UTMOST PREFERENCE
François Stretz, North and her partner, Marianne Serf used
sophisticated preference signals on board 26 of the second session
of the final of the Pairs event.
Board 26. Dealer East. All Vul.
|
|
ª 9 4 3
© 5
¨ A K 9 5 3
§ A K Q 9 |
ª Q 8 6
© Q J 7 4 3
¨ 6 4
§ 8 5 2 |
![Bridge deal](../../../graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª A K J 7 5
© K 8 6
¨ Q 10 8
§ 10 7 |
|
ª 10 2
© A 10 9 2
¨ J 7 2
§ J 6 4 3 |
The contract was Two Spades by East after North had opened One
Diamond.
South led the two of diamonds (third and fifth best)and when North
cashed ace and king of diamonds South contributed the jack on second
round - first signal for hearts. North played a precise queen of
clubs to show his holding and then shifted to his singleton heart.
South won with the ace and played back the two of hearts - second
signal for clubs. So, after ruffing the heart North could play a
low club to South's jack and enjoy a second ruff. Two down, and
+200 for N/S was a very good score for them.
A Fortunate Lie and a
Stepping Stone
Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
|
|
ª 9 6
© K
¨ A 6 5 4 3 2
§ A 5 4 3 |
ª A K
© Q J 5 3
¨ K Q 7
§ K J 10 6 |
![Bridge deal](../../../graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª J 8 7 4 3
© A 9 4 2
¨ 8
§ 8 7 2 |
|
ª Q 10 5 2
© 10 8 7 6
¨ J 10 9
§ Q 9 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sigurdsson |
|
Nielson |
|
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
1§ |
1¨ |
Dbl |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
|
North led a diamond and West won the first trick with the king.
A low heart brought good news in the shape of North's king and the
delightful position in clubs meant that it was easy to arrive at
nine tricks.
At the other table, declarer went one down in Four Hearts, probably
by going wrong in the trump suit, to give the Icelandic team a useful
swing.
There is a delightful variation on this deal if declarer plays
the queen of hearts at trick two. Winning North's king with the
ace, declarer plays on clubs. Eventually he will arrive in this
position
|
ª
-
© -
¨ A 6 5 4
§ - |
ª
-
© 5 3
¨ Q 7
§ - |
![Bridge deal](../../../graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª
J 8
© 9 4
¨ -
§ - |
|
ª
-
© 10 8
¨ J 9
§ - |
By exiting with the king of diamonds declarer ensures a trick for
the nine of hearts.
A Question of Deception
The first round of the Teams Championship featured a number of
interesting deals, not least this one:
Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul.
|
|
ª Q J 10
© Q 9 7 6
¨ A 6 2
§ 10 6 5 |
ª 8 6
© A J 8
¨ Q 10 9 5 4
§ Q 7 2 |
![Bridge deal](../../../graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª A K 3
© 5 2
¨ K J 8 3
§ K J 8 3 |
|
ª 9 7 5 4 2
© K 10 4 3
¨ 7
§ A 9 4 |
As you might imagine, all roads lead to 3NT, the simplest route
being the one adopted at our featured table:
West |
North |
East |
South |
Mouiel |
Schaltz |
Willard |
Schaltz |
|
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
|
South led the five of spades and North played the ten. That is
not the best card in this situation, as you do not want declarer
to realize that the spade suit is blocked. The jack is certainly
preferable, and as North is likely to be getting in with the ace
of diamonds the queen may also persuade declarer to do the wrong
thing by ducking rather than winning.
In any event, declarer took the first spade and forced out the
ace of diamonds. When North continued with the queen of spades declarer
was able to win and knock out the ace of clubs.
Notice that North could have saved the day by switching to a heart
at trick three, admittedly a difficult play to find.
Grimbergen Raises
You may have noticed that the cafeteria serves a number of excellent
Belgian beers, one of which rejoices in the name of Grimbergen.
That may or may not have anything to do with the strange happenings
at two tables on this deal from the final session of the Consolation
Pairs.
Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
|
|
ª A J
© 10 9 5 3
¨ K J 10 5 4
§ 9 3 |
ª 10 9 8 7
© A J 8
¨ Q 9 7
§ A 10 2 |
![Bridge deal](../../../graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª K Q 5 3 2
© 7
¨ 8 3
§ J 8 7 6 4 |
|
ª 6 4
© K Q 6 4 2
¨ A 6 2
§ K Q 5 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
|
|
|
1© |
Pass |
3¨ |
All Pass! |
|
By a remarkable coincidence two Austrian pairs fell into the same
trap on this deal, forgetting that they were playing Bergen Raises,
and therefore imagining that the jump shift showed a weak hand with
diamonds. With four hearts going down almost all around the room
making nine tricks in diamonds proved to be a remarkably good result.
We say almost because at one table the declarer, Denmark's Dorthe
Schaltz, took advantage of a defensive error, coupled with a brilliant
piece of table presence.
Dorthe was in Four Hearts and won the spade lead in dummy to play
a heart to the king. West ducked, but just a fraction of a second
too slowly. Backing here instincts, declarer played a diamond to
the ten, a diamond to the ace and a diamond. Now the losing spade
could go on the fourth diamond.
Brilliant!
|