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Shanghai Countdown
by Mark Horton
(I am indebted to Tim Bourke for supplying the deal records and Barry Rigal forsome explanations of the bidding.)
Although we are just starting out on a great bridge contest, the next one is never far off the horizon. In September the world’s finest will assemble in Shanghai for the World Bridge Championships. Just before this tournament the United States Bridge Federation held a trial to determine who would qualify as USA II for the Bermuda Bowl and Venice Cup.
The two teams vying for the Bermuda Bowl spot were the runners-up in last years Championships, the Ekeblad team: Russ Ekeblad, Ron Rubin, Fred Gitelman & Brad Moss, last year with Geoff Hampson and Eric Greco, this year with Chip Martel and Lew Stansby, and Nickell: Nick Nickell, Richard Freeman, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell, Bob Hamman, Paul Soloway. 120 boards, played in 8 sets of 15 to determine the winner.
The match started quietly, but burst into life near the end of the first set:
| Board 11; Dealer South; Nil Vul. |
| | ♠ 10 7 3
♥ 6 4
♦ J 7 4
♣ J 10 5 4 2 |
♠ A J 5 4 2
♥ 3 2
♦ A Q
♣ K 9 8 6 |  |
♠ –
♥ A K Q J 9 8 5
♦ K 9 8 5
♣ A Q | | | ♠ K Q 9 8 6
♥ 10 7
♦ 10 6 3 2
♣ 7 3 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Stansby | Rodwell | Martel | Meckstroth
|
| | |
| Pass ; |
| 1♠ | Pass | 2♥ | Pass
|
| 2♠ | Pass | 3♥ | Pass
|
| 4♥ | Pass | 5♣ | Pass
|
| 5♦ | Dble | Rdble | Pass
|
| 6♥ | All Pass |
|
South led the three of diamonds and declarer claimed, +1010. Connoisseurs of the psychic double should take a second to admire Rodwell’s effort here.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Nickell | Gitelman | Freeman | Moss
|
| | |
|
Pass |
| 1♠ | Pass | 2♥ | Pass
|
| 2NT | Pass | 3♥ |
Pass |
| 4♥ | Pass | 5♣ | Pass
|
| 5♦ | Pass | 6♣ | Pass
|
| 6♦ | Pass | 7♥ | All Pass
|
South led the queen of spades and declarer claimed, +1510 and 11 IMPs for Nickell, ahead 23-5.
| Board 12; Dealer West; NS Vul. |
| | ♠ A J 7 6 5
♥ A 9
♦ A K 6 3 2
♣ 2 |
♠ K 4
♥ J 8 7 5
♦ Q 5 4
♣ K J 5 4 |  |
♠ 9 8
♥ K Q 6 4
♦ J 9
♣ A Q 7 6 3 | | | ♠ Q 10 3 2
♥ 10 3 2
♦ 10 8 7
♣ 10 9 8 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Stansby | Rodwell | Martel | Meckstroth
|
| Pass | 1♣* | Dble* | Pass*
|
| 1♦ | 1♠ | 2♣ | 2♠
|
| 3♥ | 4♠ | Pass | Pass
|
| 5♣ | Dble | All Pass
|
East’s double showed a two suiter and One Diamond was pass or correct. When East bid voluntarily he showed clubs and hearts with extra values, so West felt justified in taking out insurance against Four Spades.
South led the three of spades and North won with the jack, cashed the ace, took the ace of hearts and exited with a heart. There were still two diamonds to come, three down, +500.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Nickell | Gitelman | Freeman | Moss
|
| Pass | 1♠ | 2♣ | 2♠
|
| 3♣ | 4♦ | Pass | 4♠
|
| All Pass
|
East led the king of hearts and declarer won and needed something good to happen in spades or diamonds. Neither suit provided any joy, so he was one down, -100 and 12 IMPs to Nickell, now leading 35-5.
| Board 15; Dealer South; NS Vul. |
| | ♠ K 10 3
♥ K 9 7 6
♦ 9 8 4
♣ A Q 3 |
♠ A 9 8 5
♥ 8 5 4
♦ K 3
♣ 10 8 5 4 | |
♠ J 7
♥ 10 2
♦ A J 6 5 2
♣ J 7 6 2 | | | ♠ Q 6 4 2
♥ A Q J 3
♦ Q 10 7
♣ K 9 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Stansby | Rodwell | Martel | Meckstroth
|
| | |
| 1NT* |
| Pass | 3NT | All Pass
|
*14-16
Notice that with his balanced hand Rodwell did not look for a possible heart fit.
West led the five of spades for the ten, jack and queen and declarer simply played a spade back to the king. When that held he claimed, +600.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Nickell | Gitelman | Freeman | Moss
|
| | |
| 1NT*
|
| Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
*14-16
bit2:
The same strategy in the bidding, but this time West led the eight of clubs. Declarer won in dummy with the queen and played a spade to the queen and ace. West played a second club and declarer won in hand and played a spade to the ten and jack. East played another club and with spades 4-2 there was no way to take more than eight tricks, -100 and 12 IMPs to Nickell, ahead 47-12 at the end of the first set.
Little happened in the second set, Ekeblad winning it 22-20 to trail 34-67.
| Board 32; Dealer West; EW Vul. |
| | ♠ 9 7 6 4 3
♥ J 8 7 4
♦ K Q 10
♣ 7 |
♠ A K Q J 10
♥ 10 9
♦ A 9 8 6 5
♣ Q | |
♠ 8 5 2
♥ K 5 3
♦ J 4 2
♣ A 10 9 8 | | | ♠ –
♥ A Q 6 2
♦ 7 3
♣ K J 6 5 4 3 2 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Rubin | Hamman | Ekeblad | Soloway
|
| 1♦* | Pass | 1NT | 3♣
|
| 3♠ | Pass | 4♠ | Dble
|
| All Pass
|
One Diamond was part of the canapé method being employed by East/West. When South decided his hand merited further action North was delighted to pass.
Declarer won the club lead with dummy’s ace and played a spade, getting the bad news, South discarding the seven of diamonds. He ducked a diamond to North who switched to the jack of hearts, covered by the king and ace. South played the king of clubs, Declarer and North discarding hearts and continued with the jack of clubs, ruffed by declarer as North discarded another heart. There was still a diamond and a trump to lose, two down, -500.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Rodwell | Moss | Meckstroth | Gitelman
|
| 1♣ | Pass | 2♦* | 4♣
|
| 4♠ | All Pass |
|
The defence started in similar fashion, North leading a club, declarer winning and playing a spade. He then ducked a diamond and North switched to a trump. Declarer won and cleared the diamonds and North exited with another trump allowing declarer to record nine tricks, -100 but 9 IMPs for Nickell, leading 82-34.
| Board 36; Dealer West; Both Vul. |
| | ♠ A 10
♥ K J 5 2
♦ A J 9 6 5 2
♣ 4 |
♠ K J 4 3
♥ 7 6
♦ 10 3
♣ A Q 10 9 3 | |
♠ 8
♥ Q 10 9 8 4
♦ Q 8
♣ K J 8 7 2 | | | ♠ Q 9 7 6 5 2
♥ A 3
♦ K 7 4
♣ 6 5 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Rubin | Hamman | Ekeblad | Soloway
|
| 1♠* | Dble | Pass | Pass
|
| 2♣ | 2♦ | 3♣ | 3♦
|
| Pass | 3♠* | Pass | 5♦
|
| All Pass
|
East led the king of clubs and when that held he switched to the eight of spades. Declarer took West’s jack with the ace, drew trumps and played a spade, claming his contract and +600.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Rodwell | Moss | Meckstroth | Gitelman
|
| 1♦* | 2♦* | 2♥* | 2♠
|
| Pass | 3♦ | All Pass |
|
East led the eight of spades and declarer won in hand, drew trumps and claimed 11 tricks, +150 but another 10 IMPs to Nickell, racing away at 102-36.
| Board 39; Dealer South; Both Vul. |
| | ♠ J 8 6
♥ 6 2
♦ 10 6
♣ K Q J 10 4 3 |
♠ 9 3
♥ A K 10 5 4
♦ A J 9 5 3
♣ 6 | |
♠ 10 5 2
♥ Q J 8 3
♦ 8
♣ A 9 8 5 2 | | | ♠ A K Q 7 4
♥ 9 7
♦ K Q 7 4 2
♣ 7 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Rubin | Hamman | Ekeblad | Soloway
|
| | |
| 1♠ |
| 2♠* | Pass | 4♥ | All Pass
|
South cashed two spades and switched to a trump. Declarer won in hand, played a diamond to the ace and ruffed a diamond, cashed the ace of clubs and ruffed a club. The cross ruff was good for ten tricks, +620.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Rodwell | Moss | Meckstroth | Gitelman
|
| | |
| 1♠ |
| 2♠ | 3♠ | 4♦* | 4♠
|
| Pass | Pass | 5♥ | All Pass
|
North’s raise gave South every reason to bid on and East took the push. The play was identical, but that meant declarer was one down, -100 and 12 badly needed IMPs for Ekeblad, now behind 50-106 at the end of the third set.
| Board 46; Dealer East; Nil Vul. |
| | ♠ J 4
♥ A J 7 6 3 2
♦ A 5
♣ Q 7 2 |
♠ K 9 6 3
♥ 9
♦ Q 9 7 4
♣ A K 8 6 | |
♠ 10 8
♥ 8 5
♦ K J 6 3
♣ J 10 9 4 3 | | | ♠ A Q 7 5 2
♥ K Q 10 4
♦ 10 8 2
♣ 5 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Stansby | Hamman | Martel | Soloway
|
| |
| Pass | 1♠
|
| Pass | 2♥ | Pass | 3♥
|
| Pass | 4♥ | All Pass |
|
Four Hearts made an overtrick, +450.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Rodwell | Moss | Meckstroth | Gitelman
|
| | |
Pass |
1♠ |
| Pass | 2♥ | Pass | 4♣*
|
| Dble | 4NT | Pass | 5♠
|
| Pass | 6♥ | All Pass
|
* splints
Six Hearts made an undertrick, -50 and 11 IMPs for Nickell, well in control at 130-52.
| Board 50; Dealer East; NS Vul. |
| | ♠ 7 3
♥ J 10 3 2
♦ 7 5 2
♣ J 7 6 2 |
♠ A K 10 5
♥ 9 8
♦ A K Q 10 9 8
♣ A | |
♠ J 8 2
♥ A Q 6 5
♦ J 6 3
♣ Q 10 9 | | | ♠ Q 9 6 4
♥ K 7 4
♦ 4
♣ K 8 5 4 3 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Stansby | Hamman | Martel | Soloway |
| | |
Pass |
Pass |
| 2♣ | Pass | 2♥* | Pass
|
| 3♦ | Pass | 4♦ | Pass
|
| 4♠ | Pass | 4NT | Pass
|
| 6♦ | All Pass |
|
North led the two of clubs and declarer won in hand with the ace, cashed the ace of diamonds and took the heart finesse. South won and played back a heart and although the spade finesse was right declarer could not arrive at more than eleven tricks, -50.
The contract can be made, but there was nothing wrong with declarer’s line of play.
@$:
| West | North | East | South
|
| Rodwell | Moss | Meckstroth | Gitelman
|
| | |
Pass |
Pass |
| 1♣* | Pass | 2♦* | Pass
|
| 2NT | Pass | 3♣ | Pass
|
| 4♦ | Pass | 4♥* | Pass
|
| 4NT* | Pass | 5♣* | Pass
|
| 5♠* | Pass | 6♦ | All Pass
|
Here East was declarer but South also led a club. Declarer took the same line, but when South won with the king of hearts he switched to the five of spades and that was essentially that as it ran to declarer’s eight. He went through the motions and at trick eleven South discarded the king of clubs, +920.
Once South fails to play back a heart declarer can always get home via a black suit squeeze on South, so full marks to Soloway for his defence in the other room.
At half way Nickell led 153-89.
The next set offered Ekeblad little succour, but they showed they were not going to give up without a fight.
| Board 65; Dealer North; Nil Vul. |
| | ♠ A K 6
♥ 8 6 2
♦ Q 4
♣ 10 9 7 6 5 |
♠ Q 7 3
♥ A K Q 5 4
♦ A 5 3 2
♣ 8 | |
♠ J 4 2
♥ J 10 7 3
♦ K J 10 7 6
♣ K | | | ♠ 10 9 8 5
♥ 9
♦ 9 8
♣ A Q J 4 3 2 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Stansby | Freeman | Martel | Nickell
|
| | Pass |
Pass | Pass |
| 1♥ | Pass | 2♣* | Dble
|
| 4♥ | All Pass |
|
|
* Drury
This was all about the diamond suit. The defenders cashed their tricks and after drawing trumps declarer played a diamond to the king and the jack of diamonds. He eventually put up the ace for +420.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Rodwell | Moss | Meckstroth | Gitelman
|
| |
Pass |
Pass |
3♣ |
| 3♥ | 5♣ | Pass | Pass
|
| Dble | Pass | 5♥ | Pass
|
| Pass | Dble | All Pass |
|
Gitelman’s preempt worked to perfection, especially when North felt he had enough to double the final contract. Declarer was down before he started and when he got the diamonds wrong he was –300, losing 12 IMPs, Nickell up 157-101.
| Board 70; Dealer East; EW Vul. |
| | ♠ 10 7 2
♥ A Q 10
♦ J 10 9 3 2
♣ A K |
♠ Q 4
♥ 9 8 7 5
♦ 6
♣ Q J 9 8 7 6 | |
♠ A 5
♥ J 4 3 2
♦ A K 5 4
♣ 10 4 3 | | | ♠ K J 9 8 6 3
♥ K 6
♦ Q 8 7
♣ 5 2 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Stansby | Freeman | Martel | Nickell
|
| | |
1NT |
2♣* |
| 2NT* | Dble | 3♣ | Pass
|
| Pass | 4♣* | Pass | 4♠
|
| All Pass |
|
| |
West led his diamond and the defenders played three rounds, West ruffing. Declarer got the spades right for one down, -50.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Rodwell | Moss | Meckstroth | Gitelman
|
| | |
1♦* |
|
| Pass | 2NT | Pass | 3NT!
|
| All Pass |
|
| |
How about that for a brilliant attempt to create a swing in the bidding. East cashed the ace of diamonds and switched to the two of hearts. Declarer won in hand with the ten and played a spade to the king. When the next spade saw East/West’s honours crash declarer had eleven tricks, +430 and 10 IMPs to Ekeblad now trailing 111-164.
The trouble with playing catch-up is that every adverse swing is like a dagger to the heart.
| Board 71; Dealer South; Both Vul. |
| | ♠ Q
♥ A K J 9 6 4 2
♦ Q 10 6 3
♣ J |
♠ 10 9 7 6 5 4 3 2
♥ 7
♦ J 4
♣ 9 2 | |
♠ 8
♥ Q 10 8 3
♦ A 9 8 5
♣ K 6 4 3 | | | ♠ A K J
♥ 5
♦ K 7 2
♣ A Q 10 8 7 5 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Stansby | Freeman | Martel | Nickell
|
| | |
|
1♣ |
| Pass | 1♥ | Pass | 3♣
|
| Pass | 3♥ | Pass | 3NT
|
| Pass | 4♥ | All Pass |
|
Four Hearts was easy enough, declarer losing two trumps (one via a spade ruff) and the ace of diamonds, +620.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Rodwell | Moss | Meckstroth | Gitelman
|
| | |
|
1♣ |
| 3♠ | 4♥ | Pass | 6♣
|
| All Pass |
|
| |
Don’t you just love that Three Spade bid?
West led his heart and declarer won and played a club to the ace and the queen of clubs – one down, -100 and 12 IMPs to Nickell, clear at 176-111.
Nickell tacked on a few more points to end the fifth set ahead 189-111.
(To be concluded tomorrow.)
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