England - Belgium (D'Orsi Seniors Bowl Round 11)

Chip Wars - by Mark Horton

Working on the principle that a bridge article without an introduction is like a broken pencil pointless I tried to come up with something that linked England and Belgium who met in a top of the table clash in Round 11 of the D’Orsi Seniors Bowl. My first thought was two famous detectives created by Agatha Christie, Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, but then it came to me.

Both countries are immensely fond of chips!!

The Belgians are famous for serving their fries with mayonnaise, (frites with, as we say) and there is a whole web site devoted to the subject of how their version is sweeping the world: http://www.belgianfries.com (an amazing web site, well worth a visit).

Earlier this year the Frietkot (fry shop) was voted the most typical ‘Face of Belgium’!

Traditionally the English used to prefer to eat their chips out of newspapers, usually accompanied by fish, with salt and vinegar and/or ketchup being optional extras, but times have changed.

The most famous purveyor of England’s national dish was Harry Ramsden. He started small, but with big ambitions, when in 1928 when his first takeaway outlet opened in a hut in Guiseley, Yorkshire.

His top quality fish and chips brought customers visiting from all over. He soon needed bigger premises to accommodate them all, building a restaurant in 1931, with stylish décor modelled on the Ritz. On its 21st birthday in 1952, a world record 10,000 people were served fish and chips.

Harry Ramsden’s is now famous as the biggest fish and chip shop brand in the world.

I can’t tell you how many of the players enjoy the odd serving of chips, but from now on I expect you to be keeping a close eye on their eating habits if they pay a visit to the Piano Bar!

Anyhow, their match was full of incident, as you will see as we pick up the action:

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

Open Room

As well as providing the VuGraph, BBO is showing another four matches from every round, so they need a lot of commentators. Inevitably, as they all volunteers, they are not always top-drawer. On this deal, for example, one of them predicted that 3NT would be reached very quickly. It would have been if South had rebid 2NT, but West’s Three Spades made life awkward and North/South finished in a poor spot.

East led the queen of spades and declarer won in dummy and drew two rounds of trumps. To a man, the commentators now suggested that the contract would be made only if declarer took a brilliant view in hearts. (Some wanted him to play the nine, hoping to tempt a cover from East.) They had overlooked that when declarer played a heart West would win and switch to the queen of clubs (as happened here) for a simple one down. If declarer had discarded a club on a top spade then he might have got home by then playing a club to the king. Once East turns up with the ace of clubs West must have the ace of hearts, so the double finesse becomes the best chance. Of course this would fail if West had both aces and that was by no means impossible given the bidding.

Anyhow that was +50 for East/West.

Closed Room

This time South did bid 2NT, and that was all North needed to see. Declarer won the spade lead, crossed to hand with a diamond and played a heart to the king and ace. When West switched to a low club, declarer put up the king but he had nine tricks, +400 and 10 IMPs to Belgium.

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

Open Room

I leave you to judge if the West hand justifies a direct drive to slam. North led the eight of spades and declarer put up dummy’s queen and ran the queen of hearts. When North turned up with the doubleton king declarer only needed the diamond finesse (or an unlikely squeeze), but fate decreed he was one down, -100.

However, suppose either defender had held king to three hearts? With only one entry to dummy declarer would have no chance at all. Having won the spade in dummy, you might choose to finesse in diamonds at trick two. If that works you can play ace of hearts and a heart. A fair alternative is to win the spade lead in hand and simply play ace of hearts and a heart. Then you will need the diamond finesse.

Closed Room

Here West established that his partner had a decent hand and after a couple of cue bids he jumped to slam. South led his spade and declarer won and ran the ten of hearts. North took the king and returned the nine of spades (he had played the eight on the first round). South ruffed and ignored his partner’s signal by playing back a trump. Still, I doubt declarer would have finessed had he switched to a diamond. The contract was two down, -200 giving Belgium 3 IMPs.

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

Open Room

West’s lead directing overcall led to what proved to be a comfortable contract. North led the nine of hearts and South won and returned the suit. Declarer put in the ten and then played a spade to the jack. South won that and tried the queen of hearts. Declarer won with the king, pitching a diamond, ruffed a diamond and played a spade. Nine tricks were secure, +140.

Closed Room

East led the jack of spades and declarer played four rounds of the suit, discarding all his clubs. West won the last of those tricks, but declarer was in control, +110 handing Belgium 6 IMPs.

Having outbid their opponents on a part score deal, the Belgians repeated the dose at a higher level:

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

Open Room

2NT Relay

4♣ Splinter

The relay of 2NT has become a popular idea. From my limited knowledge of the method, East’s splinter jump generally suggests a minimum hand with four-card trump support. Being reasonably confident that East’s values had to include at least one top diamond West pressed on to the slam.

North led the five of hearts and declarer won with the nine, drew trumps and claimed +1430.

Closed Room

I suppose East might have bid Four Clubs over Three Hearts, but as it was stopping in game cost England 13 IMPs.

After losing an IMP on the opening deal Belgium had amassed an unanswered 37 IMPs, but England finally got back on the scoreboard:

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	♠ A J 9 ♥ J ♦ A J 7 5 2 ♣ 7 6 4 2
♠ 4 3 ♥ Q 8 6 5 ♦ K Q 9 3 ♣ Q 10 5		♠ 10 8 7 5 2 ♥ 10 9 3 2 ♦ 10 6 4 ♣ 9
	♠ K Q 6 ♥ A K 7 4 ♦ 8 ♣ A K J 8 3

Open Room

Given a free run, the English pair made short work of this deal, North’s splinter in support of clubs enabling South to drive to the laydown slam, +1370.

Closed Room

At this level it was hardly surprising that East attempted a diversion by trying a Multi (there may still be time to fit the deal into the Mysterious Multi!) When South jumped to 3NT North was no doubt tempted to do something, but when he passed, scoring ten tricks on a spade lead, England had recovered 12 IMPs.

If North had decided to bid one idea is to adopt whatever method you would have used over 2NT, one possibility being 4♣ Stayman, 4♦/4♥ Transfers and 4♠ for the minors.

Board 14. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	♠ K 9 4 ♥ 3 ♦ K J ♣ A K J 9 7 6 4
♠ A 10 7 2 ♥ Q 10 4 ♦ 10 5 3 2 ♣ 10 5		♠ Q 6 5 3 ♥ A K J 8 5 ♦ A 8 6 4 ♣
	♠ J 8 ♥ 9 7 6 2 ♦ Q 9 7 ♣ Q 8 3 2

Open Room

I have no idea why West did not show his spades or simply raise hearts, but with the spade suit unmentioned North was allowed to steal the board in Three Clubs. He lost to the three aces, but that was +130.

Closed Room

North/South held the loss on the deal to 6 IMPs by pressing on to Five Clubs. If East/West had bid on to Five Spades then North has to lead his singleton heart to beat it.

Board 15. Dealer South. None Vul.
	♠ K ♥ A Q 8 6 ♦ A 7 6 4 3 ♣ K 6 5
♠ A Q 9 4 ♥ J 9 5 3 ♦ 10 5 2 ♣ 9 3		♠ J 10 6 3 2 ♥ K 10 2 ♦ K 9 ♣ A J 4
	♠ 8 7 5 ♥ 7 4 ♦ Q J 8 ♣ Q 10 8 7 2

Open Room

Opening 1NT with a singleton honour can work, but it carries a health warning. East led the three of spades and West put up the ace, felling the king and continued with the queen. East contributed the ten to this trick so West switched to the nine of hearts. Declarer put up the ace, played a club to the queen and ran the queen of diamonds. When that lost he was booked for four down, -400.

Closed Room

South led the queen of diamonds, which was allowed to run to declarer’s king. He played a spade to the ace (gladdening the heart of many a Rabbi) and the appearance of the king meant ten tricks were recorded. That gave Belgium 6 IMPs and they became the first team to lower England’s colours, winning 43-24 IMPs, 19-11 VP.