The Sunday Swiss, Round 1 By Jos Jacobs One of the most interesting confrontations in Sunday morning’s first round of the Swiss certainly was the match between Welland and Kowalski: one of the favourite US teams against a strong Polish-Russian combination. As a result of the two teams’ performances on Saturday they would meet at table 5. Board 1 was an easy slam, and the boards 2 and 3 turned out to be easy enough pushes at 3NT except for a nice little squeeze that earned Bobby Levin an overtrick in one of them. On board 4, the action started: Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul.   ♠ Q J 10 7 4 ♥ 8 5 ♦ K Q J 9 4 ♣ Q ♠ A K 8 3 ♥ A K 9 4 ♦ 7 ♣ A 10 9 2 ♠ 6 2 ♥ Q J 7 6 2 ♦ 10 3 ♣ K J 7 5   ♠ 9 5 ♥ 10 3 ♦ A 8 6 5 2 ♣ 8 6 4 3 Open Room West North East South Rosenberg Tuszynski Rosenberg Sarniak 1♣ 1♠ Dble Pass 4♥ All Pass     After the straightforward approach by East over 1♠ slam was out of sight when West, with his unpromising 4-4-4-1 distribution, did not think of any other bid than 4♥. Closed Room West North East South Rosenblum Levin Panina Henner 1♣ 1♠ 2♥ Pass 6♥ All Pass     Ah the other table, Michael Rosenblum was more inspired. When he heard a voluntarily bid 2♥ from his partner, he raised to slam without investigating any further. Right he was, though it took Larisa Panina some time to start tackling the clubs by leading to the ace first. So team Kowalski had scored 13 IMPs. One board later, it was slam time again: Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.   ♠ 7 6 2 ♥ J 9 7 6 3 ♦ 10 8 5 ♣ 3 2 ♠ Q J 10 ♥ A K 10 ♦ 9 6 3 ♣ 10 8 7 5 ♠ A K 8 ♥ 4 ♦ A Q J 2 ♣ K Q J 9 4   ♠ 9 5 4 3 ♥ Q 8 5 2 ♦ K 7 4 ♣ A 6 Closed Room West North East South Rosenblum Levin Panina Henner   Pass 1♣ Pass 1NT Pass 3♣ Pass 3♥ Pass 3♠ Pass 4♥ Pass 4♠ Pass 5♠ Pass 6♣ All Pass 1♣ could be anything but 3♣ confirmed a good suit and 19+ h.c.p. The next two rounds were all cuebids, 3♠ of course implying diamond control as well. Over 4♠, Michael Rosenblum had a difficult decision, but probably the key to the hand was the 4♠ bid itself. With the duplication in hearts known and with both the ♦K and the ♣A missing East might well have contented herself with 5♣ so if she does not, 5♠ by West seems justified. As you can see, 6♣ has no play against any lead, but the old idea of feeling squeezed instead of really being squeezed struck again. South led a diamond to the eight, ten and queen, but this should have done no real harm to the defence. The ♣K went to the ace and South exited with a spade. On the run of the clubs, North discarded all his diamonds, starting with the ♦10, which should have clarified the position. Still, South elected to blank her ♦K and hold on to the hearts, so declarer, already prepared to concede one down when she played a second round of diamonds towards the end, could suddenly go up with the ace and drop the king for her contract. Another 11 IMPs for the Polish/Russians. On the next board, the Russians missed a game due to systemic reasons: Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.   ♠ K 10 9 3 ♥ 4 ♦ J 9 8 6 5 ♣ J 9 4 ♠ Q 8 ♥ A J 9 6 ♦ A Q 4 ♣ K Q 5 3 ♠ 7 6 5 ♥ Q 8 7 3 2 ♦ 10 3 ♣ A 6 2   ♠ A J 4 2 ♥ K 10 5 ♦ K 7 2 ♣ 10 8 7 Closed Room West North East South Rosenblum Levin Panina Henner     Pass Pass 1NT Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass 2♥ All Pass 1NT was 16-18 h.c.p. and 2♥ in this sequence was explained as natural with no interest for game. The strange thing is that even though the ♠Q is a wasted value, game is still a very good proposition, even more so when vulnerable. No such problems at the other table, so 10 IMPs back to the Americans Spectacular defensive play was the issue on the very next board: Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul.   ♠ K J 7 3 ♥ J 7 5 ♦ Q 6 ♣ J 9 7 3 ♠ 8 ♥ K 10 8 4 ♦ 10 5 4 2 ♣ A 8 4 2 ♠ 9 6 4 2 ♥ 9 6 ♦ K J 9 8 7 3 ♣ K   ♠ A Q 10 5 ♥ A Q 3 2 ♦ A ♣ Q 10 6 5 Against the normal contract of 4♠ by North, the two Easts had completely different ideas about what to lead. In the Open Room, Debbie Rosenberg led a trump, won in dummy. Tuszynski played one more round of trumps and then led the ♣Q from dummy with spectacular effect: West took his ace, felling his partner’s king. Contract made. The same play might well have occurred at the other table too, if Levin had been given a chance to repeat this performance. However, Panina elected to lead the ♣K which held the trick. Feeling maybe a little uncomfortable about not being able to continue the suit, she exited with a heart, won by dummy’s ace. Had trumps been 3-2, all would have been well for declarer, but when they proved to be 4-1 Levin could not draw trumps and also remain in control of the hand. When he led a heart after two rounds of trumps, Rosenblum took his king and played ♣A and another to set the contract. Another 12 IMPs. When a better partscore defence of the last board brought them another 5 IMPs the Kowalski team had won the match 41-11 or 25-5 V.P. A good start of the day for them.

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