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Last Chance Saloon
by Mark Horton
The Great Shuffler had decreed that the two pairs who had been fighting all day for the gold and silver medals would meet in Round 10 of the last session of the final.
| Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul. |
| | ♠ A K 9 8
♥ 5
♦ Q 9 7 5 4 2
♣ J 6 | ♠ 6
♥ J 9 4 2
♦ K 10 6
♣ A 9 5 3 2 |
 | ♠ 4 3
♥ A Q 10 7
♦ A J 8
♣ K Q 7 4 |
| | ♠ Q J 10 7 5 2
♥ K 8 6 3
♦ 3
♣ 10 8 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Aranov | Sandqvist | Stefanov | Malinowski
|
| | | | 2♦*
|
| Pass | 2♥* | Pass | 2♠
|
| Pass | 4♠ | Dble | Pass
|
| 5♥ | All Pass
|
Once North found his partner had spade he preempted to the hilt, but East was not to be denied. What is more the Bulgarians were playing Five Hearts from the right side. North led the ace of spades and continued the suit. Declarer ruffed, ran the nine of hearts and then ran the jack of hearts. South won and returned a heart but declarer had the rest, +650 and 98% for East/West.
| Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul. |
| | ♠ Q 8 4
♥ 8 7 4 3
♦ K Q
♣ 10 9 7 4 | ♠ 7 6 3
♥ Q 2
♦ A J 9 8 5
♣ K J 3 |
| ♠ K J 10 5
♥ K J 9 5
♦ 7 4 3
♣ Q 6 |
| | ♠ A 9 2
♥ A 10 6
♦ 10 6 2
♣ A 8 5 2 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Aranov | Sandqvist | Stefanov | Malinowski
|
| 1♦ | Pass | 1♠ | Pass
|
| 1NT | All Pass
|
North led the ten of clubs and South won and returned the two. Declarer won and played a spade to the ten. South took the ace and played a third club. Declarer won that, played a spade to the jack and a heart. South went up with the ace and played a diamond, but declarer put up the ace, unblocked the queen of hearts and played a spade. That was nine tricks, +150 and 80% - the Bulgarians were home and dry.
Marvellous Mari
by Patrick Jourdain
The Senior Pairs Final featured not only the current World Senior Champions but also several former World Open champions including Christian Mari. Here is a deal in which the field failed in Four Spades whilst Mari found a line that required accurate defence to prevent him making an overtrick!
Senior “A” Final Session 3
| Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul. |
| |
♠ K J 4
♥ J 10 7
♦ K J 8
♣ 10 5 4 3 |
♠ A 8 6 3
♥ A K 9 6 4 3
♦ –
♣ J 9 7 |
 |
♠ 9 7 5 2
♥ Q
♦ A 10 7 4 3 2
♣ K 2 |
| |
♠ Q 10
♥ 8 5 2
♦ Q 9 6 5
♣ A Q 8 6 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Walter |
Jourdain |
Mari |
Tedd |
| |
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
| 1♥ |
Pass |
1♠ |
Pass |
| 4♠ |
All Pass |
South, Mike Tedd, led a diamond. A club went from dummy and the king was beaten by the ace. Some declarers unblocked the queen of hearts and then played ace and another trump, but this led to one off when North could draw the third trump and play a club through the king. Mari, instead, after unblocking the heart, ruffed a diamond, and cashed two top hearts throwing his two clubs from hand. Next he ducked a trump.
As North I rose with the king and, to prevent declarer making eleven, was compelled to play the jack of diamonds, forcing another trump from dummy. Mari now cashed the ace of trumps and led a winning heart. North ruffed at once and played a club. But Mari ruffed in the East hand and played a fourth diamond. He was left with a trump and winning diamond at the end. Mari shared his top with one other declarer.
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