|
7♠
Doubled And Made – Three Aces Missing!
This modern stuff, to show multiple aces in response to Blackwood
may from time to time confuse the players of today. See what
happened on this board from Round 2 in the Schools (and Round 11 in
the Juniors).
| Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul. |
| |
♠
K J
♥ 10 8 6 5 4
♦ 6 5
♣ A 10 9 7 |
♠ 7 5
4
♥ A K J 7 2
♦ -
♣ Q J 6 4 2 |
 |
♠ A Q 10 9
3 2
♥ 3
♦ K Q J 10 4
♣ K |
| |
♠
8 6
♥ Q 9
♦ A 9 8 7 3 2
♣ 8 5 3 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Johansen |
Katerbau |
Bogen |
Rehder |
| |
|
1♠ |
Pass |
| 2♥ |
Pass |
3♦ |
Pass |
| 4♣ |
Pass |
4♠ |
Pass |
| 4NT |
Pass |
5♦ |
Pass |
| 5♥ |
Pass |
6♠ |
Pass |
| 7♠ |
Dble |
All Pass |
|
In the Schools, Germany was playing Norway. Haakon Bogen opened
1♠, then showed his second-best suit.
4♣ from Lars Arthur Johansen was either
natural or a cuebid, Johansen then wanted more than a mere game
bonus so he asked for aces. Five Diamonds showed one
or four aces out of five. One must take an
optimistic view in this world, Johansen thought, and asked for the
queen of trumps as he realized (hoped) that all the aces were under
control. Bogen was happy to show the trump queen, thus he bid the
small slam. Well, since East is holding at least five to the ace,
king and queen in trumps and the two minor-suit aces, the grand must
have a decent play reflected Johansen as he nearly emptied his
bidding box. Janko Katerbau knew there was something fishy in this
auction, so he doubled by instinct, or it might have been the fact
that he held the trump king and another ace besides.
Martin
Rehder wondered what was going on, although he didn’t complain as
his partner had doubled the grand while he was holding an ace.
However, the ace of diamonds, while it would not have been my
choice, was Rehder’s selection for the opening lead. He might have
thought it didn’t matter, as his partner must have a secure trick
somewhere to dare to double. Bogen was quite happy to have avoided
the club lead. He ruffed the diamond ace then finessed the queen of
trumps. When it held he crossed to dummy in hearts, ditching his
singleton club on a second top heart. A spade to the ace followed
and declarer claimed 13 tricks. 7♠
doubled made without three aces – and that was +1770 and 16 powerful
IMPs to Norway when the comparison score was +450 from the other
table. Thanks to this board Norway won the match by 34-20 IMPs;
18-12 VPs.
This astonishing score of1770 actually appeared in one
other match. In the Juniors, Marius Korkevicius/Rokas Blazevicius
also managed to put themselves into this horrifying grand but, when
a respectable Polish player also found the ace of diamonds as his
lead, the Lithuanians collected all thirteen tricks. That was worth
15 IMPs to Lithuania as the Poles at the other table were playing in
4♠+2. Nevertheless, Poland managed to win
the match by 19 to 11.
Five tables reached 6♠; all the rest 4♠
or 5♠. One other score stood out – 7NT
doubled down three by the Belgians in the Juniors. No champagne from
the captain for that, we presume. |