The House ♠ 9532 ♥ 7653 of Horrors ♦ 5 By Pietro Campanile ♣ Q952 t is a dark, moonless night. You are ♠ AJ8 ♠ Q1074 hurriedly walking along in a deserted ♥A108 ♥KJ9 parking lot while the heavy rain beats ♦ AQ109 ♦ J8 down on the street like the rhythm of ♣K106 ♣A843 Ia crazy tip-tap dancer. You hear a noise behind you…you turn and you see some- ♠ K6 one running towards you. Where are the ♥ Q42 car keys? Too late! He quickly gets by you ♦ K76432 and shouts: “I don’t believe what you did ! I ♣ J7 just don’t believe it!” He leaves you there, I think it is time to bring some of these West North East South alone with your nightmare crowding your guys back down to earth with the rest of Forquet Becker Siniscalco Crawford mind again and again : the cards start us, don’t you? a macabre dance in front of your eyes, We move to the delightful surroundings 1♣(1) Pass 1♠(2) 3♦ it is that hand , yes the one you knew of the Italian Lake District in Como where Dbl(3) Pass Pass Pass you should have made and yet..pain… the 1958 final of the is (1) Strong, artificial, 17+ HCP misery…one off! Your partner getting up taking place between Italy and the USA. (2) 3 controls to move for the next round, the look of dis- It is an epic struggle between two great (3) Are you that keen to go back to New York ? appointment and incredulity in his face… teams but also between two very different Forquet leads a small club to the ace and a look which had turned into bitter resent- systemic worlds: the traditional American 5 Siniscalco switches to a spade. After cash- ment by the time he had spoken to you card major, supported by a variety of gad- ing two top spades and the ♣K, Forquet just now: a $300 first prize gone because gets but essentially still 99% natural, and plays a third round of spades. Crawford of your inept play. the new strong club systems pioneered by ruffs and plays a small diamond, Sinis- If only I hadn’t..if I had…how much would the likes of Forquet and Belladonna. calco winning the jack to play the ♠10, you give to go back: to stamp those cards Let us sit with Crawford and Becker (two which holds the trick as both Crawford firmly on the table, to faultlessly execute of the all-time stars of American bridge) and Forquet discard. Siniscalco returns a the dazzling play you thought about only playing versus and his so Crawford has to lose three more after you despondently wrote the -100 on partner, . trumps and two top hearts. the scoresheet, to bask in the light of the Here are Crawford’s cards: Let’s add it up: declarer makes a spade admiring kibitzers when you explain to and the ♦K . . . that’s it, just two tricks. 3♦ ♠ K6 them in a condescending way your bril- doubled, down seven!! 1300 points to Italy liant line of play… how much indeed? ♥ Q42 (with the old penalty schedule in place). “It all comes down to ability”- you say to ♦ K76432 ♣ J7 The best part was yet to come: Crawford yourself- “and concentration, of course, had to go and explain to his team mates yes.. concentration. I bet Hamman would NV vs VUL where that strange -1300 score came have made the hand in a minute flat! You hear Forquet open 1♣ (strong from in a hand where at the other table Hmmm..these things only happen to =17+HCP) to your left and Siniscalco they must have put away the 3NT+1 result people like me, Gold Master indeed… reply with 1♠ (showing 3 controls: an Ace as another flat ! and a King or 3 Kings). more likely Cardboard Master after the Does this nice little tale help making you way I butchered that hand!” Now you did not come here to let these forget the 800s you gave away with those pesky Italian systems walk all over you so Yet such mishaps do not occur only to “creative” jump on Qxxxxx? how about making it more difficult for them the average club player: many , many to find the right contract? champions have had their nightmare come true in hands which your average Anyone for a weak jump 3♦ bid? Well Joe would have bid and made without Crawford certainly was not known for his a problem. Of course these hands never shyness at the bridge table and he duly make the newspaper columns... oh no! bid 3♦ which was quickly doubled and There we only see the inspired plays, the passed out. Let us see what happens razor-sharp defenses, the amazing leads. next, having a look at the whole hand: 43 42

Van der Pas cannot do much else apart from doubling. Over to Sabine. From her point of view it is The House all cut and dry: her partner has long clubs and hopefully good ones given the vulner- ability. She has enough defensive values in the other suits to make any 4 level contract by the opponents a tough propo- of Horrors sition, therefore, to take away a possible 3♠ and make life difficult for the Dutch, she decides to “anticipate” her partner’s bid with an a-systemic 4♣. By Pietro Campanile After all, what could possibly go wrong with that? The other Dutch girl, Elly Schippers, is et us go on looking at some more the diamonds. under pressure, she can bid 4♠ but that mishaps suffered by the high It is true that N/S can make 5♥, or save may well overstate her rather slim values, and mighty of bridge, champions in 6♥, but the adverse vulnerability clearly so she opts for the wait and see approach whose names we associate with put the brakes on their willingness to and follows Sabine’s 4♣ with a double. Lexotic squeezes and ingenious bidding compete. Back to Daniela. Well we can all guess decisions and yet, as we will see, also Will the same happen in the open room? her thought process here: partner bids 4♣ have their nightmarish misunderstandings Noooo, I hear you say, otherwise why on over the double of 3♥, while the normal and end up paying huge penalties just earth would we be reading about it? action would be pass. This must be show- like… well…just like us really. Ok, you got me there. Maybe I gave too ing a very good club suit and that, oppo- Let us fly together to sunny Perth, on the much away. site her spade , is looking very yummy western coast of Australia. Still let us go back and see what happens (what is 4♣X making vulnerable?). The No, we are not here to do some scuba- when the top German pair of Sabine fateful green card is slowly placed on diving but to kibitz the deal which will be Zenkel and have to the bidding tray, followed by two more the turning point of the 1989 Ladies World tackle this very distributional deal. to close the auction at the rather tricky Cup Semifinal between Germany and But first a little digression, Sabine and spot of 4♣X, to the surprise and delight of Holland. Daniela are well known in the bridge Marjike van der Pas whose holding in the There are 15 boards to go and Germany world for having one of the most complete opponents trump suit is only KQ9xxx! is leading by 25 IMPs and then comes and thorough system files, with a very board 114: aggressive bidding style full of hostile Let us have a recap of the bidding : Dealer East, North-South Vulnerable two-way pre-emptive bids (meaning that West North East South ♠J643 they either promise the suit bid or another van der Pas Zenkel Schippers von Arnim specified one). ♥AK93 Pass 3♥ Of course we all agree that conventions Dbl 4♣ Dbl Pass ♦Q542 are very sexy things and every bridge Pass Pass ♣J player above club master will happily fill ♠AQ107 ♠K9852 his card with a lot of these beauties just Now we must say this for declarer, she ♥J ♥6 because…. he can! did not jump up and scream at the sight of However, we must truthfully admit that dummy and she managed to collect four KJ 983 ♦ ♦ from time to time we have all been guilty tricks after the friendly spade lead thanks ♣KQ9754 ♣A862 of forgetting that we agreed to the odd to two spade ruffs and the two red aces ♠- late addition to the and (a club lead would have curtailed the ruffs ♥Q1087542 let partner unhappily stew in a 3♣ in a 3-2 leaving her with a -2300 score). ♦A1076 fit . Her achievement of limiting the loss at Do you really think that such disasters are -1700 was not exactly cheered on by her 103 ♣ the sole domain of us non-experts? team-mates who ended up losing 15 IMPs In the closed room the bidding proceeds Well…...think again! In the open room on the hand. rather unimaginatively: after two initial Daniela von Arnim in South decides Germany did not get through to the final passes the German pair reaches almost proudly to show off her special gadget and that year. unopposed the normal contract of 4♠, opens 3♥ with her hand, a bid promising making eleven tricks after West guessed either long hearts or…long clubs! 45 44

You can guess what happened next ….. Our unfortunate Italian champion removed the now cold 7♠ doubled to the rather less attractive spot of 7NT, which was doubled The House with a relish by the very same Trezel. The French proceeded to cash the first 6 tricks for a resounding +1100 which, added up with the 1430 at the other table, provided a of Horrors nice little swing to the transalpine team. By Pietro Campanile Here, however, the mettle of the great player showed through and through: Forquet did not say a single word to his partner about the extraordinary mishap and proceeded to play the remaining 11 boards of the session as if nothing at all ur quest into the dark had happened. West North East South recesses of the bridge The final result of the match was 42- archives to uncover the Jais Forquet Trezel Siniscalco 42 IMPs and the draw was enough to forgotten disasters incurred 1♥ 4♠ Pass 4NT keep Italy in first place. This European by top class experts goes on. Pass 6♦ Pass 6♠ Championship turned up to be the first of what would be a very long series of In the first article of this series we showed Pass 7♠ Pass ? O trophies for the Italian team, which will how the Italian came to enjoy a nice penalty from a dubious of Clearly Trezel did not believe that there soon achieve its legendary status. The their strong club action; not to be accused could be a hand where partner opens and happy outcome after such a huge disaster of national bias it seems only fair to show the opponents can make a grand slam during a crucial match confirmed that the “Maestros” on the giving end as well. when he holds Jxxx in trumps and an confidence in one’s partner and supportive Let us move to Stockholm , the venue for outside Ace ! attitude can often be a critical factor in the 1956 European Championships. transforming a good team into a winning one. As Perroux, the Italian captain, put it Italy and France are in hot contention when asked at the start of its tenure which for first place and, in board 37 of their players he would be looking to field in his direct confrontation; Forquet-Siniscalco team: “I am not looking for great players and Jais-Trezel have to battle over the for my team, but for players to make my following explosive layout: team great.” Bridge moral of the story : ♠KQ107643 “It is always better the evil you know than ♥- the one you don’t!” ♦K87653 Forquet ♣- ♠ - ♠J852 Siniscalco KQJ732 A1096 ♥ ♥ You can see Siniscalco’s problem: the ♦ QJ10 ♦94 spades could not be splitting since ♣8654 ♣972 nobody would venture a double at this ♠A9 level without being absolutely sure that ♥854 declarer cannot take advantage of the now revealed trump position to make his ♦A2 contract; yet he had this incredible club ♣AKQJ103 suit which could be an excellent source of E-W vul; Dlr Weast tricks also in NT. Hmmm… NT you might In the open room the French got swiftly to ask ? Are we looking at the same deal ? 6♠ after Avarelli (Belladonna’s partner) in Well if Forquet himself raised 6♠ to 7♠, West passed and North opened 4♠. a bid which is such an obvious breach of In the closed room the bidding was rather discipline, he clearly is not doing so with more exciting: an aceless hand ! 39 38

The enterprising Swiss champion Bernasconi, not suspecting dummy’s wasted values in spades bid the grand, not helped by the ill-advised 6♥ bid The House of his partner. 7♥ has very little play: declarer cannot avoid losing two tricks in the minors and infact in the other room Chemla and Perron got to the normal 6♥ of Horrors but went one off after the ♣2 lead to the ♣K and the ♣A. By Pietro Campanile Sometimes knowledge can be a dangerous thing and it is especially true here is nothing more satisfying mumbo-jumbo which had been so popular here where Soulet, who did not have for a bridge player than on the international bridge scene. an easy lead anyway, could reconstruct outsmarting one’s opponents. One of the best French pairs of the many scenarios where the ♠A or the ♣2 It is a fact that when given the time was Lebel-Soulet, so it was no lead would be disastrous. Therefore he Tchance we will all delight in selecting a surprise when they qualified to represent put on his fox hat and decided to lead a “deceptive” play instead of the “standard” their country at the 1985 European deceptive ♣10. Lebel naturally assumed one. I still remember fondly the time I led Championships in Salsomaggiore, Italy. that his partner had led from shortage the ♦9 from K92 against a hearts slam, The French were quite naturally the and, playing declarer for AQJx, followed finding dummy with AQxx in the suit: favorites but they had to contend with a with a low club. Bernasconi now had 12 declarer, quite reasonably, declined to strong Austrian challenge and getting to tricks with the diamond on but take the finesse and opted to play for a the last rounds it seemed like a favorable unfortunately for him he was in 7♥ so he side suit splitting 3-3 instead. 6♥-1: great calendar would see them through as had to find a way not to lose any diamonds feeling, awed looks from kibitzers, huge long as they would take advantage of it at all. He could see that there had to have points swing but also a devastating follow by beating by large enough margins the been some sort of misunderstanding at up of crazy leads which only succeeded teams they were going to meet. So it was trick one and decided to play it all on in giving away impossible contracts by that our two top French players, eager for a pseudo squeeze hoping that Lebel gifting declarers with unexpected tricks or blood, got to board 25 of their supposedly held the diamond honors as well as the deceiving partner as to my actual holding easy match against Switzerland with ♣K. Therefore he drew the outstanding in the suit. a card that did not show a lot of plus trump, ruffed dummy’s spades and ran That is when I decided to leave the positions for their side. all the trumps. Lebel was now in a terrible “brilliant” leads to those players with better Board 25 – E/W VUL – South Dealer bind: he knew “for sure” that declarer had started with table presence to guide them and who are ♠ KQ not too worried by the odd disaster or two ♥ KJ8753 ♠ - when they end up leading astray their ♦ 963 ♥ AQ9642 own partners. No big deal you might say, ♣ 64 ♦ A?? you cannot make an omelette without ♠ AJ1087652 ♠ 943 ♣AQJ5 breaking eggs. Unfortunately sometimes ♥- ♥10 the omelette is not at all tasty while the and therefore he felt that his only choice ♦ 105 ♦ KJ72 was to hope that Soulet had the ♦Q and eggs stay broken. ♣Q102 ♣K9873 Let us go back twenty years to the golden to pitch his diamonds keeping the ♣K ♠ - guarded. This was very good news for era of the French team, which at the ♥ AQ9642 time was enriched by the immense skill Bernasconi who quickly cashed his AQx ♦ AQ84 of diamonds to make the grand slam. of players like Chemla, Mari, Perron, ♣ AJ5 Szvarc, Lebel, Mouiel, Soulet, Levy and others. World champions, Olympic That is how the bidding unfolded: It is difficult to imagine Lebel’s expression champions, European champions, West North East South when he found out that his partner had the their string of victories was even more Soulet Doche Lebel Bernasconi ♣Q all along but what we do know is that: surprising because of the relatively simple 1♥ 1) France lost the match 5-25 natural systems they adopted: the classic 2) France failed to get to a qualifying spot 3♠ 4♥ 4♠ 5♦ French version of Five-Cards Majors and for the World Championship Pass 6♥ Pass 7♥ 16-18 NT with emphasis on sound bidding 3) Lebel and Soulet stopped playing and meticulous count signals in defense Pass Pass Pass together after the event. was a refreshing change from the artificial 39 38

swings going. Gitelman decided not to open in third seat his moth-eaten 11 count and that allowed Rodwell to open a “natural” 2♣ showing a club one-suiter The House and up to 15 points. That gave Mittelman a problem: he knew that because of the different systems the opening at the other table would likely be 1♣ and not 2♣; over of Horrors 1♣ the person sitting South there would probably chance, as a passed hand, By Pietro Campanile a take-out double. What should he do now? As we have often seen it is a very troublesome feeling when a player thinks he has been shut out by the opponents system and this is the time when even reemptive raises, feather-light Rodwell and Nickell-Freeman. After the the best can be led astray by their own openings, out of shape take first 64 boards the match is in balance with reasoning and believe that a very unsound out doubles: this is what we the Canadians leading by one imp. Let us action is their only reasonable option. think bridge on the fast lane is look at board 67, Dlr South, E/W Vul. Mittelman ended up convincing himself all about and that is what we often dread ♠ KQ5 to go for a very unsound take-out double when we dare to venture amongst the ♥ Q876 at the two level with a balanced 10 count bridge playing elite. The truth is that most ♦ K1052 facing a passed partner. When Meckstroth expert players rely on what I call “Tchou- ♣ J2 bid 2♥, Gitelman doubled to show hearts Tchou” bridge, from the sound that those ♠ 972 ♠ 1084 and Rodwell quite naturally removed dear old steam locomotives used to make: ♥AK1094 ♥- that to 3♣. The spotlight now turned to they will play as steady as they can, after ♦ 63 ♦ AQJ9 Gitelman in the pass-out position: he had all they are not the ones to need swings to ♣1084 ♣KQ9765 to decide whether his values were enough get the upper hand. They can afford to rely ♠AJ63 to compete further. Given his partner’s on their superior technique to extricate ♥ J532 double and with 11 points, chunky spades more tricks than the opponents in most ♦ 874 and decent diamonds, it did not take him contracts and they will bid some very ♣ A3 long to put the fateful 3♦ card on the table. ambitious games, trusting their declarer Rodwell doubled and Mittelman was left West North East South skills and our faulty defense to let the with the miserable choice of having to sit majority of them through. Naturally they Baran Hamman Molson Wolff the double or to remove it to 3♥ knowing will be all too ready to apply the axe when Pass that the suit split 5-0. He passed. we generously volunteer our heads for the Pass 1♥ 2♣ 3♥ Rodwell led the ♣K against 3♦ doubled, chopping block. So it is actually quite rare Pass Pass Pass which Gitelman ducked. He took the to see top class experts take their lives In the closed room Hamman opened second club with the ♣A and run the ♦7 in their hands and open a collection of 1♥ in third position and USA bought the to Rodwell’s ♦9. The ♠10 came back won rubbish or psyche a NT overcall. Of course contract in 3♥ after Molson overcalled 2♣. by the ♠J in dummy. Declarer continued in the heat of the competitive battle, even Baran in West could not double Wolff’s 3♥ with a heart, won by Meckstroth (Rodwell they can sometimes forget how much they bid as that would not have been penalty pitching a spade) and played back his last can safely push their opponents on the and Molson’s values were a tad short of a trump. Rodwell won his ♦J, cashed the basis of distribution values alone. reopening double. 3♥-2=100 for Canada. ♦A and started on his clubs. Gitelman had This month we are flying to exotic only one trump trick and a spade left to Bejing where the 1995 World Bridge In the open room the bidding was quite take for 3♦!-5=1100 and 14 IMPs on the Championships (aka Bermuda Bowl) different. hand to the USA, which pulled clear in this are being played. The final is an all- West North East South set of 16 boards leading by 172-122, an American affair, but that does not mean Meckstroth Gitelman Rodwell Mittelman advantage they managed to hang on to as you would imagine that there are two Pass until the end winning the final by 339-296. USA teams contending the world crown. Pass Pass 2♣* Dbl The dramatic outcome of Mittelman’s No, surprisingly enough the Canadians action should be a powerful deterrent 2♥ Dbl 3♣ Pass (Kokish-Silver; Mittelman-Gitelman and to stop us from thinking that a bad hand Pass 3♦ Dbl Pass Baran-Molson) have managed to beat can suddenly get better only because a host of challengers to gain the right to Pass Pass the opponents pre-empt us or make an battle it for the title with the star studded * Precision unusual system bid. USA team of Hamman-Wolff; Meckstroth- Nothing like systemic variations to get 41 40

Well it was not quite as simple as that. After Garozzo decided to open 1♠ with his shapely 10 count, Belladonna took the The House opportunity to bid 2NT, showing a spade raise and an unspecified singleton, either a game or a slam try. The normal continu- ation would be for Garozzo to bid 3♣ and afterwards a 3 level bid would show the of Horrors suit of the singleton and be a try for game, a 4 level bid would invite slam. But Ga- By Pietro Campanile rozzo did not relay and attempted to sign off in 3♠, probably wishing he had never opened. Belladonna was now faced with the unthinkable: his partner, arguably the ometimes it is difficult to even The closed room has already finished and most eminent bridge theoretician around, imagine the tremendous the Italian supporters are confident of their had decided not to use the system bid. pressure that players can be impending victory: Italy leads by 8 IMPs What could this 3♠ mean? After a lot of under when they are involved and the last two boards are easy games head scratching and no doubt weary and in the last decisive boards where nothing should go wrong. tired from the tense contest, Belladonna Sof an immensely prestigious event like a Board 175 E/W Vul , East dealer took the 3♠ to be a World or a European championship. Sit- trump-ask, imagi- ♠ AKJ962 ting at home and poring over the hands natively wheeled ♥ K73 or watching them being played live in out by his creative ♦ KQ3 the theatre can easily make us partner. Unfor- ♣ 8 think that we could hold our own against tunately, he also ♠ 74 ♠ - these guys without breaking too much worked out that ♥5 ♥ Q10982 of a sweat: after all seeing the 52 cards the correct reply to ♦ AJ108 ♦ 97642 neatly displayed can somewhat improve show his spades ♣ QJ7643 ♣ A95 anyone’s declarer skill, can’t it? values would ♠ Q10853 be 4NT. Easy to ♥ AJ54 guess what happened next: Garozzo ♦ 5 replied as if 4NT was RKCB in spades ♣ K102 and Belladonna took the 5♦ bid to show a (Board rotated for convenience) cue-bid in diamonds, denying the ♣A: the The Americans have played here 4♠ mak- “logical” conclusion was for him to bid 6♠. ing 5. After Weichsel led the ♣Q to his partner The two old Italian masters bid the hand ♣A, Garozzo quickly claimed one off for as follows: an 11 IMPs gain to the USA which won the West North East South trophy defeating Italy 413-408. Giorgio Belladonna Weichsel Belladonna Sontag Garozzo Such an incredible mental block, with the Let us look together at one of the most Pass 1♠ great champion literally thinking himself into incredible boards ever to decide a world Pass 2NT Pass 3♠ such an unlikely and complex spot should championship: we are in Stockholm in Pass 4NT Pass 5♦ serve as a great lesson for all of us. 1983 and the final of the Bermuda Bowl There comes a point towards the end of Pass 6♠!!! All Pass is drawing to its end. It has been an a long match or a tough pairs session amazing struggle between an Italian team The stunned Italian fans could simply not when we feel our lucidity slipping by and trying to recapture its former glory (Bella- comprehend what had just happened, yet instead of acknowledging this by try- donna-Garozzo, De Falco-Franco, Lauria- while the American themselves were still ing to take the simple way out of most Mosca) and its greatest antagonist: the waiting for the final bid to be corrected bidding and play problems we often tor- USA (Hamman-Wolff, Sontag-Weichsel, to the inevitable 5♠ after the Vu-Graph ture ourselves by dreaming impossible Becker-Rubin). There are only two boards operator realized his mistake. scenarios when the unlikely becomes a left to play out of 176 and the lead has But it was no mistake: Belladonna did certainty and the unsound a necessity. been changing constantly; the players on indeed bid 6♠ after a sequence that looks This is the time when one should remem- both sides show on their faces the incred- to the average player like a simple strong ber that KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid!) is ible tension and the stress they are under spade raise followed by Blackwood. How not just the acronym for a no-frills system while the VuGraph theatre is in a frenzy of could he get it wrong? A bridge legend like but the golden key to unlock the door of excitement. him miscounting aces? success. 41 40 The House of Horrors By Pietro Campanile

he recent thrilling final Board 20 All vul, dealer West starts to have cold feet and the feeling of the Bermuda Bowl ♠ 543 that his first reply might have exaggerated Tand its astonishing conclusion, viewed ♥ K109753 his values leads him to another surprising online by more than 5000 spectators ♦ 64 action: he denies any further interest and on bridgebase.com, has served as ♣ 102 bids 5♣ instead of showing his spade a powerful reminder that bridge can be a ♠ KJ876 ♠ A9 control. great spectator sport. The live screening ♥J ♥ AQ86 Allegrini now is on the spot: he is looking of important events has greatly benefited ♦ 52 ♦ KQ3 at a powerhouse and yet his partner is from the huge technological advances of ♣ KQJ96 ♣ A543 braking like mad on the way to slam. The the last decade and nowadays almost all ♠ Q102 tension and the fatigue obviously have a international events are able to provide ♥ 42 big factor in the decision making process a highly refined Vu-Graph service, which ♦ AJ10987 of the French player: he is afraid to lose a is great fun for your average bridge addict ♣ 87 diamond and a spade and puts the fated but it can turn into an exquisite torture for In most of the other matches East-West green card on the tray causing dismay in the players looking at their team-mates have comfortably managed to get to the the French supporters in the audience and efforts live on . easy 6♣ and the commentators predict especially to a certain Monsieur Michel Let us move to Tenerife, one of the Canary the same result here; in their estimates Abecassis, who had been witnessing the Islands and the venue for the 2001 that will be enough to keep France in fifth last rounds of bidding unfolding slowly like European championships. The event itself place. the last terrifying scenes of a horror movie has been dominated by Italy and before with himself and his team as the unwilling West North East South the last round of the tournament the top protagonists. The French champion could four positions are basically locked. What Palau Mihov Allegrini Nanev not understand how Allegrini would bring is yet to be decided is the outcome of the 1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass himself to believe that Palau might have race for the all important fifth place, the 4♣ Pass 4♦ Dbl bid 4♣ with a hand like Qxxxx-K-Jx-KQJxx, last qualifying spot for the Bermuda Bowl. Pass Pass 4♥ Pass the only one where 6♣ has no play. Even France, Israel and Denmark are involved 5♣ Pass ? QJxxx in spades would make the slam no in a very close finish with the French worse than 50%. Unfortunately for him, Palau and Allegrini look weary and slightly ahead but also due to play the there is not an awful he can do from his incredibly tense, the pressure on them is toughest opponents, the highly talented seat in the VuGraph theatre. enormous: the qualification for the World but temperamental Bulgarians. It is no Championships was the very least that Anyway, all is well what ends well… since surprise, therefore, that this is the match the ever ambitious French Federation the team that benefited from the last gasp that the organizers decide to screen for would expect of its players. horror sequence of the French was Israel, the last session of the VuGraph and by the who leaped over to fifth place thanks to a The bidding proceeds normally until time we get to the last board the theatre 21-9 win over Rumania and qualified for Palau opts for an optimistic 4♣ reply to is completely full and the tension is very the 2001 World championships. high.The French have not been doing his partner 2♣ bid: he does have great so well but because of the other results support but with an aceless hand he they only need a decent score in the last would have probably described his hand board to get their ticket for the 2001 World better bidding 3♣. The auction goes on championship. but when his partner continues to express Here is board 20, the last of the event: a strong wish for slam with 4♥, Palau 41 40

of making 6♠ if partner had a first round West North East South control in hearts or clubs, Taylor opted for Eriksson Rath Fredin Tomski The House an imaginative 5♦ cue-bid. Mathe passed, 1♥ Pass 1♠ strangely believing that his partner was trying to “save” him. Spotlight on Sam 2♠ 4♠ Pass Pass of Horrors Stayman: somehow the great American Dbl !! 4NT Pass 5♣ champion decided that, given his spade Pass 6♣ Pass 7♣ By Pietro Campanile void and East “alleged” scrambling action, Pass Pass Pass South was sitting pretty with a wagonload (1) May be four cards of spades and this was the chance to West’s 2♠ bid was natural and Rath collect a huge penalty in 5♦ or 5♠: so He that is of decided to show his shape and his strength“ – ְרחַ ב-נֶפֶשׁ, ֶיְגָרה מָ דוֹן he doubled! One can easily guess how a greedy spirit stirs up strife” (Proverbs with a descriptive but somewhat unusual quickly the ashen-faced Taylor must have 28/25) 4♠ bid. The bidding tray passed across jumped at the chance to bid 5♠! Stayman There are not that many bridge articles to Tomski, who glanced in puzzlement backed up his assessment of the situation whose first line features a quotation at his partner’s reply and, abiding by the with a second, coherent but nonetheless from the Bible and yet those ancient old bridge proverb “When in doubt, pass”, disastrous, double and was promptly words in their wisdom bear witness to put a disastrous green card on the tray. redoubled by a now exuberant East. the disastrous consequences that some Never fear, the Swedish cavalry was soon To add insult to injury, Stayman selected to greed-driven doubles have had in top to come to the rescue: Eriksson doubled lead the ♥A, which Mathe gleefully ruffed. level bridge. for penalty!! Unfortunately the tournament Declarer then went to dummy with the ♦A, Let us go back in time to Los Angeles in photographer was nowhere near when the pitched a club and a diamond on the ♥K, 1957, where all the best American players bidding tray was moved across to record ♥Q and continued with the ♠2, finessing have gathered for the prestigious Winter the facial expressions of both North and the ♠K. When that succeeded, he ruffed Nationals . In the final round of the Men’s East when they realized what had taken in dummy the last diamond, ruffed a heart, Teams Samuel Stayman, one of the place at the other side of the table. cashed the ♠A and claimed thirteen tricks legendary names in bridge, becomes the However, a greatly relieved Rath decided for a resounding score of +2000. Thanks first involuntary contributor to our “greedy” to take no more chances and bid 4NT as to Stayman’s double Mathe’s team gained double parade. take-out and raised partner’s 5♣ to 6♣. To a total of 1320 points after 5♠ was bid at Dlr W; All Vul make matters even worse for the hapless the other table, making 12 tricks after the ♠ - Swedes, Tomski finally woke up to realize ♦K lead (with declarer making the nice ♥ A987 that partner’s sequence had to show play of running the ♥K pitching a club), ♦ KQ1098 a spade void and bid the grand slam. instead of conceding 600 or 700 for the ♣ AQJ7 After they missed the chance to defend vulnerable undertricks in 5♦ for an overall ♠ AQJ1087543 ♠ 92 4♠, it is not surprising to report that the loss of at least 1280 points. Talking about ♥- ♥ KQJ106 Swedes were somewhat reluctant to take greed being punished! ♦ J64 ♦ A the cheap save in 7♠! The contract made The event was (surprisingly!) won by ♣ 4 ♣ K8652 easily but this does not conclude the story Mathe and his Californian team (Mathe, ♠ K6 of what is probably the most disastrous Taylor, Oakie, Schleifer) while Stayman’s ♥ 5432 deal in the history of Swedish bridge. team finished a distant fifth. ♦ 7532 At the other table the top Swedish pair Our second “greedy” double brings us ♣ 1093 of Fallenius-Nilsland let the Germans to the 1997 European Championships play in 4♠ doubled: North led his two top West North East South in Montecatini and the match between hearts and switched to a club, but when Mathe Stayman Taylor Seamon Sweden and Germany. declarer took out trumps he pitched a very 4♠ Dbl 5♦ Pass Dlr: North ; Vul: None expensive diamond, effectively throwing Pass!! Dbl !!! 5♠ Pass ♠ - away the setting trick. Holowsky could Pass Dbl Rdbl Pass ♥ AKQ105 now claim his game and +590, which Pass Pass ♦ A1097 added up with the +1440 at the other ♣ KQ76 After Lew Mathe opened 4♠ and table, meant that Germany had managed ♠ AK10632 ♠ Q98 Stayman doubled, Taylor’s choice of bid to collect 2030 for a fat 19 IMPs in this ♥62 ♥ J73 was somewhat surprising. Thinking that one deal! ♦ QJ643 ♦ K852 redouble would simply push North-South The bottom line: next time you hold an ♣ - ♣ J108 to find their big diamond fit, where they enormous, and unlikely, trump stack J754 might or might not go the three down ♠ and you are about to double, remember 984 necessary to compensate them for the ♥ Proverbs 28 and think if a sure gain is not ♦ - 650 or 680 on their line, and that with all better than risking to push the opponents ♣ A95432 his cards working he had some chances into finding a superior contract. 39 38

matches France was scheduled to play The House against Holland and this hand had a decisive bearing on the final result: Dlr South, All NV of Horrors ♠ AK96543 ♥ - By Pietro Campanile ♦ Q652 ♣ Q8 ♠ 2 ♠ QJ108 ♥A7532 ♥ 4 ♦ 10743 ♦ AKJ9 ♣ K62 ♣ A753 ast month we had a look at immediately playing the ♣K and forcing ♠ 7 how greed can often be the dummy with another club. Declarer KQJ10986 undoing of top class players who, ♥ ruffed and played a spade to the ace and 8 while seeking to gather some ♦ a diamond up, which Meckstroth won ♣ J1094 Lsubstantial penalties by doubling unlikely with the ♦A. After the club continuation, contracts, may well end up pinpointing the declarer ruffed again and cashed his ♦K West North East South way to a superior spot. but could do no better than gathering Jais Boender Trezel Oudshoorn However, ill advised doubles can often five tricks, a diamond, two spades and 3♥ reap unexpected dividends by awakening two ruffs for a resounding -1400. At the Pass Pass Dbl Pass in the opponents the dreaded ghost of the other table the USA made ten tricks in 3♦ Pass 3♠!! Dbl All Pass "Knight rushing to the rescue" and getting doubled for 870, which meant a total of 20 them to run from a cold doubled contract Be honest, would you have passed out 3♥ to a hopeless one. IMPs gained on the hand. doubled? Our first example comes from the Egypt- While Kordy’s choice to overcall 2♠ and Hans Boender, our valiant Dutch knight, USA match in the qualifying rounds not simply to get his diamond suit out is at decided to come to his partner’s rescue of the 1991 World Championships in best debatable, North’s 4♠ bid is an awful and put himself in 3♠ when 3♥ has good Yokohama. decision on several grounds: chances to make if the defense does not Dlr East, All Vul manage to avoid the reasonable club 1) Partner bid 4♦ vulnerable, fully knowing ♠ A43 lead. Against 3♠ Trezel led the ♦A and that the balance of the points was largely ♥ 109873 switched to the ♠Q to Boender’s ♠A, who ♦ 73 with the opponents. This clearly showed a continued with the ♣Q to Jais’s ♣K, who ♣ 942 very unbalanced hand with much longer made the good play of returning the ♦10, ♠ 862 ♠ J95 diamonds, at least six, but also that ducked all round and another diamond ♥AJ52 ♥ KQ6 his diamonds were not solid, otherwise to his partner ♦J, who played back the ♦ 98 ♦ AQ he would have not risked a potentially ♠J. Boender ducked and Trezel carefully ♣ AJ53 ♣ K10876 sizeable penalty and would have chosen cashed his ♣A before switching to a ♠ KQ107 to defend 3NT. heart. This quashed declarer’s hopes of ♥ 4 2) 4♠ could not possibly play any better endplaying the French champion, who ♦ KJ106542 than 4♦ even if partner had five spades, eventually took another spade for a total ♣ Q on the other hand it would likely turn into of eight tricks to the defense and 800 points to the French. At the other table West North East South a disaster if partner had only four of them, Delmouly opened 3♥ too with the South Rodwell Salib Meckstroth Kordy because the defense would easily force hand and the bidding was identical until declarer to lose control by repeatedly 1NT 2♠(1) Bourchtoff passed out 3♥ doubled. West leading hearts or clubs, as indeed Dbl(2) 3♣(3) Dbl 3♦ led the ♣2 to the ♣Q and the ♣A. East 3NT Pass Pass 4♦ happened at the table. returned another club and that gave Dbl 4♠!! Dbl All Pass Worth noting that the Egyptian’s fate was Delmouly an easy ride for nine tricks and (1) At least 4 spades and a longer minor shared by the illustrious Polish pair of 530 which added to the 800 meant a huge (2) Points Gawrys-Lasocki, who also played in 4♠ gain for the French team, who went on to (3) Pass or correct collecting five tricks but, probably thanks claim the title. Easy for us to see that 4♦ makes thanks to their reputation, escaped undoubled. to the friendly trump position while 4♠ Let us now move back to 1960, when the needs a trump lead to have any chance first World Bridge Olympiad was played in at all. Unfortunately for the Egyptians, Turin. Meckstroth opted for the ♥K lead, In one of the qualifying round robin 41 40 The House of Horrors

By Pietro Campanile

o you play standard Wormwood Over the next few years the convention West North East South or RKCW? spread like wildfire across the American Garozzo Wolff Belladonna Jacoby tournament scene, purely by word of This apparently meaningless Pass Pass question could well have been mouth as a player from Indiana met a Pass 1♣(1) Pass 1♥(2) asked zillions of times at bridge player from Washington, who met a player Dtables all over the world if certain events from New York and so on, and had been Pass 2♥ Pass 3♦ had taken a different turn in 1933, when a known after its creator, who eventually Pass 3♠ Pass 4♥ letter from a then relatively unknown Ea- got his letter published in the September Pass 5♦ Pass 6♦ sley Blackwood reached the desk of Ely 1938 issue of but under Pass Pass Pass his own name. Since then Blackwood has Culbertson, editor of the “Bridge World” (1) Strong, 17+HCP long become an almost indispensable tool and uncontested top world bridge person- (2) At most 2 Controls (an Ace or two for bridge players from novices to experts ality of the time. Kings) and no more than 7HCP wishing to avoid the embarrassment of getting to a slam without enough aces. Jacoby’s final action is difficult to Naturally, the use of the Blackwood understand: despite having an absolute convention cannot make up for good powerhouse within the constraints of his judgment, the very skill that many cham- initial 1♥ reply, his partner was clearly in pions possess in abundance and that charge of the auction and had he felt that allows them to delicately probe towards a slam could be a possibility he would slam with elegant and often mysterious probably have bid 4NT or an encouraging sequences, disdainfully scorning the use 5♣, instead of 5♦. of Easley’s “primitive” gadget! There was nothing much to the play after Garozzo led a small club, declarer had to Let us step back in time to 1973: we concede down one. Easley Blackwood are in the little known holiday heaven of The letter contained a clearly written Guaruja, in Brazil, where the mighty clash Over to the closed room where the great article explaining a new and disarm- between the legendary Blue Team and the Pietro Forquet was involved in a potentially ingly simple method to investigate slams. will decide the winner of the deadly combination: playing a new system Blackwood had just been transferred to Bermuda Bowl. (Precision instead of the trusty Blue team Club he was used to) with a relatively new Indianapolis to take charge of the local This is what happened in board 90: partner, Benito Bianchi. branch of the Metropolitan Life Insurance East dealer, All Vul company and fearing that his overt asso- ♠ AK74 West North East South ciation with the game might alienate the ♥ KJ943 Blumenthal Forquet Goldman Bianchi sympathies of the god-fearing citizens of ♦ AQJ Pass Pass the Midwest state of Indiana, closed his ♣ 8 Pass 1♣(1) Pass 1♦ letter expressing his reluctance at divulg- ♠ 1096 ♠ QJ82 ing the method under his own name and Pass 1♥ Pass 3♦ ♥A102 ♥ 876 asked Culbertson to publish the article Pass 3♠ Pass 4♥ ♦ 97 ♦ 2 under the alias “Ernest Wormwood”. Pass 6♥!! Pass Pass ♣ J6543 ♣ AK972 Ely, however, had his own self-serving ♠ 53 Pass agenda on the subject of bidding inno- ♥ Q5 (1) Precision 16+HCP vations and rejected the idea altogether ♦ K1086543 since it conflicted with the dictates of his ♣ Q10 own widely used system. Continuation on page 40 41 40

By Eric Kokish

SEND THE RIGHT overcall (even not vulnerable, it may not carding when the information figures to be appeal to you and it doesn't turn me on useful to their partners than declarer. MESSAGE either). East's delayed raise succeeded Declarer covers the ♠Q with the king. East in nudging North-South up a notch to 3♥. wins the ace and returns the ♦9 to your Declarer plays the ♠9 from dummy and oday's deal focuses on two ace. Along the lines of "top of nothing to your ♠Q holds the first trick, East playing show a weak holding," East is trying to tell important aspects of the the eight. How do you continue? game, competitive bidding and you that he has no interest in a diamond partnership defense. There are two clues about the spade return, underscoring his interest in a position. If East had ace-eight-small and spade ruff. With a "surprise" third spade, TNeither vulnerable Dealer West the additional 4/5 points he must have East would have returned his fourth- ♠ K109 on the auction, he would have raised to best diamond (a low card) to confirm his ♥ 10983 2♠ directly. Support with support. As East interest in having that suit continued. K102 ♦ knew that West's ♠Q would win the trick, You return the ♠3 (neutral) for East to A75 ♣ it was unnecessary to play high (the eight) ruff. East exits safely with the ♣10 and QJ632 ♠ to encourage; giving count (small from eventually scores his ♦Q to defeat the 65 ♥ three) would have been more appropriate. contract. The complete deal: ♦ A75 That points to East's holding precisely ♠ K109 ♣ J43 ♠A8 alone. The right course is to continue ♥ 10983 spades. The message you would like to ♦ K102 West North East South send with your second spade play relates ♣ A75 Pass Pass Pass 1♣ to the suit with which you might regain the ♠ QJ632 ♠ A8 1♠ Dbl(1) Pass 2♥ lead, a low card for the lower suit (clubs), ♥65 ♥ K72 Pass Pass 2♠ Pass high for the higher (diamonds), a middle ♦ A75 ♦ Q964 Pass 3♥ All Pass card to express no preference. Although ♣ J43 ♣ 10982 it might seem like overkill, return the ♠J, (1) Negative, 4+ hearts ♠ 754 a "suit preference" for diamonds. ♥ AQJ4 : ♠Q This form of defensive play has many ♦ J83 Put yourself in the West seat. You seem applications; effective defenders are ♣ KQ6 to have survived your frisky "modern" 1♠ careful to help each other with their

meant a doubleton since with three he showed five. Since his partner was a The House would have raised hearts immediately, passed hand, Forquet knew that he could of Horrors after which his partner, probably with not have the ♥Q as well as the 11 points a nice big heart suit, had bid directly the he promised with the 4♥ bid and signed From page 41 small slam. Unfortunately for him, when off in 6♥. Oh not again!! What happened here? Forquet proceeded to explain the auction Amazing! A flat board with both sides On the face of it the Italians made even to Goldman, the tale he heard was rather bidding to slam without two cashing aces! more of a mess of it than the Americans, different and only then remembered of Well, not quite. Goldman led a safe trump, ending up in slam in a 5-2 fit with two aces the late addition to the system suggested to cut down the ruffs. Blumenthal won his missing! by Garozzo and agreed during the long ace and… played back another trump! Well, the bidding according to Bianchi flight over: 3♦ was meant to show a 4414 Forquet let go of his lucky charm and was straightforward: he jumped to 3♦ hand with heart support and a diamond quickly claimed 12 tricks. Which proves to show his good suit, over 3♠ he had shortage, over which 3♠ was asking again that luck is the best convention of given delayed support in hearts, which for controls (ace=2 and king=1) and 4♥ all! 43 42

For the lovers of history I can confirm that this is the first time that such a score has The House occurred in 47 editions of the European Championship. Amazingly enough it was not the last, as in the very same round this of Horrors board came up in the Sweden-San Marino match: Board 12 Dealer West. N/S Vul. ♠ 76 ♥ AKJ1098 By Pietro Campanile ♦ 106 ♣ 1096 Dealer West. All Vul. ♠ 10832 ♠ AJ Malmo Special ♠ J853 ♥5432 ♥ - I have a confession to make: I am a BBO ♥ QJ5 ♦ 3 ♦ AKJ9854 addict. Yes, I admit it: I watched almost ♦ Q76 ♣ QJ53 ♣ AK74 every match screened online by Fred ♣ AQ5 ♠ KQ954 Gitelman’s Bridgebase.com during the ♠ K62 ♠ 1094 ♥ Q76 fortnight of the European Championship, ♥A743 ♥ 10982 ♦ Q72 trying to follow the alternating fortunes of ♦ J84 ♦ 103 ♣ 82 ♣ 983 ♣ J742 our teams and at the same time fishing for West North East South ♠ AQ7 material for my column. Such a twofold Nystrom Catucci Bertheau Treoss approach gave me a rather peculiar ♥ K6 Pass 2♦* Dbl Pass outlook on things, a bit like one of those ♦ AK952 hawkish American lawyers walking the ♣ K106 2♥ Pass 3♦ Pass streets of a busy intersection on the way West North East South Pass Pass to the office, but keenly watching out for Birdalas Bocchi Poska Duboin *Multi a road accident, however tiny, whose Pass 1♣ 1♠ 2♣* The Swedish players had a big victims he might approach to aggressively 2♠ Pass Pass Dbl misunderstanding against the good old- ply his trade. fashioned Multi 2♦ opening and were Pass Pass Rdbl All Pass Well, I was not disappointed: I saw some left stranded in 3♦ in a board where 6♣ great bridge but also plenty of disasters * Transfer to diamonds is the top spot. A surprising gain for the both in bidding and play. Some led to Pervaded by a bout of creative inspiration, underdogs? Not so fast. surprising gains, like the 7NT bid by the Lithuanian decided to interfere with the top Swedish pair of Fredin-Lindkvist West North East South 1♠ to break up the Italians’ conventional against Lauria-Versace without the ♠A Fazzardi Lindqvist Zucchini Fredin auction, using a gadget bid against and ♠K, who happily gathered 13 tricks Pass 2♦(1) Dbl 2♥(1) strong club which shows either spades when Lauria naturally opted to lead a or 4-3 in the majors (obviously no Pass Pass 3♥ Dbl neutral red suit, holding KJxx in spades. mention of minimum point requirements Pass Pass 5♦ Pass The fiery Italian was not amused when is deemed necessary). Unfortunately the 6♥ Dbl Rdbl Pass he discovered what had happened: his 1♣ opening was not strong, but showed eloquent analogy in Italian vernacular Pass Pass most of the time a weak , between some specific anatomical parts (1) Multi of the two Swedish players and the so West raised his partner’s allegedly (2) Pass or correct Channel Tunnel was heard repeatedly normal 1♠ overcall to 2♠ and did not The Multi strikes again: East cue-bid over the next few days. budge even after Poska completed his hearts, since he believed that North Some others, however, led to huge, and contribution to the annals of bridge by passing 2♥ pinpointed his major, while well deserved, negative swings for the redoubling the contract. The play soon West was not fooled by the Swede’s unwitting perpetrators. assumed a Kafkaesque character when wily ploy of cloaking his real suit, took Warning from the Tourist Office: if you Bocchi-Duboin ruthlessly drew trumps his partner’s 3♥ bid at face value and ever happen to visit Lithuania and you are and proceeded to cash all their winners, over 5♦ (thought as showing a huge introduced to a somber looking gentleman leaving declarer with a mere two tricks: distributional hand in the reds) jumped by the name of Poska, make absolutely the ♠K and the ♥A. 2♠ XX -6 is, you to 6♥. To complete this comedy of sure not to mention the number 3400, guessed it, -3400 for a small swing of 21 misunderstandings East, having done as doing so might spark off an explosive IMPs to the Italians, when Fantoni-Nunes his own thinking, interpreted 6♥ as “pick a reaction. failed to find the same amusing spot and grand” and redoubled to show first round Curtain up on board 4 of the Italy-Lithuania let their opponents play in 3NT making 11 control. 6♥ redoubled goes six off for a match, tricks. score of…3400 of course!! 43 42 The House of One of the previous contenders for the By Pietro Campanile sought after title of slam played with the Horrors smallest amount of trumps had seen as protagonists two of the biggest names in US Bridge: Eddie Kantar and Marshall Miles. Playing in the US Spring Nationals in 1975, the following scientific auction took place: hen he was asked what This was the bidding: Dlr South, all vul was the most embarrassing West North East South West North East South moment of his bridge career Sorensen Pedersen Kantar Miles replied: 2♠(1) Pass 4♥ Pass 2♣ W“When in the final of the US Teams 4NT(2) Pass 5♦(3) Pass Pass 2♦ Pass 2NT Championships I was left in a 5♠ contract needing to find the way to play the trump 5♥(3) Pass 6♥ Pass Pass 4♦ Pass 4♥ suit for only two losers with a void opposite Pass Pass Pass 4♠ Pass 7♣ K10xx”. 1) Pass Pass What landed “Mr Bridge”, as the champion 2) 4NT Culbertson (positive, ongoing Would you care to try and make sense used to be known, in such an impossible promising at least 3 out of 5 keycards) of it? No? Maybe listening to the 3) Cue-bid spot? Simple, Goren had previously cue- explanations of the two champions might bid his spade void at the 4 level, when he East bids were rather straightforward: help (or not!). cue-bid it again at the 5 level his partner 4♥ was obviously meant as a splinter Kantar held the following collection: took the rather inferior action of passing! agreeing spades, 5♦ was a cue-bid, 6♥ ♠ AQ54 Well he was not the first bridge player, was before 6♠ asking for extras ♥ 54 and certainly won’t be the last either, to be and showing a hand still interested in ♦ Q1087653 left to play in a silly contract because of a a grand. ♣ - passed out . On the other side of the screen West When his partner opened 2♣, he diligently The most spectacular specimen ever started off on the right track, taking 4♥ as replied with a “waiting” 2♦, Miles rebid 2NT in that category was recently related by a splinter and continued with the positive showing a balanced hand of 22-24 points Svend Novrup, a Danish bridge journalist, 4NT. After 5♦ and 5♥, the tray came and Kantar reasonably enough, since and occurred in the final stages of the first back with 6♥ and that’s when things took they agreed not to play transfers over division of the Danish League in a match a turn for the worse. Sorensen thought a NT rebid of 2♣, jumped to 4♦ to show between two top rated teams. and thought: could partner really still be a very long suit and a goodish hand. Miles Dlr West – N/S Vul looking for a grand at this point? The more continued with 4♥, taken as a cue-bid ♠ 92 he reflected on it the more he worried agreeing diamonds, and Kantar continued ♥ A109652 that the whole thing might be a colossal showing his spade control with 4♠ and ♦ 64 misunderstanding, and that 4♥ might here came the astounding reply of 7♣ !! ♣ QJ9 have been natural all along. Racked with What could that be? Eventually Kantar ♠ AK10763 ♠ QJ54 uncertainty he decided to play partner came to the conclusion that his partner ♥- ♥ - for some long and chunky one-suiter, had a totally solid club suit, something like ♦ K853 ♦ AJ972 forgetting that with such a hand he would AKQJ109, and offering a choice of grand ♣ AK7 ♣ 10543 never have bid 4♥ over a strong two when slams. Still unsure about the solidity of ♠ 8 a forcing 3♥ was available to him. his partner’s diamond support, Kantar ♥ KQJ8743 The result was a new record breaking decided to “trust” his partner and pass! ♦ Q10 achievement: a slam in a 0-0 fit!! ♣ 862 Well done Denmark! From on page 38 41 40 Partnership The House Bridge of Horrors From on page 42

What was going on at the other side of the Bid Games, Invite Slams table? Marshall Miles’s holding was: ♠ KJ87 ♥ AK63 By Matthew and Sarah Granovetter ♦ A4 Sarah: In a strong IMP Pairs, my partner the other player should be conservative ♣ AK8 and I had the following disaster. (I won't when accepting the invitation.) But if When Kantar bid 4♦, Miles jumped with tell you where I was sitting yet, because I a slam looks close, don't bid it - invite it. excitement. Such luck! The beautiful don't want my husband to be afraid to say Thus, the player who invites a slam, has sequence they had discussed a few who was wrong.) full values and is merely checking to see months ago had finally come up: 4♦ Opener Responder that partner really has what he promised here asked opener to show a four card ♠ AK832 ♠ Q10 for his bidding. minor or rebid 4♥ if he did not. Miles ♥8 ♥ KQJ10 Let's apply the theory to this deal. Assume duly complied but was rather startled by ♦ 63 ♦ AK754 responder wants to bid a slam over 3♠ Kantar’s 4♠ reply, what that could be all ♣ AQ963 ♣ J5 (as she did); instead she bids only 5♠. about? The champion sank deep into This would say, "I want to bid six, but I am thought and eventually came up with the 1♠ 2♦ giving you a chance to play in five if you “obvious” explanation: “Kantar had asked 3♣ 3♥ don't really have full values for your bids." for my minor holdings and I denied any, 3♠ 6♠ he was not interested in majors so this Sarah: Your theory is fine but your 4♠ must be a cuebid, probably a spade Pass application here is horrendous. Responder void with a very long minor two-suiter, Sarah: Spades broke 3-3 with the jack in did not even have a 5♠ bid, because, with something like front of the Q-10, but the club finesse was her poor black-suit holdings and massive off, so we were down one. ♠ - heart wastage, she should not be looking ♥ x Matisyahu: First of all, I prefer a 1♣ for slam. We surely have a heart loser ♦ KQxxxx opening on 5-5 minimums, but that's a (opener failed to bid 3NT), so slam ♣ QJ10xxx matter of style. The rebid of 3♣ is often requires too many specific cards. The genius I have for partner has found played as extra values, but I know you like Whatever happened to simple hand it to show 5-5 and not necessarily extras, this fantastic way to show me what evaluation? When your partner bids two so I will not criticize this bid either (folks, he has, how can I let this hand play in suits, look at your holdings in those suits notice how careful I'm being). Responder's anything less than seven?”. and downgrade your stuff outside those 3♥ was reasonable as fourth-suit forcing. Here was the whole hand: suits. I would rebid 3NT with responder's No doubt she was hoping opener would ♠ AQ54 hand and call it a day. rebid 3NT so she could raise naturally to ♥ 54 4NT to show her extra strength. Of course, The Last Word (Matisyahu): I can now ♦ Q1087653 nobody can blame opener for rebidding guess fairly accurately where you were ♣ - 3♠, since 3♥ did not promise anything in sitting. Therefore, may I suggest the ♠ 102 ♠ 963 hearts. Now responder may have gone a following solution, which is one of my ♥QJ2 ♥ 10987 bit too far in leaping to slam. Obviously, favorite toys (since I have the last word ♦ K2 ♦ J9 she hoped that opener held a slightly this month, I saved this little scientific toy ♣ QJ10932 ♣ 7654 stronger hand (perhaps a sixth spade). for the end). When the bidding between ♠ KJ87 AK63 I have an interesting theory that applies opener and responder goes: 1a, 2b, 3c ♥ ♦ A4 here. Often one player stretches toward a (a, b, and c being different suits), the ♣ AK8 game or slam; when both partners stretch jump to 4NT by responder is natural and on the same deal, the partnership gets quantitative. The bidding on this deal Poker faced Marshall Miles was not in overboard. To prevent this, try the following would go: any way put out by the sight of dummy, instead he played the contract as if his life rule: Bid Games, Invite Slams. If a game 1♠ 2♦ looks close, don't invite the game - bid it. depended on it and managed to go only 3♣ 4NT (The corollary is that a player who invites five off, remarking happily at the hand a game is the one who is stretching and Pass how well he played to make the ♣8. 41 40 The House of Horrors By Pietro Campanile

hen I started playing step of passing when holding opening between 0 and 3 points. Decision time or bridge, I often got bored values while opening hands with 0-11 rather I should say “Guessing time” as so and disappointed if I had points), a practice that many saw as giving far all the information you have received been dealt less than what an unfair advantage due to the difficulty in from your partner has not helped one bit (I I perceived was my share of high card setting up adequate and timely defensive know, I know, story of your life!). W Looking at the complete hand might be of points. After a tournament I would counter-measures and that would often blame the poor result on the fact eventually be strictly limited by the WBF in some help and here it is, unfortunately our the opponents had better cards and years to come. The final was world final contenders in Jamaica did not I would even undertake a meticulous immune to such controversies and saw a have the same luxury: reconstruction of each and every hand traditional match-up between USA (Wei- West dealer – N/S Vul to prove my point (yes, no such thing as Radin, Chambers-Bjerkan, Deas-Palmer) ♠ 83 hand records at the time!). Sometimes and France (Cronier-Bordenave, Gaviard- ♥ J52 I was right, more often not, but funnily Chevalley, Willard-Bessis). ♦ KQ95 enough only a few years later my Spotlight now on board 44; with the ♣ QJ109 approach to the game changed so much result still in the balance in both finals, ♠ QJ2 ♠ AK7 that I began to hate being dealt huge and the players in the East seat must have ♥76 ♥ AKQ843 powerful hands, as by then I had started had a slight shock when they picked up ♦ 1086432 ♦ A to realize how difficult it could be to elicit their cards, a collection which was later ♣ 54 ♣ AK8 the right information from partner in order nicknamed “the beauty of Ocho Rios” ♠ 109654 to make an informed decision as to the after the name of the location where the ♥ 109 best contract to play. finals were taking place: ♦ J7 Let us move to sunny Jamaica, the ♣ 7632 ♠ AK7 venue of the 1987 World Championship. In the Venice Cup both the French and the ♥ AKQ843 The Bermuda Bowl final sees a surprise American ladies failed to reach slam: ♦ A match-up between the USA star studded Open Room ♣ AK8 team (Hamman-Wolff, Martel-Stansby West North East South Gaviard Wei Chevalley Radin Pass Pass 2♦(1) Pass 2♥(2) Pass 3♥ Pass 3NT Pass 4♣(3) Pass 4♥ Pass 4♠(3) Pass 5♥ Pass Pass Pass 1) Equivalent to a standard 2♣ 2) Negative relay 3) Cue-bid Closed Room West North East South Bjerkan Bordenave Chambers Cronier Pass Pass 2♣ Pass The 1987 Bermuda Bowl winners: USA 2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass and Lawrence-Ross) and the challengers How would you bid this hand with your 3♣(1) Pass 4♥ All Pass from Great Britain (Flint-Sheehan, Kirby- normal methods? Let us assume you 1) Second negative Armstrong, Brock-Forrester). The talk of open 2♣ and over your partner’s 2♦ reply, Will the gents perform better than the the championship is, however, on the hot you continue with 2♥. You will hear 3♣, ladies? Any bets out there? issue of the day: the proliferation of highly second negative (surprised?), what now? In the Closed Room Flint-Sheehan did not unusual systems (also adopted by two of If you have available a forcing 3♥, partner do much better and stopped in 5♥. the British pairs) which included the so- will raise you to 4♥, something he might called strong pass (in brief: the unusual do with two small hearts and anything Continues on page 38 39 38 Partnership The House Bridge of Horrors

By Matthew and Sarah From page 40 Granovetter

The real action, or lack thereof, was however in the open room where the final Sarah: I know it's politically incorrect to com pelled to bid over 1NT with 7 high- contract would be quite a surprising one. be a solid bidder, but I believe in doing card points. First of all it is important to note that the what I think is right no matter what the Matthew: I don’t like to quarrel with Americans had decided that the best "authori ties" say. Here's a case in point success, but I think an 18 point hand from a game I recently played. We were policy against the Brits’ weird 1 level with a five-card suit qualifies as a full 18. openings made on 0-11 points would be vulnerable and I was South, first to speak. It’s true that the king-queen doubleton is to simply ignore them whenever possible Dlr: South a negative feature, but you do have all Vul: Both and to bid naturally as if they had not four suits stopped plus that five bagger Q65 opened at all. Good idea, bad idea, who ♠ and a few nice spot cards. ♥ K1074 knows. This is what happened in the Open ♦ 985 Sarah: What you say is true, and therefore Room: KJ7 the decision was a close one. I went ♣ West North East South ♠ 1032 ♠ KJ84 with my usual style, however, and chose ♥65 ♥ Q983 to be maximum for my bidding rather Lawrence Armstrong Ross Forrester ♦ J73 ♦ A10642 than minimum (surely this is a minimum Pass 1♦(1) 2♣(2) Pass ♣ Q10652 ♣ - for 1♣-1X; 2NT). Years ago I played Pass(?) Pass ♠ A97 regularly with Canadian international 1) 0-11 ♥ AJ2 Katie Thorpe, who bid conservatively in 2) Meant as a normal 2♣ opening ♦ KQ those days (perhaps now as well). It was Lawrence absent-mindedly passed his ♣ A9843 always a pleasure to see her dummy partner’s 2♣ bid, taking it as a normal hit because there was never less than West North East South overcall instead of what the pre-match expected and sometimes a little more. 1NT team agreement stipulated and the result What’s wrong with providing your partner was that Ross found himself playing the Pass 2NT Pass 3NT with a little cushion in the play (by having somewhat inferior contract of 2♣ in a 3- Pass Pass Pass extras) and the bidding (so partner feels 2 fit instead of 7♥. Well, a world final is a West led the ♣5, and I took 10 tricks for comfortable bidding close games or world final and as much as he would have plus 630 and a good score. making close penalty doubles) by being liked to throw the cards out of the nearest I opened 1 NT, playing a range of a good maximum for your bidding? window, Ross did not say a word and 15 to a poor 18. My partner raised to 2NT The Last Word (Matthew): calmly started pondering what to do after and I was charmed to bid 3NT. West led As long as you’re consistent and throw Armstrong led the ♥10. He took the lead fourth from his longest and strongest and no curve balls at partner, it’s a good with the ♥A, cashed a second heart and I had an easy time scoring up game with idea to be true to your style. You and wheeled out three rounds of clubs. Had an overtrick. your partner surely know, however, that Armstrong realized the real consistency At the other tables, South opened the solid bidding is “swinging” bidding these of declarer’s trump holding, he could bidding 1♣, and rebid 2NT over the 1♥ days (going against the field), so you have defeated the contract by returning a response (sometimes after East made have to be willing to roll with the punches low diamond. Instead he continued with a a ). North raised to game when your style happens to score badly. fourth trump, letting Ross claim the rest and most Souths went down after a spade Mind you, this is true of every convention or a diamond lead, although the game for a deserved although disappointing and treatment out there, and being can be made even after a diamond lead +150. Britain’s 8 IMPs gain was of little philosophical about system disasters is if you play it just so. In the postmortem, help though as the USA defeated their something intrinsic to all winning pairs. everyone felt my hand was worth a full opponents 354-290, completing a world 18, that my good score was just lucky, The Granovetters can be reached double started off by the victory of the and in the future my partner will feel through the Bridgetoday.com website USA ladies in the Venice Cup. 41 40 The House of Horrors By Pietro Campanile

Only a few days ago I was playing with out the opposition. East-West bought the passed and when Belladonna doubled the Migry in the Liga Leumit vs the Birman contract in 3♠ making 4 for +170, a loss of spotlight moved to Ortiz-Patino in North, team and I picked up in South 11 IMPs on the board. We lost the match the millionaire who would years later ♠ J6 by 13 IMPs. become President of the WBF. Patino was ♥ Q94 Naturally I was sure that my exploit was faced with an impossible choice: partner ♦ AKJ76 nowhere near as catastrophic as those could reasonably have any of three suits ♣ KJ7 which usually make up my columns so with a stopper outside and, looking at his Following three passes, I opened 1NT I started looking for the worse possible own holding, he was more likely to have a and heard West, Salek Zeligman, bid 2♣ outcome of a 3NT contract. major. Hoping rather optimistically that his for majors, Migry jumped to 3♥, asking for I had to go back quite a few years to find a cards would be enough to stop the minors a stopper in the suit and I duly complied suitable candidate: 40 years to be precise, and that partner held the necessary closing the auction with 3NT. to the 1965 European Championships in values to take care of the majors, Patino passed the double out. The lead was the ♠8 and Migry tabled her Ostende, Belgium. Here is a recap of the bidding: dummy, wished me good luck and left for The Sixties, as most of you know, was the usual nicotine break. the era of the Italian Blue Team and When she returned a few minutes later, their coach was often trying to check the hand was over and upon enquiring out new players who could one day on the outcome she was informed that I take the place of the six champions in had gone seven down. “No, really, what the main team. Since the Italians, as happened?” She asked again. I replied holders, were assured of participation to stone faced: “3NT-7=700 for them”. She the next Bermuda Bowl, the Italian team still thought we were all joking so our ever at the European included a few unusual kind opponents agreed to reconstruct the names amongst which the one of Renato hand for her benefit. Mondolfo who was to partner Giorgio This was the layout: Belladonna, the only member of the Blue West Dealer – All Vul Team to make the trip. ♠ K4 Despite the much weaker line-up, Italy Pietro Bernasconi ♥ 875 won convincingly also thanks to boards ♦ 9532 like this: ♣ AQ92 Dealer East – N/S Vul West North East South ♠ 987532 ♠ AQ10 109 ♠ Mondolfo Ortiz-Patino Belladonna Bernasconi ♥AK1063 ♥ J2 ♥ 964 1♣* 3NT** ♦ 10 ♦ Q84 ♦ QJ85 ♣ 3 ♣ 108654 ♣ 9875 Pass Pass Dbl Pass ♠ J6 ♠ 7643 ♠ AKJ85 Pass Pass ♥ Q94 ♥QJ10875 ♥ A32 * Strong, 17+ HCP ♦ AKJ76 ♦ 964 ♦ AK3 ** Gambling - 102 ♣ KJ7 ♣ ♣ Mondolfo led the ♥Q, taken by Belladonna As I mentioned earlier, the lead was the ♠ Q2 with his ♥A, dropping declarer’s singleton ♠8. I played low from dummy and Dani ♥ K ♥K. That signaled the start of the Swiss Cohen took his ♠Q and continued with ♦ 1072 rout: the Italians had no trouble in ♠A, ♠10 and ♥J. At this point Zeligman ♣ AKQJ643 gathering all of the 13 tricks, with six took over and run all his major winners Belladonna opened a strong club in East hearts, five spades and two diamonds for a leaving me the last two tricks. and the Swiss star Bernasconi, a very sensational score of -2600!! Since we had done nothing particularly talented but also very “imaginative” player After the hand a journalist asked Ortiz- wrong I was confident that the result whom we already met in an earlier column, Patino how he managed to keep calm would be repeated at the other table, but wheeled out his own special version of the when he saw his partner go nine down science reared its ugly head: our West Gambling 3NT, which could be any solid doubled in 3NT. The Swiss millionaire had available a gadget to show a weak suit (including majors) and promised one replied: “I am used to play with Bernasconi. major two-suiter and used it, shutting outside stopper. Both West and North It happens to him all the time!” 39 38 The House of Horrors By Pietro Campanile

iegbert Tarrasch, a great chess West North East South Olympiad is hosted in the Italian town champion at the turn of the Ely C. Albarran Josephine C. Venizelos of Salsomaggiore. In the third set of the last century, wrote that “Chess semifinal match between the two ladies 1♦ 4♥ is a game that does not admit teams of France and Austria, there was a Sexcuses and does not forgive mistakes, Pass 6♥* Pass Pass very short bidding sequence: Pass since each player is solely responsible West North East South for his own result.” From that point of view *Those were the days!! Willard Erhart Bessis Lindinger bridge is a lot more fun since we have an What would you lead? The ♠Q, the ♦Q or 6♦!! Pass Pass ideal candidate to blame whenever things a club? go wrong: our partner! Opening leads, in After a long time, Ely decided that Albarran Pass particular, provide plenty of ammunitions could not possibly have two quick losers in to spice up a discussion between players diamonds for his 6♥ bid and that it would as there are very few deadly sins less be much better for the defense to attempt deadly than not leading your partner’s suit to set up a spade trick while there was or giving away a slam because of a risky time: the ♠Q hit the table. Unfortunately opening lead. for him this was the complete layout: The first problem brings us back more than ♠ A74 seventy years to 1933. ♥ AJ107 had recently become the Numero Uno on ♦ 76 the American bridge scene after his widely ♣ AKQ10 publicized triumph against Sidney Lenz in ♠ QJ853 ♠ K1096 the so-called “Match of the Century” and ♥- ♥ 8 Austrian champion , widely considered one of the top QJ2 AK10543 the phenomenal sales of his Blue Book. ♦ ♦ players in Ladies bridge His next target was Europe and, seeking ♣ 98765 ♣ J2 to export there his (and ♠ 2 the book sales that came with it), he ♥ KQ965432 It was a hot, hot summer in Salsomaggiore gladly accepted a challenge by a strong ♦ 98 and it must have felt so much hotter for French team in a match of 108 boards to ♣ 43 Veronique Bessis: there she was sorting be played in Paris. It must have taken an enormous amount her hand and next thing she found herself Despite his hopes for an easy win, of restraint for Josephine to stop herself on lead against 6♦ holding the French team led by the talented from reproaching her husband for not ♠ 9763 was putting up a strong leading her suit but this was one married ♥ K9862 resistance and the match was still in couple who always displayed a strong ♦ 9 the balance right to the end. In the last self-control at the table and this instance ♣ A92 set, sitting West and partnering his wife was no exception. Luckily for Ely and his What would you lead? Keep in mind that Josephine, who many thought was the European book sales, the match was Erhart had by then already achieved better player of the two, Ely picked up adjudicated a draw after a curious incident a unique reputation for occasionally the following: in the last boards meant that the teams choosing unorthodox bids and plays which ♠ QJ853 played a hand on the same line. would often produce rich dividends while ♥ - If Ely’s choice could be considered making life miserable for her opponents. ♦ QJ2 somewhat unlucky, our next problem After a lot of soul-searching, Bessis ♣ 98765 is much spicier: let us move forward selected the ♣A and that was the winning and the bidding went: in time to 1992, when the Bridge choice… for the Austrians! 39 38

Board 37 – N/S Vulnerable – Dealer North Sarah: Yes, but if you hold a hand ♠ K2 good enough to open 1NT, who is more A3 Partnership ♥ likely to own the hand, your side or the ♦ AKJ1087543 opponents? ♣ - Bridge Roth: That’s why I stress that whenever ♠ AQJ105 ♠ 9763 you have a good suit rebid, you should ♥Q1054 ♥ K9862 By Matthew Granovetter not open 1NT. You should be delighted to ♦ - ♦ 9 let the opponents bid whenever you have ♣ K765 ♣ A92 Let Them Bid! a good hand. Their bids are clues to the ♠ 84 Guest: Alvin Roth play of the hand. To illustrate: ♥ J7 Sarah: When I married Matthew we lived South dealer ♦ Q62 in New York and were regular players None vulnerable QJ10843 ♣ at the Mayfair Club, run by the famous ♠ K2 The lead gave declarer an unexpected American theorist and player, Al Roth. ♥ 1086 chance to make the contract and Maria He invented many of today’s standard ♦ AK82 Erhart promptly took it. The Austrian bidding methods, such as 5-card Majors, ♣ Q763 champion drew the correct inference , and the . ♠ J103 ♠ 9864 from Bessis’s thinking before the lead and He is also a very strong personality, and ♥KJ752 ♥ 93 deduced that she could not possibly hold does not mince words. If we came to Roth ♦ Q43 ♦ J1065 ♣AK. Therefore she drew the outstanding with a problem, he would tell us exactly ♣ KJ ♣ 542 trump with dummy’s ♦Q and ran the ♣Q, how wrong our thinking was, without ♠ AQ75 which Willard did not cover, for what being gentle about it! Here is an example. ♥ AQ4 was essentially a marked ruffing finesse. We were once discussing which is better, ♦ 97 Eventually she even made an overtrick. to open 1NT or open one of a minor. I like ♣ A1098 to open the bidding with one notrump, At the other table the French pair reached West North East South the same contract, after a much longer mainly because I enjoy our bidding 1♣ auction, but the contract drifted one off structure. Our range is 15+ to 18; if 15, it after Doris Fischer in East had an easy must contain 3 and a half honor tricks. 1♥ Dbl Pass 2♠ time in finding the ♠7 lead, since her Matthew: I also like 1NT. Not only is it a Pass 3♣ Pass 3NT partner had managed to sneak in a 2♠ narrow-range bid and, as you said, the Pass Pass Pass bid. initiation of a comfortable auction, but it Opening lead: ♥5 France lost 17 IMPs on that one hand makes life difficult on the opponents when This was played at the Mayfair Club in the and could only wonder at what might it is their hand. late-night $50-an-imp game. At one table, have been when Austria won the match Therefore, I pose this question: Shouldn’t South, playing 16-18 notrumps, began 135-121 and went on to claim the Olympic we always strive to open 1NT rather with 1♣ because of his small doubleton title after defeating the English ladies in than one-of-a-minor when it is a close diamond and the safety of a 1♠ rebid. the final. decision? Over North’s negative double, he bid 2♠, Kudos to Maria Erhart for finding once Roth: Don’t talk like a child. All of your not forcing. North’s 3♣ implied too much again the bid designed to give her reasons for opening 1NT are wrong. strength for a non-forcing 2♣ on the first opponent a torrid time, but was the ♣A First, your bidding system over 1NT is round, and South bid 3NT. lead really a reasonable choice? Even less accurate than over an opening 1♣: Because of the 1♥ overcall, there was an aggressive player like Erhart would or 1♦:, because you are a level higher no problem in the play. Even if West had not have risked a double digit IMP — especially at matchpoints, where your led a spade, declarer would have played swing at such a critical stage of a world partscore bidding is so important. the club suit correctly, with the knowledge championship semifinal without some kind Second, if you open every balanced that strength was to his left. of insurance. To assume that she could 15-18 point hand one notrump, you However, at the other table, where the have bid a kamikaze 6♦ with two quick are not using a narrow-range. I am auction went 1NT-3NT, declarer had no losers, in clubs or elsewhere, would be a 100% opposed to the 15-point notrump. information. West led a heart and declarer remarkable view. Looking at Bessis’ hand Responder is always in fear of bidding made the technically best play of the it seems much more likely that declarer on a marginal 8-point hand, which might 8 from dummy. The 9 forced the queen. is either singleton, void or holding some produce a game. Then he went to dummy’s ♠K for the first cover in the club suit (like a doubleton Third, the world goes out of its way to of two club through East — down King for instance). In all of these three try to the opponents when they one, minus 10 imps, minus 10 more imps cases the ♣A would turn out to be a very should be doing just the opposite. for the match bonus, minus $1,000. dangerous lead which could at best avoid Matthew: Wait a second. Certainly my The Last Word (Sarah and Matthew): an overtrick and most likely give away the opponents prefer to hear me open a Minus a thousand dollars?!! We’ll open contract. than 1NT. 1♣. 39 38

In the Open Room the USA pair of Deas- Palmer stopped in 6♣, which made with an overtrick for +1390 to the USA. It The House looked very much like a potential plus position for the Dutch ladies, but I am sure nobody could have predicted the auction of Horrors in the closed room: By Pietro Campanile West North East South Bakker Gwordzinsky Gielkens Bethe 2♠ 2NT 3♠ A year ago I presented a couple of themselves vulnerable into a terrible spot, 4 Pass 5 Pass examples where a greedy defender he felt compelled to double 5♦. Imagine ♠ ♥ comes to the rescue with an ill-timed the look that Przybora and Fazli must 7♣ Pass 7♦ Pass double to alert the opponents of the have exchanged as the bidding tray Pass Dbl!!! 7NT Dbl terrible mess they got themselves in. reappeared under the screen! Przybora Pass Pass Pass After perusing some World Championship rescued himself to 5♥ and Munir felt After Gielkens overcalled 2NT with her books from the eighties, I found two more obliged to double that contract too. offshape 15 count, the auction took off How much did Munir's indiscretion cost incredible hands which illustrate once like a crazy Scud missile. Bakker had him, do you think? It was one of the least again how, even at the highest level of the surely a tough bid over 3♠ but her idea to expensive bidding `disasters' on record. In game, you can often receive help from the cue-bid with 4♠ was rather short-sighted theory Munir was exchanging a “safe” four most unlikely quarter…. your opponents! since when she continued with 7♣ over or five down in 5♦ for a possible make in The first example comes from the the 5♥, Gielkens was entitled to assume that quarter-finals of the 1984 Olympiad, with 5♥ doubled, however Martens played for her partner held a two-suiter, correcting Poland facing Pakistan. the drop in trumps and went one down for the contract to 7♦ as a result. A more Board 36 – West Dealer – Vul both -200. At the other table the bidding was practical shot, facing a 15-17 NT, would AJ1054 rather less exciting: ♠ have been to simply bid 4NT and hope to ♥ Q73 West North East South hear a 5♥ reply after which to bid 7♣ (and ♦ K53 Masood Gawrys Zia Wolny conversely 6♣ over 5♦). ♣ Q9 1♠ 2♥ 4♠ At the table, Bakker passed 7♦, doubtless ♠ 862 ♠ Q 5♥ Dbl All Pass ♥J954 ♥ AK1062 not too happy with this turn of events. ♦ A ♦ Q96 After noticing that South had bid 4♠ Gwozdzinsky, East for USA, looked at her ♣ J10864 ♣ A753 holding only four trumps, Zia took the impressive trump holding and not satisfied correct inference and played him for ♠ K973 with the opponents reaching a clearly heart shortage, finessing in trumps and ♥ 8 doomed grand slam vulnerable, decided bringing home the contract for +850. So ♦ J108742 to add insult to injury and doubled 7♦. the Pakistanis gained 14 IMPs anyway. ♣ K2 Probably she was not particularly worried Let us raise the stakes and move up from when the opponents ran to 7NT, doubled West North East South the quarter final stage to the finals. We are in turn by West. Not, that is, until dummy Przybora Fazli Martens Munir in Perth, Australia, where the Venice Cup went down with an 8-card solid club suit! is being decided between USA and the Pass 1♠ 2♥ 4♠ Deas got off to the best lead with the ♦8, Netherlands. 5♦ Pass Pass!! Dbl!!! won by declarer with the ♦K in dummy. Board 57, North Dealer, E/W Vul 5♥ Pass Pass Dbl Next came a club to the ♣J, a heart to ♠ K87652 Pass Pass Pass the ♥A and then all the clubs from dummy. ♥ J Gwordzinsky was unable to hold on to the Since Przybora was a passed hand, he felt ♦ QJ106 diamonds while keeping the ♠K guarded that his 5♦ bid would be unambiguously ♣ 107 lead-directing. He explained it as such to ♠ - ♠ AQJ3 and declarer happily wrapped up thirteen his screenmate, Fazli. The two players on ♥A7 ♥ Q1032 tricks for +2490. If East had passed 7♦ the other side of the screen were not in on ♦ K52 ♦ A973 the USA would have collected +1590 (+17 the secret. Martens astonishingly passed, ♣ AKQ86543 ♣ J IMPs) instead of losing 1100 (-15 IMPs) probably having overlooked that Przybora ♠ 1094 for a total swing of 32 IMPs!! was a passed hand and thus could not ♥ K98654 Luckily for them, despite the Netherlands possibly have the kind of diamond suit ♦ 84 overtaking them and leading by 13 IMPs that could warrant a natural 5♦ bid, and ♣ 92 with 16 boards to go, they pulled out of Munir had only to pass to collect at least The Netherlands were trailing by 36 IMPs the hat a remarkable 72-23 score in the 600. No, despite the singleton heart which halfway in the match, when this board last set and cruised to victory with a final meant that his Polish opponents had got came up. result of 355-319. 39 38

Norwegian opponents play in 5♣ doubled after an identical auction to the one in The House of Horrors the closed room. What could possibly go wrong now? By Pietro Campanile Barbosa in East started off with the obvious lead of the ♥A, on which The faithful readers of our magazine Helgemo was sure to have the ♠A and Camacho played the ♥2. know by heart that “defense is the most the problem of what to switch to when in After trying to figure out what could be difficult part of the game”, a phrase which with the ♣A was solved. Chagas won the the best continuation, Barbosa decided my one and only Editor and meatballs ♦Q with the ♦A, on which West played an to play it “safe” and reduce dummy’s guru “extraordinnaire” likes to insert at encouraging ♦2, ruffed a diamond, ruffed ruffing power by playing ♣A and a club. will in her “Improve your bridge” column. a heart and then tried to ruff another He tabled the ♣A and I guess he must Having personally been guilty of countless diamond but was overruffed by Helness have been somewhat disappointed to see heinous crimes in this area, I am certainly with the ♣J. his partner dejectedly throw the ♣K under not one to argue with her. On the contrary, At this point the Norwegian champion the ♣A. here is an outstanding example showing could have reaped the benefits of his Suddenly things did not look too good: that even the giants of bridge should careful play and safely exited with the could declarer possibly make his contract better thread carefully when the Sirens of ♥K, squashing an eventual singleton after the defense “compressed” their two misdefense sing their enchanting and yet Q in declarer’s hand and giving him the trump tricks into one? Clearly the danger deceiving melody. losing option of taking a spade finesse, came from the diamond suit: if declarer Let us move back to Santiago del Chile, but unsure as to the meaning of the ♥6 held the ♦K all was now lost unless the 1993: Norway and Brazil are involved in a and worried about conceding a possible defense could cash at least one spade thrilling fight to decide the team to contest ruff and discard if declarer had started trick before they are pitched on dummy’s against the Netherlands the final of the with 3 spades and two hearts, he diamonds. Yet to under-lead his ♠K with Bermuda Bowl. The Brazilian supporters preferred instead to play the ♣A first. ♠QJxx in dummy and without a clear sign are screaming their heads off: their team When Helgemo had to lay perforce his from his partner seemed very dangerous. is leading by 9 IMPs with one board to ♣K under the ♣A, Helness suddenly froze What to do? Maybe the answer lied in go. and despite the fact that Helgemo would correctly decoding Camacho’s ♥2 at the Board 96 – E/W Vul – Dealer West have never doubled 5♣ holding a 2551 first trick, a card which was too specific ♠ A3 shape, he decided to believe that declarer not to mean something. The Sirens of ♥ J109 was indeed 3217 and without the ♠A. Misdefense were starting to meddle ♦ 8 Therefore he exited with a low spade and with Barbosa’s mind which became full ♣ Q1097652 the second defensive undertrick vanished of contrasting thoughts: “What could ♠ 976 ♠ K1085 in thin smoke causing the Braziliar Camacho’s ♥2 mean? Did it say: “Partner ♥Q862 ♥ AK543 supporters to become delirious with joy: do not continue hearts as I do not have ♦ K10952 ♦ Q4 Sirens 1 – Players 0. 5♣ doubled one off the ♥Q, just make your normal switch” , ♣ K ♣ AJ for -100 seemed a great result and even if that is to play a spade, or rather be a suit- ♠ QJ42 Barbosa and Camacho misguessed and preference signal and ask for a diamond ♥ 7 went on to 5♥ the negative swing of -300 instead? What would you do in Barbosa’s ♦ AJ763 and ensuing -7 IMPs would not be enough place? ♣ 843 to stop Brazil from reaching the Bermuda The Sirens’ song was now whirring up Bowl final. with intensity and the Brazilian slowly Closed Room Barbosa-Camacho, however, did not let lost his battle to resist their melody : “But West North East South down their fans and correctly let their that does not make much sense: I am Helgemo Chagas Helness Mello holding the ♦Q and even if Camacho held Sergio Barbosa the ♦K he would not want me to set up Pass 3♣ Dbl 5♣ dummy’s long suit”. Succumbing to the Dbl Pass Pass Pass enchantment, Barbosa finally pulled out a In the closed room Chagas opened with an small spade to the horror of the Brazilian aggressive 3♣, doubled by Helness and supporters. A thankful declarer could now quickly raised to 5♣ by Mello over which avoid a spade loser and still ruff his two Helgemo took the correct view of doubling heart losers in dummy coming back to and not bidding 5♥, an unmakeable hand with the ♠A and with a spade ruff. contract after a diamond lead by North. Sirens 2 – Players 0. 5♣ doubled and Against 5♣ doubled, Helness led the made for +550 which together with +100 ♥A, partner playing a non-committal ♥6, gave Norway an incredible +12 IMPs, and after a long pause he continued with enough to see them through to their first the ♦Q, since if declarer had the ♦K then Bermuda bowl final.