Morocco - Bulgaria (Bermuda Bowl Round 2)

Strictly Bridge - by Mark Horton

The Samba music rhythm has been danced in Brazil since its inception in the late 19th century. There is actually a set of dances, rather than a single dance, that define the Samba dancing scene in Brazil; thus, no one dance can be claimed with certainty as the ‘original’ Samba style.

It is one of the dances featured in the world wide series of TV programmes centered around ballroom dancing (based on the movie Strictly Ballroom) where celebrities appear with professional ballroom dancers, who each week compete by performing dances, which are then given scores by a panel of judges.

It ocurred to me that one way for bridge to obtain some welcome publicity would be for some of our stars to appear on the programme. Two that readily spring to mind are Sabine Auken & Zia Mahmood, both of whom would look good on the dance floor. No doubt you can suggest others.

While I’m thinking of ways to introduce them to the TV producers you might like to think up some bridge dancing partnerships. How about Boye Brogeland & Cecilia Rimstedt, or Victor Aronov & Connie Goldberg?

I’ll leave you to try your hand at some other combinations but before I present the highlights from the Bermuda Bowl match between Morocco and Bulgaria I’ll refer you to page 44 of the Championship programme which illustrates that the link between bridge and dacing is by no means far fetched it refers to the Senior’s Ball.

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	♠ J 3 ♥ A K J 9 8 4 ♦ Q ♣ A 10 4 3
♠ K 8 5 4 2 ♥ 10 6 2 ♦ J 5 2 ♣ Q 5		♠ 10 9 7 ♥ 5 3 ♦ A 6 4 3 ♣ 9 8 7 2
	♠ A Q 6 ♥ Q 7 ♦ K 10 9 8 7 ♣ K J 6

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Aronov	Hayat	Stefanov	Cambournac
		Pass	1NT
Pass	3♥ *	Pass	3♠ *
Pass	3NT *	Pass	4♣ *
Pass	4NT *	Pass	5♦ *
Pass	6♥	All Pass

3♥ Sets trumps
3♠ Spade control, doubleton heart
3NT Key card ask
4♣ One key card
4NT King ask
5♦ Two kings

With North as declarer a spade lead would spell the defeat of Six Hearts, but could East find one? Given that West had not doubled Four Clubs or Five Diamonds it was surely a real possibility, but East could not resist laying down the ace of diamonds and now the diamond position meant declarer was in control, +1430.

Closed Room

North/South right-sided the contract, but when they not unreasonably stopped in game Bulgaria lost 13 IMPs.

As their Captain remarked ‘Okay, we wait for the next board’ and as you will see it was worth waiitng for:

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

West promised spades and a minor (a popular method which is explained in detail in a forthcoming Masterpoint Press book entitled The Mysterious Multi) and when East declined to get involved North/South settled peacefully in a part score.

East led the four of clubs and West took the ace and returned the suit (a diamond switch would give the defenders a chance of a plus score). Declarer won with the king and somewhat mysterioulsy played a diamond to the queen, followed by a trump to the queen and ace. (It was hardly obvious for West to go up with the king.) East cashed the ace of spades and played a diamond, but West could only ruff with the king of hearts and now declarer could pick up East’s trumps to record +140.

Closed Room

There is an old adage ‘Twice armed is he whose cause is just, but thrice armed is he who gets his blow in first.’ Here it was South who struck first and that produced an auction that rapidly escalated. South led the five of hearts and declarer failed to divine the position in either black suit, finishing with only six tricks, down four, -1100 handing Bulgaria 14 IMPs and a lead they were not to relinquish.

Board 22. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
	♠ K J 9 7 6 ♥ J 6 4 3 ♦ 8 4 ♣ 8 6
♠ 10 4 ♥ Q 10 9 2 ♦ Q 3 2 ♣ 10 9 7 5		♠ A Q 5 3 ♥ K ♦ A J 10 5 ♣ A Q J 3
	♠ 8 2 ♥ A 8 7 5 ♦ K 9 7 6 ♣ K 4 2

1♣ Precision
1♦ Negative

Having shown a modest hand with his negative, West was able to double for take out on the next round and East had an easy jump to game. South led the eight of spades and declarer put up dummy’s ten, ducking when North produced the jack. (As the cards lie it is better to win at once.) North continued with the king of spades and declarer won and played the king of hearts. When that held he continued with the ace and queen of clubs, South ducking, when it is better to win and switch to hearts. Declarer could now get home by switching to diamonds but a third club put South on play. The five of hearts was covered by the nine and North’s… four. Now the game of ping pong was decided in declarer’s favour as he simply gave up a diamond to score +600.

Closed Room

South led a diamond and declarer won and played the king of hearts. When that held a diamond went to South’s king and the diamond return saw declarer win in dummy and play a club to South’s king. The spade switch went to the king and ace and when declarer cashed his minor suit winners North discarded too many spades so East made eleven tricks, +210, but lost 9 IMPs.

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

As is so often the case the opening lead was a key issue on this deal. On a spade lead declarer would have been in with a chance, but East led the five of clubs and West cashed his aces, +100.

1♣ Precision

North/South earned an easy 13 IMPs by avoiding the slam. Naturally West led a spade, so declarer could discard his losing clubs and then, when it didn’t matter, get the diamonds right for +680.

Board 32. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
	♠ A K J 8 2 ♥ A ♦ K 5 4 ♣ A 8 7 6
♠ Q 9 5 3 ♥ 9 8 ♦ 10 9 8 ♣ K Q 5 3		♠ 10 7 4 ♥ J 10 6 5 ♦ A Q J 6 3 ♣ 4
	♠ 6 ♥ K Q 7 4 3 2 ♦ 7 2 ♣ J 10 9 2

3NT was hopeless. West led the ten of diamonds and the defenders cashed five tricks in that suit and then switched to a heart, leaving declarer with no way to take more than six tricks, -150.

Played by North Five Clubs has excellent chances, as the king of diamonds is protected. East led the jack of hearts and declarer won in hand,cashed the top spades discarding a diamond and then ruffed a spade with the jack of clubs. Now the winning line at double dummy is to play on cross ruff lines, but naturally declarer played a diamond, the king losing to the ace. East accurately switched to a club, but West failed to split his honours. Declarer won in hand, and now made the natural looking play of ruffing a diamond (a spade ruff is required). He cashed a top heart, discarding a spade and then played the queen of hearts. Now West must ruff with an honour to leave declarer a trick short, but a diamond discard saw declarer discard his remaining spade. He then ruffed a heart as West discarded his last spade (it was too late to ruff high now) and ruffed a diamond. West could overruff, but then had to lead into North’s ♣A6.