The bulletin staff were out in force for the
first session of the Open Pairs final. With twenty Polish pairs
being involved it was hardly a surprise that the first table we
came to was occupied by two of them.
Board 1. Dealer North.
None Vul
|
|
ª 6 4
© 5 4 3
¨ Q 7 6 5
§ A 10 6 2 |
ª 7 3
© A K J 10 9 6 2
¨ A J 3
§ K |
|
ª A J 10 2
© Q 8
¨ K 10 9
§ 9 8 5 4 |
|
ª K Q 9 8 5
© 7
¨ 8 4 2
§ Q J 7 3 |
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Rogowski |
Lesniewski |
Pikus |
Martens |
|
Pass |
Pass |
1ª |
Dbl |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3NT |
|
|
|
We leave you to consider the wisdom of West's
refusal to mention his seven card suit.
On a spade lead eleven tricks are possible in both hearts and notrumps
if declarer takes a winning view in diamonds. However, North made
a spectacular start to the day by putting the ace of clubs on the
table. The defenders took four tricks in double quick time.
North/South faced another problem in defence
on the next deal:
Board 2. Dealer East.
North/South Vul
|
|
ª Q
© A 10 6 3 2
¨ 10 7
§ Q 10 9 5 4 |
ª K 8 2
© K 9 5
¨ 8 5 3
§ K 7 3 2 |
|
ª 10 9 7 6 5 4 3
© Q J
¨ Q J
§ A 8 |
|
ª A J
© 8 7 4
¨ A K 9 6 4 2
§ J 6 |
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Rogowski |
Lesniewski |
Pikus |
Martens |
|
|
2¨* |
3¨ |
3© |
Dbl |
3ª |
All Pass |
South led the ace of diamonds and collected
the three, seven and jack. He cashed the king and possibly mindful
of his partner's double switched to a heart. That was a missed opportunity,
as declarer was now able to restrict his losers to two diamonds,
one spade and one heart. It cannot be wrong for South to continue
with the nine of diamonds. When North ruffs with the queen of spades
that is one down. If he does not have that card then South will
have time to play his partner for the ©AQ.
Incredibly the next deal also posed a defensive
problem for North/South.
Board 3. Dealer South.
East/West Vul
|
|
ª 6 4
© 10 9 3
¨ Q 10
§ A 8 5 4 3 2 |
ª 3
© Q J 7
¨ J 7 6 3
§ Q J 10 9 7 |
|
ª A K J 10 8 2
© 8
¨ A K 9 5 4
§ 6 |
|
ª Q 9 7 5
© A K 6 5 4 2
¨ 8 2
§ K |
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Mariani |
Lesniewski |
Burgay |
Martens |
|
|
|
1© |
Pass |
2© |
4ª |
All Pass |
Four Spades would not be everyone's choice,
but you bid for show and play for dough.
South cashed the ace of hearts and after due consideration switched
to the king of clubs. This was already the critical moment. If the
six and king of clubs had been interchanged it would have been routine
for North to put up the ace and play another club. Declarer would
probably ruff with the ten and South would discard, ensuring two
trump tricks. Although there is a strong case for North to play
the ace of clubs, when he failed to overtake declarer was in control.
He won South's diamond switch with the king and played three rounds
of trumps. When he got in he drew the outstanding trump and claimed
when the diamonds proved to be 2-2.
Board 4. Dealer South.
East/West Vul
|
|
ª 8 4
© Q 10 9 8
¨ A J
§ A Q 10 9 2 |
ª K 10 6 2
© 7 4
¨ 10 9 6 5 4 2
§ 8 |
|
ª A J 7 3
© K J 6 3 2
¨ 7
§ K 6 3 |
|
ª Q 9 5
© A 5
¨ K Q 8 3
§ J 7 5 4 |
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Mariani |
Lesniewski |
Burgay |
Martens |
Pass |
2§ |
Pass |
3§* |
All Pass |
|
|
|
When East wisely passed South made an invitational
raise. East led his singleton diamond and declarer won with the
ace and played back the jack. East ruffed and switched to the ace
and jack of spades. Declarer ruffed the third round of the suit
and played the ace of clubs and a club, claiming the balance after
East took his king. That was +110 and with game likely to fail a
promising looking result.
Yet, it were the Italians who missed an opportunity
here. West could have overtaken his partner's ªJ
and lead a heart. This establishes a trick in the suit before the
§K is gone.
Board 5. Dealer North.
North/South Vul.
|
|
ª K 10 9 7 2
© A J 8
¨ 3
§ A J 7 4 |
ª A 8 5 3
© 3
¨ K J 8 6 5 4
§ 10 8 |
|
ª Q 4
© K 10 7 6 4
¨ Q 9
§ K Q 5 2 |
|
ª J 6
© Q 9 5 2
¨ A 10 7 2
§ 9 6 3 |
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Kowalski |
Lesniewski |
Romanski |
Martens |
|
1ª |
Pass |
1NT* |
Pass |
2§* |
Pass |
2¨ |
Dbl |
2ª |
All Pass |
|
Another part score battle saw North/South
settle in Two Spades.
East led the queen of diamonds and declarer won and played
a club to the jack and queen. Back came the nine of diamonds,
forcing declarer to ruff. He cashed the ace of clubs and played
a third club, although it works better if you cash the ace
of hearts first. East put up the king and West discarded his
singleton heart. If East now plays a heart, West can ruff
and play a diamond and the contract will be two down at least.
When he played a club, declarer ruffed with the jack of spades,
played a spade to the king and another spade. He was now sure
of seven tricks and an average score.
We doubt any declarer found the way to make Two Spades. After
winning with the ace of diamonds you must play a spade to
the king and a second spade.
|
|
Marcin
Lesniewski |
For EW to obtain a really good score it is
necessary to make nine tricks in diamonds. As North is thrown in
to trick one already there seems to be a way. If North leads a spade
it's easy: you win dummy's queen and ruff a spade with the ¨Q
after establishing the ©K
for a spade discard. On a trump lead, the second defensive trump
trick is gone. On a rounded-suit lead, declarer will probably have
time and entries for the trump coup after discovering the bad break.
Board 6. Dealer East.
East/West Vul.
|
|
ª 6 4 2
© J 10
¨ A 8 3 2
§ J 10 9 7 |
ª K 8
© 8 5 2
¨ 10 7 6
§ Q 8 6 3 2 |
|
ª 10 9 7 5 3
© 4 3
¨ K J 9 5
§ 5 4 |
|
ª A Q J
© A K Q 9 7 6
¨ Q 4
§ A K |
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Kowalski |
Lesniewski |
Romanski |
Martens |
|
|
Pass |
1§* |
Pass |
1¨* |
Pass |
2¨* |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
|
|
This was not very exciting, as 3NT delivered
eleven tricks. With two trump entries in dummy, Six Hearts is on
the spade finesse.
Board 7. Dealer South.
All Vul
|
|
ª 6 4
© J 8 7 4 2
¨ A 9 7 2
§ Q 6 |
ª J 9 8 5 3
© A
¨ J 8 5
§ A 10 4 3 |
|
ª K Q 10
© 10 9 5 3
¨ K Q 3
§ 9 5 2 |
|
ª A 7 2
© K Q 6
¨ 10 6 4
§ K J 8 7 |
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Ferraro |
Lesniewski |
De Falco |
Martens |
|
|
|
1§* |
1ª |
2© |
Dbl* |
3© |
Pass |
Pass |
3ª |
All Pass |
North led the four of hearts to the queen
and ace. West played a diamond to the king and when that held he
made a subtle mistake by continuing with the queen of diamonds.
North took the ace and switched to a trump. South took the ace and
should play a second round. That will leave declarer a vital entry
short and he will lose three club tricks and go one down.
When he switched to the seven of clubs declarer
played low, North won and returned the suit and declarer claimed
nine tricks.
If declarer plays a low diamond at trick three
and North wins then there is no way to prevent declarer from scoring
two club tricks - we leave you to work out the many variations.
Board 8. Dealer West.
None Vul
|
|
ª J 9 6
© 10 9 7 3
¨ A 10 8
§ 10 9 6 |
ª 8 5 3
© A 4 2
¨ K 5 3 2
§ K Q J |
|
ª K Q 2
© K J 6 5
¨ 6
§ 7 5 4 3 2 |
|
ª A 10 7 4
© Q 8
¨ Q J 9 7 4
§ A 8 |
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Ferraro |
Lesniewski |
De Falco |
Martens |
1§ |
Pass |
1© |
Dbl |
Pass |
1ª |
2§ |
All Pass |
North led the nine of spades, covered by the
queen and ace and declarer won the spade return with dummy's queen.
He played the six of diamonds and when South followed with the seven
he played the king with a resigned air. Sure enough, North produced
the ace and cashed the jack of spades before switching to the ten
of hearts. Declarer won in hand with the ace and played a top club.
South won and played the thirteenth spade promoting a trump trick
for his partner, but as he did so declarer pitched a heart from
his hand and claimed eight tricks.
Our featured Polish pair had a reasonable
session and remained in contention for the title.
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