December 2006

♠
♥
♦
♣

Editor: Matthew Granovetter

The Magazine for People Who Love to Play Bridge

In This Issue:

2 The Red Pencil 15 Junior Snapshots

Say good-bye to ... by Barry Rigal
maximal overcall doubles
28 Bridge Yesterday
4 Kantar’s Korner Mind Games
by Eddie Kantar by Pietro Campanile

10 Teeth and Hooves 32 Hand of the Year

2006 Spingold Fourth Quarter
by Pamela Granovetter

NOTICE: Please share this issue of Bridge Today eMagazine with your partner. Better still, give him a
subscription of his own. You’ll be glad you did. He will thank you each month and he will become a better
player. Subscriptions are $33 per year for 12 monthly issues or packaged with a Bridgetoday.com $59.95
club membership. Thank you! — Matthew and Pamela Granovetter
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 2

The Red Pencil

by Matthew Granovetter

Maximal Overcall Doubles

It’s time to get rid of some of those con- West North East South
ventional doubles that destroy our ability to 1♥ 2♦ 2♠ 3♦
make a penalty double and allow the oppo- double
nents to run all over us in the auction. This
month, I’ll red pencil the maximal overcall West North East South
double, a convention that has been in use 1♣ pass 1♠ 2♥
for nearly half a century, but rarely comes 2♠ 3♥ double
up at the table.
By now it’s clear that the maximal over-
West North East South call double applies only over 3♦ (when
1♠ 2♥ 2♠ 3♥ we have bid and raised hearts) and over
double 3♥ (when we have bid and raised spades).
That’s it. That may be why it doesn’t come
The maximal overcall double applies up often. Better we should drop it altogeth-
when you and partner have bid and raised er and here’s why.
a major suit. A bid is now made directly
under your suit at the three level. In this The advantage of the maximal overcall
case, the bid is 3♥ by South. West is de- double is that you can now make a competi-
nied the opportunity to make a game try in tive bid of 3♥ or 3♠. Pundits will give this
spades, because he and partner play that a hand as an example:
3♠ bid is merely competitive and not game
invitational. So double is used as the game ♠KQxxx
try. The double has nothing whatsoever to ♥x
do with penalizing 3♥ (heaven forbid we ♦Axxx
should try to penalize them), but has this ♣KJx
meaning: Partner, bid 3♠ or 4♠.
West North East South
Notice that North’s 2♥ bid is irrelevant. 1♠ 2♥ 2♠ 3♥
The auction might go: 3♠

West North East South You don’t want to invite game but you
1♠ pass 2♠ 3♥ do want to compete to 3♠ for the partscore.
double Without the maximal overcall double,
you’d have only one call available in spades.
Again, double is the maximal overcall
double, inviting game in spades. Here are The obvious disadvantage of the maxi-
some other examples: mal overcall double is that you lose the
penalty double.
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 3

♠AKxxx the major. This bid, however, can be used

♥ Q J 10 x as invitational, since you don’t really want
♦Ax to compete unless you can invite. Perhaps
♣xx this is where the problem lies. Some play-
ers think you can compete and not invite
West North East South — but is there really such a hand?
1♠ 2♥ 2♠ 3♥
double ♠AKxxxx
♥xx
On this one, you can pass 3♥ or bid 3♠ ♦Axx
or make the maximal overcall double, but ♣Jx
you can’t penalize them.
West North East South
The less obvious disadvantage of the 1♠ 2♥ 2♠ 3♥
maximal overcall double is that when part- 3♠
ner competes to 3 of the major, you cannot
raise to game, because he is merely competi- The law of total tricks says West can bid
ing. Yet sometimes the opponents’ bidding 3♠. Fine. But East must pass? Suppose East
can help you reevaluate to a game: holds: ♠ Q x x ♥ K x ♦ x x x x ♣ A 10 x x

♠KQxxx ♠Axx Three notrump is a great spot. Why must

♥x ♥xx East pass 3♠?
♦Axxx ♦Kxxx
♣KJx ♣ Q 10 x x The corrollary to this is that opener may
sometimes hold a hand that is a “real in-
West North East South vite” to game. What does he do if he is not
1♠ 2♥ 2♠ 3♥ playing the maximal overcall double?
3♠ pass pass pass
The answer is that he bids game himself
This is the hand given on the previous and doesn’t worry about it.
page, where West wants to compete to 3♠
but doesn’t want to invite game. Here game ♠KQxxx ♠Jxx
is terrific, but East makes a disciplined pass ♥x ♥xx
of 3♠, since his partner had the maximal ♦ A Q 10 x ♦Kxxx
game try available. ♣KJx ♣ Q 10 x x

Maybe, you are thinking, West should be West North East South
inviting game with such a nice 13 HCP and 1♠ 2♥ 2♠ 3♥
a singleton heart. Perhaps he should be. 4♠ (all pass)
But perhaps he can merely by bidding 3♠!
Is it so bad to bid game? Sure, responder
Red Pencil to the Rescue might hold wasted cards in hearts, but re-
Let’s red pencil the maximal overcall dou- sponder should consider this before he raises
ble and see where that leaves us. It leaves to 2♠. Responder must cautiously pass 2♥
us with only one bid to compete: three of with too much strength in hearts. See you
next month.
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 4

Kantar’s Korner

by Eddie Kantar

Covering Doubletons Now here’s a case where covering an 8-

spot has the same effect!
When there are two equal honors in
dummy, covering the second (like they tell North
you in the books) is usually wrong when ♠QJxxx
the honors are doubleton. Cover the first. ♥xx
♦K87
That rule applies in the following ex- ♣xxx
amples. West East
♠A9xx ♠ 10 x x
Dummy ♥Jx ♥Qxx
J 10 ♦Q ♦ 10 6 4 3
West East ♣AKQxxx ♣ J 10 8
xxx Q9x South
South ♠K
AKxxx ♥ A K 10 9 x x
♦AJ952
♣x
Dummy
J 10 South avoids the cold heart game to play
West East 5♦. South ruffs the second club and plays
xxx K9x the ♥A-K and a heart, ruffed by West with
South the ♦Q and overruffed with the king.
AQxxx When the ♦8 is led from dummy at trick
six, East must cover to block the trump suit.
Assume the contract is notrump and the South can no longer draw trump without
jack is led from dummy. East covers the jack shortening his trump holding, which leads
to block the suit. If declarer, South, has no to disaster.
other hand entry, he is forced to duck the
trick to salvage the suit. If East covers the Lesson: Don’t believe everything you
second honor, North has an easy five tricks. read.
* * * * *

The late Jeremy Flint of London, Eng-

land, was one of the world’s best players.
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 5

In 1966 he came to the U.S. to play in make 4♠ against best defense. Flint played
multiple tournaments with Peter Pender, it to perfection trick by trick without look-
one of our leading players. They did so well ing. He won the opening lead and led a
that Flint became a Life Master (300 mas- spade to the queen followed by the ♠A.
ter points) in 11 weeks, a record that stood This was followed by the ♦A, a diamond
until 1989. Some people spend their whole ruff and a club from dummy. It does East
lives trying to become a Life Master. no good to “ruff air” (ruffing a loser with
a winner), and East correctly discarded a
Here is an example of Flint’s play from diamond. Flint won the club, ruffed his last
an important British Team Championship, diamond and exited dummy with a club
the Spring Foursomes. Our hero is South to West’s jack. (Again it would do East no
playing with Jonathan Cansino, who was good to ruff West’s winning club.) West,
one of England’s (and the world’s) best play- remaining with only hearts, cashed his ace,
ers. (This I can confirm from playing both and Flint wound up losing one club, one
with and against Jonathan.) heart and one spade to make this contract.
No wonder Jeremy made Life Master in 11
West dealer North (Cansino) weeks. What took him so long?!
E-W vul ♠ A Q 10 9 5
♥95 I would like to add a note here about my
♦4 good friends Jonathan Cansino and Rob-
♣ 10 8 6 5 3 ert Sheehan (also a great player and quite
West East a writer), who eons ago decided to visit
♠K4 ♠J73 Los Angeles. They took up residence near
♥ A Q 10 6 2 ♥J84 my apartment but for the first few days I
♦K73 ♦ Q 10 9 8 5 2 didn’t see them at all, so I walked over to
♣QJ9 ♣2 their apartment to see what was happening.
South (Flint) What was happening was they were play-
♠862 ing backgammon up to 100 points to see
♥K73 who would pay the rent! They never left
♦AJ6 the house until they finished the match.
♣AK74 You couldn’t count the empty beer bottles.
Sheehan won.
West North East South
1♥ 2♥ pass 4 ♠! They also played as teammates with Mar-
(all pass) shall Miles and myself in several important
team events. One year we lost in the final
Opening lead: ♣Q of the Vanderbilt when Cansino forgot his
own convention and went for 1400 on one
No, as Bridge Today readers know, Flint hand.
did not lose his marbles. Cansino’s 2♥ cue-
bid showed spades and a minor, typically One time he and Sheehan had a disas-
5-5, in theory weaker than an opening bid. trous game and neither was speaking to the
(Cansino was much weaker!) other. Finally, Sheehan presented Cansino
with a tiny, tiny, piece of blank paper and
Looking at all four hands see if you can asked Jonathan to write all he knew about
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 6

bridge on the paper. Jonathan replied:
“Well, it’s a bigger piece of paper than I
would have given you.”
* * * * *
the specific king-ask. (If it is the next step it
is the queen-ask; however, if the response
to RKB is 0, 4NT is to play.) And yes, there
are simpler versions of this convention,
but...

Roman Key Card Blackwood Korner Since opener is going to play 6♦ regard-
less, it can’t hurt to ask for specific kings. So
Recently two of my opponents were dealt now we have:
these hands:
Opener Responder
Opener Responder ♠AJ32 ♠4
♠AJ32 ♠4 ♥A4 ♥Q76
♥A4 ♥Q76 ♦ A 10 9 5 3 ♦KJ874
♦ A 10 9 5 3 ♦KJ874 ♣AQ ♣KJ32
♣AQ ♣KJ32
1♦ 2♦
They bid to 6♦, but should they have ar- 4♦ 4♥
rived at a grand? Clearly there are a zillion 4 NT 5♣
ways to bid this hand. They started like ?
this:
Once opener discovers that responder
Opener Responder has the ♣K, he has a place to put his los-
1♦ 2 ♦ (1) ing heart. But what does responder have in
4 ♦ (2) 4 ♥ (3) spades, the key to the hand?
?
After a specific king-ask response, a new
(1) Inverted, five diamonds presumably not a game suit by the asker is a grand-slam try, asking
force. for the king (or a singleton, if a singleton is
(2) RKB. After two-level minor-suit agreement, a possible) in the bid suit for a grand. Re-
convenient agreement is to play that a jump to four sponses to a second king-ask are by steps.
of the agreed minor is RKB, 1430, when the opener Note: A return to the trump suit, which de-
does the asking. nies the king or a singleton of the ask-suit,
(3) 1 or 4, surely 1. does not count as a step:

This is where the trouble set in. What do Opener Responder

the bids mean from here on in? 1♦ 2♦
4♦ 4♥
Four spades, the next step, is the queen- 4 NT 5♣
ask. However, opener assumes five dia- 5♠ ?
monds for the inverted raise and knows
responder has the ♦K, so there is no com- Once again, I am troubled. Should I
pelling need to ask for the queen. present here what I think is the best set of
responses or the easiest set of responses to a
Four notrump, when not the next step, is second king-ask?
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 7

I don’t want Bridge Today readers to The Creation of a Monster

throw up their hands in despair. On the
other hand, I want readers who aspire to Exhibit #1
be expert bidders, particularly matchpoint I’m telling Yvonne I have a tennis tape
expert bidders, to have the best possible and I ask her if she wants to watch. She
chance to reach a small or a grand slam in says: “O.K, I’ll watch a few hands.”
notrump as opposed to a small slam or a
grand slam in the agreed suit. So here are My latest brilliancy: Exhibit #2
two sets of responses.
North
Easy set of responses to a second king-ask: ♠AKJ5
♥J2
1. Return to the trump suit lacking the ♦ K 10 5 4 3
king or singleton of the ask-suit. ♣54
2. Jump in the trump suit with the king East (moi)
or a singleton. ♠Q
N
W E ♥Q973
S
Best set of responses to a second king ask: ♦J92
♣ A 10 9 7 3
1. Return to the trump suit lacking the
king or singleton of the ask suit. West North East South
2. A first step response shows K-x-x-(x). — 1♦ pass 1♥
(This may still allow you to get out at 6NT pass 1♠ pass 1NT
if the response bypasses six of the agreed (all pass)
minor.)
3. A second step response shows K-x. Yvonne led a low spade and I made my
4. A jump in the trump suit shows a sin- queen when dummy played low. Now I had
gleton. This jump presumes enough trump to decide which club card to lead. Fearing
to ruff declarer’s losers. (If partner can have declarer might hold something like
four cards in the second ask-suit, you need K-J-8-x or Q-J-8-x of clubs, I decided to lead
four trump to leap to a grand. If partner the 3 rather than spend the 9 or 10. Be-
can have at most three cards in the second sides, I had mentioned to Yvonne that if we
ask suit, you need at least three trump.) lead low, we want it back. Yvonne won the
Once the opponents know of a singleton in queen (declarer following with the 6) and
dummy, a trump is apt to be led. continued with the king. Fearing Yvonne
5. A raise of the ask-suit shows K-Q-(x), had a doubleton and thinking I might have
frequently allowing the asker to bid 7NT. a diamond entry if declarer had the queen
and Yvonne the ace, I overtook.
I can’t believe anybody is still reading
this, but if you are, this hand is over! Re- As it happened, declarer had J-8-6 and
sponder jumps to 7♦ (turn back and see). Yvonne K-Q-2. This was not considered
And remember, if you can’t find anybody to the play of the evening, especially when
play this stuff, there’s always me — provid- Yvonne told me that if she had held K-Q
ing I can remember it! doubleton, she would take the king and
then play the queen! What have I done?
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 8

Reverse Bids bid suit, but asks for keycards outside of

The simple reverse, the jump reverse, the
double jump reverse and the triple jump re-
verse after a major-suit response at the one
level. What does it all mean?
diamonds starting with 0. Responses do not
include the trump queen, and the ace of the
jump suit is not counted. Maybe opener is
looking at:
♠KQxxx ♥KQ ♦— ♣AKQxxx

1♣ 1♠ If partner shows zero aces outside of dia-

2 ♦ = Simple Reverse
The simple reverse starts at about 17
HCP and shows at least five clubs with pre-
sumably four diamonds. It is a one-round
force. There is no need to jump to 3♦ to
show extra strength. For example, with
♠ A x x ♥ x ♦ A K x x ♣ A K J x x, rebid 2♦,
not 3♦. In fact, a jump to 3♦ shows some-
thing else!
1♣ 1♠
3♦
3♦, a jump reverse, is a game forcing
splinter. It describes a hand with a singleton
in the jump suit, four pieces in partner’s
suit with 15/16+ HCP. For example:
♠ A J x x ♥ K Q x ♦ x ♣ A Q J x x.
1♣ 1♠
4♦
4♦ is a double jump reverse. It is game-
forcing (what else?), void-showing, with
four-card trump support. The strength is
typically 15-17 HCP. A good example would
be: ♠ A 10 x x ♥ A K x x ♦ — ♣ A 10 x x x.
monds (5♥), you sign off at 5♠. If partner
shows one ace (5♠), you bid a slam. If part-
ner has both major-suit aces and responds
5NT, you bid the grand. Bridge is such an
easy game when partner responds in your
five-card suit.
Incidentally, following an Exclusion Re-
sponse, the next step, excluding the trump
suit, which is a sign off, is the queen-ask, If
responder has the queen, he jumps in the
trump suit; if he doesn’t he signs off in the
trump suit at the cheapest level.
Opener Responder
1♦ 1♥
4 ♠ (1) 5 ♣ (2)
5 ♦ (3) ?
(1) Exclusion Blackwood. (Any first round jump over
game after a major-suit response is Exclusion Black-
wood. You can’t show a spade void. A jump to 3♠
shows a singleton in theory.)
(2) 1 keycard (2nd step)
(3) Queen-ask (5♥ denies ♥Q, 6♥ affirms ♥Q)
* * * * *
I get letters, and some of them pose really
good problems. Try this: How would you
play 4NT in this sequence?

1♣ 1♠ West North East South

5 ♦! 3♣ pass pass 3♦
pass 3 NT pass 4♠
5♦, a triple jump reverse, is Exclusion pass 4 NT ?
Blackwood. It not only shows a void in the
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 9

And what about this one? South dealer North

All vul ♠KQx
South dealer North ♥Kxxx
All vul ♠KQx ♦Kxx
♥Kxxx ♣KJx
♦Kxx West East (you)
♣KJx ♠ A 10 9 x x ♠Jxxx
East (you) ♥x ♥x
♠Jxxx ♦AQJx ♦ 10 8 7 2
N
W E ♥x ♣Axx ♣ Q 10 x x
S
♦ 10 8 7 2 South
♣ Q 10 x x ♠x
♥AQJxxxx
South West North East ♦xx
3♥ double 4♥ pass ♣xxx
pass double (all pass)
South West North East
Right or wrong (it looks right when you 3♥ double 4♥ pass
see the dummy) you decide to pass 4♥ pass double (all pass)
doubled.
From East’s point of view, assuming de-
Partner leads the ♦A. Which diamond clarer has seven hearts and two spades, the
do you play? In other words, count or at- missing aces marked with West, the critical
titude? distribution in the minors is three diamonds
and one club, in which case a diamond
Here are my answers. (partner figures to have the A-Q-J for the
lead) must be continued, so count is best.
West North East South
3♣ pass pass 3♦ However, if West has five spades, declarer
pass 3 NT pass 4♠ has five cards in the minors. If declarer is
pass 4 NT ? 1-7-2-3, a club must be led at trick two, but
if declarer is 1-7-3-2, a diamond must be
I thought 4NT was to play. It turned continued. All roads lead to Rome. Give
out North had a spade fit and wanted to partner count. Ciao.
ask for keycards. Assuming 4NT is natural,
North has to cuebid or raise spades to show
slam interest. South had:
♠ K x x x x ♥ A ♦ A K x x x x ♣ x.

The second one is also very interesting:

Bridge Today • December 2006 page 10

Teeth and Hooves

by Pamela Granovetter

The Bulldogs meet the Stallions in the

fourth quarter of the Spingold Team Final

Chicago, Summer Nationals, Spingold North dealer North

Teams Final — The Cayne Italian Stallions E-W vul ♠ A 10 9 8
took a slim 6-imp lead into the final 16- ♥KJ97
board quarter, where the first eight boards ♦ K 10 6 5
produced five pushes and three one-imp ♣A
swings! Two of those swings went to Nick- West East
ell’s Bulldogs, so with eight boards to go, it ♠QJ ♠K643
was Cayne by 5. ♥ 10 8 5 4 ♥A
♦742 ♦AJ
What would you bid vul vs. not with: ♣QJ62 ♣ K 10 9 8 5 4
South
West ♠752
♠QJ ♥Q632
♥ 10 8 5 4 ♦Q983
♦742 ♣73
♣QJ62
Open Room:
West North East South West North East South
— 1♦ 2♣ 2♦ Soloway Fantoni Hamman Nunes
3♣ pass 3♠ pass — 1♦ 2♣ 2♦
? 3♣ pass 3♠ pass
4♣ (all pass)
Does it matter if opener doubles your 3♣
bid for takeout? Closed Room:
West North East South
In the auction shown, Paul Soloway Versace Rodwell Lauria Meckstroth
settled for 4♣ and hoped to make it. In — 1♦ 2♣ pass
the other room, after opener doubled 3♣ 3♣ double 3♠ pass
and partner tried with 3♠ anyway, Versace 5♣ (all pass)
jumped to 5♣. Who was right?

Soloway was right and his side racked up Note on names: In bridge terminology, Meckstroth
+130, 6 imps, and the lead. The whole hand and Rodwell are often referred to as Meckwell. In
was (Board 57): this article, Soloway and Hamman are Soloman.
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 11

After a 2♦ contract was bid and made on cashed his heart trick, then took a diamond
the nose by East-West at both tables, “Solo- finesse. Hamman won the queen and re-
man” won 2 imps when they played slam turned a spade through the queen for two
in a 4-4 major-suit fit rather than the 5-4 more tricks.
minor-suit fit reached by the Italians. This
increased the Bulldog lead to 3 imps. At the other table, however, it was North,
Rodwell, who declared 3NT. He also re-
The next board (60) provided a great deal ceived a low heart lead, but this time it was
of drama for the VuGraph audience: through the A-J-6-4 rather than “through”
the 8-7-3. Here’s what it looked like rotated
West dealer North to make North declarer:
N-S vul ♠ 10
♥873 Meckstroth
♦AKJ96 ♠KQ874
♣ Q 10 9 5 ♥AJ64
West East ♦72
♠A932 ♠J65 ♣A2
♥K92 ♥ Q 10 5 Lauria Versace
♦ 10 4 3 ♦Q85 ♠J65 ♠A932
♣J86 ♣K743 ♥ Q 10 5 ♥K92
South ♦Q85 ♦ 10 4 3
♠KQ874 ♣K743 ♣J86
♥AJ64 Rodwell
♦72 ♠ 10
♣A2 ♥873
♦AKJ96
Open Room: ♣ Q 10 9 5
West North East South
Soloway Fantoni Hamman Nunes Closed Room:
pass 2♦ pass 2♠ Lauria Meckstroth Versace Rodwell
pass 3♣ pass 3 NT — — pass 1♦
(all pass) pass 1♠ pass 2♣
pass 2♥ pass 2 NT
Opening lead: ♥2 pass 3 NT (all pass)

When Nunes declared 3NT from the Opening lead: ♥5

South seat, he received a low heart lead
and the contract eventually drifted down
two. Hammon put up his ♥Q, forcing the
ace. Nunes led a club to the 9 and king,
and Hamman returned the ♥10, jack, king.
Soloway now followed up his nice lead
with a spade shift to the 10, jack and king.
Nunes led a heart to Soloway’s 9, but Solo-
way exited with a club to the ace. Nunes
Rodwell called low from dummy. Versace
thought it over for about ten minutes (no
exaggeration) and finally played ... the king!
He then shifted to the ♦3. The 9 forced the
queen and the ♠J was returned. Rodwell
put up the king, which Versace allowed to
hold. Rodwell then ran his diamonds and
finessed to the ♥J for his contract. Plus 600.
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 12

Versace’s decision not to put in the after the club lead if hearts broke 3-2 (they
♥9 at trick one swung 13 big imps to the did) and spades 3-3 (they didn’t).
Bulldogs. With only four boards to go, the
Bulldogs were ahead by 16 imps in a match Would Versace-Lauria stop in game to
that been teetering-tottering on a single-digit swing back 13 imps? They had been over-
lead from the very beginning. The drama bidding throughout the evening. Could
continued on the very next board (61): they put the brakes on when it really
counted?
North dealer North
All vul ♠J982 Does a leopard change its spots?
♥Q8
♦KJ96 Closed Room:
♣K87 West North East South
West East Versace Rodwell Lauria Meckstroth
♠AQ754 ♠K3 — pass 1♥ pass
♥75 ♥ A K 10 9 4 3 1♠ pass 2 NT* pass
♦A3 ♦Q8742 3♣ pass 3♦ pass
♣A965 ♣— 4♣ double redouble pass
South 4♦ pass 4♥ pass
♠ 10 6 5♥ pass 6♥ (all pass)
♥J62
♦ 10 5 *two suiter
♣ Q J 10 4 3 2
Opening lead: ♣Q
Open Room:
West North East South Not only did the Italians duplicate the
Soloway Fantoni Hamman Nunes poor slam bidding, but Lauria gave up an
— pass 1♥ pass extra undertrick, and the Bulldogs actually
1♠ pass 2♦ pass won another 3 imps to increase the lead
3 NT pass 4♥ pass to 19. Lauria chose to win the club lead in
5♥ pass 6♥ (all pass) dummy and play for the double-heart fi-
nesse, leading a trump to the 8, 9, and jack.
Opening lead: ♣Q Meckstroth returned a trump. Lauria drew
the last trump, cashed one more round of
After Hamman showed six hearts and trump and led a diamond to the ace. Next
four or five diamonds, Soloway invited came a club ruff in hand and then the last
slam, hoping Hamman had nothing wasted trump led, before trying to bring in the
in his two black-suit cards spade suit. Lauria’s trump play certainly
(e.g., ♥ A K 10 9 x x ♦ K Q x x x with a small gave him an extra chance over Hamman’s
doubleton or two small singletons on the play, but later he should have given up on
side). Hamman went on to six hearts, per- making six if the spades were not 3-3 and
haps expecting Soloway to hold something ensured 11 tricks when the spades were 4-2.
like ♠ A x x x x ♥ x x ♦ A K x ♣ Q J x. De- No one was going to throw a spade from
spite the players holding disappointing four of them.
cards for each other, the slam had a play
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 13

There were only three boards to play, but East dealer North
not one person in the VuGraph audience None vul ♠94
was leaving his seat. The Italian Stallians ♥62
never seem to lose heart even when disaster ♦A962
follows disaster, so nobody expected Ver- ♣ K 10 9 5 3
sace-Lauria to cave in. West East
♠KQJ8 ♠ A 10 7 5 3 2
With nobody vulnerable, what would ♥AK85 ♥3
you do after RHO opens 2♥ in first seat ♦ K 10 7 3 ♦854
(showing six hearts and about 10-14 HCP) ♣4 ♣J87
with: ♠ K Q J 8 ♥ A K 8 5 ♦ K 10 7 3 ♣ 4 South
♠6
South West North East ♥ Q J 10 9 7 4
2♥ ? ♦QJ
♣AQ62
Made up your mind? Then try it after
this auction: Open Room:
West North East South
South West North East Soloway Fantoni Hamman Nunes
1♥ pass 1 NT pass — — pass 2♥
2♥ ? 2♠ pass 4♠ (all pass)

Soloway overcalled 2♠ in the first auc-
tion, and Versace did the same at his second
turn in the second auction. Both players
heard their partners jump to 4♠ and were
gratified to see partner put down six-card
trump support:
Closed Room
Opening lead: ♥ 6 Ten tricks claimed +420.
So the two-level overcall on a four-card
suit was good for just a push, and time was
running out for the Stallion fans. Board 63
was exactly what Cayne didn’t want — a
28-point 3NT game, easy to bid and make.
Both teams scored +460, and the match was
virtually over.

Jeff Meckstroth The final board would have been worth

some excitement had it occurred one board
sooner....

N
W E
S

Alfredo Versace Lorenzo Lauria

Eric Rodwell
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 14

West dealer North Closed Room:

E-W vul ♠3 West North East South
♥KJ9765 Versace Rodwell Lauria Meckstroth
♦ 10 9 pass 2♥ double 3♥
♣J865 4♠ pass 5♥ pass
West East 6♠ (all pass)
♠AK642 ♠ J 10 9 7
♥ 10 8 3 ♥2 Opening lead: ♥6
♦J65 ♦AKQ43
♣42 ♣ A K 10 Versace-Lauria got to slam off the queen-
South fourth of trump and a cashing ace. Because
♠Q85 there had been some preemptive bidding,
♥AQ4 the queen of trump rated to be picked up
♦872 via a finesse rather than a drop. And so
♣Q973 it was. South won the ♥A and continued
with the ♥Q. Declarer ruffed in dummy,
Open Room: led a trump to the ace, a club back to the
West North East South king and then took a spade finesse.
Soloway Fantoni Hamman Nunes
pass pass 1 ♣ (1) pass 12 Tricks Claimed +1430.
1 ♥ (2) 2♥ pass 3♥
3♠ pass 4♠ (all pass) The slam wasn’t bid by Soloman, so that
was 13 imps to the Italians. But it was too
(1) strong little too late, and the Nickell Bulldogs were
(2) 8-10 artificial the winners by 6 imps in one the tightest
Spingold matches in history.
12 Tricks Claimed +680.

Open Room The Bulldogs

Fulvio Fantoni
Nick Nickell -
Dick Freeman
Paul Soloway -
Bob Hamman
Eric Rodwell - Jeff Meckstroth

N
W E
S

Paul Soloway Bob Hamman The Stallions

Jimmy Cayne - Michael Seamon
Fulvio Fantoni - Claude Nunes
Claude Nunes
Alfredo Versace - Lorenzo Lauria
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 15

Junior Snapshots

by Barry Rigal

Last year the World Junior Champion- Board 20 ♠842

ships were held in Australia, this year in West dealer ♥J7
Thailand. I do not know if the players real- All vul ♦AKQ964
ly appreciate how lucky they are to get free ♣AK
passage to such exciting venues – I know ♠ 10 9 5 ♠AJ
I do. I was there to work on the VuGraph, ♥Q93 N ♥ K 10 5 4 2
W E
and to contribute to the Bulletin. I was sup- ♦732 S ♦ 10 8
posed to do the commentary job on my own ♣J832 ♣ 10 9 5 4
– I was lucky enough that John Carruthers ♠KQ763
(editor of the International Bridge Press and ♥A86
part of the Canadian delegation) was there ♦J5
to help me out. ♣Q76

The tournament was perfectly run, in
the tallest hotel in Bangkok, with a beauti-
ful playing area and VuGraph room. I got
to sample some of the best cuisine I’ve ever
had in my life at the Thai seafood restau-
rants, and to do a little of the tourist activi-
ties…. I can recommend Thailand as a
place to go for any prospective tourist.
There were two events going on simul-
taneously; the Junior under-25 event, and
the Schools under-20 championships. Both
played a full round-robin, then a one-day
semi-finals and two-day finals. The deals
that follow are an eclectic sampling of the
hands that appealed to me at the time – a
snapshot rather than a detailed account of
the action.
Going into the final deal, the Round
One Schools match between Sweden and
Poland, two of the ante-post favorites, was
heading for a draw. However, on Board 20
both North-South pairs bid to the very poor
spade slam (note that 6♦ is much better
in theory and cold on the actual layout) so
there was clearly going to be the chance of a
swing to decide the match.
It didn’t appear so when both declarers
received a heart lead, which should doom
the slam. Where Poland was declaring 6♠,
declarer was defeated but in the other room
Cecilia Rimstedt, partnering her sister, San-
dra, made it. She won the heart lead and
cashed the ♣A-K, crossed to the ♦J and
pitched dummy’s heart loser on the ♣Q.
Then she ruffed a heart and led a spade
to the jack and king. At this point she had
one heart loser in her hand and four trump
to the queen facing a singleton trump in
dummy.
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 16

Board 20 ♠842 This was an interesting play hand in a

West dealer ♥J7 match between two of these contending
All vul ♦AKQ964 teams. A few pairs reached the contract of
♣AK 6♣ on this deal, but not all were successful.
♠ 10 9 5 ♠AJ Rather to my surprise Fabio Lo Presti of
N
♥Q93 W E ♥ K 10 5 4 2 Italy (among the most talented declarers in
♦732 S ♦ 10 8 the field) missed the winning line.
♣J832 ♣ 10 9 5 4
♠KQ763 East dealer ♠AQ97
♥A86 All vul ♥A964
♦J5 ♦K6
♣Q76 ♣K64
♠ K 10 6 4 2 ♠53
Cecilia was almost certain that the hearts ♥J3 N ♥ K 10 8 7 5
W E
were 5-3 and that her RHO was 2-5-2-4 ♦Q973 S ♦542
with the ♠A, in which case there was no ♣98 ♣732
legitimate play for the contract. But she ♠J8
was not prepared to give up without at least ♥Q2
trying to make her slam. She led to the ♦A ♦ A J 10 8
and continued with the ♦9 (instead of the ♣ A Q J 10 5
king or queen). Of course, East should have
spotted that this was a winner, but he failed On a club lead, declarer should win the
to do so and discarded, rather than ruff ten and play the ♠J, which will be covered
with his ace. So Cecilia threw her last heart by the king and ace. Lo Presti did this, then
away, led a spade up, and claimed 12 tricks in essence drew trumps and relied on find-
for +1430 and 17 imps for Sweden and a ing the ♦Q. Given West’s passive trump
win. lead there was a reason to get it right – but
he did not.
The ante-post favorites in the Juniors
were clearly going to be USA, Poland and After the ♠J is covered, even playing a
Italy. The last of these three started badly heart at once would have succeeded with-
– but when EBL President Gianarrigo Rona out the need for a guess. But at this point,
turned up, they went on a tear, qualifying the contract is a sure thing on the assump-
comfortably. tion that two rounds of diamonds stand up.
Declarer simply plays three rounds of dia-
monds, ruffing with the king, draws trumps,
then plays the ♠8 to the queen and con-
tinues with the ♠9, pitching his diamond
loser. It does not matter whether the spade
wins or loses, as the heart loser will go away
on the ♠7.

Cecilia Rimstedt, This was an especially painful result for

of Sweden Italy since it was against Poland, who were
leading at the time, and had played the deal
in game.
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 17

These days journalists have got spoilt After the club switch declarer could have
by having the invaluable tool of Deep made 3♥ by winning the ♣K in dummy,
Finesse available, as a double-dummy ana- playing a club to the ace and ruffing a
lyst. Sometimes, though, without the aid club. Then a spade to the king is followed
of Deep Finesse, you need to do things the by a spade ruff with the jack. A diamond
old-fashioned way and work out for your- exit puts West on lead with the good spade
self the fate of a contract. Such was the case and three hearts to the king. He can play a
on this deal from the Round Six VuGraph spade for dummy to ruff or exit in hearts
encounter between Norway and Chile in for declarer to win in hand with the ten. If
the Junior Series. the latter, then when declarer exits with a
spade to West’s nine, West must lead from
North dealer ♠ A 10 the ♥K-5 into declarer’s A-6.
None vul ♥J984
♦ 10 6 4 3 2 The question now is, can 3♥ be made on
♣ K 10 perfect play and defense? Before consult-
♠9863 ♠QJ2 ing Deep Finesse I thought that the answer
♥KQ52 N ♥7 was no but, if D.F. tells you otherwise, and
W E
♦K7 S ♦AJ85 when he does, then it’s time to revisit the
♣654 ♣QJ987 hand. This is the solution: You must win
♠K754 the ♠A at trick one, then play a spade to
♥ A 10 6 3 the king and ruff a spade with the ♥8.
♦Q9 Next you play three rounds of clubs, ruff-
♣A32 ing low. When you now lead a diamond
and East hops up to play a heart through,
West North East South you must also hop up with your ace, ruff
Robles Ringseth Pacareu Berg the remaining spade with dummy’s last
— pass pass 1♥ trump, and exit with a diamond. West wins
pass 2 ♦* pass 2♥ the diamond but, in the three-card ending,
pass pass double pass he has ♥K-Q-5 and declarer has ♥10-6-3,
2♠ 3♥ (all pass) which is worth a trick – declarer’s ninth.

*four-card Drury

In 3♥, Berg won the spade lead with the

ace and led a diamond, the natural play.
East, Joaquin Pacareu, defended well by
winning the ♦A and shifting to a trump.
West, Benjamin Robles, won the queen and
should have played back a low heart, but Joaquin Pacareu,
instead returned a club. However, when of Chile
he next got in with the ♦K, he did play a
low heart. Declarer now had eight tricks
but had to lose two hearts, two diamonds
and a spade, as he could only ruff twice in
dummy.
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 18

On our next deal, from the Schools event, will be forced to give a ruff and discard,
North-South had an unlikely accident. while North will have the alternative open
to him of cashing the ♠A and establishing
West dealer ♠AQJ75 the king. And that would have been the
All vul ♥AQ4 even more rare score of +1640.
♦Q973
♣Q Incidentally, only one declarer attempted
♠K62 ♠ 10 9 8 4 5♣, and he went down on the lead of the
N
♥— W E ♥ 10 7 6 5 ♥A. He did not have the benefit of the
♦KJ5 S ♦ A 10 third diamond winner but he could surely
♣ A K 10 9 6 4 2 ♣J87 have finessed as his best practical chance.
♠3 Notice that on the best lead for the defense
♥KJ9832 of the ♣Q North does have the opportunity
♦8642 to put in the ♦Q on the first round of the
♣53 suit as an entry blocking play, but declarer
can still make because North only has three
West North East South hearts. (The play is sufficiently complex so,
1♣ 1♠ pass pass as Terence Reese would say, I leave it for
3♣ double redouble (all pass) the reader to work out.)

West, Matt Meckstroth (son of Jeff), There was an interesting 3NT contract in
opened 1♣ and balanced with 3♣ when 1♠ Round 7 of the qualifying stage in the Ju-
came back to him. North doubled and East nior Championship. The action comes from
redoubled. South asked West (behind the the match between USA1 and USA2.
screens) what the redouble was. He was told
there was no agreement, but it would be for
rescue if the double was penalties. South
now passed to await developments, as did
West. Now North thought that the pass by
South was to play! Three clubs redoubled
made 10 tricks for +1240 – an unusual
number and not a bad one for East-West.
Of course, if Meckstroth had really wanted
to turn the knife in the wound, he would
have tried for 11 tricks. Matt Meck-
stroth,
The winning line is safe enough on a of the USA
diamond lead: You take the ♦10 and ruff Schools team
a heart, cash the ♣A and cross to the ♦A.
Now ruff a second heart, cross to the ♣J,
ruff a third heart, and pitch the last heart
on the ♦K. Declarer knows from the auc-
tion that the spades are 5-1, so he can exit
with a low spade, not caring which defender
wins the jack or queen. If it is South, he
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 19

North dealer ♠ K 10 9 3 tion himself, Shore preferred to enlist the

None vul ♥9852 help of his opponents, so he now cashed the
♦ 10 7 ♥A, knowing that West could not possibly
♣Q98 have ♥K-Q-J-10 for his defense to date.
♠8765 ♠Q4 When Greenberg retained the ♥Q, Shore
♥ K Q 10 N ♥J64
W E cashed his remaining diamond winner, then
♦A9653 S ♦42 exited with a heart and, after taking the
♣7 ♣ K J 10 5 4 3 fifth diamond, West had to lead a spade,
♠AJ2 giving four tricks in that suit and the con-
♥A73 tract.
♦KQJ8
♣A62 Had West unblocked the ♥Q, declarer
could have played the same way but end-
West North East South played East instead to open up a black suit
Greenberg Gill Lall Shore to declarer’s advantage.
— pass 3♣ 3 NT
(all pass)

In the other room, N-S for USA1 had a

bidding mix-up and played 4♠, which was
not a success, so there was an opportunity
for Noble Shore to earn a game swing for
USA2 if he could bring home his notrump
game.

Ari Greenberg (West) led his club to the

8, ten and ace, and Shore set about the
diamonds, Greenberg winning the second
round. He switched to the ♥K, but Shore
was able to blur East’s signal so that Green-
berg did not know to continue the suit.*
Instead, he switched back to diamonds,
Shore pitching a heart from dummy and
Noble Shore, of the USAII
East (Justin Lall, son of Hemant) a club.
Junior Team

Rather than have to guess the spade posi-

*If playing standard signals, East plays the 6 to en- Dana Tal, of the Israeli Schools team,
courage and South plays the 3. Now West thinks the distinguished herself on the next deal....
6 might be low. Playing upside-down East plays the 4
to encourage, but South plays the 7 and West thinks
the 4 might be high. In essence, declarer plays the
same method as the defense in order to confuse the
defense. — editor
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 20

East dealer ♠ J 10 4 The only information that Dana had

All vul ♥ K 10 8 2 was that East had doubled for a club lead.
♦ 10 5 4 She won the ♣A at trick one and took a
♣A92 long time to try to improve on her basic
♠3 ♠52 chance of the diamond finesse. Eventually
♥AQ4 N ♥J7653 she ruffed a club, crossed to the ♠J, then
W E
♦Q762 S ♦98 ruffed the last club. Now she led her heart
♣Q7654 ♣ K J 10 8 without drawing the last trump, only play-
♠AKQ9876 ing a partial elimination. West went in with
♥9 the ace and, not holding the last trump, was
♦AKJ3 endplayed. He exited with the ♥4 to the 8,
♣3 jack, ruffed. Now Dana played a spade to
dummy, and cashed two hearts for diamond
Segev Tal discards.
West North East South
— — pass 2♣ The point of only playing the partial
pass 2 ♦ (1) pass 3 ♠ (2) elimination is that if she plays the full
pass 4♣ double 4♦ elimination (cashing a second trump), then
pass 4♥ pass 4 NT finds the ♥A offside, she will have to use
pass 5♦ pass 6♠ dummy’s last trump as the entry to take the
(all pass) diamond finesse. But then she will have no
trump left to ruff, should East have begun
(1) positive with four diamonds to the queen. Her ac-
(2) Sets suit and asks for cuebid of ace tual line preserves the third trump in case a
ruff is required.
Opening lead: ♣4
The next deal exemplifies the importance
of counting:

Dana Tal,
of Israel Schools Team

Joshua Donn,
of USAI Juniors
Team
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 21

South dealer ♠943 had the trumps divided evenly. Give North
All vul ♥J a 2-1-4-6 distribution and declarer can af-
♦ J 10 5 3 ford to misguess the diamonds, avoiding
♣AKJ43 the risk of letting South in to cash a heart
♠ A Q J 10 7 6 ♠K85 winner. Why? Because if declarer goes up
♥74 N ♥A9 with the ace on the second round, he can
W E
♦K87 S ♦A9642 then play a third round to North, who will
♣Q7 ♣985 be end-played, forced to either establish
♠2 the diamond for declarer or give a ruff and
♥ K Q 10 8 6 5 3 2 discard.
♦Q
♣ 10 6 2 Semifinals
The Junior event saw the three favorites
South West North East make it through, and an exceptional per-
Kotorowicz T. Bessis Kalita Gaviard formance by Singapore, a team that came
4♥ 4♠ double (all pass) in relatively unheralded — despite a good
Far East tournament — and then held off
Opening lead: ♣A France to squeak into fourth place.

Jacek Kalita (North) cashed two clubs
then switched to the ♥J to dummy’s ace.
Bessis carefully ruffed dummy’s last club,
then drew two rounds of trumps with the
queen and jack. Now Bessis cashed the ♦K
and was pleased to see an honor fall on his
right. He continued with the ♦7 and Kalita
took his only chance when he played low,
hoping that declarer would play for South
to hold the queen-jack doubleton.
In our semifinals, the United States
enjoyed a lead of 56 imps with 16 boards
to go. The non-playing captain then sat
out his lead pair, Grue and Kranyak, and
watched as Singapore won the final session
by 51 imps to 10 to lose to the USA by only
15.

But Bessis knew too much already: That

club ruff had told him that South had three
cards in the suit. Was he more likely to
be 1-7-2-3 or 1-8-1-3 for a vulnerable 4♥
opening? Clearly the eight-card suit was
more likely, given his shortage of high-
cards, so Bessis ran the diamond and could
now establish the fifth diamond and come
to an overtrick; plus 990 and 14 imps to
France, as declarer misguessed the play in
Jacek Kalita,
four spades at the other table and went one
of Poland
down.

Note that eliminating the clubs could

also have paid off in a very different way,
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 22

If that last set was a surprise, the result against 6♠ and, having been warned that
of Italy-Poland was also a small upset, when the king should be offside, Lo Presti went
the Italians defeated Poland. The Italians up with the ace, cashed the ♠A and, after
took a small lead into the last set of 16 checking that ♦J-10-x would not fall, fi-
deals, then held Poland to just 7 imps in a nessed the queen of clubs. His heart loser
very quiet set to win by what appeared to went away on the ♣A and that meant 12
be a far more comfortable margin than it tricks and the end of Poland’s hopes of sav-
really was. This deal helped them along the ing the match. Six spades went down at the
way.... other table so Italy gained 17 imps, more
imps than were swung on all the other 15
North dealer ♠K4 deals put together as Italy won the set by
All vul ♥ K 10 6 20–7 and took the match by 154–116.
♦ J 10 8 4 2
♣872 Singapore also gained 17 imps when the
♠AJ982 ♠ Q 10 7 5 3 USA1 North also doubled a heart bid and
♥AQJ7 W
N
E
♥92 the Singapore declarer duly relied on the
♦6 S ♦AKQ95 club rather than the heart finesse for his
♣AQ5 ♣9 contract, while the slam went down at the
♠6 fourth table.
♥8543
♦73 Schools Event
♣ K J 10 6 4 3 In the Schools event Israel outclassed
Australia, but Poland and Latvia went down
West North East South to the wire. To an unbiased eye it seemed
Di Bello Kalita Lo Presti Kotorowicz that the Poles ran into a series of swing
— pass 1♠ pass deals where they did the right or normal
2♣ pass 2♦ pass thing and not only did not gain, they lost
2♥ pass 2♠ pass heavily, to finish up losing a desperately
2 NT pass 3♥ pass close match. All credit to Latvia though,
3♠ pass 4♦ pass who were playing as four against the pre-
4♥ double pass pass tournament favorites, and never appeared
redouble pass 4♠ pass overawed by the task.
5♣ pass 5♦ pass
6♠ (all pass)

Two clubs set up a game force, after

which Fabio Lo Presti (East) described his
hand in response to a series of questions,
showing precisely his hand-pattern with the Fabio Lo Presti, of
3♥ call. Then the cuebidding began, and Italy
it looked entirely reasonable for Kalita to
double 4♥ for the lead, but it was to cost
his side dearly.

Krzysztof Kotorowicz (South) led a heart

Bridge Today • December 2006 page 23

This was a deal where Israel gained an unchallenging defense.

against Australia, when West confused the
a priori percentages (the man who overcalls The Schools title was won by Israel, who
has the ace of his suit) with what he had overwhelmed Latvia in the final by 233
been told from the play.... imps to 117, the losers conceding with 16
boards to be played.
North dealer ♠ A 10 4
E-W vul ♥9832 Junior Final
♦K6532 For most of the match the Junior Final
♣3 appeared to be heading in the same direc-
♠Q8 ♠K62 tion.
♥ A J 10 5 4 N ♥K76
W E
♦QJ84 S ♦— North dealer ♠76
♣ 10 6 ♣AKJ9742 None vul ♥AJ8542
♠J9753 ♦Q9
♥Q ♣ A J 10
♦ A 10 9 7 ♠84 ♠A532
♣Q85 ♥Q93 N ♥ K 10 7 6
W E
♦J64 S ♦ 10 7
West North East South ♣Q9852 ♣K74
— pass 1♣ 1♠ ♠ K Q J 10 9
2♥ 2♠ 4♥ (all pass) ♥—
♦AK8532
Opening lead: ♥2 ♣63

For the Australians De Livera (North) re- West North East South
ceived the ♥2 lead to the 6, queen and ace. Kranyak Di Bello Grue Lo Presti
Declarer now played the ♥4, North played — 1♥ pass 2 ♠*
the 3, dummy won with the king and pass 3♥ pass 4♠
South threw the ♠7 – upside-down. This pass 5♦ (all pass)
♠7 should have given declarer lots of clues.
Given that North did not lead a spade, and *diamonds, GF
that South was not enthusiastic for a spade
play, there was a strong clue that South did System caused problems for the Italians
not have the ace, reinforcing the winning on this deal from the second set of the Ju-
line to declarer. But declarer now played nior final. They play a complex set of trans-
the ♠2 to the queen, losing to North’s ace, fer responses to the 1♥ opening bid and
and a diamond shift doomed West. this required a 2♠ bid to show diamonds
on this particular South hand, cramping the
If instead, declarer had played a top club auction uncomfortably. Lo Presti (South)
at trick three, and had then drawn trumps showed the nature of his hand with the 4♠
hoping for a club split or ♠A with North, rebid, but it left Di Bello with a guess and,
he would have made his contract. This with no spade honor, it was very hard for
board represented a swing of 14 imps to him to consider slam.
Israel, who made 4♥ in the other room on
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 24

North dealer ♠76 If the Italians did too little there, they
None vul ♥AJ8542 certainly did too much here:
♦Q9
♣ A J 10 South dealer ♠J98
♠84 ♠A532 N-S vul ♥A73
♥Q93 N ♥ K 10 7 6
W E ♦973
♦J64 S ♦ 10 7 ♣ 10 9 5 2
♣Q9852 ♣K74 ♠75 ♠A64
♠ K Q J 10 9 ♥KQ98 N ♥J4
W E
♥— ♦QJ65 S ♦AK8
♦AK8532 ♣AQJ ♣K8643
♣63 ♠ K Q 10 3 2
♥ 10 6 5 2
West North East South ♦ 10 4 2
Boldrini Donn Sbarigia Feldman ♣7
— 1♥ pass 2♦
pass 2♥ pass 2♠ Feldman Donn
pass 2 NT pass 3♠ South West North East
pass 4♦ pass 5♠ 2 ♣ (1) double 2 ♦ (2) double
pass 6♣ pass 6♦ 2♠ pass pass double
(all pass) (all pass)

The Americans were able to develop the (1) majors

hand slowly and benefited from the extra
space available to them. When South, Jason
Feldman (son of Lynne and Mark), showed
his 6-5 shape, Josh Donn showed good ap-
preciation of his two aces and ♦Q by choos-
ing 4♦ rather than the easy 3NT with his
double club stopper. Now Feldman offered
spades as an alternative trump suit – the 5♠
bid getting his good suits across very clearly,
and Donn cuebid the ♣A before Feldman
signed off in 6♦. Very well judged by both
players. Both declarers made 12 tricks; +420
for Di Bello but +920 for Feldman and 11
imps to USA1.
Jason Feldman,
of USAI Juniors
Team
(2) equal length in majors
In the other room the Italians had bid to
6♣ by West. This would have made with-
out a spade start, but Grue (South) had dou-
bled a 4♠ cuebid by East, making it easy for
John Kranyak (son of Laurie and Ken) to
find the killing opening lead.
Here the Italian South’s 2♣ bid showed
a weak hand with at least 4-4 in the majors.
There’s something to be said for gearing
one’s methods toward extracting a penalty
from the opponents, and this is exactly
what Feldman and Donn did. West doubled
the opening bid to promise values, and
then, after North responded 2♦ to show
equal length in the majors, East produced
his own card-showing double. This permit-
ted West to make a forcing pass over South’s
2♠ rebid, and East completed a good auc-
tion with a well-timed penalty double.
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 25

Feldman found the sensible trump lead. [Editors: Attitude! Low means switch to a
East won with his ♠A and returned the heart.]
suit. In the fullness of time, declarer lost
one spade, three hearts, three diamonds and ♠ 10 5 2
one club to go down three. Plus 50 and plus ♥Q63
800 gave the U.S. champions 14 imps. ♦ 10 4 3
♣KJ83
Defensive signalling has always, in theory ♠AKJ984 ♠Q63
at least, been straightforward. At first you ♥A874 N ♥ K J 10 2
W E
signal attitude: whether you like partner’s ♦2 S ♦J975
lead or not. If attitude is known or irrel- ♣ Q 10 ♣76
evant, you give count, telling partner how ♠7
many cards you have left in the suit. If ♥95
attitude and count are known or irrelevant, ♦AKQ86
you may send a suit-preference signal. ♣A9542

That’s relatively simple and very sensible. Ferrari Donn Sangiorgio Feldman
But nowadays many use a different ap- West North East South
proach: You are supposed to give the signal — pass pass 1♦
that partner wishes to receive. Fair enough, 1♠ pass 2♠ 3♣
but how will you always know what partner 4♠ 5♣ pass pass
wants to learn? If you take the bidding and double (all pass)
dummy into account, you will often “guess”
correctly, but there is potential for a misun- At both tables, South reached five clubs
derstanding. Consider this situation: after identical sequences. In the other room,
neither Grue (East) nor Kranyak doubled,
♠ 10 5 2 and Kranyak led the ♠K. At the given
♥Q63 table, Francesco Ferrari (West) did double,
♦ 10 4 3 then led the ♠A. What should East play,
♣KJ83 and how should his card be interpreted by
♠AKJ984 West?
♥A874 N
W E
♦2 S The Italian East, Alberto Sangiorgio,
♣ Q 10 dropped the ♠3. Treating this as a suit-pref-
erence signal, West shifted to his singleton
West North East South diamond. The declarer, Feldman, took East’s
— pass pass 1♦ ♦9 with his ace, cashed the ♣A and played
1♠ pass 2♠ 3♣ a club to the queen and king. Now South
4♠ 5♣ pass pass carefully overtook dummy’s ♦10 with his
double (all pass) king. When West discarded, declarer played
a club to the jack on the board and led a
Opening lead: ♠K diamond to his 8. Two hearts disappeared
from the board on the long diamonds, and
The ♠K wins. What does partner’s signal South lost only one trick in each major to
mean? Count? Attitude? Or suit-preference? make his doubled contract.
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 26

♠ 10 5 2 Board 3 ♠K765
♥Q63 South dealer ♥8753
♦ 10 4 3 E-W vul ♦ K 10 3
♣KJ83 ♣J2
♠AKJ984 ♠Q63 ♠AJ32 ♠ Q 10 8
♥A874 N ♥ K J 10 2 ♥J642 N ♥ A K Q 10 9
W E W E
♦2 S ♦J975 ♦A65 S ♦J2
♣ Q 10 ♣76 ♣A5 ♣K87
♠7 ♠94
♥95 ♥—
♦AKQ86 ♦Q9874
♣A9542 ♣ Q 10 9 6 4 3

At the other table, Grue (East) played South West North East
the ♠6 at trick one. Reading this as a suit- Kranyak Lo Presti Grue Di Bello
preference signal, West cashed his ♥A and 3♣ double pass 4♣
played a second heart. Declarer ruffed the pass 4♥ pass 6♥
third heart and immediately led a low club (all pass)
from his hand, to the ten and king. Decid-
ing that the ♣10 was a singleton, South South West North East
now ran dummy’s ♣J, losing to West’s Sbarigia Greenberg Boldrini Lall
queen, going down two. Even if the ♠6 is 3♣ double 4♣ 6♥
not suit-preference here, West should prob- (all pass)
ably cash the ♥A before playing a diamond
— just in case. Stelio Di Bello responded to the take-out
double with a cuebid then raised the 4♥
Trailing by 96 imps with only 16 boards response to slam. Justin Lall simply jumped
to go, the Italian Juniors were dead and to 6♥ at his first turn. That had the ef-
buried, right? If so, somebody forgot to tell fect of putting different defenders on lead
them, as they made a tremendous fight of against the final contract. Against Fabio
it and brought the dead match back to life Lo Presti (West), Joe Grue (North) led his
again. These two consecutive boards, early partner’s suit, the ♣J. Lo Presti could ruff a
in the set, took care of one-third of the club in hand despite the 4-0 heart break as
deficit and gave Italy some much-needed clubs were not seven-one, as he might have
momentum. feared. Then he drew trumps and took the
spade finesse but, though that lost, he now
had a spade winner on which to discard the
losing diamond from dummy; +1430.

At the other table, Matteo Sbarigia,

South, saw little future in the club suit so
tried a diamond lead instead. That estab-
Matteo Sbarigia, lished a diamond winner for Andrea Boldri-
of Italy ni to cash when he got in with the ♠K; one
down for -100 and 17 big imps to Italy.
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 27

Board 4 ♠864 West North East South

West dealer ♥KQJ62 Greenberg Boldrini Lall Sbarigia
All vul ♦ 10 6 5 1♠ 2♥ 3♠ 4♠
♣AK 5♦ pass 5♠ 6♥
♠AKQJ3 ♠ 10 9 7 2 pass pass 6♠ double
♥84 N ♥ 10 (all pass)
W E
♦KJ987 S ♦Q43
♣6 ♣98743 At this table, Boldrini did overcall, and
♠5 Sbarigia made a strong slam try over the 3♠
♥A9753 preempt on his right. At his next turn he
♦A2 took the push to the six level — and right
♣ Q J 10 5 2 he was, as 6♥ is cold, losing only a spade
trick. But East, Justin Lall, saved in 6♠,
West North East South promptly doubled by Sbarigia. Again, there
Lo Presti Grue Di Bello Kranyak were just the three aces to lose, but this time
1♠ pass 3♠ pass that meant -500 and 15 imps to Italy.
4♠ (all pass)
The procession of imps to Italy contin-
Grue (North) felt he needed something a ued, but the boards ran out — just in time
bit better than his 5-3-3-2 shape for a vul- for USA — holding on to win by 15 imps.
nerable two-level overcall. When he passed, There’s no doubt that they had shown
Di Bello’s preemptive raise shut the Ameri- themselves to be worthy winners.
cans out of the auction. Lo Presti (West) just
lost three aces and scored +620.

Junior 1. USA 1 10. HONG KONG Schools 1. ISRAEL 9. CHINESE TAIPEI

Standings 2. ITALY 11. BRAZIL Standings 2. LATVIA 10. PAKISTAN
3. SINGAPORE 12. HUNGARY 3. POLAND 11. HONG KONG
4. POLAND 13. CANADA 4. AUSTRALIA 12. ITALY
5. FRANCE 14. HILE 5. NORWAY 13. CANADA
6. ISRAEL 15. AUSTRALIA 6. USA RED 14. CHINA
7. NORWAY 16. JAPAN 7. SWEDEN 15. INDONESIA
8. EGYPT 17. THAILAND 8. USA BLUE 16. THAILAND
9. USA 2 18. JORDAN

USAI - World Junior Champions Israel - World Schools Champions

Bridge Today • December 2006
Bridge Yesterday
by Pietro Campanile
Mind games
Chess and Bridge have often been hailed
as the two best examples of that category
aptly named “sports of the mind” and lately
both the WBF and FIDE (the international
bodies overseeing them) have strived to pool
together their efforts in order to achieve
recognition and representation as “Olympic
Sport” by the International Olympics Com-
mittee.
But are these two disciplines really so
similar?
The answer is no. The hugely important
characteristic which sets them apart is the
amount of game information available for
the player to process. Chess is a game of
“complete information” — the player can
always see the entire board and calculate a
wealth of possible moves and subsequent
positions. The result of a chess game is usu-
ally determined by the range and quality
of the calculations, which is what enables
computers to perform so spectacularly well.
A bridge player, instead, has 75% of the
information hidden from view during the
bidding (i.e., the 39 cards held by the other
three players) and he needs to communicate
to his partner the values he holds using
a generic and often inadequate code (the
bidding system) and to decipher an equally
complex set of clues from his partner and
the opponents on each deal. Moreover,
during the auction but especially during
the play, the lack of “complete information”
about each side’s assets means that bridge is
a fertile ground for all sorts of quite legiti-
mate deceptive tactics (false-carding and
page 28
more), which make the task of each player
all the more daunting.
An expert can often take advantage of
a slightly incorrect play by an opponent
(like a wrongly timed duck, or an inferior
discard) to create the impression of a com-
pletely different layout of the cards and
induce fatal mistakes leading to an impos-
sible contract being made.
Essentially one could state that in bridge
the outcome is usually determined by the
ability to guess and make use of each side’s
assets by getting the best possible score on
any given hand and conversely stopping the
opponents from doing so.
In such a foggy battleground, the ability
to “read” one’s opponents and to correctly
guess what is going on at the table, in short
the so-called “table presence,” become for-
midable weapons in the armory of a first-
class player. That is a skill which is almost
superfluous in chess, where a player’s efforts
are focused almost solely on analyzing the
position and reconciling it with the vast
amount of information stored from experi-
ence and previous study (opening theory,
end-games and more). Such prior knowledge
assumes a relevance that has a much wider
impact on the outcome of the struggle at
the chessboard than outsiders can imagine,
translating sometimes into “book-wins,”
games won simply by using home analysis
of a pre-memorized series of moves.
Naturally, despite the many differences,
there are still important qualities common
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 29

to people excelling in each of the two games, Top bridge players usually thrive in the
like superior analytical skills, an above “short bursts” type of game that bridge
average eidetic memory and a highly com- offers: some peaks of activity interspersed
petitive character. This common ground among a long series of “routine” decisions,
explains the frequent process that sees a while chess at an equivalent level is like a
player successful in one discipline venturing long 15 round boxing match; it may fin-
over to the other. ish early but usually it goes the length
and at the end both players are exhausted:
“If a chess master is taught to play bridge, The winner may be elated but the loser is
and a bridge expert learns chess, which one physically and morally crushed. This type
will do better at the other’s game?” This is of punishment is much more difficult to
the intriguing question recently asked by get used to. So while for the chess player a
Philip Alder in his regular column in the game of bridge at a decent level is a pleas-
New York Times. ant alternative to
the slugging on the
The experi- chess board, the
ment will be a bridge player is
difficult one to usually unable to
carry out, because transfer his skills
the amount of across and adapt to
information and the much bloodier
coaching needed in “mano a mano”
both sports is vastly extended clash on
different. The the chessboard.
problem is twofold:
Chess on one side It is a fact: In
requires a lot of the last century
talent to excel and there have been
on the other a lot many instances of
of study. Bridge re- chess grand mas-
quires a variety of ters becoming in-
qualities but very terested in bridge
little formal theory and developing
compared to chess. into some useful
players and not vice versa.
The learning curve of bridge is longer
since true talent has a smaller part in the The paramount example is that of Eman-
success than it has in chess, which is why uel Lasker, world chess champion from
you come across many pre-adolescent chess 1894 to 1921. Lasker passionately embraced
geniuses but no similar bridge genius, since the game of bridge in his late years. He was
however technically proficient they may foreign correspondent in the early 1930s
become they have yet to master the social for the “Bridge World” and was featured as
skills which are such an important part of a regular presence in the European bridge
the game. scene till his move to Moscow in 1934.
Bridge Today • December 2006
Lasker’s incredibly long tenure as World
Chess Champion spanned across three
decades and served as a connection between
vastly different worlds: from the mythical
giants of the 19th century like Steinitz, Tarr-
asch, Tchigorin, and the dawn of the soon
all-conquering Soviet School, personified by
geniuses like Botwinnik, Keres and Smys-
low. His resilience and fighting approach to
chess enabled him to hang on to his crown
for longer than anyone might have expect-
ed.
Lasker was a pretty down-to-earth guy
with an unassuming character, which was
worlds apart from the flamboyant antics of
modern chess talents like Fischer and Kasp-
arov. An interesting anecdote shows off his
jocular character: While returning by ship
to Germany after a lengthy stay in New
York, Lasker noticed a man seated alone in
front of a chess board and could not help
himself from stopping to take a look at the
position. His momentary pause must have
alerted the stranger who asked him if he
knew how to play, adding needlessly that
even a game with a patzer (novice) was
better than nothing at all. Taking the com-
ment in his stride, Lasker quietly sat down
and the stranger continued to make things
worse by grandly stating that “to make the
game interesting” he would concede the
advantage of a Queen to his “novice” oppo-
nent. Lasker bit his tongue and proceeded
to quickly lose his first game. Then, while
reassembling the pieces, with a genial smile
he turned to his opponent and said: “I can
see that playing without a Queen has some
advantages. Perhaps because the King has
some freedom of movement when the space
next to him is not occupied. Let me give you
the advantage of the Queen and I am sure I
will do better in our next game.” The other
naturally laughed at the silly request but
Lasker’s stubborn attitude won the day and
page 30
they played a second game, this time with
Lasker playing without the Queen. Despite
the huge handicap, he won easily to the
astonishment of his opponent. After a third
game and another easy victory, Lasker qui-
etly got up, offered his thanks for the games
and left his bewildered opponent to wonder
what had just befallen him.
Lasker’s interest in card games dates from
his early years, that and his deep involve-
ment in Mathematics brought him later
to make some innovative contributions to
the early stages of Game Theory. In 1899
he used his chess notoriety to publish one
of the few texts on the subject in Ger-
man “Card Strategy” and a few years later
he authored “The Encyclopedia of Card
Games.” His frequent chess commitments
when he was world champion meant that
Lasker had to wait until the late 1920s to
concentrate on bridge. When he did so, he
soon achieved notoriety and the status of
one of the best players in Germany, thanks
to the analytical skills and the fighting spirit
which had served him so well at the chess-
board.
Here we see him at the helm of an ambi-
tious grand slam during an international
event held in London in 1932:
a modern Winnie-the-Pooh chess set
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 31

East dealer North singleton spade in dummy offered declarer

Both vul ♠2 the additional threat to set up a spade with
♥ A K Q J 10 9 8 a ruff if too many were discarded on the
♦32 run of the hearts. Keeping that in mind
♣A72 Lasker took the lead in dummy, cashed six
West East trumps and the ♦A to reach this position:
♠K87654 ♠J93
♥4 ♥— ♠2
♦Q98 ♦ J 10 7 6 5 4 ♥8
♣ Q J 10 ♣9853 ♦2
South ♣72
♠ A Q 10 ♠K87 ♠J93
♥76532 ♥— N ♥—
W E
♦AK ♦— S ♦—
♣K64 ♣ J 10 ♣98
♠ A Q 10
According to the records and however ♥—
hard it is to believe, the bidding went sim- ♦K
ply: ♣K

West North East South
— — pass 1♥
1♠ 7♥ (all pass)
It must be remembered that the hand
was played in 1932, when Easley Black-
wood’s wonderful tool was still six years
away from being divulged in the “Bridge
World.” Even so, North’s 7♥ bid is quite
reckless given the lack of a first-round spade
control. Luckily for him Lasker had the suit
covered and the contract could survive at
least the first trick.
West’s lead was the ♣Q and Lasker could
see that his chances were not brilliant, since
the spade finesse was definitely not working
given the auction. The only possible way
to make the hand was a squeeze and the
Declarer now played the ♦K from hand
and West was forced to throw a club, since
a spade pitch would allow declarer to play
♠A and spade ruff, setting up the ♠Q. East
discarded a spade (a club discard would
allow declarer to set up the second club in
dummy by simply cashing the ♣K).
There was only one chance left for
Lasker: to hope that East had started with
the ♠J and that he was now left with ♠J-x.
The wizened champion cashed the ♠A and
played the ♠Q, covered with the king by
West and ruffed in dummy. When East had
to follow perforce with the jack, the ♠10
became the thirteenth trick and the con-
tract was home. “Not bad for an old man,
eh?” One might have heard him say with a
wink and a smile.
Bridge Today • December 2006 page 32

Hand of the Year

by Matthew Granovetter

Our report on the Fall Nationals in Ho- Roger was declarer and analyzed the
nolulu will appear in the January issue, but hand as follows. East probably has the
on the last day of the tournament, at the ♠K-Q or ♠K-Q-x, West has five clubs and
Hilton Hawaiian Village’s Tapa Bar, Roger four diamonds (he can’t have two diamonds
Bates showed me a hand from the USA because that would give him six major-suit
Team Trials, played earlier this year. cards, too many for East to hold at least
two cards in each major). Therefore, West
North (dummy) is 1-3-4-5 or 2-2-4-5. If the latter, it doesn’t
♠7xx matter. If a singleton spade, he can make
♥xxxxx the hand if it is a singleton 10 by leading
♦Kxx a spade from dummy toward the jack. But
♣xx what if West has a small singleton? It can
♣2 still be done! (Solution below.)
South (you)
♠AJ98xx
♥AKx
♦AQJ Solution
♣x Roger cashed his two heart tricks, then
led the ♦A and a diamond to the king.
West North East South Next came a spade from dummy. East
— — 1 NT double played the queen and Roger ducked!
2♣ pass pass double
pass 2♥ 3♣ 3♠ If East now cashed a heart, the spades are
pass 4♠ (all pass) breaking 2-2. If East had no more hearts,
he would lead a club. Roger would ruff and
Opening lead: ♣ 2 lead a heart to West. West would be forced
to lead a club. Roger would ruff in dummy
Over East’s 15-17 notrump, you double and finesse East’s remaining K-10 of spades.
and LHO bids 2♣. You double again, for
takeout. Partner bids 2♥ and RHO bids The actual layout was East holding K-Q
3♣. You bid 3♠ and partner raises. West doubleton and three hearts, and West was
leads the ♣2, showing five clubs. East wins 2-2-4-5. But it is definitely a candidate for
the king and shifts to a diamond. West fol- the best played hand of the year.
lows with the ♦2, showing an even number
of diamonds. (West always tells the truth.) Wishing you a great holiday, and a
How do you play the hand? happy and healthy and successful 2007!