England - Poland (D'Orsi Seniors Bowl Finals 1-3)

by Mark Horton

The first day of the Seniors final was a fluctuating affair, with both teams enjoying long periods in the ascendancy. Here are some of the highlights:

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

Open Room

After a couple of cue bids North asked and then settled for 6NT. He won the club lead, crossed to the ace of spades and played a diamond to the ten, shortly claiming all the tricks for +1020.

Closed Room

2♦ Game forcing

When the English pair fell short they lost 11 IMPs.

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

Open Room

Two Hearts was a comfortable spot. Declarer won the lead of the three of clubs with dummy’s ace and ran the seven of hearts to North’s king. It was all plain sailing now and declarer emerged with ten tricks, +170.

Closed Room

Once East elected to go on over Two Hearts by bidding out his shape East/West were bound to get to game.

North led the seven of spades and put up dummy’s jack, tempting South to cover which simplified declarer’s task when he achieved his objective, South’s king losing to West’s ace. (The club position would have produced a ninth trick in any event.) Taking no chances declarer simply cashed out for +600 and 10 IMPs.

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

Open Room

2♦ Multi
4♣ Please transfer to your major
4♥ Spades

With no obvious way into the auction on the first round West had to bide his time and then he doubled on the next round. East had an obvious looking double of Four Spades, but the only lead to beat the contract is a trump, giving nothing away and that was asking rather a lot. East’s choice of a heart saw West allow declarer to win with the king of hearts and he continued with the queen and ten of spades, followed by the ten of hearts. West won with the queen and found the best exit of a club. Declarer played dummy’s jack and East took the ace. The only way to save the overtrick is to exit with a heart, but East tried a diamond and dummy’s jack was covered by the queen and ace. Declarer ruffed a heart and drew trumps, putting intolerable pressure on West. That was +990.

Closed Room

2NT Relay
3♦ Feature, not minimum, either good trumps or a top diamond honour

East led the six of clubs and declarer took the queen with the king and cashed the queen of spades. West’s club discard was a bitter blow and declarer could take no more than eight tricks, -100 and another 14 IMPs to Poland.

They had won the first set 59-1 IMPs, leaving England with plenty to do.

The second set was not unlike the first, but this time it was England who asked most of the questions:

Board 17. Dealer North. None Vul.
	♠ 10 3 ♥ 10 9 7 6 ♦ J 8 3 ♣ K J 8 5
♠ A 9 8 4 2 ♥ A 8 ♦ Q 10 6 ♣ 7 3 2		♠ K Q ♥ K J 4 2 ♦ A 9 7 4 2 ♣ A Q
	♠ J 7 6 5 ♥ Q 5 3 ♦ K 5 ♣ 10 9 6 4

Open Room

Six Diamonds is the sort of contract a team looking for points tends to reach. If the entry position was a little more fluid it would be quite decent, as declarer might be able to play diamonds in the optimum fashion by running the queen which gives a 71% chance of losing only one trick.

South led the nine of clubs and declarer took the king with the ace. He played a low diamond and South solved another of declarer’s problems by putting up the king. Declarer won the club exit, cashed the ace of diamonds, unblocked the spades and claimed +920.

Closed Room

South led a club for the king and ace. Declarer unblocked the spades, crossed to dummy with a heart and cashed the ace of spades. North was kind enough to discard a diamond on that so declarer could simply run the queen of diamonds to South’s king and apart from the jack of spades he took the rest, +460 but a good start for England, who recovered 10 IMPs.

Board 24. Dealer West. None Vul.
	♠ A Q 10 9 5 3 ♥ A 4 3 ♦ 6 ♣ A J 6
♠ K J 6 4 ♥ Q 9 7 ♦ 10 8 3 ♣ Q 10 4		♠ 7 2 ♥ K J 2 ♦ A Q J 9 7 5 2 ♣ 3
	♠ 8 ♥ 10 8 6 5 ♦ K 4 ♣ K 9 8 7 5 2

Open Room

The Polish pair did well to find their club fit it was missed at several tables. The defence started with two rounds of diamonds and declarer won, discarding a heart from dummy. He finessed the queen of spades, ruffed a spade, cashed the king of clubs and played a played a club to the jack, claiming +420 when it held.

Closed Room

Ross Harper’s wife, safely at home in England had watched every board her husband had played so far, but an unexpected visit from her three grandchildren meant she missed her husband’s finest hour.

His dubious double followed by a new suit suggested a rather better hand and North raised to the slam with every confidence.

The early play was identical but after ruffing the second round of spades declarer played a club to the jack (not quite as good as Romanski’s line which catered for a singleton queen with East). However, it was good enough and after ruffing another spade declarer drew trumps and claimed his contract and 11 IMPs.

England won the session 57-23 IMPs to get back into the match.

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

Open Room

West led the two of spades and declarer tried dummy’s jack, taking East’s queen with the ace. When he continued with the ace of diamonds nine tricks were secure and declarer cashed out for +600.

Closed Room

West led the two of spades and that was covered by the jack, queen and king. Declarer cashed the ace of diamonds and drew trumps in three rounds, East discarding a club, a heart and a spade. Declarer played the jack of hearts to the ace and the nine of clubs to the king. East took the ace and exited with the nine of spades to dummy’s ace. When declarer played the seven of clubs East followed impassively with the five and could not be blamed for ruffing, hoping that he would be able to set up an extra trick in either clubs or hearts. When neither suit obliged he was one down, -100 and 12 IMPs for Poland.

(You will no doubt have observed that the contract can be made see for example Quinn’s Triple Play.)

Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
	♠ 9 5 ♥ 10 5 4 ♦ 9 5 3 2 ♣ K Q 3 2
♠ Q J 6 4 3 ♥ 8 ♦ Q J 6 4 ♣ A 6 5		♠ A K 10 ♥ K Q J 2 ♦ A K 10 ♣ 10 8 7
	♠ 8 7 2 ♥ A 9 7 6 3 ♦ 8 7 ♣ J 9 4

Open Room

South led the ace of hearts so declarer quickly claimed +680.

Closed Room

1♣ Polish
2♦ Game forcing asking for distribution

East was able to determine West had a singleton heart and his side reached the slam that would make without a club lead. However, with North on lead that was exactly what declarer got and he had to go two down, -200 and 13 IMPs for England.

Board 14. Dealer East. None.
	♠ Q 8 5 4 ♥ K 7 3 ♦ 8 2 ♣ A Q 9 8
♠ J 10 9 6 2 ♥ J 9 8 4 ♦ A 10 9 ♣ J		♠ 7 3 ♥ A 6 5 2 ♦ Q J 6 4 3 ♣ 10 2
	♠ A K ♥ Q 10 ♦ K 7 5 ♣ K 7 6 5 4 3

Open Room

2♣ 15+ might be only 3♣

The Polish pair got to 3NT the right way round and West led the four of hearts for the ace and ten. East switched to the queen of diamonds and when that held he tried the four. Declarer had a decision. He could not be sure hearts were 4-4 (the two was missing) but he knew East had the ♥A and the ♦Q. Would he have passed with ♥A and ♦AQJ? Most players would not, but Hallberg, also a solid rubber bridge expert might well.

Make of that what you will, but declarer put up the king and was two down in what had appeared to be an unbeatable contract.

Closed Room

West led the jack of spades and declarer took his nine top tricks, +400 and 11 IMPs.

Both teams had had their moments in this third set which England edged 37-31IMPs.

Poland led overnight 116.67-95 IMPs but England, as in their semi final, appeared to have the momentum going into the last day.