china smeg  v   NORWAY    -    bb  Round 18

by Mark Horton

It was just about standing room only for the important R18 clash between two of the teams occupying qualifying spots in the race to the Knock Out.

To the disappointment of the home supporters it was Norway who made the early running – although the pace of play in the Closed Room barely rose above a snail’s pace.

Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	♠ A J 8 7 4 2 ♥ 9 8 6 4 ♦ 4 ♣ K 5
♠ 10 6 5 3 ♥ 7 3 2 ♦ Q 2 ♣ A Q 10 9		♠ K ♥ A J 10 ♦ A K J 10 8 6 ♣ J 8 6
	♠ Q 9 ♥ K Q 5 ♦ 9 7 5 3 ♣ 7 4 3 2

Open Room

South led the queen of hearts and declarer won and played a club to the nine. North won and played back a heart and when South played a third heart declarer had the rest, +460.

With East as declarer only a double dummy lead of the queen (or nine) of spades will defeat 3NT. North wins the ace, switches to a heart and South wins and plays a second spade. When that holds a club switch leaves declarer with no hope.

Closed Room

With West as declarer North’s lead of the nine of hearts was fatal.

Rather than risk an avalanche of spades declarer went up with dummy’s ace, cashed six diamonds and took the losing club finesse. North cashed the ace of spades and when South failed to unblock the queen declarer made another trick at the end, but that was still one down, -50 and 11 IMPs to Norway.

Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	♠ 9 8 ♥ ♦ K Q 10 7 6 ♣ A K Q 9 7 4
♠ A Q 6 ♥ A 10 8 7 4 3 2 ♦ A 9 5 ♣		♠ J 7 4 3 ♥ K ♦ J 3 2 ♣ J 10 8 6 3
	♠ K 10 5 2 ♥ Q J 9 6 5 ♦ 8 4 ♣ 5 2

Open Room

For the second time on VuGraph in the Championships we saw a player overcall an opening bid with 4NT.

It was not exactly a triumph.

West led the ace of diamonds and continued with the nine. Declarer won in dummy and cashed a top trump, West discarding the eight of hearts. There was nothing declarer could do to avoid three down, -500.

Closed Room

2♥ Both majors 2-8

When 3NT was doubled North ran to his longest suit – and although that was also doubled it was worth 5 IMPs.

China Smeg gave their supporters something to cheer about on the next deal:

Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul.
	♠ K 9 7 3 ♥ Q 9 8 7 5 3 ♦ 8 ♣ A 10
♠ 6 5 2 ♥ ♦ A K Q J 5 ♣ K 6 4 3 2		♠ Q 4 ♥ A K 10 6 ♦ 10 9 6 ♣ J 9 8 7
	♠ A J 10 8 ♥ J 4 2 ♦ 7 4 3 2 ♣ Q 5

Open Room

I cannot tell you if it is a good idea to bid 3♣ on the West cards, but that and the possession of some very good looking trumps may have influenced East’s decision to double 3♥.

West won the diamond lead and tried to cash a second trick in the suit. Declarer ruffed, played the seven of hearts – and ran it when East followed with the six.

East won the next heart and played a diamond, declarer ruffing and playing a heart. East won and exited with a spade. That speeded play up, +730.

If East had exited with a heart declarer would have more than one way to get home. For instance he might win, unblocking one of dummy’s spades and then play a spade to the ace and run the ten of spades. East wins but has to play a club and declarer will not go wrong.

Closed Room

The Norwegian pair did their best by bidding up to 3♥ but this time East preferred to bid 3NT.

South led the jack of hearts and declarer won and ran the nine of clubs. North took the ten and played a second heart. Declarer finessed the ten and played another club.

North won and switched to a spade. That was two down, -200.

One whimsical idea struck me. Suppose East wins the second heart with ace and plays a club. When North wins with the ace might he play a low heart assuming South must have the ten?

Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
	♠ K 6 ♥ J 10 ♦ 6 5 4 2 ♣ A Q 9 8 6
♠ Q J 2 ♥ Q 6 4 ♦ A 10 9 8 7 ♣ 7 4		♠ 10 8 7 5 ♥ 8 7 5 2 ♦ Q J 3 ♣ 5 2
	♠ A 9 4 3 ♥ A K 9 3 ♦ K ♣ K J 10 3

Open Room

West led the queen of spades and declarer won in dummy and played a diamond. West won and played back a diamond so declarer was able to ruff, cash one top trump and play on cross ruff lines, +920.

Closed Room

2♥ 8+, 5/4, 4/5 minors
2♠ Relay
2NT 5♣, 5♦, 8-11
3♦ Slam try in ♣
(This is how the bidding was described on BBO – there is some doubt about the precise meaning of 2NT – it may be that it promised 4♦/5♣.)

Play was more or less identical at this table after the same opening lead of the queen of spades, no swing.

6♣ is an excellent contract, virtually cold unless a trump is led. In that case West can play a second trump when in with the ace of diamonds, preventing the crossruff.

This happened at least one table in the Venice Cup and declarer relied on the heart finesse, going one down.

As my forte is not mathematics (as my fan well knows) I cannot tell you if that is the best line, but it is not the only line.

Suppose declarer plays to ruff two diamonds in dummy and two heart in hand. If the queen of hearts falls (as it does here) you are home and if it does not you may achieve a squeeze. For example just give East the queen of hearts – this will be the three card ending:

	♠ 6 ♥ ♦ 6 ♣ 9
♠ Q 2 ♥ ♦ 10 ♣		♠ 10 8 ♥ Q ♦ ♣
	♠ A 9 ♥ 9 ♦ ♣

When declarer plays the last trump East has to discard a spade. The nine of hearts goes from dummy and West has no answer.

Giovanni Watulingas of Indonesia played along those lines to bring home the slam in the match against New Zealand (they stopped in 5♣ in the other room.)

Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul.
	♠ A 9 7 6 ♥ Q J 10 5 2 ♦ A 3 ♣ 8 4
♠ K Q 8 5 4 ♥ K 9 4 ♦ 9 6 ♣ J 3 2		♠ 3 ♥ 8 7 6 ♦ J 10 5 ♣ A Q 9 7 6 5
	♠ J 10 2 ♥ A 3 ♦ K Q 8 7 4 2 ♣ K 10

Open Room

2♣ Invitational in ♥
2♥ Maybe 2♥

West led the two of clubs and East won with the ace and switched to the three of spades. Declarer had to win with the ace and played a heart to the ace and a heart. West won, cashed a spade and gave East a ruff, +100.

If North had bid 2♠ over 2♥ then both 3NT and 4♠ would also have been in the picture.

Closed Room

The Norwegians reached 3NT – a contract that could not be defeated as the cards lie.

West led the three of clubs and declarer took his tricks, +600 and 12 IMPs to Norway.

Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.
	♠ A J 9 4 ♥ Q ♦ 6 2 ♣ Q J 10 7 4 2
♠ 10 3 ♥ K 10 8 6 5 ♦ 9 ♣ A K 6 5 3		♠ K 8 6 2 ♥ A J 7 ♦ J 10 5 4 3 ♣ 9
	♠ Q 7 5 ♥ 9 4 3 2 ♦ A K Q 8 7 ♣ 8

Open Room

I will leave you to use your own adjective to ascribe to South’s imaginative bid of 4♠.

West led the ace of clubs and switched to the nine of diamonds. Declarer won and played a spade to the jack and king. East cashed the ace of hearts and switched to the jack of diamonds. Declarer had nowhere to go, down three, -800.

Closed Room

The Norwegians were able to stop at a safe level so although the contract was two down, -200 was enough to earn them 12 IMPs.

Norway were assured of an important win but China Smeg reduced the margin just before the end:

Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
	♠ J 10 7 4 ♥ Q 2 ♦ ♣ A K J 7 6 4 3
♠ A 9 6 3 ♥ J 10 3 ♦ J 8 6 5 ♣ Q 5		♠ 8 2 ♥ A K 8 7 4 ♦ K 10 3 2 ♣ 10 8
	♠ K Q 5 ♥ 9 6 5 ♦ A Q 9 7 4 ♣ 9 2

Open Room

1♠ Denies 4♠

There was nothing to the play, declarer losing a spade and two hearts, +130.

Closed Room

The spotlight was on West. When he led the ten of hearts China Smeg had dodged that particular bullet and the contract was swiftly two down, -200 and 8 IMPs.

Norway won 42-26 IMPs, 19-11 VP – leaving China Smeg to face an anxious last three rounds.