Has It To Do With Age?

By Christer Andersson

During the first couple of days we have heard on more than one occasion that juniors are uninhibited bidders. There may be some truth in that statement. We also recognise that many of the juniors participating in these Junior Championships later turn up in the corresponding Open and Women's European team Championships. By then, they have often become more cautious bidders, but not always. Take a look at this example from the match between Ukraine and Russia in the recent Open Championship in Salsomaggiore.

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

In the Closed Room, Russia were sitting North/South. When North, Maxim Khven opened in second seat with a Precision-style 1¨, South, Georgi Maushko felt that he had to talk his opponents out of a likely game. Although East, Gennadiy Rybnikov had entered the bidding with a take-out double, Matushko calmly introduced his heart suit at the one level. And when West, Dmytro Nikolayenko made a responsive double and North was able to raise to 2©, Matushko competed to 3© over East's 3§. When this did not prevent West from bidding 3NT, Matushko had to sacrifice in 4© to prevent his opponents scoring their vulnerable game.
This was the full auction:

West	North	East	South
Rybnikov	Khven	Nikolayenko	Matushko
Pass	1¨	Dble	1©
Dble	2©	3§	3©
3NT	Pass	Pass	4©
Dble	All Pass

West led his lowest club to partner's queen. The trump switch was won by West's ace and a trump continuation by the king on table. A diamond to the ten and queen gave the defence an opportunity to play the third round of trumps. Matusko won the trump on table and played ¨A then took a ruffing finesse against East's king. Two down resulted in an 8 IMP pick-up as 3NT was made at the other table. Even on a forcing defence, playing the black suits instead of drawing trumps, the best the defence can manage is down three, which would still be a 3 IMP gain to Russia.

The Trump Guard Squeeze

Round 1 Russia vs Sweden

By Michael Rosenblum

Board 15. Dealer South. North/South Vul.
	ª A 7 © K 8 3 ¨ A K 8 5 3 2 § J 4
ª J 10 © 2 ¨ Q 9 7 6 4 § A Q 9 5 3		ª K 9 8 6 4 3 2 © A Q J ¨ 10 § 10 7
	ª Q 5 © 10 9 7 6 5 4 ¨ J § K 8 6 2

West	North	East	South
Malinovskij	Cullin	Krasnosselskij	Upmark
			Pass
2NT(i)	Pass	3ª	Pass
4ª	All Pass

(i) Both minors, weak

The opening lead was the jack of diamonds to the queen and king. North, Cullin, switched to ace and another spade and Mikhail Krasnosselski misguessed, finessing and losing to the queen.

If South does not lead a heart at this point, his partner will be squeezed in the red suits. Upmark was aware of the situation and duly found the heart switch, the ten. Cullin withheld his king and Krasnosselski won. Now he ran all but one of his trumps to come down to this ending:

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

North had to find one more discard and could not afford a red card so pitched the four of clubs. Now Krasnosselski played the §10 to dummy's queen, ruffed a diamond and, after cashing the ©A, finessed the §9 for his contract.
Of course, Krasnosselski is top of the European Junior MP list, and perhaps a less experienced player would have missed this opportunity.

In the replay, the Swedish East bid 3§ over his partner's 2NT opening (again weak with both minors), and this went three down after Alexey Zaitsev led a trump.