USA2 - China Long Zhu (Bermuda Bowl Semifinals 2, 3)

Big swings - by Brent Manley

In the second and third sets of the Bermuda Bowl semi-final match between USA2 and China Long Zhu, the two teams exchanged big swings, trading 102 IMPs on just nine boards. Unfortunately for China, six of the nine big swings went to the Americans.

USA2 was leading 49-23 after the first set, including their 11-IMP carryover, and they came on strong in the second set, starting with board 20.

Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
	♠ 6 4 ♥ K 10 7 6 3 ♦ 10 ♣ K 8 6 5 4
♠ A 8 7 5 ♥ J ♦ A 7 2 ♣ A Q 10 9 2		♠ K J 10 3 ♥ 8 4 2 ♦ J 9 8 6 5 4 ♣
	♠ Q 9 2 ♥ A Q 9 5 ♦ K Q 3 ♣ J 7 3

Zhuang Zejun led a diamond to his partner’s ace. The ♣A was followed by a club ruff, spade to the ace, club ruff and the ♠K. Bob Hamman was two down before he got in. He had the rest of the tricks, however.

2♥ Invitational with three or more spades

Zhao Jie led a low club to the queen and king, ruffed by Meckstroth, who played a low heart from hand. Fu Zhong, South, put in the queen, but Zhao overtook with the king to push the ♦10 through. Meckstroth put up the J, covered by the queen and ace, and he played a spade to the king and then the ♠J, letting it run. He then played a diamond to dummy’s 7, cashed the ♣A for a heart pitch, then ruffed a club, dropping the jack. He could now exit with the diamond, win any return in dummy and claim plus 650 for a 10-IMP swing.

The next board produced more IMPs for USA2.

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

Hamman and Zia Mahmood had a long auction with the North-South cards to reach 3NT, a claimer for 11 tricks almost immediately.

At the other table, Fu and Zhao had an accident, landing in 6♦ by South after North started with a natural 1♣. Rodwell had no difficulty starting with the top two clubs, followed by a club ruff for two down and 13 IMPs to the Americans.

Both pairs for USA2 judged well in competitive auctions on the following deal.

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

Zia started with the ♣K, overtaken by Hamman with the ace to return the jack. Zia overtook, cashed the ♣10 and exited with a heart. Zhuang Zejun entered his hand with a diamond to the ace, followed by the ♠Q, ducked all around, and a spade to the 8. Zhuang couldn’t play a third round of trumps because that would put him at the mercy of a 3-3 split in diamonds, so he tried for that straightaway, cashing the ♦K and ruffing a diamond in hand. Zia overruffed for one down and plus 100 to USA2.

Meckstroth led the ♠J (Rusinow), which held. Fu ruffed the spade continuation and played the ♥K from hand. Rodwell won the ♥A and played a diamond to Meckstroth’s ace. Rodwell took the diamond return with the king and forced declarer with the ♠A. Meckstroth still had the ♥Q to come for plus 500 and 12 more IMPs to USA2.

Another double-digit swing occurred on the following deal.

Board 28. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	♠ 10 5 ♥ Q 10 5 4 2 ♦ Q 5 ♣ J 8 3 2
♠ 8 7 3 2 ♥ J 6 ♦ A 9 8 3 2 ♣ K 4		♠ A 9 4 ♥ K 9 8 7 ♦ 10 7 ♣ Q 7 6 5
	♠ K Q J 6 ♥ A 3 ♦ K J 6 4 ♣ A 10 9

Wang Weimin started with a low diamond, taken by Zia in dummy with the queen. A club went to the 10 and king, and Wang returned a club, ducked around to Zia’s 9. The ♠K was ducked, but Zhuang took the ♠10 with the ace for a diamond return. When Zia played the ♦J on the 7, Wang ducked. Zia then cashed his two good spades and the ♣A, then played the ♥A and a heart to the jack, queen and king. Zhuang had the good ♣Q to cash, but he had to give Zia his ninth trick with a heart to the 10. Plus 600.

Meckstroth led the ♦10 to the jack, 2 and 5. Fu played a heart to his10, ducked by Meckstroth, who won the next spade trick with the ace to continue with a diamond to Rodwell’s ace. On the diamond return, Fu discarded a club. Meckstroth ruffed and got out with a club. Fu went up with the ace, played the ♠K and ♠Q for club pitches. Meckstroth ruffed the fourth spade and exited with a club. He still had a trump trick coming, but Fu had plus 110. Still it was a 10-IMP loss.

There were still two big swings left for the Americans.

Board 30. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	♠ 10 7 6 4 ♥ A J 10 5 3 ♦ 8 ♣ 6 5 3
♠ 9 8 3 ♥ Q 8 4 ♦ A J 10 7 ♣ Q J 9		♠ A J 5 ♥ 9 6 ♦ K Q 9 6 5 ♣ A 10 2
	♠ K Q 2 ♥ K 7 2 ♦ 4 3 2 ♣ K 8 7 4

1NT 13-15
2♣ Majors

Zia didn’t see how two hands willing to play 1NT were going to take nine tricks, and his estimation was correct. Hamman’s 2♣ promised majors, so Zia started with the ♠K. Zhuang won and entered dummy with a diamond to run the ♣Q. Zia won the ♣K, played the ♠Q, then the ♥K and a heart to the queen and ace. Hamman had three more hearts to cash for three down and plus 500.

With the club finesse failing, Meckstroth had only eight tricks. Still, minus 50 meant another 10 IMPs to USA2.

The final swing of the set could have been a push had the Chinese declarer taken a different view in the critical suit.

Board 31. Dealer South. None Vul.
	♠ 10 6 4 2 ♥ Q 6 5 ♦ 4 3 ♣ K 10 5 4
♠ J 9 8 ♥ A 7 4 3 ♦ 10 9 5 ♣ A J 7		♠ A 7 ♥ 2 ♦ A K J 8 7 2 ♣ 9 6 3 2
	♠ K Q 5 3 ♥ K J 10 9 8 ♦ Q 6 ♣ Q 8

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

Hamman led a low heart to the king, ducked. The ♥J was also ducked, Hamman overtaking with the queen to knock out the ace. Wang played a diamond to dummy’s ace, then a club to his ace and the ♦9, letting it ride. Zia won the ♦Q and cashed two heart tricks and the ♣Q for two down and plus 100.

Fu also led a low heart, and Rodwell took the king with the ace to play a diamond to dummy’s ace. Back in hand with the ♣A, Rodwell played a second diamond and studied the dummy for a long time before finally going up with the king, dropping the queen and scoring his game for another 11 IMPs to USA2, who won the set 68-11.

Set 3

China got a measure of revenge in the next set, winning 45-18 to show they weren’t going to go quietly.

They score big right off the bat.

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	♠ K Q J 9 2 ♥ Q 5 4 2 ♦ A K J ♣ 2
♠ A 10 7 ♥ J 8 6 ♦ 7 6 4 3 ♣ 9 7 4		♠ 6 ♥ A 7 ♦ 10 9 5 2 ♣ A Q J 10 6 5
	♠ 8 5 4 3 ♥ K 10 9 3 ♦ Q 8 ♣ K 8 3

1♣ Strong.

Dai Jianming and Yang Lixin found the right spot, and Dai landed his contract. He won the opening diamond lead in hand and played the ♠K to Zia’s ace. He won the diamond continuation in hand, pulled two more rounds of trumps, then played a club. Hamman won the ace and played a club to dummy’s king. Now a club ruff eliminated that suit, and Dai cashed the ♦J for a heart pitch, then played a heart to the king and the ♥9. This forced the ace and Dai claimed for a 10-IMP gain.

Fu won the opening club lead with the ace and shot back his singleton spade. Zhao won the ace and gave his partner a ruff. The trump ace was the fourth trick for the defense. Plus 50 was good for 10 IMPs to China.

On the other big swing of the set, there were a lot of IMPs riding on the opening lead. Fortunately for China, Meckstroth did not find the killer.

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

Dai cashed his two high clubs, but Zia had the rest for plus 650. There were fireworks at the other table.

Fu’s decision to overcall 1NT with his 4-1-4-4 shape worked out well because the hand with the two cashing clubs was not on lead.

Rodwell’s double told Meckstroth not to lead a spade, and a trump lead was also out, so he had to pick between clubs and diamonds. After thinking for a long time, Meckstroth finally went with a diamond. Fu won in hand, played two high hearts, cashed the ♠K, then played a diamond back to hand to cash the ♠A and two high diamonds to get rid of dummy’s losing clubs. Plus 1660 was good for 14 IMPs in China’s come-back set.