Norway vs USA II
Bermuda Bowl Final 5
At the midway point in the final of the Bermuda Bowl, Norway had
a very healthy lead of 164-85 IMPs. There were still plenty of
boards left over which to make a comeback but the Americans really
wanted to cut the deficit quickly.
Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
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|
ª 6 3 2 © K J 6 4 ¨ A 8 § Q 9 6 5 |
ª J 9 8 4 © 7 ¨ Q 10 4 3 § K 10 7 3 |
|
ª A K Q 10 5 © A 9 8 5 ¨ K J 7 5 § - |
|
ª 7 © Q 10 3 2 ¨ 9 6 2 § A J 8 4 2 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Stansby |
Helness |
Martel |
Helgemo |
|
|
1ª |
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
4¨ |
Pass |
4ª |
Pass |
6ª |
All Pass |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Brogeland |
Larsen |
Saelensminde |
Meltzer |
|
|
1ª |
Pass |
3© |
Pass |
4§ |
Dble |
4ª |
Pass |
5§ |
Pass |
5ª |
All Pass |
|
|
Six Spades is by no means secure; a trump lead, for example,
would make it awkward to get backwards and forwards to take three
heart ruffs. Brogeland/Saelensminde were probably not too worried at
stopping in five making twelve tricks; +680. However, when Lew
Stansby made a limit raise, Chip Martel drove to slam on his own and
without revealing very much about his hand. Geir Helgemo tried to
cash the ace of clubs and it was plain sailing for Martel after
that. He ruffed the club and played ace of hearts and ruffed a
heart, played a spade to hand and ruffed another heart, then pitched
the last heart on the king of clubs. Martel now drew trumps before
knocking out the ace of diamonds; +1430 and 13 IMPs to USA2.
Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul.
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|
ª 8 4 © A Q 9 7 ¨ J 10 § K 10 8 7 5 |
ª 10 7 3 © - ¨ K Q 9 8 7 6 4 § A 9 3 |
|
ª A K J © K 10 8 5 4 2 ¨ 3 § Q J 6 |
|
ª Q 9 6 5 2 © J 6 3 ¨ A 5 2 § 4
2 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Stansby |
Helness |
Martel |
Helgemo |
|
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
1© |
Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
3¨ |
All Pass |
|
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Brogeland |
Larsen |
Saelensminde |
Meltzer |
|
|
|
Pass |
1¨ |
Pass |
1© |
Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
3§ |
Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
Martel/Stansby stopped safely in 3¨ when Stansby did not open the West hand.
A successful diamond guess meant an overtrick; +130.
After Boye Brogeland had opened the West hand at the one
level, there was no question of the Norwegians stopping short
of game. Rose Meltzer led a spade to Erik Saelensminde's jack
and he played a diamond to the king and ten. The ¨Q to pin the jack would have
produced an overtrick but Saelensminde guessed to play for
Larsen to have falsecarded from ¨J105 and continued with a low card, losing
to the jack. He had no chance from here and was three down for
-300; 10 IMPs to USA2.
Although Saelenminde's play was unsuccessful, consider that
South appeared to have led from length, suggesting that she
might be shorter in other suits - and restricted choice
considerations applied equally to the ¨5-2 as to the ¨ J-10. |
|
Martel Chip,
USA |
Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
|
|
ª K J © K Q 5 2 ¨ 8 5 § A K J 7 5 |
ª 10 6 5 3 © 10 7 3 ¨ A 9 7 3 § 6 2 |
|
ª Q 9 © A J 6 ¨ J 10 6 4 § Q 10 9 3 |
|
ª A 8 7 4 2 © 9 8 4 ¨ K Q 2 § 8
4 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Stansby |
Helness |
Martel |
Helgemo |
|
1NT |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
|
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Brogeland |
Larsen |
Saelensminde |
Meltzer |
|
1§ |
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
|
|
Meltzer received a diamond lead from Brogeland and had no real
chance of success. She won the ten with her king and played to the
jack of spades. The contract was eventually down three for -150.
Tor Helness opened a slightly off-centre 1NT and the less
revealing auction helped him a little as he received a club lead
into his tenace. The hand is not easy to play but the spades lie
favourably if declarer guesses to play king, then jack to the ace
and a third round - though that is not in itself sufficient to bring
in nine tricks. Helness chose to lead a diamond at trick two and
Stansby won the king with his ace to lead a club through. Helness
won and played the king of hearts from his hand. Martel gave that a
good look before eventually ducking. Now Helness cashed the king of
clubs, throwing dummy's small diamond, and continued with three
rounds of spades. Stansby won the third round and played a heart
through to Martel's jack. Martel had the setting tricks in his hand
at this moment but appears to have simply miscounted the tricks,
because he played back a diamond and dummy had enough winners to
bring declarer's total to nine; +400 and 11 IMPs to Norway.
Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.
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|
ª - © Q 9 3 2 ¨ J 10 7 4 2 § J 7 6 3 |
ª A 7 5 4 © A 5 ¨ 6 5 § A K 10 4 2 |
|
ª K J 10 8 6 3 © - ¨ A Q 9 8 3 § Q 5 |
|
ª Q 9 2 © K J 10 8 7 6 4 ¨ K § 9 8 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Stansby |
Helness |
Martel |
Helgemo |
|
|
1ª |
2© |
3§ |
4© |
4ª |
Pass |
4NT |
Pass |
5© |
Pass |
5NT |
Pass |
6© |
Pass |
6ª |
All Pass |
|
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Brogeland |
Larsen |
Saelensminde |
Meltzer |
|
|
1ª |
3© |
4© |
5© |
6© |
Pass |
7ª |
All Pass |
|
|
When Martel could rebid his spades freely at the four
level, Stansby took charge by asking for key cards then
inviting seven. Martel's 6© denied the ability to bid the grand
himself and also denied either minor-suit king. Stansby had no
reason to bid the grand now and signed off in six. Martel won
the heart lead while throwing a diamond from hand, then laid
down the ace of spades. He had got the trumps wrong but in a
safe manner. Martel continued by ruffing the small heart,
cashing the king of spades and playing on clubs. Whether
Helgemo ruffed in at some point or waited to be thrown in with
the queen of spades, Martel had avoided the diamond finesse;
+1430.
Meltzer's weak jump overcall added momentum to the auction.
Brogeland began by showing a good 4ª raise and Saelensminde invited seven over
Larsen's 5© barrage
bid. Looking at so many key cards, it was no surprise when
Brogeland accepted the invitation. Saelensminde also won the
heart lead and laid down the ace of spades. He failed to find
the endplay, perhaps not having sufficient enthusiasm to look
for it when he was already down in a grand slam. Eventually
taking the diamond finesse led to two off for -200 and 17 IMPs
to USA2. |
|
Helgemo Geir,
Norway |
Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
|
|
ª K Q J © K Q 8 4 3 ¨ A 10 6 4 § A |
ª A 8 5 4 3 © A 10 7 6 ¨ 8 § 8 4 2 |
|
ª 7 6 2 © J 9 ¨ Q 9 7 3 § Q 9 5 3 |
|
ª 10 9 © 5 2 ¨ K J 5 2 § K J 10 7 6 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Stansby |
Helness |
Martel |
Helgemo |
Pass |
1© |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3§ |
Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
4¨ |
Pass |
4NT |
Pass |
5¨ |
All Pass |
|
|
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Brogeland |
Larsen |
Saelensminde |
Meltzer |
2¨ |
Dble |
Rdbl |
3§ |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
Brogeland's 2¨ opening
showed at least 4-4 in the majors with a weak hand. The double
showed high cards and the redouble asked for partner's longer major.
East/West could have escaped into 2ª without too much pain so the Americans did the
right thing when they bid to their vulnerable 3NT instead of trying
for a penalty. Saelensminde led the jack of hearts to the ace and
Bogeland switched to a low spade to declarer's king. Larsen cashed
the ace of clubs then led the ten of diamonds to the queen and king.
He played on clubs now for ten tricks; +630.
Helgemo/Helness had the auction to themselves but did not make
the best of use of this freedom. Helgemo's 3§ was artificial and so was 3¨. When Helgemo responded 4¨ to that Helness explained that this bid did not
exist in the system. Martel led a club against 5¨ and Helness won and played ace of diamonds
followed by a diamond to the jack. A heart was ducked so that his
king won, and he next played the ªK from hand. Stansby won that and, after some
thought, returned a spade. Although dummy's heart loser now
vanished, there was just too much work to do and the contract had to
fail by a trick; -100 and a gift 12 IMPs to USA2.
Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
|
|
ª 6 © 6 5 ¨ A Q 9 6 § J 10 9 8 4 3 |
ª Q J 10 4 © 10 9 8 7 ¨ K 5 § A K 2 |
|
ª A K 9 8 5 2 © J 4 3 ¨ J 7 4 § Q |
|
ª 7 3 © A K Q 2 ¨ 10 8 3 2 § 7 6 5 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Stansby |
Helness |
Martel |
Helgemo |
|
|
|
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Brogeland |
Larsen |
Saelensminde |
Meltzer |
|
|
|
Pass |
1© |
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
The Norwegian strong no trump methods got the normal game played
by East, where a heart lead was automatic. In fact, the Americans
dropped a trick when Meltzer switched to a diamond after taking two
top hearts and the third heart disappeared on the clubs; one down
for -50.
The weak no trump scored when Stansby broke the transfer and was
raised to game. Given a blind lead - would you consider a
lead-directing double of the transfer with the South cards - Helness
not unnaturally led the jack of clubs. Stansby drew trumps and threw
two hearts on the clubs; +420 and 10 IMPs to USA2.
The Americans had won the set by 68-49 and,
trailing by only 154-192, were right back in the
match. |