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World Junior Championships
2001 - Set Two
Israel needed to regroup after the first session and get some points
on the board. However, the early deals presented few opportunities.
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Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
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| |
ª J 3 2
© A J 9 7 3
¨ K 4 3
§ A 6 |
ª 8 7 4
© Q 8 4
¨ A J 9
§ J 8 7 4 |
 |
ª K Q 10 6
© K 10 6 2
¨ 10 7 6
§ K 9 |
| |
ª A 9 5
© 5
¨ Q 8 5 2
§ Q 10 5 3 2 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Liran |
Grue |
Warszawski |
Mignocchi |
| Pass |
1© |
Pass |
1NT |
| Pass |
2¨ |
All Pass |
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Warszawski found a trump lead to the two, nine and king. Grue tried
a low club but East went in with the king to play another diamond.
Liran took the jack and ace and switched to a spade. Declarer had
run out of ammunition and was two down for -200.
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Campbell |
Vax |
Wooldridge |
Amit |
| Pass |
1© |
1ª |
Dble |
| 2© |
Pass |
2ª |
All Pass |
Both East's overcall and West's 2© cuebid were pretty aggressive
actions but the Americans had no problem in stopping at a playable
level.
Amit led his singleton heart and Vax won and returned the three
of hearts. South ruffed and played a club to North's ace, ruffed
the next heart and played back a club.
Declarer still had to lose a diamond and the ace of spades, but
he played North for the jack of spades to escape for one down; -100
and 7 IMPs for Israel - their biggest swing of the match so far.
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Board 21. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
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| |
ª Q 4 2
© Q 10 7 6 3
¨ 10 8 7
§ A 7 |
ª K 8 3
© 9 2
¨ K 9 5 4 3 2
§ 4 3 |
|
ª A J 7
© A J 8 5 4
¨ A J
§ Q 8 2 |
| |
ª 10 9 6 5
© K
¨ Q 6
§ K J 10 9 6 5 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Liran |
Grue |
Warszawski |
Mignocchi |
| - |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
| 2§ |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
| 2NT |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
With an awkward hand to evaluate facing a strong no trump, Liran
took the aggressive view - normal enough for a team that was hoping
to score points - and that led to a game being reached that was
quickly down. South led the jack of clubs and North put up the ace
and returned the suit. That gave the defenders the first six tricks;
-100.
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Campbell |
Vax |
Wooldridge |
Amit |
| - |
Pass |
1NT |
All Pass |
This time West was happy to pass and the defence started in the
same way with six rounds of clubs. However, declarer negotiated
a red-suit squeeze against North and made the remainder; +90 and
5 IMPs to the USA1.
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Board 24. Dealer West. None Vul.
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| |
ª K 10 9 4
© K 10 6 4
¨ A
§ K 10 7 6 |
ª Q 8 7 2
© Q 5
¨ K 6 3
§ J 9 5 3 |
|
ª J 5
© J 2
¨ Q J 10 7 5 4
§ Q 8 4 |
| |
ª A 6 3
© A 9 8 7 3
¨ 9 8 2
§ A 2 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Liran |
Grue |
Warszawski |
Mignocchi |
| Pass |
1§ |
2¨ |
2© |
| Pass |
4¨ |
Pass |
4ª |
| Pass |
4NT |
Pass |
5§ |
| Pass |
5¨ |
Pass |
5© |
| Pass |
6© |
All Pass |
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Grue would have been happier to splinter if his ace and been in
one of his long suits, but it worked like a charm as South had the
perfect cards to move towards a slam that was easy to make thanks
to the even trump split.
With careful play, declarer can even score an overtrick by squeezing
West in the black suits, but Mignocchi was happy to settle for +980.
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Campbell |
Vax |
Wooldridge |
Amit |
| Pass |
1§ |
2¨ |
Dble |
| 3¨ |
4¨ |
Pass |
5¨ |
| Pass |
6© |
All Pass |
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You do not see many auctions where the trump suit is only agreed
at the six level. This time declarer did bring off the squeeze to
gain a hard earned IMP.
Neither team in the play-off for third place bid this slam, so both
pairs deserve a lot of credit for getting there.
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Board 25. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
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| |
ª A J 9 8
© 10 7 4 3
¨ J 7 5
§ Q 6 |
ª 7 5 4 3
© K Q
¨ 10
§ A 10 9 8 5 2 |
|
ª 6 2
© A 9 6 5
¨ A Q 8 4
§ K 7 4 |
| |
ª K Q 10
© J 8 2
¨ K 9 6 3 2
§ J 3 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Liran |
Grue |
Warszawski |
Mignocchi |
| - |
Pass |
1¨ |
Pass |
| 1ª |
Pass |
1NT |
All Pass |
Facing essentially a weak no trump, should West make a try for
game? It is a close decision and when East made ten tricks West,
knowing how aggressively the North Americans bid, must have had
a sinking feeling.
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Campbell |
Vax |
Wooldridge |
Amit |
| - |
Pass |
1¨ |
Pass |
| 1ª |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
| 3§ |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
Sure enough, Campbell showed an invitational four-six and Wooldridge
bid the game. Yes, the defenders might have been able to cash five
spades on a different layout, and the clubs might have been 3-1
in such a way that declarer could not pick them up, but bidding
and making close games when you are vulnerable is winning bridge;
10 IMPs to USAI, who took the lead in the set 16-11.
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Board 27. Dealer South. None Vul.
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| |
ª K 9 8 6 5
© Q 8 6
¨ K 9 4 3
§ 2 |
ª J 7 4
© K 10 2
¨ A Q 10 6 2
§ A 8 |
|
ª -
© A J 7 4 3
¨ 8 5
§ Q 10 9 7 5 4 |
| |
ª A Q 10 3 2
© 9 5
¨ J 7
§ K J 6 3 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Liran |
Grue |
Warszawski |
Mignocchi |
| - |
- |
- |
1ª |
| Pass |
3NT |
4§ |
Dble |
| All Pass |
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When Warszawski bravely came into the auction, Mignocchi thought
he had enough to double for penalties, despite his partner's spade
agreement. The sight of dummy combined with declarer's ability to
ruff the opening lead soon showed him the error of his ways. Declarer
got the hearts right and lost only two clubs and a diamond to record
+510.
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Campbell |
Vax |
Wooldridge |
Amit |
| - |
- |
- |
1ª |
| 2¨ |
3¨ |
3© |
3ª |
| 4© |
4ª |
5© |
Pass |
| Pass |
Dble |
All Pass |
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Here, Vax got to show his heart suit rather than the clubs after
a slower start to the auction. With a hand much more suited to attack
rather than defence he pressed on to 5© over 4ª after finding a
fit.
Amit led the ace of spades and declarer ruffed and followed sound
technique by attacking the side suit, playing a club to the ace
and a club, ducked to South's jack as North discarded a spade.
Amit forced declarer again and, with not much hope, Vax played the
seven of clubs discarding dummy's last spade. North ruffed and had
only to exit with a trump to leave declarer with an inescapable
diamond loser.
Vax's actual choice of the king of spades allowed declarer to discard
a diamond from hand and ruff in dummy. Now he could play the ten
of hearts to his jack, ruff a club high, cash the ace of diamonds,
ruff a diamond and draw the outstanding trumps; +650 and the sort
of missed opportunity Israel simply could not afford as they lost
4 IMPs on a deal where they seemed fated to gain a large swing.
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Board 29. Dealer North. All Vul.
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| |
ª 5 2
© J 6 2
¨ 8 7 5
§ Q J 10 8 7 |
ª 10 9 3
© A K Q 4
¨ Q 9 3
§ 9 4 3 |
|
ª A J 8
© 10 9 8 7 5 3
¨ 6 4
§ A 5 |
| |
ª K Q 7 6 4
© -
¨ A K J 10 2
§ K 6 2 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Liran |
Grue |
Warszawski |
Mignocchi |
| - |
Pass |
Pass |
1ª |
| Pass |
Pass |
2© |
Dble |
| 3© |
4§ |
4© |
5§ |
| 5© |
Dble |
All Pass |
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Five Clubs would have gone two down on any sensible defence but
Liran badly misjudged the situation and pressed on to 5©. That contract
also failed by two tricks for -500 and another poor result for Israel.
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Campbell |
Vax |
Wooldridge |
Amit |
| - |
- |
- |
1ª |
| Pass |
Pass |
2© |
3¨ |
| 3© |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
Amit led the ace of diamonds and switched to the king of spades.
Wooldridge won and cashed the ace of hearts. A 2-1 split would have
given him a third round entry to hand in order to play a diamond
and set up a discard for his losing club, but the 3-0 break doomed
him to defeat. Wooldridge was one down for -100 but 9 IMPs to USAI.
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Board 31. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
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| |
ª A K 7 6 5 3
© Q 8 5
¨ A K 4
§ 3 |
ª 4
© J 7 6 4 2
¨ 5 3
§ A Q 10 9 7 |
|
ª Q 10 8 2
© 10 9
¨ Q 10 7 2
§ K 5 2 |
| |
ª J 9
© A K 3
¨ J 9 8 6
§ J 8 6 4 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Liran |
Grue |
Warszawski |
Mignocchi |
| - |
- |
- |
Pass |
| Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
1NT |
| Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
2NT |
| Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
4ª |
| Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
All Pass |
Grue didn't think his hand was quite right for either a 2ª or 3ª
rebid over the forcing no trump so temporised with a bid in his
three-card minor. When Mignocchi showed his
invitational hand-type, Grue showed the extra spade length. The
hands fitted together very well for North/South and when Warszawski
doubled all he did was increase the USA1 score on the deal to +990
when the defence slopped a trick.
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Campbell |
Vax |
Wooldridge |
Amit |
| - |
- |
- |
Pass |
| Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
1NT |
| 2§ |
2ª |
2NT |
3ª |
| Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
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The defenders started with two rounds of clubs and declarer ruffed
and played a spade to dummy's jack. He had an easy ten tricks for
+620 and probably thought nothing more about the deal until he came
to score up and found that he had lost 9 IMPs on it. USA1 led the
set by 38-13 but Israel had one shot left in their locker.
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Board 32. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
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| |
ª 10 4
© 9 6 5
¨ 7 6
§ K 9 8 7 5 2 |
ª A 8 6 5
© A Q 10 4 3
¨ 4
§ A 10 4 |
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ª Q J 7
© 8 7
¨ A K Q J 10 5
§ Q 3 |
| |
ª K 9 3 2
© K J 2
¨ 9 8 3 2
§ J 6 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Liran |
Grue |
Warszawski |
Mignocchi |
| 1© |
Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
| 2© |
Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
| 3ª |
Pass |
4© |
Pass |
| 6¨ |
All Pass |
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Two Diamonds was game forcing and 3¨ presumably promised a good
suit but, even so, Liran took a good view when he jumped to slam.
The fortunate lie of the cards meant +1370 to Israel.
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Campbell |
Vax |
Wooldridge |
Amit |
| 1© |
Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
| 2ª |
Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
| 3NT |
All Pass |
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North led a club and declarer took South's jack
with the ace. He made eleven tricks for +660 to lose 12 IMPs.
USA had extended their lead and were ahead by 79 IMPs, 106-27 after
32 deals.
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