Mark Horton

Spingold report Part 2

There was only one double figure swing in the second quarter of the match:

  832  
102
QJ76
A1096
9765     J104
97 Q8654
109543 K8
Q5 872
  AKQ  
AKJ3
A2
KJ43
Jie Fantoni Zhong Nunes
Pass Pass Pass 1*
Pass 1** Pass 2***
Pass 2**** Pass 3NT
Pass 4NT Pass 6
All Pass      
 
* 14+ with clubs or 15+ balanced
** 0-11, no 4-card major
*** Kokish relay, hearts or a big notrump range
**** Which is it?

By the time South bid 3NT he was known to hold a huge balanced hand, so North made a general try with 4NT.

South won the spade lead, cashed the top hearts and played a heart. West discarded a spade and declarer ruffed and advanced the Q, covered by the king and ace. He ruffed another heart, cashed the A and ran the ten to West’s queen. He took the diamond return in dummy, ruffed a diamond and claimed, +920.

Cayne Lair Seamon Mahaffey
Pass Pass Pass 2
Pass 2 Pass 2
Pass 2NT Pass 3NT
Pass 4 All Pass  
 
* see text below

This time North-South had a major accident in the bidding. South clearly thought they were playing Kokish (where 2 is either hearts or a 25-26 point hand) so he had shown a balanced hand, but North

obviously thought his partner had a heart suit.

West led a diamond to the queen, king dummy’s ten and East’s queen. He won the diamond return in dummy, cashed three rounds of hearts followed by three rounds of spades and two top clubs. Then a third

club cashed for 11 tricks, +450, but 10 imps for Cayne.

  J3  
J852
AQ98
KQ10
10865   AKQ9742
1043 AQ6
K7 65
A872 3
   
K97
J10432
J9654
Jie V/L Zhong L/V
Pass Pass 1 Double
4 Pass Pass 4
5 Pass Pass Double
All Pass      

Versace and Lauria were East-West for the Cayne team, but we’re not sure who’s in which seat. Against 5, East led a spade and declarer played a dummy reversal, ruffing spades, drawing trumps, and then attacking clubs, scoring six trump tricks, four clubs and the K, an amazing +550.

Nunes Bertheau Fantoni Nystrom
Pass Pass 1NT (12-14) Double
Redouble* Pass 2 4
All Pass      
 
*It would have been better for Nunes if he had a way to show both minors in one bid. — editor

South led the J. North took the first two tricks and exited with a spade. Declarer drew trumps and led a club to the ace, North dropping the queen! He ruffed a club, North playing the king! Now he

crossed to dummy with a spade…

   
J852
9
10
10   Q97
1043 AQ6
87
   
K97
10
J9

At this point if declarer ruffs a club and then plays a spade to dummy, he squeezes South. If South pitches a heart, declarer can play A, heart. If South pitches the 10, declarer can exit with a club, endplaying south.

On the system card I saw North’s 1NT was 12-14 and he had already shown up with the J, A-Q and K-Q, so he could not have the K. Perhaps then declarer should have found the winning line. As it

was, he took a heart finesse and was one down, -100. But he still won 10 imps!

Mark Horton is a professional player/writer.

Enquiries can be sent to him at Markhorton007@hotmail.com

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