Good - Better
A good defense in the closed room was beaten by an even better
one in the open. It all happened when Spain met The Netherlands
in Round Three of the open.
Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
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ª 7
© Q
¨ A K J 9 7 6 5
§ J 7 6 3 |
ª A K 2
© A 10 9 8 5 4
¨ 4 2
§ Q 4 |
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ª J 9 6 5 3
© 3
¨ Q 10
§ A 10 9 5 2 |
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ª Q 10 8 4
© K J 7 6 2
¨ 8 3
§ K 8 |
Closed room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Torres |
De Wijs |
Frances |
Muller |
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Pass |
Pass |
1© |
2¨ |
dbl |
Pass |
2© |
3¨ |
Pass |
3NT |
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
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José Ignacio Torres led a top spade, saw the dummy and went
into the tank. When he finally to got out of it, he did the right
thing: tabling the §Q. Declarer won the king, played a diamond to
the ace and the ©Q. West won the ace and continued in clubs. A smooth
down one. Good defense though a diamond switch at trick two and
a possible diamond continuation would do also, since declarer is
bound for a suicide squeeze. Still, in the open room defense did
even better, much better:
West |
North |
East |
South |
Jansma |
Ventin |
Verhees |
Lantaron |
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2ª
* |
Pass |
Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
Pass |
dbl |
Pass |
3NT |
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
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* "Muiderberg": five spades and a minor, 0-7 HCP
With his seven bagger Juan Carl Ventin didn' t want to stand his
partner's double, but tried 3NT. The spade lead by East went for
the ten and the king. Like in the closed room Jan Jansma switched
to §Q. Declarer won the king and, in view of the bidding, not unreasonable
played a diamond to the jack. When the smoked cleared 3NT was "five
in the mountains" as they say in Holland.
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