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Thursday, 02 September 2010 07:00 |
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Quarter final Bridge Olympiad 2000 in Maastricht, Netherlands: Norway takes on England. We're kibitzing East, Englishman Callaghan. He and his partner Burn face Norwegian star pair Helgemo-Helness.
Callaghan has a healthy 17 count, but to his surprise he sees South, Helgemo, head straight for 3NT after North, Helness, has indicated to have opened lightly. Oh well, Helgemo is Helgemo... | W/— | ♠ | A 8 2 | | | | ♥ | 7 6 | | ♦ | K Q J 7 5 4 | | ♣ | 6 3 | | | |  | ♠ | J 7 4 | | | | ♥ | K 9 4 | | | | ♦ | A 9 | | | | ♣ | A K Q 4 2 |
| West | North | East | South |
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| Burn | Helness | Callaghan | Helgemo | | — | 1♦ | 1NT | double | | 2♦1 | pass | 2♥ | pass2 | | pass | 3♦3 | pass | 3NT | | pass | pass | pass | |
1 Transfer
2 Forcing: after South's double of 1NT NS either play themselves or double EW
3 Minimum for his opening bid (weakest possible bid) West leads the ♥J to South's ♥Q.
Declarer plays a diamond to the ♦K, East ducking. Next East wins the ♦Q with the ♦A and sees everyone follow suit, West showing an odd number.
Callaghan takes some time to think things over but then finds the correct return. Can you match him? |
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Solution
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Pay attention, think logically and believe 'their' signalling*** |
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Friday, 16 July 2010 07:00 |
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The European championship for club teams is a rather new championship. In 2004 it is held for the second time. The venue is in Barcelona.
Andy Robson plays this 3NT contract for The All-England Bridge Club. | E/All | ♠ | 9 8 | | | | ♥ | A Q J 9 7 | | ♦ | 10 2 | | ♣ | A J 3 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ♠ | Q J 2 | | | ♥ | 5 | | ♦ | A K Q 8 5 4 | | ♣ | 9 8 4 |
| West | North | East | South |
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| Wladow | Bakshi | Elinescu | Robson | | — | — | pass | 1♦ | | pass | 1♥ | pass | 2♦ | | pass | 3♣ | pass | 3NT | | pass | pass | pass | |
West leads the ♠4, fourth best. East wins with the ♠K and returns the ♠3. On South's ♠Q West contributes the ♠7. West's lead and East's return both suggest the spade suit is 4-4, therefore.
Robson quickly finds the best line of play. He hands you his cards, expecting you to do the same. Do you? |
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Solution
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To overcall lightly or not to overcall lightly? ** |
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Friday, 02 July 2010 07:00 |
The 1970 Vanderbilt final, one of the North-American major tournaments.
Canadian pair Sami Kehela – Eric Murray are part of an American team. It is considered the underdog, since it is playing the strongest American team of that time: the Dallas Aces.
This is the opening deal of the match (rotated for the reader's convenience). Murray, West, faces a decision: | S/— | | | | | ♠ | Q 5 | | | | | ♥ | J 8 3 2 | | | | ♦ | 6 | | | | ♣ | Q 10 9 5 4 2 | | |
| West | North | East | South |
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| Murray | Goldman | Kehela | Eisenberg | | — | — | — | 2♣1 | ??
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1 Conventional, strong
Should he — with nobody vulnerable — try to disturb the opponents' bidding? Or is that too risky?
What would you do: the risky overcall or the passive pass? |
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Answer
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Saturday, 26 June 2010 07:00 |
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The year is 1988. The second Statenbank World Top Tournament (in later years known as Cap Gemini) is played in The Hague, Netherlands; the venue is Hotel Des Indes. In the earlier editions of this fantastic (every single participant is still sad that it doesn't exist anymore) invitation tournament for world class players, the only Dutchmen taking part were Leufkens – Westra. This young pair held its own remarkably well against the world's top players.
What should Westra, North, open on this hand? | W/All | | | ♠ | A J 10 8 5 3 2 | | | ♥ | 10 7 2 | | | ♦ | K 9 | | | ♣ | 9 | |
| West | North | East | South |
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| Nickell | Westra | Hamman | Leufkens | | pass | ??
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Clearly he is going to open spades. One, two, three or four? |
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Solution
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Sunday, 20 June 2010 07:00 |
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During the 1987 World Championship Open Teams (contesting the Bermuda Bowl) Great Britain plays Venezuela.
South, Briton Jeremy Flint, shows himself a brave man. | W/All | ♠ | A 9 4 2 | | | | ♥ | 4 3 | | ♦ | A Q 9 7 | | ♣ | Q 5 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ♠ | Q 8 7 6 5 3 | | | ♥ | K 10 9 | | ♦ | 2 | | ♣ | A 6 2 |
| West | North | East | South |
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| Caponi | Sheehan | Hamaoui | Flint | | 3♥ | pass | pass | 3♠ | | pass | 4♠ | pass | pass | | pass | | | |
That South doesn't have a lot to spare for his 3♠ bid, is an understatement (especially since three of his points, the ♥K, are unfavourably placed), though many players wouldn't like to pass 3♥. Then again, an overcall fourth in hand (after two passes) can be made on much less than directly over the opening bid.
West leads the ♥A and continues with the ♥Q. East follows suit to the second trick, so South is relieved to make the ♥K. He plays a spade, (West discarding a heart) to the ♠A and then another spade. East wins with the ♠K (West pitches a diamond) and exits with the ♠J to South's ♠Q (West pitches another heart).
Flint has lost two tricks and faces two possible club losers. How should he continue? |
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Solution
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Wednesday, 09 June 2010 07:00 |
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Maastricht, Netherlands, the 2000 World Teams Olympiad.
In the semi-final Poland takes on Italy. One of the Polish pairs is Kwiecien – Pszczola. Already for many years the latter's name has caused pronunciation problems in the international bridge community. This improbable string of consonants has turned many a VuGraph commentator into a stuttering wreck. Understandably most of his colleagues call him ‘Pepsi Cola’, therefore.
Pepsi Cola is East and holds: | S/NS | | | | | | | | ♠ | A K J 9 3 | | | | ♥ | J 9 8 3 | | | | ♦ | K J | | | | ♣ | Q 8 |
| West | North | East | South |
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| Kwiecien | De Falco
| Pszczola | Ferraro | | — | —
| — | pass | | pass | 4♥ | ??
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Nasty, such a high level opening right in front of you. What is East to do?
A ‘safe’ pass? 4♠ perhaps? Or a somewhat off-shape take-out double? |
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Solution
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