USA2 - Norway (Bermuda Bowl Round 6)

Battle royal - by Brent Manley

When two teams with high expectations face each other, there is naturally keen interest. That was certainly the case in the sixth round of the Bermuda Bowl qualifying when the defending champions, Norway, played against USA2, the veteran Nick Nickell squad.

After three boards, Norway held a 4-IMP lead, which grew larger after this deal.

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

After Espen Lindqvist showed some values with the jump to 3♦, Boye Brogeland felt secure in doubling Jeff Meckstroth’s 4♠. Meckstroth ducked the opening diamond lead, won the continuation and cashed two high spades, getting the bad news. A heart went to the queen and ace. On the club return, Meckstroth had no choice but to duck to Brogeland’s king. That was two down for plus 500 to Norway.

Given Hamman’s free bid, Zia Mahmood’s pass of 4♠ seems out of character. He and Bob Hamman took the same five tricks against Erik Saelensminde’s contract, but plus 200 meant Norway gained 7 IMPs.

Zia made up for it two boards later.

Board 21. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
	♠ K ♥ 8 7 ♦ Q J 7 5 ♣ A 7 5 4 3 2
♠ 7 6 3 ♥ Q 9 4 ♦ A 10 9 4 3 2 ♣ K		♠ Q J 8 5 2 ♥ K J 6 5 3 ♦ ♣ Q J 9
	♠ A 10 9 4 ♥ A 10 2 ♦ K 8 6 ♣ 10 8 6

Brogeland started with the ♣6, taken by Lindqvist with the ace. Lindqvist cashed the ♠K and played a diamond to Brogeland’s king and dummy’s ace, Meckstroth discarding a heart. Meckstroth played a spade to the jack and ace, and Brogeland exited with the ♠10. Meckstroth won and played a heart to the queen, then a heart to the king and South’s ace. Brogeland’s second trump trick was it for the defense, and Meckstroth scored up plus 110.

2♣ Diamonds

Zia’s double in this case seems more speculative than a double would have been on board 19, but it paid a big dividend.

Zia started with a low club to Hamman’s ace, and Hamman continued with the ♠K, Zia following with the 9. Any return by Hamman would have defeated the contract, but he took the direct route by playing a heart to Zia’s ace. Zia then cashed the ♠A and gave Hamman a ruff for two down. Plus 300 and plus 110 gave USA2 9 IMPs to close the gap to 2 IMPs.

USA2 gave back 6 IMPs on the next deal.

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

Eric Rodwell started with a low diamond to his partner’s ace. Meckstroth cashed two high hearts and exited with a spade to the jack, queen and ace. Brogeland cashed the ♥J and ♦Q to get rid of his two low spades, then he played a club to the 10 and Rodwell’s jack. Brogeland lost only another trump trick from there to finish with eight tricks and plus 90.

Overbidding pays off on occasion, but not always, and this contract is a case in point, although had West’s clubs been switched with East’s, the story might have had a different ending.

On the opening spade lead, Hamman inserted the jack. When it was covered by the queen and ace, Hamman’s hand was dead. He played a club to the queen and king, ducked the spade return and won the continuation with the king. He played the ♦K to East’s ace. East cashed two high hearts and the good spade, then got out with a club. Hamman finessed the 10, losing to the jack. That was three down for minus 150 and 6 IMPs to Norway.

Board 24 from this match grand slams in clubs at both tables was exciting, to say the least, and it is covered in a separate report on page 5.

This deal, well played at both tables, was good for 7 IMPs to USA2.

Board 25. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	♠ 6 4 ♥ A K 8 ♦ 10 9 3 2 ♣ A 9 5 2
♠ Q 9 8 5 3 ♥ 9 ♦ K 6 ♣ K J 10 6 4		♠ K 10 ♥ Q 6 5 4 ♦ Q J 8 7 5 ♣ Q 7
	♠ A J 7 2 ♥ J 10 7 3 2 ♦ A 4 ♣ 8 3

Rodwell led the ♦K to Brogeland’s ace. Brogeland played the ♠A and a second spade to Meckstroth’s king. After Brogeland ducked the ♣Q, Meckstroth continued with the ♦Q and the ♦7, ruffed by Brogeland with the ♥J. Brogeland played a club to the ace, and on the third round of clubs, Meckstroth ruffed. Had he ruffed with ♥Q and led a fourth diamond, declarer would have had to guess well. Brogeland overruffed, played a heart to the ace, ruffed a club, ruffed a spade with the ♥K and in the two-card ending, dummy held the ♥8 and ♦10, Meckstroth the ♥Q 6 and Brogeland the ♠J and ♥10. On the lead of the diamond from dummy, Brogeland was able to make his ♥10 en passant for a well-earned plus 140.

At the other table, Hamman did him one better.

2♦ Flannery (five hearts, four spades, 11-15 high-card points)

Saelensminde started with the ♦Q, taken by Hamman with the ace. He played a second diamond at trick two. Austberg won and played his singleton trump to Hamman’s ace. Hamman then played a spade to the 10, jack and queen and won the continuation of the ♣J with the ace. Hamman then played the ♦9, covered by the jack, and ruffed in dummy. The ♠A was next, followed by a spade ruff with the ♥K. Hamman could claim at that point, planning to discard the losing club on the ♦10, ruff a club and then ruff a spade with the ♥8. Saelensminde could make the ♥Q but nothing more. Plus 420 was worth 7 IMPs.

Norway won the close match 24-22 to maintain their lead in the round robin after six matches.