Day Two - the Swiss
The table I chose to watch for round 1 was where Meckstroth and Disa Eythorsdottir (Disa from now on, to save margins and trees) were taking on the Gromovs. IMP swings were few and far between – one swing to Gromov on a slam bid by Disa down on a finesse, and one game made by Meckstroth not bid in the other room. This was the other swing in the match:
Deal 1
Dealer North, Love all.
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♠ Q 10 9 8 3
♥ 3
♦ J 8 7
♣ 8 6 5 2 |
♠ 7 2
♥ A 9 8 7 5 2
♦ A
♣ A J 10 7 |
![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
♠ 5
♥ K Q 10 4
♦ K Q 10 6 4 3
♣ Q 3 |
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♠ A K J 6 4
♥ J 6
♦ 9 5 2
♣ K 9 4 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Meckstroth |
Gromov |
Disa |
Gromova |
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2♠ |
3♦ |
4♠ |
Dbl |
All Pass |
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West |
North |
East |
South |
Zmudzinski |
Jacobus |
Szczepanska |
O'Rourke |
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1♦ |
1♠ |
Dbl. |
4♠ |
Pass |
Pass |
bl. |
Pass |
5♥ |
Pass |
♥ |
All Pass |
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Zmudzinski’s double of 1♠ was based on the fact that they play negative free bids so a call of 2♥ would not have been forcing. After his second double, Szczepanska’s 5♥ call marked her with short spades and 6-4 hand pattern so Adam awarded her a sixth heart.
In the other room Disa’s decision to pass 4♠ might have worked if the minors had been slightly differently divided but not today (I fancy a call of 4NT, planning to correct 5♣ to 5♦, myself, to show the 6-4 pattern. That would have also got her side to 6♥. She led the ♦K and Meckstroth won and switched to the ♥A and another heart. Now Gromov ruffed and drew trumps, then in this ending led a low club up:
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♠ Q 9
♥ ---
♦ J 8
♣ 8 6 5 2 |
♠ ---
♥ 8 7 5 2
♦ ---
♣ A J 10 7 |
![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
♠ ---
♥ K Q
♦ Q 10 6 4
♣ Q 3 |
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♠ K J 6
♥ ---
♦ 9 5
♣ K 9 4 |
When Disa played low, Gromov put in the nine. Meckstroth won his ten and cashed the ♣A to return a club. Gromov now conceded down three; but had he won the ♣K and crossed to hand with a trump to exit with the fourth club, he could have achieved a second endplay to limit his losses to down two. No matter; it was still a 10IMP gain, to give his team a victory by 9IMPs.
Curiously, in the next match that I watched, exactly the same decision came up, namely as to whether to remove a double of 4♠. Again , the winning action was to bid – and, again, the rewards would have been even great.
Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
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♠ -
♥ K 5 4 3 2
♦ K 6 3
♣ K 10 8 7 5 |
♠ K 8 7 5 2
♥ Q 10
♦ J 10 7 5 2
♣ 3 |
![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
♠ A Q 9 4 3
♥ 9 8 7 6
♦ 9 4
♣ A J |
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♠ J 10 6
♥ A J
♦ A Q 8
♣ Q 9 6 4 2 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Levy |
Holland |
Levy |
Brunner |
Pass |
Pass |
1♠ |
Pass |
Pass |
4♠ |
Dble |
All Pass |
Anne-Frederique Levy’s decision to pass out 4♠x meant she only collected +100 with 620 or 1370 available in clubs. It certainly did not meet with her husband’s approval (but when did any action by a wife meet with her husband’s approval?)
Naturally, though, this was actually worth 2 IMPs, since in the other room Bernard Goldenfield let 4♠ go, rather than doubling. An opportunity missed but Levy still won the match comfortably enough.
In another match Bobby Levin as East for Welland had an even more dangerous position, in a way. He heard the auction go 2♠ (two-suited) – Pass- 4♠ - Pass- Pass back to him. He doubled, and now heard his opponents sacrifice in 5♠ -- doubled and down 300 for a 6 IMP gain against 4♠ down one in the other room.
The third match saw leaders Popova eke out a narrow victory against Brigada.
Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
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♠ 10 6 3
♥ K 8 4 2
♦ 8 7 5 4
♣ 5 2 |
♠ K Q J 9 5 4
♥ -
♦ K 9 6
♣ K Q J 6 |
![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
♠ A
♥ J 10 9 7 6
♦ A 3 2
♣ A 10 9 7 |
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♠ 8 7 2
♥ A Q 5 3
♦ Q J 10
♣ 8 4 3
Khazanov Gunev Lebedeva Popova |
West |
North |
East |
South |
1♠ |
Pass |
2♥ |
Pass |
3♠ |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
Khazanov was constrained by systemic issues (2♠ over 2♥ would not have been forcing – how quaint!) into taking stronger action. But his choice of 3♠ as opposed to 3♣ did not thrill his partner. When she signed off in 3NT Khazanov had nothing to add, and Lebedeva chalked up a mournful +690.
In the other room perfection was not attained either but at least reaching a slam with 12 top tricks was managed.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Aronov |
Rubins |
Zobu |
Romanovska |
1♠ |
Pass |
2♥ |
Pass |
♠ |
Pass |
3♣ |
Pass |
♣ |
Pass |
4♦ |
Pass |
♠ |
Pass |
5♣ |
Pass |
♣ |
All Pass |
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Aronov doubtless did not want to bid 5♥ over 5♣ having cuebid a second round spade control on the previous round, since that might lead to a Grand Slam off the ♠A. So he settled for the small slam and +1390.
Others, however, did better still, and it was to the credit of the Austrian pair that they managed to reach the Grand Slam after preempting themselves on the first round f their auction.
Wernle |
Smederevac |
1♣ |
2♠ |
3♠ |
3NT |
4♣ |
5♣ |
5♦ |
5♠ |
7♣ |
Pass |
(1) Six controls
The initial control-response marked East with three aces, but t was not immediately clear which they were. However, Jovanka Smederevac made the first good decision for her side when she concealed her hearts over 3♠ to save space. When Sascha Wernle heard his partner deny a heart control by bidding 5♠ over 5♦ he did not stand upon the order of his going, but went at once to the Grand Slam. Nicely done!
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