Red or Black?

by Patrick Jourdain (Wales)

To train the VuGraph operators a practice match of 16 boards was staged the evening before the Opening Ceremony between the hosts, Turkey, and the Netherlands. It proved to be a thriller, decided by 1 IMP in Turkey’s favour on the final deal.

Turkey, who have benefited from training provided by Karen McCallum, gained a slam swing on the first board, a gain that the Netherlands reduced in small steps. Marcel Lagas was perhaps unlucky that his defence on this deal, had it come during the real championship, would have been a candidate for an award:

Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
		ª © ¨ §	J 3 K 10 5 2 K Q 9 8 4 3 3
ª © ¨ §	A 8 4 2 8 7 4 3 2 K 8 5 2

The bidding was similar at both tables, and the final contract 3ª. West led his singleton diamond. East won the ace and led his lowest diamond back. How do you defend?

At the other table West ruffed, put his partner in with the ace of clubs and received a second diamond ruff. That ensured the contract went one off, but only one off, because when West took his second ruff he was endplayed. Lagas saw that coming and after he took his first ruff he continued with a low trump. To see the effect that had, look at the full diagram:

		ª © ¨ §	J 3 K 10 5 2 K Q 9 8 4 3 3
ª © ¨ §	A 8 4 2 8 7 4 3 2 K 8 5 2			ª © ¨ §	9 Q J 9 6 A 6 5 A J 10 9 6
		ª © ¨ §	K Q 10 7 6 5 A J 10 7 Q 7 4

If West takes both ruffs early the defence can only come to one club trick. The diamonds are set up, and dummy has an entry with the jack of trumps. West tried his best at the other table by continuing with a low club, but declarer ran it to the queen, and ruffed his last club.

Note the difference when West has taken the chance to duck a trump. The defence can still make their second ruff but also come to three club tricks.

When declarer won the trump switch he actually played a second trump. West won, put East in with the club ace, received a second ruff, and exited with a heart, sticking South on lead to lose two clubs at the end. Declarer had better shots available, but, following Lagas’s imaginative switch, I think best defence always puts the contract three light.

The match was all square going into the penultimate board, when both tables reached this grand slam. There was the same unusual deduction to make about a keycard auction at both tables:

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
ª © ¨ §	8 5 K 6 5 2 A K Q 10 7 K 8			ª © ¨ §	A K 10 4 2 A Q J 9 7 - A 5 4

At both tables East showed hearts at the three level, simultaneously showing five spades, so, when West continued with a cue-bid, there was potential for East to be unsure which trump suit West had agreed. The first point is that when the 3© call is game-forcing, the suit agreed by West must be hearts, because if it was spades he would have to start by bidding 3ª. The second point came later, and was fortuitous.

“I don’t think they picked up Exclusion Keycard Blackwood”, commented McCallum, as the auction of her pair was in progress. But they had, and West’s response showed one keycard outside diamonds. If there was any doubt in East’s mind about what West thought was trumps this reply cleared it up, as West could not have a keycard outside diamonds if he thought spades were trumps!

There was no swing, and so the match entered the last board level. It swung on a lead problem. You hold:

RHO opens 1©, LHO makes a splinter raise showing short spades, and RHO signs off in 4©. Would you lead a club or a diamond?

The Turkish defender found the crucial diamond lead, the only one to hold declarer to ten tricks. At the other table a club lead allowed the overtrick which decided the match.

“Why did you lead a diamond?” asked McCallum as her team celebrated. After all, the holdings were identical. The reply was startling. “I prefer red suits to black.”