USA2 - Netherlands (Bermuda Bowl Quarterfinal 2)

by Brian Senior

USA2 went into their Bermuda Bowl quarter-final match with the Netherlands with a 5 IMP carry-over advantage and won the first set 46-26 to extend the overall lead to 51-26. Set 2 began with a single-IMP swing to USA2 followed by 4 IMPs to the Netherlands, who also picked up the first major swing of the set.

Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	♠ Q J ♥ J 9 8 4 3 2 ♦ 10 7 ♣ K J 7
♠ 10 6 2 ♥ Q ♦ 9 8 3 2 ♣ A 10 8 5 3		♠ A K 8 5 3 ♥ K ♦ A K Q J 6 4 ♣ 6
	♠ 9 7 4 ♥ A 10 7 6 5 ♦ 5 ♣ Q 9 4 2

Simon de Wijs opened 2♥ in third seat and Jeff Meckstroth showed spades and a minor. When Bauke Muller’s pre-emptive raise came back to him, Meckstroth doubled to show extras but it was impossible for Eric Rodwell to appreciate how close his side were to slam. He passed, of course, and Meckstroth led the king of spades, getting a count card, followed by the ♠A and ♦K, again getting a count card. Now he switched to his singleton club and collected a ruff for down three; 500.

Bob Hamman did not open the North hand, so Bas Drijver got to open 2♣, strong and artificial. Two Diamonds was a relay and 3♠ showed spades and diamonds, Sjoert Brink giving preference to the latter. Drijver asked for key cards and bid the slam when he found one.

The fact that Brink also had three spades was a touch unlucky, making 6♦ a very poor contract. However, the spade position was just what Brink required to make his slam; a very lucky +1370 and 13 IMPs to Netherlands, 43-47.

Board 23. Dealer South. All Vul.
	♠ A 5 ♥ A K Q 9 8 6 4 2 ♦ K 8 ♣ 7
♠ Q 9 4 ♥ J ♦ J 9 7 5 3 ♣ Q 9 8 5		♠ J 10 6 3 ♥ 10 3 ♦ A Q 4 2 ♣ J 10 2
	♠ K 8 7 2 ♥ 7 5 ♦ 10 6 ♣ A K 6 4 3

Hamman/Zia’s essentially natural auction after the artificial 2♣ opening got them to 6♥ by North, an excellent contract. Drijver led the ace of diamonds but that was all for the defence; +1430.

De Wijs opened a strong club and the Dutch methods obliged Muller to respond 1♥, showing 9+ with at least four spades, not denying a longer suit elsewhere. The Dutch duly bid to 6♥, but with Rodwell on lead to push a diamond through, and that was one down for 100 and 17 IMPs to USA2; 66-43.

Board 26. Dealer East. All Vul.
	♠ 8 7 ♥ K 9 8 ♦ J 6 5 4 2 ♣ A 8 5
♠ J 5 4 ♥ A J 10 7 6 ♦ 9 ♣ 10 9 6 2		♠ K 10 9 2 ♥ Q 4 ♦ A K 3 ♣ K J 7 4
	♠ A Q 6 3 ♥ 5 3 2 ♦ Q 10 8 7 ♣ Q 3

After identical auctions, both Souths led a diamond, Zia the seven, Muller the eight (third and low). Both declarers won the ace of diamonds and ran the queen of hearts. Both Norths won the ♥K and switched to a spade to the king and ace and both Souths continued with two more rounds of spades for a ruff. Both Norths returned a low club and finally the two tables deviated. Drijver went up with the king and could draw trumps then get two clubs away on the fourth spades and king of diamonds; +110. Meckstroth played low on the club. Muller won the queen and returned a club to the ace to collect his ruff; down two for 200 and 7 IMPs to Netherlands; 55-71.

Board 29. Dealer North. All Vul.
	♠ Q 7 ♥ 10 7 4 3 ♦ 7 3 ♣ K 9 4 3 2
♠ K 4 3 ♥ 9 6 5 ♦ K 10 5 4 ♣ A J 8		♠ A 10 8 5 ♥ K ♦ A 9 8 6 2 ♣ Q 10 7
	♠ J 9 6 2 ♥ A Q J 8 2 ♦ Q J ♣ 6 5

Meckstroth’s 1♦ opening showed at least two cards (or maybe a stiff honour), so Rodwell could not support diamonds immediately and had to begin with a negative double. When Meckstroth bid 3♠ over de Wijs’s pre-emptive raise, Rodwell still had no way to know that the best fit was in diamonds. Neither was he willing to raise to game with only three spades, so 3♠ was the final contract.

Muller led a club to the jack and king and de Wijs switched to a heart for the king and ace. Meckstroth ruffed the next heart and played ace and king of diamonds, getting the good news, then ace and another club. Muller ruffed that and led a heart but Meckstroth could ruff, cash the ace and king of spades and play diamonds, just losing to the jack of spades; +140.

Muller no doubt considered discarding on the third club to keep his extra trump length. If he does so, declarer can play a diamond, ruffed with the seven, eight and nine, and now South leads a heart, ruffed with the ten. Declarer cashes the ace of spades and leads another diamond and dummy will come to two trumps at the end; still nine tricks. However, if North ruffs the third diamond with the queen it looks as though declarer should be a trick short.

Drijver’s 1♦ opening promised five cards unless 4-4-1-4, so Brink could raise immediately and the way to show a limit raise plus was to bid 2♠. When Hamman competed with 3♥ and that came around to him, Brink doubled for take-out then, appreciating the value of his three low hearts, probably marking partner with a singleton, cuebid 4♣ over Drijver’s 3♠ response. Drijver in turn showed his heart control but nobody had sufficient to go past game.

Zia led a club and when the finesse lost Drijver knew his fate unless there was a second miracle spade position in the set. This time it was not to be and the contract was down one for 100 and 6 IMPs to USA2; 77-55.

Board 31. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	♠ Q 4 ♥ K 9 6 4 ♦ J 10 5 3 ♣ J 8 5
♠ A 5 2 ♥ A 10 5 2 ♦ A Q 6 4 ♣ Q 9		♠ 9 8 6 3 ♥ J 8 7 3 ♦ ♣ A K 10 4 2
	♠ K J 10 7 ♥ Q ♦ K 9 8 7 2 ♣ 7 6 3

Rodwell opened 1NT, 14-16, and the Americans had a simple Stayman auction to 4♥. De Wijs led the jack of diamonds. Rodwell threw a spade from dummy and won the queen, ruffed a diamond and led a low heart to the queen and ace then ruffed his remaining low diamond. The jack of hearts lost to the king and back came the queen of spades. Rodwell won, cashed the ten of hearts and played on clubs. Both spade losers went away so that was 11 tricks for +450.

Brink also opened 1NT, 15-17, and Drivjer’s response showed a shortage, in a minor and 3♥ asked. 3NT showed short diamonds and now 4♣ was read differently by the two players. Brink intended 4♣ as a further asking bid while Drijver took it to be natural and raised, meaning that Brink had to play a level higher than he would have liked.

Hamman too led a diamond, the three to the king and ace. Brink ruffed a low diamond but he now led the jack of hearts to the queen and ace. A second diamond ruff was followed by the last heart from dummy, but there were three trump losers so Brink was down one for 50 and 11 IMPs to USA2.

USA2 won the session by 39-29 to lead overall by 90-55.