 3 2 Robson drew the remaining trumps and played t Q 9 8 6 4 3 his ™K, throwing the ®8-7 from hand. This was the ® Q 10 4 position at trick twelve: ´ A Q 6 5 ´ K J 10 4 ™ A K 9 5 N ™ Q 8 t Q 9 W E t 7 5 S t A K J ® ─ ® 9 6 5 ® A K 8 7 t 7 N t K J W E ´ 9 8 7 3 ® 9 S ® — ™ J 10 6 4 t 10 t 10 2 ® J ® J 3 2 Robson led dummy’s t7. North following with the

26 English Bridge December 2015 www.ebu.co.uk t9. Diamonds were known to have started 6-2. It 165-139.7. Nicola Smith played this 3NT splendidly: was possible that South now held the bare tQ but the odds were 6-to-2 that North had started with that card. ‘What is he thinking about for so long?’ I E/W Game. Dealer North. wondered. ‘Finesse the tJ!’ Time stood still as ´ J 9 Robson ruffled his hair and agonised on his final ™ J 9 4 play. A nett of 30 IMPs were at stake. If he went t J 10 5 down, the match deficit would be a ruinous 54 ® A Q 8 6 4 IMPs. ‘If he plays for the drop, against the odds, I’m ´ A K 6 ´ 3 not going to commentate on the rest of the session,’ ™ A 10 6 2 N ™ Q 8 5 W E I announced. Robson tortured the England t A Q 8 6 S t 9 7 4 3 sup porters for a full five minutes (watch the ® 3 2 ® K J 9 7 5 video on www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIv ´ Q 10 8 7 5 4 2 FOpojFok ) before finessing the tJ to make the ™ K 7 3 grand slam. Such is the pain and joy of sup porting the t K 2 England Open team on BBO. The bidding and play of ® 10 the deal had lasted twenty-five minutes. Poland led by 10.7 IMPs after the first day. Jason and Justin played a strong fourth set but two West North East South unlucky slam swings left the margin at 11.7 IMPs. Smith Wortel Brock Michielsen Poland opened a sizeable lead in the 5th set but Pass Pass 3´ Robson produced two fabulous off-beat doubles, 3NT All Pass both generating big swings. Poland led by 18.7 IMPs with one set to play. Again Poland opened the gap The ®4 was led, won with the ®J. Smith played a and England closed it. With four boards to play, diamond to her queen, followed by a club, North England led by 4.3 IMPs but Poland at the other winning with the ace. She ducked the ´J switch, table had finished with four plus scores. Forrester & won the second spade and then played ace and Robson matched their +1370, +400 and +140 and another diamond, throwing North on lead. Unable the England lead was still intact. On the last board to play a club safely, Wortel had to lead the ™4, won Poland scored +130 in 3 ® and +110 in 2 ´ to snatch with the ™10. Smith cashed the ´A, crossed to the victory by 207-205.3. It was heart-breaking. t9 and scored the ®K. With the game secure she led In the Venice Cup semi-final, France led England the ™8, South surrendering an overtrick by rising all the way and by 58 IMPs after four sets. There was with the ™K. A fine +630. a fight-back but France won 211-186. Our In 3NT at the other table, Van Zwol won with the magnificent open and women’s teams would now ®J and led to the t8 at Trick 2. She won the second have to play bronze-medal matches. round of spades and led a club to Fiona Brown’s ace. The tJ to the king and ace was followed by the tQ. The Bronze Medal Play-offs Van Zwol then had to play hearts herself and a heart to the queen proved unsuccessful. The def enders In the Bermuda Bowl it was England against USA2 scored one spade, two hearts, a diamond and a club over 96 boards. USA2 led most of the way, for one down and 12 IMPs. Yet more medals for our sometimes by a fair margin. Near the end, England all-star women’s team! fought back splendidly and with one board to go the score was England 243 USA2 241.3. The last board The Medal Winners was an obvious 4 ´ and we could afford to concede an overtrick difference and still win. USA2 duly In the final of the Bermuda Bowl Sweden won the scored an overtrick but . . . the England declarer, ex - penultimate set 70-6 to lead by 18 IMPs. Poland hausted after many heroics, misplayed to go one recovered in the last set to win gold by 307.5-293. In down. USA2 won by 252.3-243. For the second time the Venice Cup it was a win for France over USA2 by in a medal match, the last board had proved fatal. 179.7-171. The d’Orsi Trophy was won by USA1, It was better news for our women. They led the defeating Sweden by 263-126.3. Poland took bronze Netherlands for most of the way, winning by over USA2 by 208-147. r

www.ebu.co.uk December 2015 English Bridge 27