August 2006

♠
♥
♦
♣

Editor: Matthew Granovetter

The Magazine for People Who Love to Play Bridge

In This Issue:

2 The Red Pencil 23 At Last — My Turn To Be a

World Champion
3 Matchpoint Lessons from Verona by Shlomo Zeligman
by Pamela Granovetter
28 The Wizards of Aus
9 Switch in Time Forum by Ron Klinger

12 World Mixed Pairs (part II) 29 Building a Better Mousetrap

by Matthew Granovetter
30 Hands from Scotland
20 Winners Circle: by Liz McGowan
Chicago Summer Nationals
31 A Funny Thing Happened ...
21 Tip of the Month:
Do Not Put Down a Bad Dummy

NOTICE: Please share this issue of Bridge Today eMagazine with you 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 • August 2006 page 2

The Red Pencil

by Matthew Granovetter

transfer advances

This month we are going to put a red You don’t have to know my hand to
pencil through a relatively new convention know how frustrated I was. I didn’t know
on the market place: Transfer advances. which hand my partner held, so how could
This wonderful convention is typical of I make an intelligent call?
today’s modern 2-way ideas, combining
two bids into the price of one, so that you OK, this was my hand:
can get more mileage from your bids. Slow
down! ♠ A Q 10 7 5 ♥ 8 ♦ Q J 10 9 4 ♣ A 3

The transfer advance occurs after a major If my partner had only clubs, I would
suit is doubled for takeout. Responder bids want to defend 4♥. But if my partner had
1NT or higher to say: I have something in- spade support, I wanted to bid 4♠.
teresting in the next suit — it’s either a long
suit or a lead-director with support for your There are a number of other nightmares
suit, partner. I could have held, such as:

Here’s an outline: ♠A8765 ♥7 ♦AJ3 ♣K752

West North East South If my partner holds clubs, I want to bid

— — 1♠ double 5♣, but if it was a club lead director and
? spade support, I want to defend.

1 NT = long club suit or lead director in clubs with ♠AQ843 ♥QJ4 ♦A43 ♣A2
spade support
2 ♣ = long diamond suit or lead director in diamonds Do I pass, double or bid 4♠? It would
with spade support have been so nice to know if partner held
2 ♦ = long hearts or lead director in hearts with spade support, because then I could double
spade support and he would know that I know he has
2 ♥ = a good raise to 2♠ spade support. If I double now, and he has
2 ♠ = a bad raise to 2♠ spade support, does he remove to 4♠? He
has no idea either.
At the Nationals in Chicago last month I
decided to try this out. My first experience Take this convention and put a red
with them was this, where I was East: pencil through it, please. Forget the lead
director, or play that a jump is fit-showing
West North East South and a lead director. But these two-way birds
— — 1♠ double — I mean, bids — are for the ... well for the
1 NT 4♥ ? birds.
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 3

Matchpoint Lessons from Verona

by Pamela Granovetter

— from the World Women’s Pairs —

Before Verona, my world championship pairs, the Levin’s were second, and the
experience (which had been on hold for Stansby’s were third — our hotel apparently
about 20 years) consisted of two Rosenblum was a lucky place! (JoAnna and Jill also won
Cups, one women’s team game, and one silver medals for the women’s teams event,
mixed pairs. The Verona women’s pairs and Bobby won silver for the Open with
was my first try at that particular strain. Stevie Weinstein, also at our hotel.)
My partner, Migry Zur Campanile, and I
finished third in the semi-finals, but our ef- By the time I reached the women’s pairs
fort in the finals was nothing to write home (which was the last) event, I (who am not
about. To compensate, there were many much of a matchpoint maven) knew all too
lesson hands (ours or our opponents’) from well about the agony of defeat at match-
that event (which I share with you below). points from my game with Bob Hamman in
I found the other women in the event to be the mixed pairs — such angst we had expe-
extremely pleasant and talented, and, best rienced by going +400 instead of +420, +420
of all, I had a chance to visit with many instead of +430, +110 instead of +120, or
old friends. I wouldn’t have minded better +100 instead of +110! When playing match-
lighting and air conditioning at the play- points, how can you tell whether to play in
ing site, but the venue wasn’t too bad and, a 5-3 major-suit fit or notrump? Whether to
happily, freshly-brewed coffee was provided defend with a good chance to defeat them,
free of charge during every session. or bid one more, knowing you will probably
fail in your contract for a good matchpoint
I loved Italy itself as well as the Italian score anyway at 50-a-trick? There is so
people. The staff at our small but pretty much guessing and luck involved, is there
hotel were incredibly pleasant and helpful, not?!
and our rooms (we had a little apartment),
the lobby area, and the hotel’s garden were And yet, upon reflection, I think some of
as comfortable as one could wish. For icing the decisions and plays we made or failed to
on the cake, Matthew and I got to know make in the women’s pairs would be tough
some of our hotel’s fellow-guests better problems at imps or rubber bridge as well,
— in particular, Lew and JoAnna Stansby, and so, in the end, I think that much of
Ron and Suzie Klinger, and Jill and Bobby this set of lesson hands can be defined as
Levin. Interestingly, Matthew (playing with “bridge” problems rather than “matchpoint”
Karen McCallum) was first in the mixed problems — you be the judge!
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 4

Problem #1 Problem #2

East dealer • North-South vul West dealer • All vul

You, East, hold: You, North, hold:

♠AKQ765 ♠ A K J 10 8 7 6
♥J7 ♥J5
♦J7 ♦5432
♣Q73 ♣—

West North East South West North East South

— — 1♠ pass — ?
1 NT* pass ?
What is your opening bid?
*semi-forcing (up to 11 points)

Problem #4

South dealer North (dummy)

Problem #3 N-S vul ♠J65
♥9
North dealer North ♦876
None vul ♠ 10 9 4 2 ♣QJ7643
♥AK743 West (you)
♦764 ♠ A K Q 10 7
N
♣4 ♥4 W E
♦ 10 5 S

South (you) ♣AK982

♠AKJ86
♥Q6 South West North East
♦K2 1♥ 2 ♥* pass 3♠
♣J632 4♥ 4♠ pass pass
5♦ pass pass double
West North East South (all pass)
— pass pass 1♠
pass 2 ♣* pass 4♠ * spades and clubs
(all pass)
Opening lead: ♣K
* Drury
Partner follows with the 10 and declarer
Opening lead: ♥J ruffs. Declarer continues with the ♥A (part-
ner playing the 8) and a heart. You ruff in
Plan the play. with the ♦10. Declarer throws a club from
dummy and partner follows with the ♥10.
You cash a high spade. Now what?
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 5

Problem #5 Problem #6

West dealer North (dummy) South dealer

E-W vul ♠65 East-West vul
♥ 10 8 5 4 2
♦953 You, West, hold:
♣ A 10 9
♦A ♠ 10
South (you) ♥Q8542
♠ A Q J 10 4 3 ♦AQ6
♥K76 ♣AQJ9
♦ Q 10 2
♣K South West North East
2 ♦* 2♥ pass pass
West North East South 2♠ double (all pass)
1♣ pass 2♣ 2♠
(all pass) * Multi (one major)

Opening lead: ♦A Your lead.

East follows low but you cannily fol-

low with the ten. West continues with the
king and another diamond, setting up your
queen for you. Well done! What next?

Problem #7 What do you make of the East hand

after they open 2♠, showing spades and a
South dealer minor, partner overcalls 3♣, and third hand
None vul raises to 3♠?

You hold as East: Note: Double here would show “cards”

♠863 outside of spades.
♥ J 10 7 5
♦ A Q 10 6 5
♣K

South West North East

2 ♠* 3♣ 3♠ ?

*spades and a minor

Bridge Today • August 2006 page 6

Solutions Problem #2

Problem #1 West dealer North

All vul ♠ A K J 10 8 7 6
East dealer North ♥J5
N-S vul ♠843 ♦5432
♥ 10 9 2 ♣—
♦AQ654 West East
♣AK ♠Q532 ♠4
West East ♥K762 ♥AQ43
♠2 ♠AKQ765 ♦ K 10 ♦A876
♥AK865 ♥J7 ♣ K J 10 ♣8762
♦ 10 9 8 2 ♦J7 South
♣J94 ♣Q73 ♠9
South ♥ 10 9 8
♠ J 10 9 ♦QJ9
♥Q43 ♣AQ9543
♦K3
♣ 10 8 6 5 2 West North East South
— 4♠ (all pass)
West North East South
— — 1♠ pass Opening lead: ♥A
1 NT* pass 2♠ (all pass) Result: North-South -300

*semi-forcing Is this just “a toss of the dice” hand, or

is there some sort of matchpoint discipline
Opening lead: ♣5 in play here? Does your “level of opening
East-West result: -50 bid” choice depend on what game you’re
playing? I’m a big fan of “picture bids” and
I think that at any form of the game, it a three-level bid here should show a seven-
could work to pass 1NT. You have “quacks” card suit and a hand where you expect to
in every suit, and if partner holds a double- take seven tricks. On the other hand, the
ton spade, you are in great shape. I think “big” 4♠ bid could work by shutting them
that at imps, it’s 50-50, but at matchpoints out of their cold game.
it’s a good gamble to pass 1NT. That would
have been a big winner here, where 1NT In this case, minus 300 was about aver-
probably makes three (assume they lead age. Some Easts doubled a 3♠ opening bid
and clear diamonds), while 2♠ unluckily and some Wests passed out 3♠ doubled (for
went down a trick when they took ruffs in 200 or 500). The big score was to buy it for
both minors. I don’t think the 2♠ bid can 3♠ undoubled and receive a club lead.
be criticized, but it seems to me that in my
younger, free-spirited days, I used to rou-
tinely look to play hands with long running
suits in notrump. Is the 2♠ rebid a “middle-
age thing”?
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 7

Problem #3 to go plus here to score well, so the play of

the hand should be the same as playing at
North dealer North imps or rubber bridge. What are the odds
None vul ♠ 10 9 4 2 of hearts breaking 3-3 so that you can pitch
♥AK743 away one or both diamonds? Not good
♦764 (36%).... Where does this leave us?
♣4
West East The solution is to preserve your hand
♠— ♠Q753 entries for club ruffs. Win the ♥A in
♥ J 10 9 8 ♥52 dummy and play a club. If West wins, you
♦ A Q J 10 9 ♦853 are in great shape because she can’t attack
♣ 10 9 8 5 ♣AKQ7 diamonds and may continue hearts for you.
South (you) In fact, East wins the club and plays a dia-
♠AKJ86 mond through. You lose two diamonds, ruff
♥Q6 the third, and cash a high spade. You get
♦K2 the news about the spades and ruff a club.
♣J632 Now a heart to hand and ruff another club.

West North East South You can play dummy’s high heart now,
— pass pass 1♠ and East has the unhappy choice of letting
pass 2 ♣* pass 4♠ you discard your last club and then run
(all pass) the ♠10 followed by a heart to coup her, or
ruffing the heart, allowing you to overruff,
* Drury ruff a club, and then coup her.

Opening lead: ♥J In real life, declarer, anxious for an

overtrick, won the heart in hand with the
Here we have a case of getting to a thin queen and cashed a high spade. The en-
game at matchpoints. You have to forget tries were wasted and the contract could no
about overtricks — you are going to have longer be made.

The other two couples at our hotel, Lew and JoAnna Stansby and Jill and Bobby Levin,
receive their bronze and silver medals in Verona for the Mixed Pairs
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 8

Problem #4 Partner follows with the 10 and declarer

ruffs. Declarer continues with the ♥A (part-
South dealer North (dummy) ner playing the 8) and a heart. You ruff in
N-S vul ♠J65 with the ♦10. Declarer throws a club from
♥9 dummy and partner follows with the ♥10.
♦876 You cash a high spade. Now what?
♣QJ7643
West East If you’ve been reading Bridge Today
♠ A K Q 10 7 ♠9432 articles regularly, this is a baby hand, a tap
♥4 ♥ K Q 10 8 dance! When defending against two-suit-
♦ 10 5 ♦KJ4 ers, tap them! In real life, the winners, Kerri
♣AK982 ♣ 10 5 Sanborn and Irina Levitina, had their zero
South converted to a top when West shifted to a
♠8 trump at trick five, allowing declarer (Kerri)
♥AJ76532 to fail by only one trick for -200 instead of
♦AQ932 down three (which would have been the
♣— result had West continued spades). Mean-
while, East-West were cold for +420 (playing
South West North East from the East side, there was no club ruff
1♥ 2 ♥* pass 3♠ possible).
4♥ 4♠ pass pass
5♦ pass pass double If you didn’t already know about tapping
(all pass) two-suited hands, there’s another clue, and
that’s to count declarer’s tricks. If she makes
* spades and clubs all her diamonds, that’s five tricks. The ace
of hearts, and two ruffs in dummy (part-
Opening lead: ♣K ner can overruff later) brings the total to 8.
That’s down three....

In Depth
When declarer has a two-suited hand
♠J6
and is playing in the shorter trump suit,
♥—
the tap defense is usually better than
♦876
trump plays.
♣QJ76
♠ A K 10 7 ♠932
N
At the table, West shifted to the 5
♥— ♥KQ
W E of trump and declarer won, ruffed a
♦5 S ♦KJ4
heart, finessed in trumps and conceded
♣A982 ♣5
one heart trick for -200. If West had
♠—
led a high spade instead of shifting to a
♥J7653
trump, declarer would have lost control.
♦AQ93
♣—
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 9

Problem #5 Red herring alert! Again, this is an easy

one for Bridge Today readers. You play your
West dealer North (dummy) club (OK, OK, so it’s the king!) to the ace
E-W vul ♠65 and take a spade finesse (isn’t that what
♥ 10 8 5 4 2 you’d do if your club was a little one?).
♦953 After pulling trumps, two low hearts from
♣ A 10 9 hand will produce the overtrick. In real life,
West East declarer was clever enough to play the ♦10
♠872 ♠K9 at trick one, but after winning the third
♥A9 ♥QJ3 round of diamonds, she unblocked the ♣K,
♦AK7 ♦J864 then played ♠A, ♠Q, and held herself to
♣J6532 ♣Q874 eight tricks.
South (you)
♠ A Q J 10 4 3 By playing the hand as declarer did, you
♥K76 virtually give up on any overtricks (since
♦ Q 10 2 you are conceding the ♠K even when it’s
♣K onside doubleton, along with two diamonds
and two certain heart tricks). Declarer’s play
West North East South was designed to kill the club suit for the de-
1♣ pass 2♣ 2♠ fenders and force them to play hearts to her
(all pass) advantage. However, if they have a spade
and/or the 13th diamond for exit cards,
Opening lead: ♦A and if the ♥A is third, the spade finesse
might be right at imps as well. For example,
East follows low but you cannily fol- give West ♠ 8 7 2 ♥ A J 3 ♦ A K 7 ♣ J 6 5 3.
low with the ten. West continues with the
king and another diamond, setting up your
queen for you. Well done! What next?

Switch in Time Forum

Question from California: When there are two three-card suits, either of which could
be the obvious shift, a few of us are having a problem determining which to choose.

ßxxxxx
˙xxx Spades are trump and the ∂A is led.
∂xx Is it the club suit or heart suit?
çAxx

The rule states: Choose a three-card suit with at most one honor. Someone here argues
that with equal length suits, you should whittle things down to choosing the weakest
suit, which would mean hearts is the ‘obvious shift’ in this case. I assumed that only ap-
plied to lengths longer than three cards. I can’t find any deals in your book which hold
an example of this three-card dilemma. Can you please clarify this for us as we really
want to use this defense. [Answer on page 11.]
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 10

Problem #6 Shawn Quinn found a club lead on a

similar hand when she was my teammate;
South dealer North the ♣K rates to be in dummy and it may be
E-W vul ♠Q2 important to get the club tricks going. After
♥KJ73 winning the second round of clubs, declarer
♦9753 plays a diamond to the jack and queen, and
♣ K 10 2 West has to play a low heart right now,
West East before declarer gets a better count of the
♠ 10 ♠K865 hand’s high-card distribution. Would you
♥Q8542 ♥A9 have the stomach for it? Would declarer
♦AQ6 ♦842 have found the winning guess in hearts?
♣AQJ9 ♣7543
South In real life, West led a heart on opening
♠AJ9743 lead with these cards and that was that. I
♥ 10 6 think the heart lead is wrong because they
♦ K J 10 rate to have six or seven hearts, so hearts is
♣86 their side suit.

South West North East Perhaps East should bid 3♣ over the
2 ♦* 2♥ pass pass double, although one is generally unhappy
2♠ double (all pass) to do this with a 7-5-4-3 suit vulnerable.
Or, do you think East should have bid 3♥
* Multi (one major) (not a success on this hand, but perhaps it
is nevertheless the right bid...)? A natural
Your lead. 2NT is also possible (if you are fortunate
enough to play it that way) and would do
Personally, I don’t think West should pretty well here — down one after a spade
bid so much at matchpoints (for sure not lead. At the time, East thought West had a
at imps!) because the heart suit is raggedy better defensive hand, and was hoping for
and the vulnerability scary. I like to let the +100 instead of a minus, or +300 instead of
vulnerability do the talking for me, so after +110 or +140. This is a good sequence to
making a vul-vs-not overcall, I leave it to discuss with your regular partner.
partner to make an aggressive raise or new-
suit bid with any excuse. Nevertheless, all
might have been well had West found a
club or trump lead.

Shawn Quinn
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 11

Problem #7 I think the level is a little too high here

for showing your cards without a fit. Open-
South dealer North er obviously has diamonds, so your dia-
None vul ♠A94 mond suit won’t produce much for partner.
♥AQ92 You have no guarantee of a heart fit, and
♦874 your club support, though very nice for a
♣J73 singleton, is still a bit lacking.
West East
♠Q5 ♠863 At imps, it’s probably easy enough to pass
♥K863 ♥ J 10 7 5 and if partner has nothing more to say, you
♦— ♦ A Q 10 6 5 hope for a plus score. But at matchpoints, is
♣AQ86542 ♣K +50 good enough? I know (all too well) from
South my game with Hamman that nothing feels
♠ K J 10 7 2 worse than going minus 140 or plus only 50
♥4 when it was your hand all along, but I don’t
♦KJ932 know how clear it is here that it’s your
♣ 10 9 hand (they don’t call spades the “boss suit”
for nothing). This is a tough one, but the
South West North East winning call is pass. Did you find it? At the
2♠ 3♣ 3♠ double* table, East doubled, West bid 4♥ (good! we
pass 4♥ (all pass) have a fit!) but that contract finished down
two when the hearts didn’t split and your
* “cards” outside of spades. diamonds were useless (surprise, surprise).

What do you make of the East hand “Bravo” to anyone who found a pass
after they open 2♠, showing spades and a with these cards, and scored up +50 for a
minor, partner overcalls 3♣, and third hand great result!
raises to 3♠?

Answer to Switch in Time Question (from page 9)

Hearts — three small. We apply the

ßxxxxx following method for two three-card
˙xxx Spades are trump and the ∂A is led. suits: first, the suit without an honor; if
∂xx Is the OS the club suit or heart suit? both holdings have one honor, the suit
çAxx with fewer HCP; if both suits have no
honor, the lower-ranking suit.
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 12

Diary of the World Mixed Pairs

by Matthew Granovetter

Part II — Matchpoints: A Game of Inches

Verona, Italy, June 2006, the World Board 23 North (MG)

Mixed Pairs South dealer ♠ 10 7
All vul ♥ A K 10 7 4
Karen McCallum and I started the first ♦AJ73
final session, North-South, with board 23. ♣95
We would play boards 23-to-26 and then West East
one through 22. I sat North, as all the men ♠QJ3 ♠AK9842
did. ♥J2 ♥9
♦K6 ♦52
Our methods should have struck gold on ♣ A 10 6 4 3 2 ♣KQ87
board 23, but didn’t. I’ll let you try it. You South (KM)
pick up, South, dealer, all vul: ♠65
♥Q8653
♠ 6 5 ♥ Q 8 6 5 3 ♦ Q 10 9 8 4 ♣ J ♦ Q 10 9 8 4
♣J
South West North East
pass 1♣ 1♥ 1♠ If you lead a diamond, you defeat 5♠ for
3 ♦* pass 4♦ 5♣ a 94% score. Even the ♥Q lead defeats 5♠,
5♥ pass pass 5♠ as long as you switch, which you will. My
(all pass) partner led the “normal” ♣J singleton and
we went minus 680 for 36%. Karen was very
*fit-showing jump by a passed hand apologetic, and upset with herself as well.
This is because it was her fit-showing meth-
What is your opening lead? ods we were playing, not mine, but we had
failed to capitalize on them. Karen is a very
This was the full hand: modest player, and it was because of this
trait, I think, that we were able to succeed.
There’s nothing better for matchpoint mo-
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 13

rale than for one player to say sorry to the Board 25 North
other after a mistake or even a mis-guess. North dealer ♠ J 10 8 6 4
On the very next board, I played in 2♥ E-W vul ♥K9854
making an overtrick for a 72% score, and the ♦Q85
fact that we did not have bad words about ♣—
the prior board certainly helped my concen- West East
tration for a crucial overtrick. ♠AKQ7 ♠32
♥A3 ♥ 10 7
On board 25 I had a unique bidding ♦J7 ♦ 10 9 4 2
problem. This was my hand, dealer, favor- ♣K9732 ♣ Q J 10 6 4
able: South
♠95
♠ J 10 8 6 4 ♥ K 9 8 5 4 ♦ Q 8 5 ♣ — ♥QJ62
♦AK63
According to our system card, I was sup- ♣A85
posed to open 2♠, a McCallum two-bid
(4-10 points and a five-card suit with any West North East South
distribution). I couldn’t bring myself to do — pass pass 1 NT
it. Not with those hearts. So I passed, hop- double 2♠ (all pass)
ing to show both majors more conveniently
on the next round. Partner opened 1NT in I somehow managed to make 2♠ for
third seat, 14-16, and I was in great shape. a 17% score. The field was in 3♥ or 4♥,
I would transfer to spades and rebid 3♥. of course, making. Perhaps a 2♠ opening
Suddenly, however, RHO doubled. I asked would have worked after all. If West bal-
what the double was, since we play system ances with 2NT, I’ll lead a heart and we’ll
ON if the double is conventional. No luck! score eight tricks for +300. This would at
The double was penalty and now we do least be average. Maybe I had better follow
not play system on and not only that, but I the system!
had no idea what we do play! Do you have
an agreement? (I learned after the session On the next round, I picked up a hand
that we do play a method of redoubling to that would normally hold no interest for
get out with one suit and to show two suits me, except that we were playing the McCal-
we bid a suit we don’t have, hope and pray lum two-bids, and suddenly hands like this
they don’t pass it out, and then redouble or become very interesting:
bid a second suit.) I thought now of bidding
2NT, which is certainly unusual after a ♠K9843 ♥J983 ♦6 ♣Q85
penalty double, with a follow-up to 3♥, but
would partner understand it? No, I finally I was dealer, and this time I did not hold
decided on 2♠, planning next to bid 3♥ if back. I opened 2♠, showing 4-10 points and
(as I hoped) the doubler would come back five spades. LHO passed, and when the bid-
with a 3♣ bid. No luck. It went 2♠ all pass, ding tray was passed back to me under the
and I was back in the exact same position as screen I saw 3♣ by partner and 3♦ on my
if I had opened 2♠! right.

This was the full deal:

Bridge Today • August 2006 page 14

♠K9843 ♥J983 ♦6 ♣Q85 hit the bull’s-eye. She held, vul vs. not:
♠ 10 8 5 3 ♥ K Q 4 2 ♦ K Q 9 ♣ K Q
West North East South It went 1NT, pass, pass to her.
— 2♠ pass 3♣
3♦ ? She bid 2♦ for the majors. If you think
this is a bad bridge bid, look at the whole
That 3♣ bid was not forcing, but I did deal from a matchpoint point of view.
have support plus a singleton diamond. If I
had the courage of my convictions, I could Board 3 North
bid 3♥ on the way to 4♣, but surely my South dealer ♠Q97
hand was not good enough for this action. E-W vul ♥9875
Anyway, I raised to 4♣ and hoped nobody ♦J42
doubled. Good news: East raised to 4♦. It ♣973
now went all pass, and I led a club: West East
♠AK64 ♠ 10 8 5 3
North dealer ♠K9843 ♥63 ♥KQ42
None vul ♥J983 ♦ 10 8 7 6 ♦KQ9
♦6 ♣J64 ♣KQ
♣Q85 South
♠A752 ♠ Q 10 6 ♠J2
♥A ♥ K 10 7 5 ♥ A J 10
♦ A 10 7 5 4 2 ♦J983 ♦A53
♣ 10 4 ♣J6 ♣ A 10 8 5 2
♠J
♥Q642 South West North East
♦KQ 1 NT pass pass 2♦
♣AK9732 pass 2♠ (all pass)

West North East South Opening lead: ♣3

— 2♠ pass 3♣
3♦ 4♣ 4♦ (all pass) We took four tricks for –140, a 24%
score. Notice what happens in 1NT or 1NT
Opening lead: ♣ 5 doubled. West leads a top spade and con-
tinues with a low spade. Suppose declarer
Karen cashed two club tricks and wins in dummy and tries a heart. East
switched to the ♠J. We finished with four splits, perhaps, and South wins the ♥A and
tricks, down one, and 67%. After the op- continues hearts to East. Now the defend-
ponents left, Karen told me that I dare not ers cash two spade tricks as South throws
raise to 4♣ with such a dog of a McCallum, clubs. Perhaps West will win the last spade
since her 3♣ bid could simply be an escape and switch to a diamond, but more likely
from a 2♠ contract. But I did not think it the defenders will play clubs. South wins,
was so bad. In fact, we lose only four tricks cashes her high heart and leads a club. East
in 4♣, and –110 in 3♦ would have been an is endplayed. Making 90. Or 180. Even
awful result. down one in 1NT is worth 69% for us. East’s
2♦ bid was a matchpoint marvel.
On the next round our female opponent
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 15

On the second board of the round, how- Board 5 North

ever, we got even when 2♠ again was the North dealer ♠763
contract: N-S vul ♥KJ854
♦ Q 10
Board 4 ♠KJ86 ♣A84
West dealer ♥ Q 10 8 3 West East
All vul ♦74 ♠95 ♠ 10 2
♣ 10 8 4 ♥ A Q 10 2 ♥963
West East ♦J972 ♦K8543
♠A7542 ♠Q9 ♣K73 ♣QJ5
♥975 ♥A62 South
♦6 ♦KQ532 ♠AKQJ84
♣QJ63 ♣A52 ♥7
South ♦A6
♠ 10 3 ♣ 10 9 6 2
♥KJ4
♦ A J 10 9 8 West North East South
♣K97 — pass pass 1♠
pass 2 ♣* pass 4♠
West North East South (all pass)
pass pass 1 NT pass
2♥ pass 2♠ (all pass) *Drury, three-card support

Opening lead: ♠ 10 On this hand, Karen declared 4♠. West

led the ♠5. She drew trump and led the ♥7
I won the ♠K at trick one and led back up. West won the ace and had to decide on
the ♥10 (a surrounding play, in case de- a shift. Diamonds or clubs?
clarer held A-J-x). Declarer won and led the
♦Q. My partner won the ace and continued This would be a good hand for Switch in
hearts. After winning two hearts, I returned Time players. East could signal on the ♥A
a diamond. Declarer won in hand, cashed a preference for clubs by playing the ♥3. A
the ♠Q and now had to play clubs from diamond shift is fatal if declarer guesses to
hand to go down only one. But she natu- play the 10. Then an extra heart trick can
rally ruffed a diamond in dummy, hoping be set up and two clubs disappear from the
to get a chance to draw trumps, if they were South hand. Making five was good for 89%.
3-3. I overruffed and led a club, so when
Karen won her king she was able to play On board 8, my partner blamed herself
another diamond to promote the ♠J for for a bad bid. What would you do?
down two. This was worth 82%.
South
♠QJ72 ♥2 ♦AJ43 ♣AQ87

No one is vulnerable.

West North East South

1♥ 1♠ pass ?
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 16

Karen bid 4♥ splinter. It seems obvious East now led a club instead of a heart!
but it backfired. I signed off in 4♠ and this After a heart lead, I can make 4♠ by draw-
was the full deal: ing trump and giving up a diamond trick,
pitching a club on dummy’s fourth dia-
West dealer North mond. After a club lead, I was doomed.
None vul ♠K9653 That was 13%.
♥ K 10 4
♦ Q 10 8 To win a Mixed Pairs or any pair event
♣ 10 3 for that matter you must receive some gifts.
West East On board 11, we received the biggest gift
♠A ♠ 10 8 4 in the play of the hand that I have seen in
♥A9875 ♥QJ63 a long time. Declarer, a competent player
♦K6 ♦9752 (though you won’t believe it when you see
♣KJ965 ♣42 it), made the following play.
South
♠QJ72 Dummy
♥2 ♥ A Q J 10 9 8 5
♦AJ43
♣AQ87 Declarer
♥62
West North East South
1♥ 1♠ pass 4♥ The contract was 3NT, even though
pass 4♠ (all pass) dummy held seven hearts. Declarer, upon
gaining the lead, led a heart to the queen.
It held as we both followed. Declarer’s next
play was the jack of hearts!

Obviously, declarer had some kind of

blind spot or hallucination. My partner won
the ♥K doubleton onside and we scored
95%. To a certain player’s credit (the dum-
A touching my), the person said not one word to his
moment in Vero- partner. Dummy knew some kind of mental
na, when Janice- quirk had taken place and just went on to
Seamon Mol- the next hand.
son’s daughter is
given the Venice Board 12 was a great story....
Cup trophy from
her mother. Her
father, Mark
Molson, passed
away suddenly
this spring.
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 17

Board 12 North Board 13 North

West dealer ♠87 South dealer ♠KJ764
N-S vul ♥J2 Both vul ♥J82
♦863 ♦J9
♣ K J 10 9 8 4 ♣765
West East West East
♠ A Q 10 9 6 3 2 ♠J5 ♠ 10 ♠852
♥87 ♥9654 ♥943 ♥ K 10 7 5
♦ K 10 7 ♦AQJ5 ♦KQ76 ♦ 10 8 5 4 3
♣5 ♣763 ♣KJ843 ♣9
South South (MG)
♠K4 ♠AQ93
♥ A K Q 10 3 ♥AQ6
♦942 ♦A2
♣AQ2 ♣ A Q 10 2

West North East South South West North East

1♠ pass 1 NT 2♥ 2♣ pass 2♦ pass
2♠ pass 3♠ pass 2 NT pass 3♥ pass
4♠ (all pass) 4♠ (all pass)

I led the ♥J and we took three tricks for Opening lead: ♦K

26%. If you think that was unlucky, look at
my wife’s result with Bob Hamman: I won in hand, drew two rounds of
trump, West discarding a club, and led back
Hamman Pamela a diamond. West tried a low heart. I played
West North East South the 2 from dummy and East put in the 10,
1♠ pass 1 NT 2♥ forcing my queen. The 7 would have been
2♠ pass pass 2 NT better, but that was difficult. I drew the last
pass pass double (all pass) trump, and West, not knowing the diamond
position yet, threw another club. Then I
West found the opening lead of … the led a club to the 10. West was in and saw
♦7! Well, Pamela went down six for minus that the heart suit was probably frozen
1700 for a fat zero, and she and Hamman (dummy had J-8 and I had A-x). West could
had a roar of a story for the evening post- now be pretty certain that I held no more
mortem. On a spade lead, of course, declarer diamonds, since the ♣9 looked like a single-
makes 12 tricks and scores 100%. Welcome ton and that gave South 4-4 in the blacks,
to matchpoints! three hearts and two diamonds. But a heart
back would have saved a trick, since West
When you’re endplayed, is it better to still scores the ♣K. The actual choice of a
give declarer an extra trick by leading away diamond, and a ruff-sluff, allowed me to
from your honor into a tenace, or to give a sluff a club from dummy, ruff in hand, cash
ruff and sluff? I’ve found it’s usually better the ♣A and ruff out the ♣K. Now my ♣Q
to give the ruff sluff, but not on the follow- was high for a heart pitch. Making five was
ing deal (hands rotated): worth 87% as opposed to 47% for making
four.
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 18

On board 17, I messed up the follow-ups Board 18 North (MG)

to the McCallum Two-Bids: East dealer ♠AK92
N-S vul ♥ K 10 9 8
MG KM ♦854
♠ Q 10 ♠8765 ♣ 10 4
♥J73 ♥AK642 West East
♦AJ652 ♦— ♠Q86 ♠ 10 7 5 3
♣864 ♣AKQJ ♥QJ ♥763
♦ K 10 7 6 ♦A92
2♦ 2♥ ♣J873 ♣AK9
pass South (KM)
♠J4
I did not realize that I had to raise 2♥ ♥A542
to 3♥ with my awful hand. In the system, ♦QJ3
however, it’s mandatory, and shows a weak ♣Q652
raise. With a good raise and a singleton, you
bid the singleton on the way to 3♥. With West North East South
a good balanced raise, you rebid your weak — — pass pass
two-bid suit! 1♦ pass 1♠ (all pass)

Over a 3♥ bid, my partner would have Opening lead: ♣5

bid 4♥, of course, and we would have been
in the normal game, making. We scored a We defeated 1♠ by one trick for only 47%
poor 12% for missing game. of the matchpoints. As you can see, we can
make 140 in hearts and 120 in notrump.
On board 18 I held, vul vs. not: Was this one of those “close your eyes and
♠ A K 9 2 ♥ K 10 9 8 ♦ 8 5 4 ♣ 10 4 bid 1NT” hands in the balancing position?
Or perhaps I must overcall 1♥ over 1♦ just
West North East South to get into the auction? I am open to sugges-
— — pass pass tions. Email me, please.
1♦ pass 1♠ pass
pass ? Speaking of getting into the auction early,
would you bid on this one?
What would you do?
♠9 ♥QJ6542 ♦53 ♣AJ53
Should I double without clubs? Should I
bid 1NT without a diamond stopper? This You are vul vs. not this time, and it goes
was the full hand: pass, pass, 1♠ to you. Anyone for a 2♥
overcall?

A number of players did overcall 2♥

but lived to regret it when the opponents
reached 4♠ and partner doubled. Partner
had her double….
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 19

Board 19 North Board 21 North

South dealer ♠AK642 North dealer ♠ K 10 9 7 6 2
E-W vul ♥ 10 7 N-S vul ♥843
♦ A K Q 10 ♦AJ93
♣ K 10 ♣—
West East West East
♠ Q J 10 8 ♠9 ♠J ♠AQ843
♥K93 ♥QJ6542 ♥J7 ♥KQ
♦9742 ♦53 ♦ K Q 10 8 5 4 2 ♦—
♣96 ♣AJ53 ♣A52 ♣ Q J 10 9 4 3
South South
♠753 ♠5
♥A8 ♥ A 10 9 6 5 2
♦J86 ♦76
♣Q8742 ♣K876

South West North East West North East South

pass pass 1♠ 2♥ — 2♠ 3♣ pass
2♠ 3♥ 4♠ pass 3♦ pass 3 NT (all pass)
pass double (all pass)
Opening lead: ♥6
West was doubling also because of the
vulnerability, where North might be a little My partner led a heart and we defeated
light for the 4♠ bid, taking an “advance 3NT three tricks (72%). A spade lead also
sacrifice.” The hand played like a dream defeats 3NT but by one trick (if the defend-
for North. Win the heart lead, draw two ers are careful — North must not throw two
rounds of trump and lead four rounds of hearts away).
diamonds, discarding the ♥8. Then a heart
ruff and club lead for 10 tricks. By the way, Board 22 was our last board of the ses-
at our table, East-West were silent, so we sion....
scored average. At 16 tables, however, East
bid and West doubled the final contract.

Now for an opening lead problem. You

are South, vul vs. not, with:
♠ 5 ♥ A 10 9 6 5 2 ♦ 7 6 ♣ K 8 7 6

West North East South

— 2♠ 3♣ pass
3♦ pass 3 NT (all pass)

Do you lead your singleton spade or a

heart?

The full hand was:

Bridge Today • August 2006 page 20

Board 22 North (MG) I dropped my king. Declarer floated the

East dealer ♠AQ86 ♠10 to the jack, and Karen cashed her two
E-W vul ♥K7 hearts, as I discarded a diamond. Next came
♦J97 ♣A and ♣J to the queen. Declarer won the
♣7654 queen in dummy and led another trump
West East to the queen and king. At this point, she
♠ 10 9 7 ♠K542 could have cashed diamonds, conceding two
♥A32 ♥ 10 9 5 more trump tricks for down one. But she
♦K84 ♦ A Q 10 6 3 played to make the hand. She cashed two
♣Q982 ♣K diamonds and then led a third trump, hop-
South (KM) ing they would split. I won the 9 with the
♠J3 ace and forgot my 6 was high! I led a club.
♥QJ864 Declarer ruffed with the ♠5 and led a high
♦52 diamond, which I ruffed sheepishly with
♣ A J 10 3 the ♠6. At trick 13, I led a club to partner’s
10. Down two was good for 99% so I was not
West North East South too upset with myself.
— — 1♦ 1♥
double redouble 2♠ (all pass) When the scores came out, we were
pleased. With a small carry-over from the
Opening lead: ♥4 qualifying, our total was 63.38%, which put
us in third place behind Haemmerli-Versace
West’s negative double, rather than a (66.52%) and Hochheker-Cichocki (63.79%).
simple 1NT bid, got him a zero. My re- Would we hang on to get a medal? Would
double showed a heart honor and Karen we be able to catch Alfredo Versace, who
did well to lead a low heart rather than the seems to win everything these days? Tune in
queen. Declarer went up with the ace and to the next issue for more.

Mixed Teams
Winners Circle:
1. Beth Palmer - William Pettis, Bill and Rozanne
Chicago Summer Nationals
Pollack, Lynn Deas

Grand National Teams Open Swiss

1. Bob and Petra Hamman, John and Peggy 1. Christal Henner-Welland - Roy Welland, Bjorn
Sutherlin, Hemant and Justin Lall, Dallas TX Fallenius, Antonio Sementa, Cezary Balicki,
Adam Zmudzinski
Life Master Pairs
1. Bjorn Fallenius and Bart Bramley Spingold KO Teams
1. Nick Nickell, Richard Freeman, Bob Hamman,
Senior Swiss Teams Paul Soloway, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell
1. Geoffrey Brod, Stephen Earl, Richard DeMar-
tino, John Stiefel Wagar Womenʼs KO Teams
1. Judi Radin, Sylvia Moss, Pamela Granovet-
Fast Pairs ter, Migry Zur Campanile, Shawn Quinn, Mildred
1. Nicolas LʼEcuyer and Robert Lebi Breed
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 21

Tip of the Month:

Do Not Put Down a Bad Dummy

by Pamela Granovetter

Preview

You are playing the finals of a world to four-of-a-minor, you might let them in
championship matchpoint event. Your part- — with enough nuisance cards, you don’t
ner opens 1♣ and you hold: know for sure that they can make anything,
but you do know for sure that 3NT is a
♠ Q 9 7 ♥ K Q 10 8 2 ♦ Q 5 2 ♣ 10 3 horrible contract. The point is that you
never sit there, prepared to go down a few
The bidding continues: tricks, when there might be a better place to
play.”
Partner RHO You LHO
1♣ pass 1♥ double I continued: “Here’s another example —
2 ♣* pass ? ♠ 9 ♥ A 10 5 ♦ K 8 4 ♣ A Q J 6 5 2

* denies three-card heart support “Everyone is vulnerable and you open

1♣. The bidding continues:
What are your thoughts about this hand?
You LHO Partner RHO
I was discussing bridge in a restaurant in 1♣ 1♦ 1♠ pass
Verona, Italy, with some of my teammates, 2♣ pass 2♠ pass
when a theory of Karen McCallum’s came ?
up....
“I bet Karen would not be willing to put
“Karen,” I said, “says not to put down a down this hand as dummy. For one thing,
bad dummy.” My teammates wondered how the lead would be coming through her king
you can avoid putting down a bad dummy of diamonds, which becomes worthless. For
if that’s what you’ve been dealt! “Well,” I another, partner might have bid 2♠ the
continued, “rather than putting down what first time (rather than 1♠) with a ‘let’s play
you know will be a useless dummy, you, if this hand in spades’ sort of hand, so 2♠
possible, try to improve the contract. To give here should be more cooperative. Holding
a basic example, if partner opens a gambling the (almost) worst possible spade-support in
3NT and you lack controls (for example, say addition to the wasted king of diamonds, I
you have: think Karen would correct the partscore to
♠ Q x x x ♥ K 10 x ♦ x x ♣ J 10 9 x), you re- 2NT. At the table, 2♠ was passed with this
move 3NT to 4♣ (pass or correct). You don’t hand and when spades broke 5-1, the result
leave your partner to play in a contract that was -200 instead of +130 in 3♣, which part-
for sure is going down a number of tricks, ner would have happily rebid over 2NT,
even if you think that by removing 3NT holding: ♠ A 8 7 6 3 2 ♥ K 3 ♦ 9 5 ♣ 10 9 8.”
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 22

Later, after the Women’s Pairs first final “I thought my hand might be of little use
session, Shawn Quinn told me about Board to Mildred in a 2♣ contract,” said Shawn.
14 — the preview hand. “Without a heart fit, my heart suit wouldn’t
produce much for our side, and, not only
Women’s Pairs Final, First Session, Board 14 that, the lead would be going through one
of my queens. Playing from my side, the
East dealer North hearts might be worth something, and
None vul ♠ J 10 8 6 the lead would be coming toward a queen
♥A75 rather than through it. I did some calcu-
♦ A K 10 6 lating and thought perhaps I could set up
♣K5 Mildred’s clubs for five tricks, take a heart
West (Shawn) East (Mildred) trick for six, find a seventh trick in dummy,
♠Q97 ♠AK2 and score a trick on the lead for a total of
♥ K Q 10 8 2 ♥63 eight tricks in a notrump contract. So my
♦Q52 ♦J9 2NT bid seemed like a good bet.
♣ 10 3 ♣AQ9764
South “When Mildred raised to 3NT, I felt a
♠543 little guilty about my paucity of high-card
♥J94 points, and hoped Mildred would under-
♦8743 stand if 3NT failed.”
♣J82
North led a high diamond, and contin-
Shawn Mildred ued with a low diamond at trick two. North
West North East South was unlikely to have both club honors, so
— — 1♣ pass Shawn couldn’t play on clubs because she
1♥ double 2 ♣* pass would lose three diamonds, one club, and
2 NT pass 3 NT (all pass) the ace of hearts. Therefore, she needed the
jack of hearts to be onside third (or jack-
*denies three-card heart support nine doubleton). So she played a heart off
dummy at trick three and was gratified to
Shawn was playing with Mildred Breed. see the 9 appear (they were playing upside-
What possessed her to bid 2NT with the down count). The best they could do was
West cards? She told me that she remem- to take their three diamonds and one heart,
bered what I had said about putting down and Shawn had nine tricks. Shawn and
bad dummies. Mildred scored a near top on this board.

My tip is this: When you find yourself

in what looks like a poor contract, consider
moving to a different locale — that is, a dif-
ferent trump suit or notrump!
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 23

At last…my turn to be a World Champion!

by Shlomo Zeligman, Tel Aviv

— a Senior finally wins the gold —

The editor of Israel Bridge Magazine, ones! After all doesn’t everyone say that the
Pietro Campanile, just got off the phone majority of bridge players are over 60? But I
begging me to write an article on the gold am digressing, back to the tournament!
medal I won in the Senior Teams last month
at the World Bridge Championships in Well, as you can imagine it was a lot of
Verona. Me writing? Ouch! Where should fun. First of all I was playing with friends,
I begin? I suppose I could start by sharing people I felt I have known all my life, all
with you how really nice it is to be at the from good, hearty Polish stock … my
top of that podium. I have been stand- partner Victor Melman, Victor Markowicz,
ing often enough on the lower steps and I both of whom have moved to the USA,
can tell you that the view from up there Julian Klukowski, Jerzy Zaremba and Alek-
is much, much better. Surprising, isn’t it? sandr Jezioro. We have all grown apart from
And yet the excitement of the prize-giving each other, each in his own very different
ceremony and the congratulations are part world and yet when I am with them I feel
of a world which is spinning so fast around we have always been together. For all of
you that you don’t realize the size of your us bridge has been a very important part
achievement: After winning I felt a little bit of our lives and over the last few years we
of an anticlimax. The prize-giving ceremony have traveled together to many a European
went so fast that it made my head spin: You and world championship, usually doing
go up, you get your medal, you tell yourself very well but never quite realizing what I
you did it, you won and yet it takes time felt was our full potential.
to sink in. A few days later you are back
home, you put on your slippers, reach for Here things seemed to click right from
the newspaper and then the thought comes the start. The 42 teams taking part played
to you: I am a world champion. a ten-round Swiss to qualify the top eight
teams to the knock-out stage and we fin-
OK, OK, a senior world champion but, ished first with 197 VPs, having a relatively
then, why should that be any less impor- easy time of it and only suffering one seri-
tant? After all, in the job world what would ous defeat against a good USA team.
you rather be: a Senior Manager or just a
Manager? Senior is good, let me tell you: Se- Here is a nice example of cunning play
nior means experience, solidity, reliability. by Victor Markowicz in what looks to be a
In fact I think that from now on the real hopeless contract. It’s from the qualifying
World Championships should be the Senior match against the Norwegian Sorvoll team:
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 24

North dealer North Markowicz’s ♥K with his ace and re-

N-S Vul ♠K87 turned a heart to a grateful declarer. Three
♥ 10 4 3 notrump making was worth 10 imps when
♦ A K J 10 at the other table the Norwegians played in
♣ 10 9 3 3♣ making.
West East (Markowicz)
♠J954 ♠A6 Often in the round robin I felt that we
♥872 ♥KQJ could do no wrong and even on the few
♦976 ♦Q3 occasions we landed in below-par contracts,
♣Q75 ♣AKJ864 we managed to come out smelling of roses.
South
♠ Q 10 3 2 Have a look at the two hands below.
♥A965 How would you like to be in 7♥?
♦8542
♣2 North
♠AQ64
After Markowicz showed a strong hand ♥92
with clubs by opening 1♣ and rebidding ♦KJ64
2NT, Zaremba (West) decided to aggres- ♣ 10 4 2
sively raise his partner to three, since, as
he often says: “A faint heart never caught South
a fair lady!” (Junior players rarely say such ♠73
things, right?) ♥ A K Q 10 8 7 5
♦A
South led the ♠2 to the 9, king and ace. ♣AQ5
Declarer took stock of the situation, which
was by no means pretty. He could count on Let’s see. Most players would reply that
seven tricks with a possibility of taking two 6♥ already needs a lot of luck, while 7♥
more in hearts but for the near certainty needs a miracle! They would be right. How-
that the opponents would switch to dia- ever, that did not seem to stop Victor Mel-
monds and scuttle the contract the moment man and me from getting to this rather poor
hearts were touched. In such situations grand against the French Piganeau team. At
most players would simply give up and run least I had the advantage of being on the
their long suit hoping for an unlikely dis- right side of the deal: the dummy side that
carding miracle. In practice good opponents is!
would take advantage of the run of the
clubs to carefully signal to each other what Before you see the East-West hands, con-
they hold and what they will keep. Which sider your line of play after a favorable club
is why Markowicz opted to cast a cloud lead to the king.
of smoke over the hand by going up to
dummy with the ♣Q in order to play…a Here is the complete layout....
diamond!

North inserted his ♦K and naturally

switched to the very suit declarer was des-
perate to see played: hearts! South took
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 25

North ♠AQ
♠AQ64 ♥—
♥92 ♦KJ
♦KJ64 ♣ 10
♣ 10 4 2 ♠ 10
West East ♥— N
W E immaterial
♠ 10 9 2 ♠KJ85 ♦ Q 10 S
♥6 ♥J43 ♣J9
♦ Q 10 9 5 ♦8732 ♠73
♣J9863 ♣K7 ♥5
South (Victor) ♦—
♠73 ♣Q5
♥ A K Q 10 8 7 5
♦A When he played the last heart, West
♣AQ5 threw a spade and Victor threw the ♠Q
from dummy. On a spade to the ace, West
Faced with a lot of unattractive options, was squeezed and his only choice was which
the French West opted for a club lead and poison to take, since whatever he pitched
that at least gave Victor his twelfth trick. would present declarer with his thirteenth
All he had to worry about now was where trick and a grand slam. The French stopped
the thirteenth would come from. (sensibly enough) in 6♥ so we had a nice
11-imp gain.
He had several options: a spade finesse,
the ♦Q tripleton (if dummy could be Our first-place finish in the round-robin
reached twice), or a squeeze of some sort. meant that we could choose our next oppo-
After the ♥J failed to drop under the ace nent, and as usual I stood aside letting my
(making the ♥9 an entry), declarer had to teammates argue about the choice. Eventu-
give up on the ♦Q third, and it looked like ally they settled on the Italian Marino team,
the spade finesse was needed. But true to which included names that nobody recog-
his Polish heritage (“A Polish officer never nized. This maybe made us relax a little
finesses!”), Victor opted for the squeeze and our Italian opponents quickly took an
instead. But he had to be careful in set- unexpected 46-15 lead in the first half of
ting the right end-position. He ran all his our match. Wake up, everybody, we said to
trumps getting to this layout: each other, time to show these guys what
we can do. We came back determined to
turn things around and we did: The second
half was one-way traffic and we cruised to
a 62-4 score, which meant an overall win of
77-50.

No time to rest on our laurels: The fol-

lowing day a strong Dutch team (Trouw-
borst-Boegem; Doremans-Janssens; Klaver-
Ramer) was eager to contest us the right to
get to the final.
Zeligman, enjoying senior moments!
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 26

The match was well played by both sides, South dealer North
as the very low scoring proved. We won the N-S vul ♠QJ62
first half 19-4 and managed to contain their ♥Q
comeback, just edging them in a much live- ♦ A K 10 7
lier second half for a total score of 49-32. ♣ 10 8 7 2
West (Shlomo) East (Victor)
We were in the final! Our opponents ♠AK7543 ♠ 10 9
would be, who else, the much fancied ♥ 10 6 5 ♥K9874
Americans: Team Finkel (Sutherlin-Finkel; ♦93 ♦QJ54
Kasle-Mohan), packed with full-time bridge ♣95 ♣A4
professionals, old hands at this kind of tense South
moment. The final was a see-saw of emo- ♠8
tions. Again we lagged behind and my team ♥AJ32
was down by 22 imps at the half. As I got ♦862
ready to play the second half a good friend ♣KQJ63
wished me luck, but he was worried about
our deficit. I told him not to worry — even
when we are behind we do not lose heart. Our teammates easily reached the un-
beatable 3NT after Klukowski’s 1♣ open-
ing. At my table the American South
passed, I opened a multi 2♦, and we gained
The second half started with another bad a nice swing when neither opponent found
swing for us but that was to be the last posi- anything to bid over Victor’ 2♠ reply.
tive imps the Americans would score.
Eventually we managed to recover all
Vulnerable versus not, you hold in first of our losses and we drew even with two
seat: boards left to play in the match. The next
♠8 board would, unbeknown to us, settle the
♥AJ32 outcome of the match and it would do so in
♦862 a most unlikely way.
♣KQJ63
Vulnerable versus not you hold:
What do you do? Do you open or pass?
♠J92
Your decision will markedly affect the ♥ Q J 10 4
result on the hand. Klukowski decided, ♦93
correctly in my view, to open because of ♣ K 10 8 6
the good honor concentration, which could
easily help partner to find the correct lead Your partner opens 1NT, pass to you.
even if the opponents buy the hand. Would any of the players out there do
anything but pass? I admit I would pass and
Here is the complete layout: without giving it a second thought.

Well, this is the complete hand:

Bridge Today • August 2006 page 27

West dealer North which allowed us to play a successful heart

E-W vul ♠754 partscore. That one seemingly unlikely ac-
♥A62 tion made all the difference: The six imps
♦KQ872 we gained were the ones that let us beat our
♣94 strong and worthy opponents 59-53.
West East
♠AKQ6 ♠J92 I am not attempting to sell you on the
♥9853 ♥ Q J 10 4 serendipity of winning. Hardly. What I am
♦64 ♦93 trying to explain is that in such tense play-
♣AQJ ♣ K 10 8 6 ing conditions, where every card and every
South bid counts, players sometimes, very rarely
♠ 10 8 3 in fact, enter a state of enhanced concentra-
♥K7 tion. My American friend, Fred Gitelman,
♦ A J 10 5 calls this “heat one,” where whatever you
♣7532 do is right, and you are able to make deci-
sions that turn out to be inspired despite
As you can see bidding is the winning having little or no theoretical justification.
action: 1NT inevitably goes one down after This is as much a part of the beauty of our
the defense collects five diamonds and two game as an exciting squeeze or an elaborate
hearts, while a heart partscore makes. endplay; it is something that shall forever
elude any machine trying to achieve full
The American East passed while at my mastery of the game and ultimately is what
table Victor Melman decided to bid 2♣, makes bridge so fascinating.

From left to right: Klukowski, Melman, Markowicz, Zaremba, Jezioro, Zeligman

Bridge Today • August 2006 page 28

The Wizards of Aus

by Ron Klinger

This deal comes from the Australian Na- defense now collected a diamond, the ♣A
tional Senior Teams. and the ♥J later in the day for one off.

East dealer North At the other table West led the ♠7.
All vul ♠QJ94 South won, drew the missing trump and led
♥Q87 a low club towards the king. West took the
♦A87 ♣A, but the ♣K allowed South to discard
♣K42 the diamond loser and the contract made.
West East
♠7 ♠10 6 It is true that South can make 4♠ even
♥J965 ♥A3 after a diamond lead, but the successful
♦K654 ♦QJ93 heart play (low towards the king and duck-
♣AQJ6 ♣ 10 9 8 7 3 ing the next heart) is not the normal way
South to play this combination. Having said that,
♠AK8532 one must consider the auction. On the
♥ K 10 4 2 surface, West’s takeout double of spades
♦ 10 2 indicates he is more likely to hold the ♥A,
♣5 but the distribution is the key factor here.
If West has four hearts, a heart toward the
West North East South king is just as good as a heart to the queen
— — pass 1♠ and a heart back toward the 10, because if
double 3 NT* pass 4♠ the ♥K loses to the ace, the ♥J might drop
(all pass) doubleton. While if the ♥K wins, declarer
can try to duck a heart to the ace. This will
* raise to 4♠ lose only if West has made a great play of
ducking the ♥K smoothly with ace-empty-
West has no attractive lead. The riskiest fourth of hearts.
is the ♣A and a singleton trump can also
cost. That leaves a choice between Proceeding further, the best line after the
J-x-x-x and K-x-x-x in the red suits. takeout double and a diamond lead is to
In general, leading from a king is safer than strip the minors. When all the minor-suit
leading from a jack and worked well here. cards are gone, lead a heart to the king. If
it loses, West must return a heart, and you
In one match West led a low diamond, hope it’s from the jack. When the ♥K wins,
taken by the ace. South won, drew trumps however, you duck a heart and don’t care
and led a heart to the queen and ace. The what card East shows up with, as long as he
held two of them to begin with.
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 29

Building a Better Mousetrap

by Matthew Granovetter

How do you use this sequence: Over anything else, opener sets trump if
he wants to try for slam.
Opener Responder
1 NT 2♦ Sometimes opener will want to pre-accept
2♥ 2♠ hearts after a 2♦ response. In this system,
he must bid 2♠ to do this. Then responder
We use it for many types of hands that bids 2NT to say he has hearts, while any
are difficult to describe, all game forcing: bid at the three level or higher shows one of
the special sequences. Here are two exam-
(1) any 4441 shape ples using a 15-17 range:
(2) 13 or 31 in the majors with 45 or 54 minors
(3) a strong raise to 4NT (stronger than 1NT-4NT) ♠AKx ♠QJxx
(4) 44 in the minors and a light raise to 4NT ♥Ax ♥KQxx
♦xxxx ♦x
Here’s how we do it. Over 2♠ opener ♣KQJx ♣Axxx
bids 2NT to ask what type of hand re-
sponder has. Responder now bids: 1 NT 2 ♦ (transfer)
2♥ 2 ♠ (special)
3♣ = 44 in the majors with a singleton minor 2 NT 3 ♣ (4-4 majors)
3♦ = 1-4-4-4 shape specifically 3♦ 3 ♥ (sing. diamond)
3♥ = 4-1-4-4 shape specifically 4 ♣ (sets trump) 4 ♥ (cue, extra values)
3♠ = 3-1 in the majors with the minors 4 NT 5 ♦ (one keycard)
3NT = 1-3 in the majors with the minors 6♣ pass
4♣ = 1-3-4-5 slam interest (too strong for 3NT)
4♦ = 1-3-5-4 slam interest (too strong for 3NT) Notice if responder held a singleton club,
4♥ = 2-3-4-4 with 14-15 HCP opener would sign off in 3NT.
4♠ = 3-2-4-4 with 14-15 HCP
4NT = a strong 4NT raise, asking opener to bid slam ♠Kxxx ♠Qxx
unless he is rock bottom ♥Axx ♥KQx
♦KJx ♦ A Q 10 x
Over 3♣, opener may bid 3♦ without a ♣KJx ♣Axx
major or bid a major to set trumps, where-
upon responder shows his singleton in 1 NT 2 ♦ (transfer)
steps (first step diamond sing, second step 2♥ 2 ♠ (special)
club). Now opener may invite a slam with 2 NT 4 NT (strong invite to slam)
a cuebid and responder cuebids with extra pass
strength (beyond his game-forcing strength).
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 30

Hands from Scotland

by Liz McGowan

Double Throw-In

West dealer North Ace and another heart would be the

N-S vul ♠AQJ3 winning defense (East will later score a club
♥J74 trick), but West naturally led his singleton
♦ A J 10 4 club. Declarer won, drew trump in two
♣ 10 5 rounds, and tried a diamond to the jack.
West East He returned to a spade and played the ♦Q,
♠87 ♠52 covered with the king. When diamonds did
♥ A Q 10 9 5 2 ♥8 not break he ruffed the fourth round and
♦K976 ♦32 exited with a despairing club, playing East
♣2 ♣KQJ98764 for the singleton ace of hearts. No luck this
South time.
♠ K 10 9 6 4
♥K63 Several hours (and beers) later declarer
♦Q85 spotted the unusual double throw-in that
♣A3 makes his contract. He can discard his
remaining club on the fourth diamond to
West North East South produce a loser-on-loser endplay. West has
2♥ double 5♣ 5♠ nothing left but hearts. Ace and another
(all pass) heart allows declarer to make two heart
tricks, so West leads a low heart, planning to
Opening lead: ♣ 2 make two tricks later.

This deal, from a friendly match between Later never comes: Declarer wins in
a French club and one from Loughborough, dummy and plays a club, discarding a heart,
was reported to me by Jim Mason. East’s which forces East to give a ruff and discard.
5♣ response to a weak two was an attempt It does not help East to refuse this trick
to give opponents an easy 500, but South — the ten of clubs is the eleventh trick. So
preferred to go after his vulnerable game. declarer makes 5♠ by losing a diamond to
West and a club to East, but no hearts!
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 31

A Funny Thing Happened on the

Way to the Forum...

by Pamela Granovetter

My team won the Wager Team (women’s) Going into the second half of the final,
knockout event in Chicago. During the we were leading by 44 imps and for the
second quarter in the afternoon, two friends third quarter we were going to face Pam
of mine came to kibitz in the playing room and Linda again, this time on the BBO
(which was a hotel room, isolated from Vugraph. We were having a very good set
the rest of the playing areas). My friends at our table (they had bid a grand slam that
told me the tension was so strong in that went down, and they let us play 4♠ dou-
room you could cut it with a knife! And I bled, making, when the contract could have
thought it was a friendly, relaxed match, been defeated by two tricks after a different
because my partner, Migry Zur Campanile, opening lead and meanwhile they were cold
and I were playing against Pam Wittes and for 5♥) when Board 12 (out of 16) came
Linda Lewis, two of the nicest competitors I along. I was West, Linda Lewis was North,
know! Migry was East, and Pam Wittes was South.

West dealer North (Linda Lewis) dummy, Migry followed low, and Pam won
N-S vul ♠A985 the king. Then she played a spade to the
♥ J 10 7 4 ace and a spade to her king, Migry follow-
♦Q853 ing with the seven and jack. At trick four,
♣A Pam played a diamond from her hand and
West (me) I went into the tank.
♠Q63 N
♥965 W E It looked like I should pop ace, cash my
S
♦A4 high trump, and exit with a club. However,
♣ Q 10 9 7 2 after showing up with the ace-king of hearts
and king of spades, there was still room for
Pam W. Me Linda L. Migry Pam to hold the jack of diamonds, despite
pass pass 1♦ pass the fact that she was a passed hand. I didn’t
1♠ pass 2♠ pass want to pop my ace if the diamond layout
4♠ (all pass) was something like:

How unusual for Pam, a passed hand, ♦Q853

to jump to game. Was this an attempt to
change the “mo” so they could get back to ♦A4 ♦ K 10 7 2
striking distance? Not that I blamed her!
Pam, however, looked unhappy and pes- ♦J96
simistic after dummy hit. I led the ♥6
(MUD) and Pam played a low heart from This layout would certainly account for
Bridge Today • August 2006 page 32

Pam’s long face. So I followed low in case help (at the time, I thought she was on a
Pam would finesse me for the 10. Pam did guess for the extra heart trick if she needed
play the 8, but Migry won the jack of dia- it, because I followed to the second heart
monds. Migry then returned a highish club with the 9, consistent with an original hold-
spot. Pam won the ace in dummy, played a ing of Q-9-6). At the table, though, it was
heart to her ace, and then another diamond 100% clear that as a passed hand, declarer
up. I won the ♦A, cashed my ♠Q, Migry couldn’t hold the ♣K, so the club play was
pitching a low club, and got out confidently fine, too (I thought).
with a club.
My friends told me afterwards that since
Pam looked up at me in shock and tabled our team was up 87 imps at the point where
her hand, claiming the contract, discarding I had this lapse, it was difficult to play hard,
two diamonds from dummy. The whole and that would explain the funny thing
layout was: that had happened. But the truth is that
North (Linda) I was trying just as hard on this hand as I
♠A985 had on every other hand. I didn’t know we
♥ J 10 7 4 were up 87, and although Linda and Pam
♦Q853 were having their troubles, I think when
♣A hands are difficult at one table, they are
West (me) East (Migry) difficult at the other table as well and it’s a
♠Q63 ♠J7 bad plan to let up ever (“it ain’t over ‘til it’s
♥965 ♥Q832 over” and all that jazz).
♦A4 ♦KJ2
♣ Q 10 9 7 2 ♣6543 As a reporter, I have often covered
South (Pam) matches and have seen some pretty amaz-
♠ K 10 4 2 ing blunders. When they happen, I wonder
♥AK how players at this level can make such bad
♦ 10 9 7 6 plays. I once theorized that perhaps there
♣KJ8 are little bridge elves who scatter dust in
people’s brains and cause them to lose con-
I couldn’t believe Pam had passed that centration. Well, now I believe my theory
hand in first seat! may be correct!

Well, it turns out I (West) was the dealer, I think the bottom line is that when a
and Pam was not a passed hand! The real player is busting a gut on every single hand,
auction stared with a pass by me and a 1♦ bearing down with every ounce of strength
opening in second seat by Linda. and concentration, board after board, there
will be mental lapses now and again. Just
Why had I thought Pam was a passed as major-league ball players make errors, so
hand? Had I been hallucinating? (See page must bridge players, or contestants in any
16 for a similar mental short-circuit.) With- other competitive game. I’d like this not to
out my lapse, it would have been easy happen to me ever again, but it surely will.
enough to exit with a heart, because I could In the meantime, I will have more empathy
do some math, count declarer’s tricks, and for other people’s “inexplicable” blunders in
find out that an extra heart trick wouldn’t the future. See you in September.