Swiss Round 2
What could be more appropriate music for a Swiss
system than Rossini’s William Tell overture? It was of course the
theme tune of an early Western TV series, a fact not lost on your
reporter. Plans to include a free CD featuring this and other famous
overtures in every copy of today’s Bulletin were vetoed by the EBL
Treasurer.
Once again the Lone Reporter, along with his faithful
Australian companion Sue, watched the fight for qualification in
Tenerife. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear.
The Lone Reporter rides again!
It was Germany v Poland/France
under the spotlight, but the match was very tight and there were few
swings of note. Still, there were a few interesting moments.
| Board 9. Dealer North. None Vul.
|
| |
♠
10 8 5
♥ A 9 4
♦ 9
♣ K J 9 8 3 2 |
♠ A 9 7 3
2
♥ 7 6
♦ K J 4
♣ 7 6 5 |
 |
♠ Q
6
♥ Q 8 3 2
♦ A Q 10 7
♣ A Q 4 |
| |
♠
K J 4
♥ K J 10 5
♦ 8 6 5 3 2
♣ 10 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Lesniewski |
Weber |
Harasimovicz |
Weber |
| |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
| 2♥* |
Pass |
2♠ |
Pass |
| |
NT |
Pass |
3NT Pass |
| Pass |
Dble |
All Pass |
|
North speculated on the slow nature of the auction and doubled.
South led the ten of clubs and North put on the jack, declarer
winning with the queen. She crossed to the jack of diamonds and
tried a spade to the queen. South took the king and played back a
diamond. Declarer won in hand with the ten and played a spade to the
ace and a spade. South won and switched to the five of hearts. North
won and played back the nine of hearts. Declarer ducked and South
had to overtake. She cashed the king of hearts for one down,
+100.
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Gromoeller |
Voldoire |
Schreckenberger |
Peyrot |
| |
Pass |
1♦ |
Pass |
| 1♠ |
2♣ |
All Pass |
|
East led the queen of
spades and declarer was allowed to win with the king. He played a
club and East won and played a second spade. West won and gave his
partner a ruff, but declarer took the right view in hearts to make
the contract, +90 and a push.
| Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul. |
| |
♠
A 6 2
♥ 9 8 3
♦ A J 10 8 7
♣ Q 2 |
♠ K Q 9
3
♥ J
♦ 9 2
♣ K J 8 7 5 3 |
|
♠ 10
7
♥ K 7 6 4 2
♦ Q 6
♣ A 9 6 4 |
| |
♠
J 8 5 4
♥ A Q 10
5
♦ K 5 4
3
♣ 10 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Lesniewski |
Weber |
Harasimovicz |
Weber |
| |
|
Pass |
Pass |
| 1♣* |
1♦ |
1♥ |
2♥* |
| Pass |
3♦ |
All Pass |
|
The South hand looks suitable for discussion by a bidding panel.
Once partner has overcalled what should South bid? 1NT? Double? 3{?
2}? Answers on a postcard to Daily Bulletin, Tenerife. Meanwhile
South found a fifth alternative with her choice of 2].
East led
the ten of spades and declarer ducked, won the second spade, cashed
the ace of diamonds, played the jack of diamonds to the king and a
club. West hopped up with the king and played his top spades.
Declarer ruffed the second of those, ruffed a club and cashed the
ace of hearts, claiming his contract when the jack appeared, +9
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Gromoeller |
Voldoire |
Schreckenberger |
Peyrot |
| |
|
Pass |
Pass |
| |
1♣ |
1♦ |
1♥ 1♠ |
| ass* |
Pass |
2♣ |
2♦ |
| 4♣ |
All Pass |
|
|
Declarer had to lose four top tricks, -50, 4 IMPs for Weber.
| Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul. |
| |
♠
-
♥ K 5 4 3 2
♦ K 6 3
♣ K 10 8 7 5 |
♠ K 8 7 5
2
♥ Q 10
♦ J 10 7 5 2
♣ 3 |
|
♠ A Q 9 4
3
♥ 9 8 7 6
♦ 9 4
♣ A J |
| |
♠
J 10 6
♥ A J
♦ A Q 8
♣ Q 9 6 4 2 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Lesniewski |
Weber |
Harasimovicz |
Weber |
| Pass |
Pass |
1♠ |
Pass |
| 4♠ |
All Pass |
|
|
South gave some thought to bidding over East’s opening bid, but
with such a poor suit she was surely theoretically right to pass.
Alas, the difference between theory and practice is sometimes
unkind. Four Spades had to fail, but +50 was not exactly par for
North/South.
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Gromoeller |
Voldoire |
Schreckenberger |
Peyrot |
| Pass |
Pass |
1♠ |
Pass |
| 3♣* |
Dble |
3♠ |
4♣ |
| Pass |
5♣ |
All Pass |
|
How unlucky was that for East/West? Who knows, if North had bid
4[ over South’s 4} they might even have bid the slam. Still it was a
big swing, the only one of the match.
| Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
|
| |
♠
J 10
♥ 4 3
♦ A J 10 7 5
♣ 7 4 3 2 |
♠ K 9 5
4
♥ J 6 2
♦ K Q 6 4 3
♣ K |
|
♠ A 8
2
♥ K 9 8
♦ 8 2
♣ A J 10 9 6 |
| |
♠
Q 7 6 3
♥ A Q 10 7
5
♦ 9
♣ Q 8 5 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Lesniewski |
Weber |
Harasimovicz |
Weber |
| |
Pass |
1♣* |
1♥ |
| 1♠ |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
| 3NT |
All Pass |
|
|
Assuming you would all lead a heart, which card should/would you
choose? With no certain reentry the ace is surely out of the
equation, so the choice is the queen, ten, or just a small card. If
declarer has something like ]K9xx and dummy the jack then you will
be poorly placed whatever you choose, so you should probably worry
more about declarer having the king and dummy the jack. If memory
serves the queen is the theoretical card but there is a lot to be
said for leading a low one.
Okay, having given you something to
think about I’ll tell you what happened. South led the queen of
hearts and declarer won in hand and played a diamond to the king and
ace. North returned a heart and South won and cleared the suit.
Declarer overtook the king of clubs with the ace and played the jack
of clubs, hoping North would have to win. When South produced the
queen the contract was one down, -100.
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Gromoeller |
Voldoire |
Schreckenberger |
Peyrot |
| |
Pass |
1NT |
2♣* |
| Dble* |
All Pass |
|
|
When South came in to show the majors and West’s double promised
10+. North/South were now in trouble and in a sense they did well to
stop where they were.
According to the play record West led the
king of clubs and switched to a spade. East won and played ace of
clubs and a club. South won and played a spade and West won and
returned the jack of hearts for the three, king and ace. That looks
like two down, but something – sorry I can’t tell you what –
happened and declarer made a seventh trick, so was only –200, still
a loss of 7 IMPs.
The match score was 11-12 IMPs, 15-15
VP |