The Journalist’s Story You know how it is, you are hoping to enjoy your dinner at the end of a busy day when someone thrusts a piece of paper in front of you and asks some question you don’t really have the least interest in answering. Still, it would be impolite to refuse, especially when your inquisitor offers to buy you a drink. So, take a look at this problem from the Open Pairs Semi final 2   ♠ Q 1 0 9 ♥ K 1 0 7 5 2 ♦ A K ♣ 7 4 2   ♠ 5 2 ♥ - ♦ Q J 9 8 7 5 4 ♣ A Q 1 0 9 West North East South Guarino Isporski Carpentieri Kovachev 3♠ Pass Pass 5♦ ll Pass       Since 4♦ would have shown the red suits South took a shot at 5♦. West led the five of spades and East won with the ace and returned the queen of hearts. You ruff and cross to dummy with a diamond, East following with the ten. Your plan? The spades must be 7-1, and it looks as if diamonds are 3-1. That leaves West with either two hearts and one club, or vice-versa. Declarer considered the former to be more likely as it looked as if the ace of hearts was with West. So he played a club to the queen, crossed to the other top diamond, ruffed a heart, drew the last trump and played a spade towards the dummy. This was the full deal:   ♠ Q 10 9 ♥ K 10 7 5 2 ♦ A K ♣ 7 4 2 ♠ K J 8 7 6 4 3 ♥ A 6 ♦ 6 3 2 ♣ J ♠ A ♥ Q J 9 8 4 3 ♦ 10 ♣ K 8 6 5 3   ♠ 5 2 ♥ - ♦ Q J 9 8 7 5 4 ♣ A Q 10 9 West could win, but then had to play a spade giving declarer access to dummy and the two winner sit contained. Notice that declarer did not need the heart trick once the jack of clubs had fallen under the queen. The statistical information on Swan games revealed that 11 declarers had made 5♦ - the other ten on the less challenging lead of the jack of clubs – declarer can win, cross to a diamond, ruff a heart, cross to a diamond, ruff another heart, draw the last trump and play a spade to the ten. Notice that this would be a winning line even if the ace of hearts is with East – the secret is to remove East’s exit cards. Going back to the play where the spade was led, note that if East switches to a diamond declarer can no longer make the contract as a vital entry has been removed. Well, for once maybe it was not so bad to be disturbed – what do you think? 100% Gold by Ace Ventura On board 13 in the Open Pairs final A small slam was reached only at three tables. Session 3. Board 13. Dealer North, All vul.   ♠ Q ♥ A 8 6 5 ♦ A J 10 7 2 ♣ K Q 8 ♠ J 8 7 5 4 3 ♥ J 9 ♦ 8 5 ♣ 10 4 2 ♠ 6 2 ♥ K Q 7 4 ♦ Q 9 4 3 ♣ J 9 7   ♠ A K 10 9 ♥ 10 3 2 ♦ K 6 ♣ A 6 5 3 West North East South Puczynski Townsend Chmurski Gold   1♦ Pass 1♠ Pass 2♥ Pass 3♣ Pass 3NT Pass 6NT All Pass       Rune Hauge from Norway defeated 6NT by leading the king of hearts and England’s Frances Hinden found the same lead to defeat 6♦. David Gold and Tom Townsend, mostly in a top three-position in the final, was the only pair making slam. Facing a reverse David Gold jumped to 6NT without any hesitation. Gold was going for gold. A heart lead will defeat the small slam. Even if declarer makes the unlikely play of letting the jack of diamonds run there are only 11 tricks to win. Due to North’s 2♥ Bartosz Chmurski declined to lead a heart up to a supposed solid heart suit, so he tried a spade through dummy’s spades instead. Declarer could win on hand, play a diamond to the king then take the diamond finesse. East was able to win the trick, but declarer still had the ace of hearts to guard the suit. With only eight tricks declarer had to rely on the clubs to split 3-3. When this was the case Townsend/Gold scored 100%.

Page 3