Early in the Morning


Here we are in the South of Europe. People who live here are not accustomed very well to bridge sessions taking place in the morning hours. This may well also apply to those Southern Europeans who found themselves back in the basement of the Centro Congressi on Wednesday morning.

As a consequence, this report, based on one of the fifth-round matches, looks very much like a review of mistimed or even completely missed opportunities. So be it: the culprits will remain nameless.

Board 1 was a straight-forward enough 3NT which presented no problems, but board 2 was the first case of mistiming. What would you open, third in hand, green v. red, holding:

ª AQJ1076 © 1052 ¨ 4 § QJ6?

One Spade, a weak two or an even higher preempt may all be the right choice. Everything depends on what the last man to speak actually holds. If you guess wrong, you lose some IMP's, if you guess right, you are bound to win a few.

The next board was more interesting. It dopes not occur very frequently that you have to struggle for 1NT holding 24 hcp. in the combined hands.

Board 3. Dealer South. EW Game
ª J 7 6
© A J 4 2
¨ K 6
§ Q J 8 7
ª 4
ª A K 10 5 3
© K 9 6 5 3 © 10 8
¨ Q J 7 3 ¨ A 5 4
§ A 5 4 § K 3 2
ª Q 9 8 2
© Q 7
¨ 10 9 8 2
§ 10 9 6

On a club lead by North, who opened 1§, and a club continuation by South, it may be best to go after some heart tricks. If you lead the ©10 at trick three, all will be well very soon, as the queen appears in this or the next round of the suit. Of course, +90 is a very fine score, even more so when your team-mates bring in another 200 for defeating the NT game.

On board 5, North could not resist opening the bidding in first position holding:

ª A Q 5 4 2 © J 9 8 7 ¨ K J § 10 8

If this is your style, it's O.K., but then partner should stop cuebidding at an early stage instead of launching herself (and you) into a slam off two aces. She actually held:

ª K 6 3 © K 2 ¨ Q 10 8 7 2 § A K Q

Board 6 saw another missed opportunity. Why not bid both your suits and let partner do the work?

Board 6. Dealer East. EW Game
ª 9 5 4 3 2
© Q
¨ K Q 5
§ Q J 9 2
ª Q
ª A K J 10 7 6
© 8 6 4 © A K 5 3 2
¨ 10 9 8 6 4 ¨
§ 10 8 5 3 § 6 4
ª 8
© J 10 9 7
¨ A J 7 3 2
§ A K 7

At one table, the bidding started: East opened One Spade, South doubled, West passed and North jumped to Three Clubs. Now, I would not care if South had doubled or not, but introduce my second suit. Of course, I know that South is likely to hold four hearts, but so what? If there is a fit, there may well be a few tricks more than in the solid-enough spade suit. A difficult choice between the solid suit and the second suit, but the wrong decision was severely punished when the spades broke 5-1. Three Spades is down two whereas Three Hearts makes. In fact, staying out of game in hearts (or spades) is already a very good performance.

Board 8 is described elsewhere in our Bulletins too, but maybe in an incomprehensible language. In the Casa Nostra department, you will find some examples of people staying out of slam, but there also was at least one instance where the scene was set for reaching the grand slam easily. What about this wonderfully well-timed anticipation by North?

Board 8. Dealer West. Love All
ª Q J 7 5 4
©
¨ 6 2
§ A K 9 8 5 2
ª 8 3
ª
© A Q 10 7 6 © K J 9 4 3 2
¨ J 10 5 ¨ K Q 9 4
§ J 6 4 § Q 7 3
ª A K 10 9 6 2
© 8 5
¨ A 8 7 3
§ 10

West North East South

Pass
1§
1©
1ª
3§
4©(!)
5©
??

Well, as 4© must show a void now (what else can it be, as 3© would be the strong variety), what does South want more than six good spades and the ¨A to go for the maximum? How can partner have less than what he actually held and still be worth a slam try? North will only be happy when you show your faith in his action by bidding the grand slam now, though in that event dummy will be a disappointing sight, as he does not even hold the §Q! Still, clubs 4-2 is all you need.

On the last board, West started his doubling actions a little late. He was right, however, but how could partner possibly know?

Board 10. Dealer East. Game All
ª A Q 6 5
© 10 8
¨ K 7
§ A J 9 8 3
ª 10 7
ª K J 9 8 4 2
© A 9 6 4 © Q 5
¨ A Q 10 8 6 2 ¨ 4 3
§ Q § 10 5 4
ª 3
© K J 7 3 2
¨ J 9 5
§ K 7 6 2

West North East South

2ª
Pass
Pass
2NT
Pass
3¨
Pass
3©
Pass
3NT
Dble
All Pass

2NT was natural and 3¨ was a transfer. If West doubles this, NS will avoid 3NT and go to 5§ which makes. So West was right in staying quiet for the moment. One round later, he came out of the bushes to shoot at the final contract, but what does this meant? Does it require a spade lead, forbid a spade lead, suggest a heart lead or anything else? Discuss it with your favourite partner, if you want, but we do not take any responsibility. The only thing we know is the balance of won and lost. A diamond lead brings you two down, a club lead will probably still lead to defeat, but a major suit lead allows the contract to be made. Would you have found the right solution, so early in the morning?

Results Contents
;short description of image;short description of image Mixed Teams
;short description of imageSwiss R5, R6, R7, R8, R9

;short 
        description of image;short description of imageMixed Teams Round 2
;short description of image;short description of imageMixed Teams Round 3
;short description of image;short description of imageMixed Teams Round 5
;short description of image;short description of imageEarly in the Morning


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