Analysis by Barry Rigal

Analysis by Barry Rigal

Canada Olympiad Fund Game #1 June 13, 2018 - Set 218033 Analysis by Barry Rigal Barry Rigal is a player, author, commentator and syndicated columnist. Born in London in 1958, he has been a professional bridge player since moving to New York in 1994. Rigal has written many books as well as magazine and newspaper columns and has contributed to the world championship books for two decades. He has also served as the Chief Vugraph commentator for the World Bridge Federation for 10 years. Married to Sue Picus. He has won two North American championships as well as EC Mixed Teams and multiple UK titles. As a professional player claims to be the only pro ever to have been shut out by his client from declaring a single board in a session – not for want of trying! At college reached the quarterfinal round of the University Challenge for Queen’s Oxford – where he suffered the indignity of losing to Queen’s Cambridge – and a team headed by the comedian Stephen Fry. He also claims that his tutors awarded him the title of “The laziest man in Oxford.” Bd: 1 ♠ A 8 7 5 Whether North’s Bd: 3 ♠ A J 6 Many Souths Dlr: North ♥ 10 6 3 hand fits his idea Dlr: South ♥ A 10 5 4 may yield to the Vul: None ♦ K Q 2 of a notrump Vul: E-W ♦ J 7 3 temptation to ♣ A J 3 opener, be it ♣ A K 3 open 1♦, both ♠ — ♠ 10 6 4 weak, strong or ♠ Q 4 2 ♠ K 10 7 for the lead and ♥ A J 9 7 4 ♥ 8 2 in the middle, ♥ K 3 ♥ J 9 2 as an obstructive ♦ 10 8 6 5 3 ♦ A 7 4 you’d expect the ♦ 9 8 5 ♦ 10 6 2 move. Now North ♣ 9 8 5 ♣ K Q 10 6 4 vast majority of ♣ Q J 9 6 4 ♣ 10 8 7 2 will have to ♠ K Q J 9 3 2 the field to reach ♠ 9 8 5 3 restrain himself ♥ K Q 5 game. Very few ♥ Q 8 7 6 from advancing ♦ J 9 pairs will find any ♦ A K Q 4 beyond 4♥; even ♣ 7 2 reason to get ♣ 5 that contract is beyond the four level here. In theory, the defenders in jeopardy on a spade lead. Declarer should take threaten to take four tricks (two hearts, and one trick West’s ♠Q with the ace, then cross to dummy in in each minor). But South can build a discard for the diamonds to play a heart to the 10. If he misguesses slow heart or club loser from diamonds, so it would hearts, he could go down in game! After any other be a very careless declarer who fails to bring home defence, declarer might draw two rounds of trumps. his game. If North plays 4♠ and ducks the lead of Now if E/W are left with the master trump, declarer ♣K, a heart shift, ducked by West, defeats the game. switches to diamonds to pitch a spade on the 13th diamond. Bd: 2 ♠ K J 10 Another deal Vul: N-S ♥ K Q 10 8 7 6 3 where N/S have Bd: 4 ♠ J 4 When West opens Dlr: East ♦ 10 2 a simple route Vul: Both ♥ Q J 6 3 2 1♠, relatively ♣ 10 to a major-suit Dlr: West ♦ 9 6 few Norths will ♠ Q 7 6 4 ♠ 9 8 5 2 game, but there ♣ A Q 9 4 overcall, I hope. ♥ J ♥ 2 are several issues ♠ A K 9 7 6 ♠ 8 5 3 2 The hand and suit ♦ K Q J 6 3 ♦ 9 5 4 at play here. The ♥ K ♥ A 8 7 5 are too weak for a ♣ 6 4 2 ♣ A Q 8 7 3 first is that when ♦ A 10 3 2 ♦ Q 8 5 two-level overcall. ♠ A 3 South opens ♣ K 8 5 ♣ 3 2 Regardless, you’d ♥ A 9 5 4 1NT, West may ♠ Q 10 expect West to ♦ A 8 7 intervene to show ♥ 10 9 4 declare 4♠ after ♣ K J 9 5 diamonds and ♦ K J 7 4 East has shown a major, and now East could contemplate saving in ♣ J 10 7 6 a simple raise – a 4♠. If he does, the defenders can extract 800 (three few may prefer to show a mixed or weak raise, but trump tricks, two red aces, and two club tricks sooner the contract ought to be the same. In 4♠ West looks or later – declarer cannot discard enough clubs on likely to win the top heart lead with his ♥K and bash the diamonds). Secondly, the defenders must lead a out the two top trumps, then play a diamond to the top diamond against a heart contract to prevent N/S queen and king. Declarer can eventually force an establishing the clubs for 680. entry to dummy to lead a diamond to the 10, to bring home his contract. Bd: 5 ♠ Q 7 6 3 In second seat Bd: 8 ♠ Q 9 7 3 1NT by West, Dlr: North ♥ Q J 9 a few Easts will Dlr: West ♥ K Q 4 3 raised to 3NT by Vul: N-S ♦ K J 9 7 6 pass, a few more Vul: None ♦ 10 8 7 East, looks simple ♣ 2 may open 2♥, but ♣ J 5 enough; but 3NT ♠ J 10 9 4 2 ♠ 8 most will bid 3♥. ♠ A 8 2 ♠ K 5 4 is easier to bid ♥ 4 ♥ K 8 7 6 5 3 2 Now South should ♥ A 10 8 5 ♥ 7 2 than to make, ♦ 3 2 ♦ A 8 simply bid 3NT, ♦ K 9 2 ♦ A Q J 6 with clubs not ♣ J 10 8 6 3 ♣ Q 7 5 since doubling ♣ A 8 7 ♣ Q 6 3 2 behaving. One ♠ A K 5 might give up on ♠ J 10 6 possibility is that ♥ A 10 that contract for ♥ J 9 6 North will set up ♦ Q 10 5 4 good. That call ♦ 5 4 3 declarer’s fourth ♣ A K 9 4 rates to end the ♣ K 10 9 4 heart as a second auction, and West has no reason to lead anything but winner, to represent his ninth trick. By contrast, on a a heart. South will win, and drive out ♦A, giving East spade lead, the road to +400 is far from clear. One a problem. If he clears hearts, declarer runs diamonds, route to success is for declarer to win and pass the then spades, and sets up a double squeeze for 12 ♣7. Then he can take the next spade to advance tricks. If East shifts to a club, he disrupts South’s the ♣Q, pinning the jack, and setting up the fourth communications (though switching to the ♣Q would round of clubs for the ninth winner. This is an unusual expose West to a simple squeeze). example of an intra-finesse. Bd: 6 ♠ A 9 8 7 Another classic Bd: 9 ♠ A J 9 4 3 You’d expect N/S Dlr: East ♥ 2 preempt for East; Dlr: North ♥ Q 7 to bid unopposed Vul: E-W ♦ A Q J 8 this time a 2♥ Vul: E-W ♦ 2 to game. If North ♣ 9 6 5 3 call will be passed ♣ K 10 7 6 3 opens 1♠ he rates ♠ K Q 6 2 ♠ 10 5 round to North, ♠ 10 7 ♠ Q 6 5 2 to declare 4♠, ♥ J 9 ♥ K Q 10 7 5 3 who ought to ♥ 10 9 5 2 ♥ K J 6 4 whereas if South ♦ 5 4 3 ♦ 9 7 2 reopen with a ♦ Q 10 8 7 ♦ K J 3 gets to open a ♣ K J 4 2 ♣ A 10 takeout double. ♣ J 8 4 ♣ Q 2 strong notrump ♠ J 4 3 This gives South a ♠ K 8 he may play ♥ A 8 6 4 difficult decision: ♥ A 8 3 3NT. 4♠ looks ♦ K 10 6 he can pass for ♦ A 9 6 5 4 less challenging, ♣ Q 8 7 penalty, but I do ♣ A 9 5 particularly not see any sign of a sixth winner for the defence. because East might attack hearts, the unbid suit, after Or he could bid (a natural 2NT call would be nice, which 11 tricks become little more than a formality. but most play this as lebensohl) with 2♠ being the If South declares 3NT on a heart lead he will have to least offensive alternative, perhaps. Against 2♠ the win and set up a black suit, clubs offering better odds defenders have an obvious heart lead, which should than spades. That gets him to eight winners, but the suffice to set up a sixth winner for E/W. I’d guess N/S defenders should be able to prevent South finding will find it very hard to go plus here. the game-going trick. 5♣ may come home today, but not 6♣. Bd: 7 ♠ A 10 9 6 5 2 Yet another Dlr: South ♥ A 10 3 preempt, but Bd: 10 ♠ Q 10 4 South’s hand does Vul: Both ♦ Q 10 2 this time for Dlr: East ♥ A K 8 7 5 not feel right for ♣ Q South, who has Vul: Both ♦ J 8 6 an upgrade to a ♠ 3 ♠ K Q J 4 a reasonable 3♣ ♣ A K strong notrump, ♥ J 9 8 6 5 2 ♥ 4 opening (though ♠ A 7 6 ♠ J 8 3 2 given his heart ♦ J 9 8 6 ♦ A K 7 5 3 you’d prefer not ♥ Q 10 6 ♥ J 4 3 flaw.

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