| 21st European Youth Team Championships | Page 3 | Bulletin 3 - Saturday 14 July 2007 |
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Round 3 Though one team, the Swedish Juniors, managed to pass the 100 IMP mark against Scotland (25-1 VPs), Round 3 featured one of the quieter sets of deals so far. This borderline slam would have caused a swing in several matches:
Playing in a non-serious partnership the only kind I can get these days, we might bid it 1♠ 2♣ 3♥ (Splinter) 3NT Pass. When North judges to bid 3NT it is very unlikely that he has what is required for a club slam. In Netherlands v England (Juniors), the Dutch pair had an essentially natural two-over-one auction:
Well explored, well judged and, more to the point, successful. The English auction was a very different kind of animal, but equally effective:
Here, 2♣ was an artificial game-force and 2♦ showed either clubs, diamonds or balanced. Two Hearts asked and 4♣ showed 5-1-3-4 with 18+, over which 4♦ was an end-signal and 4♥ basically forced, allowing North to select the final contract.
Two Diamonds was a popular spot played by West. In the vugraph match between Italy and Hungary (Juniors), 2♦ made at both tables for a flat board, despite a heart lead. Yet should it be so difficult to defeat 2♦? On vugraph, by the time that South had finished cashing the three heart winners the contract was already unbeatable as North had pitched both small clubs. But if South wins ♥Q and continues with ♥K then ♥A, isnt that a clear signal for clubs, given that there were six different orders in which he could have won the three cards? Now North can ruff the fourth heart and underlead his club ace to get a fourth heart through for a trump promotion and a sixth defensive trick.
In our featured auction, 4♠ was non-forcing but a mild slam try. The opening lead of the king of diamonds made it relatively straightforward for Duncan Happer. He ducked, won the heart switch and rattled off his winners to squeeze West in the minors; +1430. On vugraph, North was declarer in the same contract on the lead of the six of clubs but did not find the way home. An attractive line is to eliminate the hearts, spades and clubs then play ace and another diamond, hoping to endplay West if he holds honour-doubleton diamond. However, when West shows out on the first spade, this lay-out becomes very unlikely. East might have honour-doubleton diamond, but he can unblock though H-10 doubleton may be a problem for him. There is still a winning line, of course, because West has both minor-suit guards. He wins the king of clubs, draws trumps, noting that West is unlikely to be short in diamonds, then ducks a diamond and has a positional squeeze. In fact, he does not even need to duck a diamond. Just win the ♣K to keep communications clear, then run the spades and hearts. On the last spade, West has to come down to either a singleton club or doubleton diamond, and the squeeze without the count gives declarer his contract. |
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