Fergani v Miroglio

Transnationals Round 5

Round 5 of the Transnational Teams saw a heavyweight clash between FERGANI and MIROGLIO, the latter fielding a Brazilian/Polish foursome. Fergani struck on the first board, though the swing could have gone the other way.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª 8 7 © K Q 9 3 2 ¨ 10 5 4 § Q J 3
ª Q © J 10 8 7 6 ¨ Q 6 § 10 9 7 5 2		ª J 10 9 5 4 2 © A ¨ J 9 2 § A 8 6
	ª A K 6 3 © 5 4 ¨ A K 8 7 3 § K 4

West	North	East	South
Kowalski	Czyzowicz	Tuszynski	Wolpert
			1¨
Pass	1©	1ª	2NT
Pass	3NT	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Fergani	Chagas	L'Ecuyer	Brenner
			1¨
Pass	1©	1ª	1NT
Pass	Pass	2ª	Dble
All Pass

	Apolinary Kowalski, Poland

When Nicolas L’Ecuyer competed for a second time in spades, Diego Brenner doubled for penalty. There was little to the play and L’Ecuyer came to four spade tricks plus one trick in each side-suit; down one for –100.

Gavin Wolpert jumped to 2NT at his second turn and Jurek Czyzowicz raised to game, preventing Piotr Tuszynski from suffering any temptation to bid again on the East cards. Apolinary Kowalski led the singleton spade and, when that was allowed to hold the trick, switched to a low heart for the king and ace. Tuszynski returned a spade to the ace and declarer played §K and a second club for the jack and ace. Tuszynski cleared the spades and now Wolpert cashed a top diamond. This was the key moment in the play; if Kowalski unblocks the queen, the contract is defeated as Tuszynski has a diamond entry to the spade winners. But Kowalski hung on to the ¨Q and now Wolpert led a low diamond and the queen scored. Kowalski could do nothing and Wolpert had the rest for an excellent +400 and 7 IMPs to FERGANI.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	ª 8 6 © Q 10 9 8 5 2 ¨ K § K 9 5 3
ª A K 10 7 4 © 3 ¨ J 5 4 3 2 § Q 10		ª - © K 7 4 ¨ A Q 9 8 6 § A J 6 4 2
	ª Q J 9 5 3 2 © A J 6 ¨ 10 7 § 8 7

West	North	East	South
Kowalski	Czyzowicz	Tuszynski	Wolpert
			Pass
2ª	Pass	2NT	Pass
3¨	Pass	4§	Pass
4©	Pass	4ª	Pass
4NT	Pass	5¨	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Fergani	Chagas	L'Ecuyer	Brenner
			2ª
Pass	Pass	Dble	All Pass

	Diego Brenner, Brazil

Brenner opened a weak two bid – and one with which his partner did not agree at this vulnerability and with such a good holding in the other major. Naturally enough, when that ran around to L’Ecuyer and he doubled for take-out, Kamel Fergani converted for penalties. After the lead of the singleton heart, Fergani came to all five of his trumps and there were also three minor-suit losers; three down for –800.

That might have been a modest gain for MIROGLIO had the Poles managed to bid the diamond slam at the other table, but why should they? Kowalski showed spades and a minor, at least five-five, then diamonds. Four Clubs was a diamond slam try and the next two bids were cuebids. Four No Trump was an encouraging noise but denied the ability to cuebid in clubs. From Tuszyinski’s point of view, there was surely an ace missing plus both minor-suit kings. After a low club lead, Kowalski made all thirteen tricks for +440 but 8 IMPs to FERGANI.

Board 17. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª K 6 © K Q 9 7 4 3 ¨ A 8 4 § K 5
ª Q J 5 3 2 © J 6 2 ¨ Q J 10 5 3 § -		ª 10 9 8 4 © A 10 ¨ K 9 6 2 § J 4 3
	ª A 7 © 8 5 ¨ 7 § A Q 10 9 8 7 6 2

West	North	East	South
Kowalski	Czyzowicz	Tuszynski	Wolpert
	1©	Pass	2§
2©	Dble	4ª	5§
Pass	Pass	5¨	Pass
Pass	Dble	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Fergani	Chagas	L'Ecuyer	Brenner
	1©	Pass	2§
Dble	Rdbl	2¨	Pass
Pass	3©	3ª	4§
Pass	4¨	Pass	4NT
Pass	5©	Pass	7§
Pass	Pass	Dble	Pass
Pass	7©	Dble	Pass
Pass	7NT	Dble	All Pass

North/South are cold for 6§ but getting there in face of the opposition bidding proved to be rather difficult. When Kowalski showed the two unbid suits with his 2© cuebid, Tuszynski jumped to 4ª, taking away a lot of bidding space. Wolpert bid 5§ and Czyzowicz thought a good while before passing. Now Tuszynski saved in 5¨ and Wolpert made a forcing pass. Czyzowicz had another chance and must have been very tempted to bid on but finally decided to take the money. That money proved to be just +300 after a heart lead.

Fergani’s double of 2§ did not guarantee quite the distribution of the cuebid at the other table and East/West did not take away the same amount of bidding space. The Brazilians were on their way to the small slam but, unfortunately, Chagas was playing with every member of his team during the course of the tournament and Brenner was the only one with whom he was using traditional Blackwood. He responded as if playing with any other team member - showing two key cards – and Brenner jumped to 7§. The Brazilians wriggled from one doomed grand to another as each in turn got doubled. The final contract was down two for –300 and 12 IMPs to FERGANI.

Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	ª A 8 © A 4 ¨ 9 7 3 § A Q J 9 7 6
ª 3 © K J 9 7 3 2 ¨ Q 10 6 4 § 5 3		ª Q J 10 7 5 4 2 © Q ¨ A K J 8 § 10
	ª K 9 6 © 10 8 6 5 ¨ 5 2 § K 8 4 2

Both Easts declared 4ª doubled and both Souths led a low club to the ace. Czyzowicz continued with a second club and Tuszynski ruffed and played on trumps; down one for –200. Chagas switched to a diamond at trick two and Brenner won the first trump to play a second diamond so received a ruff when Chagas won the next trump; down two for –500 and 7 IMPs to MIROGLIO.

FERGANI won the match by 28-8 IMPs, converting to 21-9 VPs, to stay at the top table.