Juniors Round 5 Greece v England

There were a couple of interesting deals in the English Juniors’ 24-6 win over Greece in Round 5, one in the bidding, one in the play.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	♠ 6 3 2 ♥ A 9 2 ♦ A J 6 5 4 ♣ K 7
♠ A Q ♥ – ♦ K Q 10 9 8 3		♠ 10 9 5 ♥ J 10 6 4 ♦ 2
	♠ K J 8 7 4 ♥ K Q 8 7 5 3 ♦ 7 ♣ 9

David Cropper opened the South hand and Konstantinos Kontomitros showed the minors. When Susan Stockdale showed values and Konstantinos Doxiadis jumped in clubs, Cropper cuebid to get his spade suit into the picture. Kontomitros went on to 5♣ and Stockdale judged well to bid 5♥, which ended the auction. Cropper went two down for –100.

In the other room, Eleni Vatsolaki passed as South, judging that the hand might be easier to show via a later cuebid to show the two-suiter. While this approach didn’t work out very well this time, I have a lot of sympathy with it. I would happily open 1♠ with six spades and five hearts and only 9 HCP, but the actual hand will be almost impossible to describe accurately if it is opened. Of course, when Ben Green bid hearts on her right, Vatsolaki judged to pass and was shut out of the auction – did she have the systemic option to overcall a natural 2♥ now, inferentially showing at least four spades to explain the lack of a 2♥ opening? The English pair bid up to 5♣ and, with the aid of the club finesse and ruffing diamond finesse, Duncan Happer made an overtrick for +420 and 8 IMPs to England.

Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	♠ K 8 6 2 ♥ J 8 3 2 ♦ Q J ♣ Q 6 2
♠ 9 7 4 ♥ Q 7 4 ♦ A K 10 9 8 2		♠ A J ♥ A 9 6 5 ♦ 6 4
	♠ Q 10 5 3 ♥ K 10 ♦ 7 5 3 ♣ K 10 9 7

The Greek E/W played in 2♣, making exactly for +90. England were more ambitious. Green opened a 14-16 no trump with the East cards and Happer checked for five-card majors then settled for 3NT.

Vatsolaki led the ♣7 for the queen and ace and Green led a diamond to the eight. Michalis Sofios returned a club to the eight and nine and now Vatsolaki had to find a switch. She chose a low spade to the king and ace and Green rattled off the diamond winners. For his last four cards he came down to ♥A9 and ♣J5, while South kept ♠Q, ♥K10 and therefore had to come down to the bare king of clubs. After a low spade exit, South could win and cash the club winner, but was then endplayed to lead away from the king of hearts to give the ninth trick; +400 and 7 IMPs to England.

The defence could have beaten the contract once declarer had conceded a diamond trick. It looks normal for North to return a club after winning the diamond, but a low spade switch would have been good enough to leave the defence in control. After the club return, South could have beaten the contract by switching to the queen of spades instead of a low one. That way North wins any late spade exit and can play a heart or a club through, depending on what cards East and South have come down to. If South works the whole hand out, perhaps it is possible to see the endplay coming should declarer hold the ♠A, and the winning defence can be found – when North holds the ♠A anything works as he can win the spade switch and return a third club. It is not, however, an easy play to find.