| 1st European Open Bridge Championships | Page 4 | Bulletin 10 - Tuesday, 24 June 2003 |
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Never Give Up By Mark Horton You will recall this deal from yesterday’s Bulletin
The contract at both tables was 4©. Against Bocchi, East, South led a low spade to the 10, which held. South won the ¨A when Bocchi played low from dummy to his queen – and South fired a diamond back. This seems to pinpoint the length in diamonds (and provided a strong inference about the location of the §A). South would play a second round of diamonds only if he believed his partner might ruff. Bocchi won, pitched a club from hand and played a heart to the ace and a heart to the king. That was it – he had three more losers for down one. However, let’s take a further look at this deal, courtesy of Germany’s Joerg Fritsche. This is the position after declarer has played the king of hearts.
Holding two trump tricks and an ace Joefri was reasonably hopeful that he would take three more tricks, but watch what happened: Declarer discarded a club on the jack of diamonds, ruffed a diamond and played the ace of spades to reach this position:
When declarer advanced the king of spades South was caught in a complex ending. He discarded a club and so did dummy. On the next spade South got rid of his diamond but declarer could ruff and play the six of diamonds, discarding his losing club. So, take a bow Monsieur By Patrick Jourdain Eric Rodwell and Elvira Levine of the USA were always well-placed in the Mixed Pairs Final finisihing in ninth place. This is an example, from the first session of Final “A”, shows both something of Rodwell’s imagination in the auction and of his card-reading skills:
Rodwell, sitting North, opened with a strong notrump and East overcalled Two Diamonds, showing spades and another suit, at least 5-4. South Passed and West bid Two Spades. Rodwell was not prepared to let them play peacefully there, so he tried Two Notrumps. Some partnerships might expect that unusual continuation to show the minors, but Rodwell actually meant it as natural, showing a bit to spare for his opening and a double stop in the opponent’s suit. Levine was clearly on the same wave-length as she raised to 3NT. Expecting North to hold both high spade honours, East tried a heart lead, the three showing five. The jack won in dummy, and on a second heart to the king and ace West threw a high discouraging spade, confirming to all parties the position in that suit. East now cashed the queen of hearts, West throwing another spade, and then East cleared the fourth heart. On this West erred by throwing a third spade and North released a club. Rodwell now played a club to the ace and a second club covered by ten, queen and king. West switched to his last remaining spade. Rodwell popped up with the ace, and knowing that West had no more spades he was able to safety play the diamonds by cashing the ace and king. As West’s shape was known there was no point in finessing and no danger in avoiding the finesse. Rewarded by the fall of the queen, Rodwell cashed his remaining diamonds and exited with a club. Poor West had to concede the last trick to dummy’s club winner as declarer disposed of his losing spade. Rodwell had made an improbable ten tricks in a game that was not reached at most tables. A well-kept secret The board below you will not find in any of the hand records distributed so far here in the Palais de l’Europe. Even the organisers need not worry: this hand will not show up either in any of the hand distribution sheets to be distributed later this week. Yet, your reporter saw this hand in play at the Palais, this week.
In 3rd or 4th position, 3NT need not be as gambling as it would
be in 1st or 2nd. A club switch now would have destroyed the story, but East continued a spade, dummy’s king winning. Now, Sabine Auken was able to cash all the diamonds and reach this beautiful ending:
On the last diamond, dummy discarded a spade and West was helpless. He threw a club, as throwing the ?9 would make it all too obvious, but Sabine read the position well. She cashed the ?A first before returning to her hand to make the last two tricks with the ?K and the now established ?Q. A genuine criss-cross squeeze just had come by, a very good reason to record it for posterity here. Suicide in the Rue Muiderberg By Mark Horton Once you decide you have come up with a good idea for a title and a story, it’s a shame not to use it, so although the convention in use on this deal is not Muiderberg, it is of Dutch origin, so as we say, ‘Close enough for Government work.’ Many of you will be familiar with Edgar Allan Poe’s classic
story, ‘The Murders in the Rue Morgue’.
It has always been a mystery to me why anyone would want to open a hand such as East’s, but since I used to do it myself I can’t really argue. South obviously intended his overcall to be natural, but after West had passed there was some audible tapping on the other side of the screen and West also heard someone say ‘both majors’. West was surprised to see the tray come back with North’s contribution, but did not forget to double. He was expecting to collect quite a number, and he was absolutely right. East led a club and declarer won with the queen, cashed the ace, ruffed a club, disposed of his two black losers on top diamonds, returned to hand with a ruff and advanced the king of hearts, collecting East’s queen as if it were his due. +1660. Notice that on a spade lead and a heart switch declarer cannot even make game. Those who live by the sword… |
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