1st European Open Bridge Championships Page 6 Bulletin 6 - Friday, 20 June  2003


The Pairs Final, Session 1

One of the pairs to record a good first session were Zia Mahmood and Jill Meyers. As the Casa Nostra invited them to be their guests today, most of their successes appear elsewhere in this issue in Italian. For the convenience of the unhappy few who do not master the language spoken and written by our near neighbours (in fact, Menton became part of France only in 1878, having belonged to the Italian speaking world before) we will present some more Zia deals in English below.

In Round 3, they had to face Rodwell and Levine, and this was the first deal:

Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
  ª A Q 8 6
© J 5
¨ A 7 6 4
§ 9 8 5
ª 10 7 3
© Q 6 4
¨ K Q 3
§ A K 7 2
Bridge deal ª J 5
© A K 10 8 3 2
¨ 9 5
§ Q 10 3
  ª K 9 4 2
© 9 7
¨ J 10 8 2
§ J 6 4

West North East South
Zia Rodwell Meyers Levine
  1¨ 1© Dble
Redble 1ª 2© Pass
2ª Dble Pass Pass
3¨ Pass 3© All Pass

Ten tricks were easily made, so one might say that EW were talked out of their game by Rodwell’s light opening bid followed by Levine’s super-light double. NS –170.

Two boards later, NS have a perfectly good spade fit to play in, but it got lost on many occasions.
Two examples:

Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul.
  ª K Q J 6
© A K 6 4 2
¨ J
§ J 10 4
ª A 9 8 7
© Q 3
¨ K 7 6 5
§ A 6 2
Bridge deal ª 5
© 9 8 7 5
¨ Q 8 4
§ K Q 9 8 3
  ª 10 4 3 2
© J 10
¨ A 10 9 3 2
§ 7 5

West North East South
Zia Ryman Meyers Ryman
      Pass
1¨ 1© Dble Pass
1NT All Pass    

As the double denied four spades, Zia’s rebid was obvious. There are always 7 tricks as the heart intermediates eventually provide a stopper. EW +90.

At another table, we saw:

West North East South
Lesniewski Hallberg Harasimowicz Ryman
1§ 1© Dble Pass
1NT Pass 2§ All Pass

For Hallberg, a first-round take-out double was certainly even less attractive than it had been in the example above. Again, double denied four spades and 2§ proved a solid enough contract in spite of the threatening diamond ruffs. Another way for EW to chalk up +90.

The magician was at work on board 9:

Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
  ª Q 7 5
© K Q 9 6
¨ A Q 9 8
§ 6 3
ª A J 8 6 2
© J 7
¨ J 7 5
§ A Q 5
Bridge deal ª 10 4
© A 8 5 2
¨ K
§ K 10 8 7 4 2
  ª K 9 3
© 10 4 3
¨ 10 6 4 3 2
§ J 9

West North East South
Zia Attanasio Meyers Manara
  1¨ Pass Pass
1ª Pass 2§ Pass
3§ Pass 3¨ Pass
3NT All Pass    

North led the ©Q, South giving count with the 4. The ©K was allowed to win the next trick. The ¨A was next cashed and a low heart went to the ace. On the run of the clubs North did not hang on to his two red suit winners, so the contract proved to be made in the end. Another top score to Zia-Meyers.

Aggressive action by South might easily have saved the Italians here, for this is what happened at another table:

West North East South
Levenko Chagas Sanders Pain
  1¨ Pass 3¨ (!)
3ª Pass 4ª All Pass

Not enough room for EW to investigate anything at all. Down only one, but far from a good score for EW.

On the board below, it was Jill Meyers’ turn to shine:

Board 21. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
  ª Q 10 9 8
© 6 4
¨ J 10 7 5 4
§ 9 7
ª K J 7 3
© A 9 8 2
¨ A 9 6 3
§ J
Bridge deal ª 6 5 4
© Q 7 3
¨ Q
§ K Q 10 6 5 3
  ª A 2
© K J 10 5
¨ K 8 2
§ A 8 4 2

West North East South
Zia Fallenius Meyers Bertheau
  Pass Pass 1NT
2§ Pass 2© All Pass

Though 2§ showed the majors, it might as well have become the final contract. It will take good defence to beat this, as we shall see later. In the meantime, let’s turn our attention first to the fate of 2©. Bertheau led a diamond which Meyers ran to her blank queen. A club to dummy’s jack held and a spade went on the ¨A. A diamond was ruffed and the §K was covered and ruffed. Another diamond was ruffed with the queen and overruffed with the king, and the return of the ©5 was covered by dummy’s eight which held the trick. South was put in again with the ©A and another, and had to give the last trick to dummy’s ªK. Just made but well done, EW +110.

At another table, we saw a demonstration of the way to beat 2§:

West North East South
Armstrong Chagas Smith Pain
  Pass 3§ All Pass

A club preempt would not be everybody’s choice, but at least it had the advantage of silencing everyone. Pain led the ªA and another, which proved very effective. The king won and the §J held the next trick. A heart then went to the queen and king and the heart return was won by the ace. Chagas then ruffed the third heart and cashed the ªQ, Pain throwing a diamond. The ª10 was ruffed by declarer with the queen, South pitching a diamond again. Now she could win the §K and put declarer in dummy by exiting with the ¨K. Nicely defended, two down, NS +100.



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