ORBIS WORLD BRIDGE CHAMPIONSHIPS DAILY NEWS JANUARY 7-21 BERMUDA 2000 JEAN PAUL MEYER, CO-ORDINATOR / MARK HORTON, EDITOR BRENT MANLEY & BRIAN SENIOR, ASSISTANT EDITORS JUDE GOODWIN-HANSON, TEXT LAYOUT EDITOR ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Issue: 14 Friday, 21 January 2000 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Ongelooflijk!! Incredible!! Orbis Venice Cup The atmosphere was electric and with the Orbis Venice Cup title on the line, the players can be excused if the bridge was sometimes less than perfect. In what was surely one of the most sensational finishes to a match ever, it was The Netherlands who triumphed by the incredible margin of just 0.5 of an IMP. We salute the new holders of the title, only the fourth nation to have its name engraved on the cup. Bep Vriend & Marijke van der Pas played on the losing team in Perth in 1989. Both were making their fourth appearance in the competition. Jet Pasman &. Anneke Simons, WietskeVan Zwol & Martine Verbeek were all appearing for the second time. Ed Franken, the Captain, and Chris Niemeijer, the coach, complete the winning squad. Commiserations to the losers, USA 1, Renee Mancuso, Jill Meyers, Randi Montin, Shawn Quinn, Janice Molson, Tobi Sokolow, and NPC Jo Morse. Meyers, Montin and Sokolow were defending the title they won in Hammamet in 1997. Orbis Bermuda Bowl The Party's over, but the Show goes on. Despite the fact that they have been overwhelmed by USA I, Brazil will contest today's remaining 32 boards. That is a tribute to their fortitude and fighting spirit. The American team's total of 443 IMPs is already the highest ever recorded in a final, and there are still two sessions to play! Orbis World Transnational Teams Championship Teams from USA/Poland and USA/Canada are battling it out in the final. With 32 boards to go, Meltzer enjoys a lead of 17 IMPs over Milner. Orbis World Computer Bridge Championship GIB (USA) beat WBridge5 (France), 178 - 77 IMPs, to win the ORBIS World Computer Bridge Championship. Play was curtailed after 48 of the scheduled 54 boards had been played. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanking the main ones and all others I think that most of players present at the ORBIS World Championships consider that both the VuGraph and Bulletins ran smoothly. It is not because, as coordinator for both, I have done anything special, in fact I had less to do than in previous events. That means that someone should be responsible for this achievement. As a matter of fact were many and I want to pay tribute to all of them. Daily News I am specially grateful to Mark Horton, the editor, present all the time and everywhere, writing a lot and speaking still more, having an unstoppable laugh the rest of the time. Brian Senior and Brent Manley, assistant editors, showed utmost competence and among other things gave you full reports of the matches of the day with precise details and best analysis. Stelios Hatzidakis was responsible for the lay out and also for the giving the films to the printer in time so that the Bulletin was ready every morning at 8.00am I want to give special credit to Ron Tacchi, English but living in France, not only for his good spirit in the Bulletin room, but also for the excellent photographs he provided us with every day. Excellent assistance was provided by our Dutch friend Lex de Groot and we would have had many more errors without the expert proof reading from Graham Fenton. If everything went smoothly, it is also due to the quality of the material provided by the WBF and Bermudan Federation, and the very useful technical help given by Mark Newton. We got the results in time, shortly after the play had ended, so things, in fact were very easy. VuGraph Everyone was astonished by the quality of the VuGraph, and the French technique should be emphasized. Perhaps praise should not come from me, but nevertheless I will! Thanks for the camera work to Bernard Delange, Paul Binisti and Bernadette Pasquier, (Zoomescope). Results came quickly, sequence, leads, details of play, running scores due to Laurent Rigaud, Elisabeth Antelme, Babette Piganeau and Brigitte Piquet. The commentators were on the spot at every moment. By now you will surely never forget Barry Rigal's voice of which you had the benefit for hours. He was quick, and also right most of the time. Thanks to the very competent others, especially when they succeeded in uttering a word for a minute or so. They are Bobby Wolff, witty and thoughtful, Eric Kokish, systems expert and fast in analysis, David Ezekiel to whom the audience has been most grateful for the many moments of laughter they got. Thanks, because of you all- and many others I must admit. One of them, and not least, being José Damiani. The Orbis Bermuda Bowl 2000 edition is an event to be remembered! Jean-Paul Meyer ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Strong leads from strong suits get strong results for strong players by Alan Truscott In the Transnational Teams, a player to whom I am connected by marriage picked up the following as West: S Q 9 6 4 3 H A K J 10 D 4 C 10 9 2 With East-West vulnerable, the bidding was: West North East South Pass 1H Pass 1NT (1) Pass 2C* Pass 2NT* Pass 3NT All Pass (1) A forced reply The spade suit did not seem to offer much future, so West chose the heart jack, quite quickly. The complete deal was: S A T 5 H Q 8 7 4 2 D K Q 3 C K 6 S Q 9 6 4 3 S 8 2 H A K J T H 9 6 5 D 4 D A 8 6 2 C T 9 2 C J 8 7 3 S K J 7 H 3 D J T 9 7 5 C A Q 5 4 The play went briskly. The heart jack held, of course. The heart ten won the next trick, of course. A shift to the club ten followed, and when East won the diamond ace two more heart tricks provided a 10 IMP gain. Is that the best opening lead of the Transnational? Thank you, Dorothy. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Two corrections 1. Alan Truscott's quiz answers should have noted that the Australian Bermuda Bowl team was not the only team with no members born in the country represented. The Bermuda Venice Cup team had no players born in Bermuda. 2. The description of the first Bermuda Bowl in an early issue of the Daily News wrongly stated that Britain finished second, behind the United States, in a three-team field. The European team, with two pairs from Sweden and one from Iceland, had that honour. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Limerick Competition Update Today's two limericks are from David Rodney and Virgil Anderson There was a young girl from Bermuda Who wanted to catch barracuda A rod and canoe She felt sure would do Her fate was quite sad - the fish chewed her There was a young girl from Bermuda Whose skills were known to include a Knack at a guess Of a two-way finesse As kibitzers cried "She's so good - ahh" I still have a large supply of limericks for publication. However I will share with you some of the attempted rhymes with 'Bermuda' which have not passed the stringent quality control checks we impose here in the Bulletin Room, the list includes:- sooner, Vancouver, Steen-Moller, peculiar and nature. The original contest specified the first line 'There was a young girl from Bermuda', however not an inconsiderable number of people have submitted limericks with a different first line and so that they may have their brief moment of glory, this is one of many submitted by George Torney. This Bermudian girl was a beaut Though oft she bid the wrong suit The men asked her to play Both at night and at day Just because they found her so cute ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Spread the word The ACBL has developed a program to introduce non-players to the game of bridge. Since its release last year, Learn to Play Bridge has been well received. If you know of someone who might want to learn the game, you can take a diskette of the program, written by Canada's Fred Gitelman, home with you. Pick up your copies of Learn to Play Bridge at the Hospitality Desk or in the Daily Bulletin office. The program is also available on the ACBL's web site, www.acbl.org, and can be downloaded free. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- THE 1999 IBPA ANNUAL AWARDS The 1999 IBPA Personality of the Year: Marc Hodler (Switzerland) Marc Hodler has a remarkable record: he has international significance in bridge, skiing and the Olympic movement. He learned to play bridge, from his family in Berne, Switzerland, at the age of nine and read the first major book on the game, Culbertson's Blue Book, when it appeared in 1930. He represented his country in one European Championship and was President of the Swiss Bridge Federation from 1955 to 1985. He learned to ski at the age of five, which he says was too late: future champions must start at two. He was President of the International Skiing Federation for an astonishing 47 years, from 1951 to 1998. This led him into the Olympic movement, based in Lausanne and he has been a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1963. His efforts to counter corruption within the movement bore fruit in 1998, when ABC News obtained some secret documents from Salt Lake City. Mr. Hodler has worked hard to bring bridge into the Olympics. The first step is the international team contest now being staged annually in Lausanne. The second, he hopes, will be a similar demonstration event in Salt Lake City. Finally, perhaps in Turin in 2006, we can look forward to an official bridge event with gold, silver and bronze medals. That is an exciting prospect for us all. The IBPA 1999 Award for Best Play: Jeff Meckstroth (USA) by Omar Sharif (Egypt) See Bulletin 413, June '99 Omar Sharif's column in the London Observer on 6th June reports this deal, Board 9, in the second session of the Cavendish Pairs Qualifying: It is not often that declarer makes a play that leaves me feeling that I still have a lot to learn about this game. However Jeff Meckstroth of the US is one of those masters of the game who occasionally produce a coup to take your breath away. With that huge hint, put yourself in his shoes as declarer on the following deal: E/W vul. Dealer South. S A 7 H J 6 3 D J 5 C Q J 9 6 4 2 S Q J 9 3 S 8 4 2 H A 4 H Q T 2 D K 9 8 7 3 2 D Q 6 C K C A T 8 7 3 S K T 6 5 H K 9 8 7 5 D A T 4 C 5 West North East South Cope Johnson Chu Meckstroth - - - 1H 2D 2H Pass Pass 2S 3C Dble 3H All Pass Cope led ace and another trump on a very informative auction, after Meckstroth had opened on very light values -- some would use harsher language than that! Meckstroth could immediately form the picture ofWest's hand as having four spades and six diamonds, with a probable singleton club honour (no club lead) and with the diamond honours split (no top diamond lead). At trick three he led his singleton club, won the return of the queen of spades in dummy and advanced the queen of clubs, covered and ruffed. This was the ending - what would you do with the sight of all four hands? S 7 H J D J 5 C J 9 6 4 S J 9 3 S 8 4 H - - H Q D K 9 8 7 3 D Q 6 C - - C T 8 7 S K T 6 H 9 8 D A T 4 C - - South is on lead, needing six more tricks. As you can see, playing on diamonds does not work, East will take the trick and draw a round of trumps. Ruffing a spade in dummy brings you to eight tricks, but not to nine. Meckstroth found the spectacular coup of leading the ten of spades from hand -- be honest, would you have thought of it? If West takes the trick and leads a spade back (a diamond is no better) declarer wins in hand, pitching a diamond from dummy. He plays the ace of diamonds, ruffs a diamond, ruffs a club and leads a losing heart, to endplay East into leading a club at trick 12 into the tenace in dummy. In fact, at this point Cope decided his best chance was to duck the ten of spades, hoping his partner had the king. That simply let Meckstroth cash SK to pitch a diamond, then take DA, and ruff a diamond. Now he scored CJ and ruffed a club for nine tricks, and put in an entry for the Best Played Hand of the Year. IBPA Editor: When West did not cover S10 declarer can make 10 tricks by following the line described earlier of an end-play on East. Presumably Meckstroth did not wish to take any risks once his contract was secure. Others on the shortlist were: B410 P11 March Henrik Ron (Den) by Ib Lundby (Den); B411 P10 Apr. Brown (Australia) by Ron Klinger (Aus); B415 P7 Aug. Seamon (USA) second hand by ACBL staff; B415 P10 Aug. Piotr Tuszynski (Pol) by Krzysztof Jassem (Pol). The Sender Award for Best Defence: Andrew Robson (GB) by Philip King (GB) See IBPA Bulletin 407 page 5 From the Lederer Memorial Press Release None vul. Dealer West. S J 8 5 3 H Q J D A 7 6 C T 8 5 4 S K T 7 S A Q 9 6 4 H K 9 6 5 2 H A T 8 D K Q 9 8 4 D 5 C - - C A J 6 3 S 2 H 7 4 3 D J T 3 2 C K Q 9 7 2 West North East South Erichsen Robson Charlsen Zia 1H Pass 1S Pass 2D Pass 3C Dble 3S Pass 4NT Pass 5D Pass 6S All Pass Zia led the king of clubs against East's Six Spades, (a heart going from the table) won by the ace and Charlsen played a diamond to the king and ace. At every other table where this happened North played a second club, anticipating that he would then make a trump trick. However, the declarers succeeded on a crossruff without even taking advantage of the heart position. One heart went on the good diamond, two top hearts were cashed and when the cross-ruff followed the defence never had a chance to over-ruff. The declarers made four outside winners and eight trumps. By contrast Robson counted declarer's potential twelve tricks and switched to a trump away from Jxxx! Although it is possible to succeed Charlsen assumed that, with the switch, the trumps must be 3-2, and with two club ruffs, he needed one extra trick from either setting up diamonds, or a squeeze. But when he came to draw trumps they did not break, and the slam went two down. The others to make the shortlist were: B405 page 15 Oct. Steve Eginton (GB) by Mark Horton (GB); B410 page 4 March Anna & Gudrun (Ice) by Barnet Shenkin (USA); B411 page 3 Apr. Glowacki (Pol) by Marc Smith (GB); B414 page 12 Jul. Popov (Bulgaria) by Malta Staff. The Romex Award for Best Auction: Geir Helgemo and Tor Helness (Norway) by Patrick Jourdain (GB) See Bulletin 409 Page 2, February From the Macallan Daily Bulletin Board 21. N/S vul. Dealer North. S J 8 H Q T 3 D J 4 2 C Q 9 8 3 2 S K Q T 5 3 S A 9 7 H 7 4 H A 5 D K 8 7 5 3 D A Q 9 6 C 6 C A J T 5 S 6 4 2 H K J 9 8 6 2 D T C K 7 4 West East Helgemo Helness - 1C 1S 2NT 3D 4D 4S 4NT 5D 5NT 7D Pass 4NT was Key Card Blackwood. 5D showed one keycard. 5NT guaranteed all first round controls and no trump loser. Helgemo realised any heart losers would disappear. This effort gains in stature when you realise that three pairs stopped in game. Others on the shortlist were: B410 page 14 March Bettina Kalkerup -- Charlotte Koch-Palmund (Den) by Svend Novrup (Den); B413 page 7 June Titkin-Deloney (USA) by Harvey Bernstein (USA); Lille Special page 10, Sabine Auken & Daniela v Arnim (Ger) by Tony Gordon (GB); B411 page 7 Apr Collins & Cusworth (Australia) by Dick Cummings (Aus). The Levendaal Award for Best Play by a Junior: Martin Schaltz (Denmark) by Ib Lundby (Denmark) See Bulletin 408 page 7, January '99 Third generation Lizzi and Jørgen-Elith Schaltz were some of the hot bridge names I read about and learned from, when I was a junior player. Lizzi won the European Ladies Team title several times, and her husband played on our national team as well. For a couple of years my partner was Peter Schaltz, their son, and in 1970 I was his captain when he and his team won the European Junior title in Dublin. Since then Peter has for many years played on our national team with different partners, among them his wife Dorthe and his cousin Knud-Aage Boesgaard. Dorthe and Peter are still competing in the Danish first division, but their chances to represent Denmark again maybe have decreased a little. No problem at all - the third generation is ready to take over! Meet 14 years old Martin Schaltz in this fascinating hand from a recent club evening. None vul. Dealer South. S Q 8 4 H Q 6 D A K T 7 2 C Q T 2 S J T 7 3 S A 6 H K 9 7 4 3 2 H T D 8 D J 9 5 4 3 C J 8 C K 9 7 4 3 S K 9 5 2 H A J 8 5 D Q 6 C A 6 5 West North East South - - - 1NT Pass 3NT All Pass West led his fourth best heart, won by dummy's queen, and after a diamond to the queen the next diamond trick told Martin that he had to work for it. So he did! The DK took trick 3, and a heart to the 8 end-played West on the 9. He elected to play the SJ which was taken by the SK, and a spade went to the 8 and the bare ace. Now it was East's turn to be thrown in! A low club went to the jack and queen, and before Martin cashed the SQ this was the picture: S Q H - - D A T 7 C T 2 S T 7 S - - H K 7 3 H - - D - - D J 9 5 C 8 C K 9 7 S 9 5 H A J D - - C A 6 Look what happens to East when the SQ is played. If he throws a diamond, declarer will cash the DA and continue with a diamond, thereby making his third end-play. Therefore East had to throw a club, but it didn't help him very much. Instead Martin played a club to his ace, discarded a diamond on the HA and threw East in with the CK. Dummy's A-10 in diamonds took the two last tricks. 3NT made with an overtrick. Two end-plays and a throw-in squeeze in the same hand... I guess that we will meet Martin at the international scene very soon. Others on the short list were: B403 page 11 Aug. Julien Geitner (Fra) by HervÈ Pacault (Fra); Lille Special page 16 Sep. Gavin Birdsall (GB) by Lille staff; B404 page 6 Sep. Oglobin (Poland) by Krzysztof Piatkowski (Pol); B416 page 3 Sep. 99 Eric Greco (USA) by Florida staff. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Bermuda Shorts There is an interesting little footnote on page four of the programme of the original 1950 Bermuda Bowl - 'All playing cards used during this week are presented by the Phoenix Rexall Drug Store, Hamilton, Bermuda.' If you check the current telephone directory you will find that there is still a Phoenix Drug Store in Bermuda. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Press Conference Following the IBPA awards ceremony, José Damiani, Jaime Ortiz-Patino, Panos Gerontopoulos and Marc Hodler were invited to the platform for a press conference. These were the highlights: Mr. Hodler was asked if there would be problems in Salt Lake City for bridge journalists. He said there is a problem of numbers. At the Winter Olympics there are 9,000 to 9,500 people from the media. There are problems both of accreditation and accommodation for journalists and those who plan to attend should get in touch with the Press section of the IOC in Lausanne, who will be happy to help. With full consultation with the IOC, the WBF constitution and by-laws will be changed in Maastricht to be in accordance with the Olympic rules. At present only sports played on snow and ice are eligible for the Winter Olympics, so the IOC also has to change some rules to allow for the inclusion of Mind Sports. Whereas if other sports moved it would entail the building of extra stadia, Mind Sports can be played in existing facilities, out of season, such as conference centers, hotel ballrooms and cinemas. Asked about changes to the WBF Constitution, Panos Gerontopoulos confirmed that we are ready to follow the IOC Code. 28 players willingly co-operated with the drug testing procedure, and many more are happy to do so when necessary. José Damiani said the WBF must be willing to accept the IOC Court of Arbitration. Also there will be close co-operation between all Federations and the IOC on the choice of teams. An important decision was taken by the WBF to make a new zone of Africa, Zone 8, an area which has many IOC members. Also it means that the zones now cover the whole world. Mr. Damiani was asked how many teams would play in Salt Lake City and how they would be picked. Originally it was to be six Open teams and two Women's teams, the latter being USA and Europe. He hopes to visit the site, which is reported to be marvelous, to see if the numbers can be increased. The ideal would be eight teams so as to represent every zone; that is, to have six Women's' teams, but also to have two Junior teams as they are the future of bridge: - sixteen teams in total if they can all be accommodated. Mr. Damiani was asked to comment about the Transnational teams which is the toughest that has ever been contested. The concept was close to his heart and he invented it for two reasons. We have the prestigious VuGraph and are lucky to have CCTV covering the event but it needs people around. Also, the competition associates people from different countries. It was started in Rhodes with 86 teams, and there were 76 in Hammamet and here also 76. In view of the difficulty and the cost of getting into Bermuda, that is very good, and the competition has proved very attractive. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Orbis Venice Cup - Final Set 3 USA I vs The Netherlands USA1 had won the second set of the Orbis Venice Cup final, but still trailed by 15 IMPs going into Set 3. The deficit was increased to 21 when Meyers/Montin missed a normal but moderate game on Board 1 that was bid and made at the other table. And on Board 4 they again stayed out of a game which was bid at the other table. Board 4. Both vul. Dealer West. S T 5 2 H 6 5 2 D A Q J T 5 C A 5 S K Q 3 S 9 8 4 H 3 H A Q 9 D K 9 4 2 D 8 7 6 C K J T 8 2 C Q 9 7 4 S A J 7 6 H K J T 8 7 4 D 3 C 6 3 West North East South Quinn Verbeek Mancuso v Zwol 1D Pass 1NT 2H 3C 3D 3NT 4H Dble All Pass Martine Verbeek's Three Diamond bid promised heart support and Wietske van Zwol bid game over Renee Mancuso's Three NoTrump. A club lead is the most challenging for declarer, but Shawn Quinn led a trump, expecting declarer to need ruffs to fulfill her contract. But the trump lead opened up declarer's communications and she was able to get to hand with a heart to take the diamond finesse, creating a winner on which to pitch her club loser. Declarer had to lose a heart and two spades; +790. West North East South Simons Meyers Pasman Montin 1C 1D 1NT 2H All Pass Anneke Simons opened her longer minor, leading to a quite different auction. Jill Meyers could overcall immediately, and so had bid most of her hand before Randi Montin introduced her heart suit. Meyers might have raised the hearts, but she had a balanced hand with no heart honour and her partner was limited by the failure to double. Meyers passed and the thin game was missed; +170 but 12 IMPs to the Netherlands. By the way, what do you think of Jet Pasman's diamond stopper? Certainly, her One NoTrump bid had a lot to do with creating an auction in which her opponents would not get to game. Board 6. E/W vul. Dealer East. S A J 8 H 9 5 3 D J 5 C 8 6 5 4 2 S K Q 5 4 S T 7 6 H K H A 8 2 D A T 8 7 6 4 D K Q 9 3 2 C J 9 C A K S 9 3 2 H Q J T 7 6 4 D - - C Q T 7 3 West North East South Quinn Verbeek Mancuso v Zwol - - 1NT 3H Dble 4H 5D Pass 6D All Pass Six Diamonds is a decent spot on the East/West cards. Though the pre-emptive overcall may suggest that the spade ace will be offside more often than not. Even with the spade offside, there might have been a doubleton jack. Not today; -100. West North East South Simons Meyers Pasman Montin - - 1NT Pass 2C Pass 2D Pass 3NT All Pass The Dutch pair did not explore the hand very thoroughly and stopped off in Three No Trump without even discovering the diamond fit. Three NoTrump made 11 tricks, of course, and the Netherlands had another big pick-up. Would you feel that they deserved to gain 13 IMPs? Well, you are entitled to some good fortune in a long match. Board 7. Both vul. Dealer South. S 8 H Q T 5 D Q J T 7 6 2 C A K 2 S Q 9 5 3 2 S J T 7 6 4 H K J 7 H 9 4 3 2 D A D K 9 C T 8 5 4 C 7 6 S A K H A 8 6 D 8 5 4 3 C Q J 9 3 West North East South Quinn Verbeek Mancuso v Zwol - - - 1D Dble 2C 2S 3NT 4S 6D All Pass West North East South Simons Meyers Pasman Montin - - - 1C 1S 2D 3S 3NT All Pass Five Diamonds is unbeatable if played by South, as the defense can never get at their heart trick. That is, perhaps, a little fortunate, but it would have taken more than good fortune to make either of the contracts actually reached. Both were one down; no swing. Board 9. E/W vul. Dealer North. S 6 3 H J 9 8 D A 9 7 2 C T 9 4 3 S A J 9 8 2 S 7 H 4 H A K Q T 7 6 5 2 D K T 8 D J 4 C A K Q 8 C J 2 S K Q T 5 4 H 3 D Q 6 5 3 C 7 6 5 West North East South Simons Meyers Pasman Montin Pass 4C Pass 6H All Pass Justice turned a blind eye on this one, also. While Quinn/Mancuso reached the good slam from the wrong side and made all 13 tricks on a spade lead, the Dutch pair got it played with the diamond position protected. Pasman opened Four Clubs, showing a good Four Heart opening with a strong suit and Simons, after a lot of thought, jumped to Six Hearts - a good effort which deserved a better fate than to lose 1 IMP, as Meyers led ace and another diamond. Board 10. Both vul. Dealer East. S J 8 5 2 H A 7 6 2 D K C J 5 3 2 S K 3 S Q 7 6 H K Q H T 9 8 5 D A T 9 8 7 D Q 4 2 C A K 8 6 C T 9 4 S A T 9 4 H J 4 3 D J 6 5 3 C Q 7 What should you open the West hand after two passes? Simons opened One Diamond and was left to play there. She lost a trick in each suit to score +110. Quinn tried a 20-22 Two No Trump and was raised to game via a Stayman sequence. Verbeek led a low heart to the ten and duck (well done). After this start there was no way to come to nine tricks and the contract was actually two down; -200 and 7 IMPs to the Netherlands. Board 11. None vul. Dealer South. S J T 8 7 5 3 H 9 7 2 D K J T C 9 S A Q 6 S 9 2 H 3 H J T 8 6 4 D A Q 7 5 4 D 9 8 6 C Q T 8 2 C A K 3 S K 4 H A K Q 5 D 3 2 C J 7 6 5 4 West North East South Quinn Verbeek Mancuso v Zwol - - - 1C 1D 2S All Pass Verbeek stole the contract with her weak-jump response. The play was easy and she made an overtrick; +140. West North East South Simons Meyers Pasman Montin - - - 1C 1D 1S Dble Pass 1NT 2S 3D 3S 4D 4S All Pass There was much more action here where Meyers bid a simple One Spade bid. It seemed that the bidding was never going to end as each side in turn competed in diamonds beyond the level to which they might have been expected to go. The deal proved to be a poor advertisement for the Law of Total Tricks. Four Diamonds would have been unbeatable and Meyers had nine tricks in Four Spades, making her -50 the best result possible for her side. Alas, that was still 5 IMPs to the Netherlands. Board 12. N/S vul. Dealer West. S A K J H K T 6 3 2 D K T 9 C 9 6 S T 9 7 3 S Q H A 8 H Q J 7 5 4 D 8 7 4 3 D 6 2 C Q J 4 C A 8 5 3 2 S 8 6 5 4 2 H 9 D A Q J 5 C K T 7 West North East South Quinn Verbeek Mancuso v Zwol Pass 1H Pass 1S Pass 2S Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass Quinn led a diamond and now it is possible to make Three No Trump if declarer guesses correctly how to play. However, it seemed to be convenient to take a first-round spade finesse and when that lost and the spades proved to be 4-1 the contract drifted two down. West North East South Simons Meyers Pasman Montin Pass 1H Pass 1S Pass 2S Pass 4S All Pass To beat Four Spades, the defense must make dummy ruff a club with the jack of spades. Simons found the lead of the queen of clubs and Pasman took the ace and returned the suit. Montin won the club king and ruffed her last club immediately. There were two spades and a heart to lose from here; -100 but 3 IMPs to USA1, who needed them. Montin might have tried a heart towards the king at trick three, but it would not have been difficult for Simons to rise with the ace and play the jack of clubs. At least by playing the third club herself, Montin knew she would make if trumps divided evenly, while playing the heart might have led to complications if the ace was offside. Board 14. None vul. Dealer East. S A K 9 6 H Q 5 2 D K C A Q T 5 3 S Q 8 7 3 2 S J T 5 4 H A K 9 3 H J 8 7 D 8 5 D A J T 9 6 C 7 6 C 4 S - - H T 6 4 D Q 7 4 3 2 C K J 9 8 2 West North East South Quinn Verbeek Mancuso v Zwol - - Pass Pass 1S 1NT 3S 4C Pass 5C All Pass West North East South Simons Meyers Pasman Montin - - Pass Pass 1S Dble 4S 4NT Pass 5C All Pass What is your choice with the North hand when West opens One Spade in front of you? Nothing is ideal, but both double and One No Trump are perfectly reasonable calls. On this layout, the double worked much better. Where Verbeek had overcalled One No Trump, van Zwol did not have a convenient way of showing both minors without committing her side to the five level, which she did not want to do. Unfortunately, when she bid her clubs and was raised to game, the hand with the top hearts was on lead and she had to go one down; -50. Where Meyers had made a take-out double, Pasman raised all the way to Four Spades, and now it was convenient for Montin to bid Four No Trump for the minors. It would have been plausible on this auction for Pasman to lead the ace of diamonds, thinking to give her partner a ruff. Had she done so, she would surely have continued with a second diamond, however, letting the contract through. The heart lead was just too tough and Pasman actually led her partner's suit. Meyers pitched two hearts on the top spades and soon had 11 tricks; 10 IMPs to USA1. Board 15. N/S vul. Dealer South. S K 9 4 H T 7 4 D K 8 6 4 2 C A 3 S A Q J 6 S T 8 7 5 3 H K Q 8 6 2 H 3 D - - D J T 9 7 C J 9 7 2 C K 6 5 S 2 H A J 9 5 D A Q 5 3 C Q T 8 4 West North East South Quinn Verbeek Mancuso v Zwol - - - 1D 1H 2S Pass 2NT 3D 3NT 4S Pass Pass Dble All Pass West North East South Simons Meyers Pasman Montin - - - 1D Dble 3D All Pass There were some interesting competitive decisions to be made on this deal. Firstly, shouldWest overcall One Heart, or should she make a take-out double, losing the 5-3 heart fits but getting all three suits into the game. Simons was a doubler and Meyers made a limit raise in diamonds. Now, what about the East hand? Many players would have bid Three spades over Three Diamonds but, had Pasman done so, I suspect that Simons would have raised her to game and she might then have been doubled by Meyers. So the cautious pass worked out OK. Three Diamonds was comfortable enough despite the 4-0 trump split. Montin emerged with an overtrick for +130. In the other room, Quinn chose the heart overcall. Verbeek showed a constructive diamond raise and van Zwol her heart stopper and minimum. Now Quinn bid Three Diamonds to get the black suits into the game. When Verbeek tried Three No Trump, Mancuso bid Four Spades with some hopes of making it. Van Zwol led her trump, which was the best start for the defense as it began the process of cutting down declarer's potential for taking ruffs. Verbeek continued playing trumps and the contract drifted two down; -300 and 5 IMPs to the Netherlands. This was an excellent set for the Netherlands, who gained 35 IMPs to extend their lead to 108-58. There was still a long way to go, but the Americans would want to pull back a few points in the last set of the day to help them to sleep more easily. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Bermuda Shorts Could it be that the 'Royal Gazette' is using the same proof reader as the Daily News. The headline in that illustrious journal on page thirty-one of the January 19 edition reads thus: 'THE BERMUDA CALDENDAR'. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Orbis Venice Cup - Final Set 5 USA I vs The Netherlands At the half-way stage of the Orbis Venice Cup final, the Netherlands led by 32.5 IMPs. However, USA1 struck on the first deal of the new day. Board 1. None vul. Dealer North. S 7 3 H 6 5 2 D A T 6 3 C Q 9 3 2 S A K Q T S 6 5 4 H A K 3 H Q J T 8 7 D K Q 8 7 2 D - - C 7 C A T 8 6 4 S J 9 8 2 H 9 4 D J 9 5 4 C K J 5 West North East South Simons Mancuso Pasman Quinn - Pass 2H Pass 2NT Pass 3H Pass 4H All Pass Two Hearts was weak with hearts and a minor and the Three Heart response to the enquiry showed a maximum with clubs. Anneke Simons settled for game, expecting wasted club values; +450. West North East South Sokolow Vriend Molson v d Pas - Pass Pass Pass 1D Pass 1H Pass 2S Pass 3C Pass 3H Pass 4C Pass 4NT Pass 5D Pass 6H All Pass Janice Seamon-Molson did not open the East hand, not having a two-suited option in her armoury. Tobi Sokolow was able to show her strong hand and delayed heart support. When Molson could cuebid Four Clubs, she took control with RKCB, assuming her partner to hold the heart queen or some other compensation. Right she was. The lead was the two of spades. Molson won the ace and played ace of clubs and a high club ruff. Molson came back to hand with the ten of trumps and ruffed another club. Now she called for a low diamond. Bep Vriend thought for a while then went up with the ace, and Molson could ruff, draw trumps and claim; +980. That was 11 IMPs to USA1. Board 4. Both vul. Dealer West. S A 9 5 2 H T 9 6 D A J 6 5 C 5 4 S K Q T 7 6 S J 3 H K Q 2 H A J 8 5 D 8 3 D Q T 7 4 C Q T 8 C J 9 7 S 8 4 H 7 4 3 D K 9 2 C A K 6 3 2 West North East South Simons Mancuso Pasman Quinn 1S Pass 1NT 2C Pass 2NT All Pass The Two Club overcall is ugly and got the fate it deserved when Renee Mancuso tried Two No Trump, hoping that her partner might be better for a vulnerable overcall. The spade lead held Mancuso to her five top winners; -300. West North East South Sokolow Vriend Molson v d Pas 1S Pass 1NT Pass 2C Pass 2S All Pass Here it was West who bid the clubs opposite a forcing no trump response. Vriend led the ten of hearts to the king, van der Pas playing a discouraging four (odd-even signals). Sokolow played a spade to the jack and a second spade to the king and ace. Vriend switched to a club to the king. Van der Pas continued with the ace and two of clubs. Vriend ruffed and switched to the five of diamonds. Sokolow played low from dummy and van der Pas played a dangerous nine. She returned the low diamond for one down; -100 and 9 IMPs to the Netherlands. Board 5. N/S vul. Dealer North. S Q 5 3 H K 9 3 D J 9 8 5 3 2 C 8 S A K 8 S J T 9 6 4 2 H J 6 H T 8 7 D K T 6 D A 4 C A Q 9 6 2 C J 5 S 7 H A Q 5 4 2 D Q 7 C K T 7 4 3 West North East South Simons Mancuso Pasman Quinn - Pass 2D 2H Dble Pass 2S Pass 4S All Pass The lead was the queen of diamonds. Jet Pasman resisted any temptation to finesse the diamond ten. Instead she set about getting her heart ruff and eventually took the club ruff for her contract; +420. West North East South Sokolow Vriend Molson v d Pas - Pass 2D Dble 2NT Pass 3H Pass 4S All Pass Molson opened a multi and van der Pas doubled, take-out of spades. Sokolow enquired and bid Four Spades on hearing that her partner held a weak two in the suit. Vriend led her singleton club and now declarer could not play the simple heart ruff line as she would be in danger of conceding two club ruffs. The opening lead ran to declarer's nine. Sokolow cashed the ace of spades then crossed to the diamond ace to run the jack of clubs. Vriend ruffed and led a low heart to the ace. Now the contract is defeated if van der Pas leads a club for Vriend to ruff, or cashes the heart queen and then gives the ruff. But van der Pas erred by returning a low heart. Vriend could win but there was no longer a club ruff; +420 and a push, but a missed chance by the Netherlands. Declarer also erred. Had she cashed both top spades before crossing to dummy to play the club jack, she would have been OK. Board 11. None vul. Dealer South. S 9 H J T 6 D Q J 9 7 3 C A T 7 6 S Q 5 3 S A 8 4 H Q 7 4 H A 9 5 3 2 D A 8 D K 4 2 C Q 8 5 4 3 C K J S K J T 7 6 2 H K 8 D T 6 5 C 9 2 West North East South Simons Mancuso Pasman Quinn - - - 2S Pass Pass Dble Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass West North East South Sokolow Vriend Molson v d Pas - - - 2D Pass 2S 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass Effectively, both Souths opened a weakTwo Spades. The two East players chose different actions over this. Pasman went for a take-out double, and that led to Simons playing Three No Trump from the West seat. Mancuso led her stiff spade and Simons ducked in dummy. When Shawn Quinn won the spade king, she wasted no time in switching to a diamond (the ten) and the contract was defeated; down two for -100. Molson preferred to overcall Two No Trump, raised to game by Sokolow. Vriend's Two Spade response to the multi suggested spade shortage and interest in a heart contract. Van der Pas led the king of hearts, reasonably enough. Molson won the ace and played the club king. Vriend won the ace and switched to a diamond but it was too late. Declarer unblocked the club, crossed to the queen of hearts and cashed the club queen. When the clubs did not break, she gave up a heart and had nine tricks; +400 and 11 IMPs to USA1. Board 13. Both vul. Dealer North. S 9 7 3 2 H A 7 D 9 7 6 5 C J T 3 S Q 8 5 S K J T 6 4 H T 8 6 H Q J 3 D K T 4 2 D A C K 5 4 C A 8 6 2 S A H K 9 5 4 2 D Q J 8 3 C Q 9 7 West North East South Simons Mancuso Pasman Quinn - Pass 1S Dble 2S Pass 3C Pass 4S All Pass West North East South Sokolow Vriend Molson v d Pas - Pass 1S Dble 2H Pass 3C Pass 4S All Pass Both Souths led the queen of diamonds to the bare ace. Declarer played a spade and South won. Quinn switched to a low heart and three rounds of that suit gave Mancuso a ruff. The defense slopped a trick from here but the contract was already down one for -100. Van der Pas won the ace of spades at trick two and continued with a low diamond in response to her partner's encouraging five on the first trick (it looks as though the five was just intended to show count). Molson could put in the diamond ten for a club pitch, draw trumps and set about the hearts. Another club went on the king of diamonds; +620 and 12 IMPs to USA1, pulling closer. Board 14. None vul. Dealer East. S K Q T 9 5 4 3 H A D A C T 5 4 2 S J 6 2 S 8 H 9 6 2 H K Q T 5 D K J 9 7 5 D Q T 8 6 4 3 C K 6 C J 3 S A 7 H J 8 7 4 3 D 2 C A Q 9 8 7 West North East South Simons Mancuso Pasman Quinn - - Pass 1H Pass 1S Pass 2C Pass 2D Pass 3C Pass 4C Pass 4S All Pass It is possible for South to hold weaker clubs and stronger hearts, making slam a less attractive proposition , but it still seems a little timid of North not to go on facing a five-card club suit. There was only a club to lose; +480. West North East South Sokolow Vriend Molson v d Pas - - Pass 1H Pass 2S Pass 3C Pass 3S Pass 4C Pass 4D Dble Pass Pass Rdbl Pass 4S Pass 4NT Pass 5H Pass 5NT Pass 6C Dble 6S All Pass Vriend started with a strong jump shift then repeated her spades. When van der Pas bid Four Clubs, it seems that she was cuebidding for spades, rather than bidding out her shape. Vriend cuebid diamonds then redoubled to show first-round control. Though van der Pas signed-off in Four Spades, Vriend was happy to continue with RKCB and more RKCB. When van der Pas denied a side king and Six Clubs got doubled, Vriend must have been a little worried that there would be two clubs to lose. However, she had little option but to bid Six Spades. As it turned out, there was no problem; +980 and 11 IMPs to the Netherlands. Board 16. E/W vul. Dealer West. S A K 7 5 H A T 7 5 D A 7 C Q J 7 S J T 9 4 S 8 3 2 H 9 3 2 H Q J 8 6 4 D T 6 3 2 D K C K 6 C T 9 8 3 S Q 6 H K D Q J 9 8 5 4 C A 5 4 2 West North East South Simons Mancuso Pasman Quinn Pass 1C Pass 1D Pass 2NT Pass 6C All Pass West North East South Sokolow Vriend Molson v d Pas Pass 1C Pass 1D Pass 2NT Pass 3D Pass 3NT Pass 4C Pass 4D Pass 4H Pass 4S Pass 5C Pass 5H Pass 6C All Pass Both North/South pairs reached the poor club slam. Quinn's leap to Six Clubs looks unnecessary. No doubt Mancuso expected a genuine minor two-suiter for this sequence. Six Diamonds is better but also fails. After a heart lead, Mancuso drifted three down; -150. The Dutch had a more exploratory auction, and it was a surprise that they too ended up in clubs rather than diamonds. The lead was a spade to declarer's queen. Van der Pas played a low club towards the queen, jack and Sokolow took the king. She switched to a low diamond. Had van der Pas taken the ace, she could have made the hand on a spade/diamond squeeze against West. But playing for a stiff diamond king would have been well against the odds. Van der Pas finessed and lost to the bare king. A heart was returned, knocking out the entry to hand while the clubs were still blocked. Unable to draw the last trump, declarer also conceded a diamond ruff for two down; -100 but 2 IMPs for the Netherlands. USA1 won the set by 37-27 and trailed by 22.5 IMPs with 48 boards to play. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Orbis Bermuda Bowl - Final Set 4 USA I vs Brazil Pouring it on Entering the Orbis Bermuda Bowl final against Brazil, USA 1 had the psychological advantage of having thrashed their opponents, 74-4, in the round-robin. On a more practical front, USA 1 had a 24-IMP carryover, the maximum allowed from their head-to-head match. Entering the fourth set, Brazil was down by 62 IMPs, not a signficant margin with 112 boards left to be played. Supporters of Brazil had hope that they could close the gap somewhat. It didn't happen. By the end of the session, USA 1 had increased their lead to 79 IMPs, a precursor to the avalanche of IMPs that was to come in sessions five and six. The trouble for Brazil started immediately. Board 1. None vul. Dealer North. S A 9 4 H 7 5 4 D 8 4 3 C T 6 5 2 S Q T 3 2 S 8 7 6 H A K T H Q 9 8 6 D 6 2 D A 9 5 C J 7 4 3 C A 9 8 S K J 5 H J 3 2 D K Q J T 7 C K Q West North East South Campos Meckstroth Villas-Boas Rodwell - Pass Pass 1NT (1) All Pass (1) 14-16 HCP. Joao Paulo Campos started with a low spade, taken by Eric Rodwell with the jack. He played the DK to East's ace and played low on the shift to the H9. Not reading the situation, Campos won with the H10 and played the SQ. Rodwell cashed his diamonds and knocked out the CA. The defenders took two more heart tricks. Plus 120 to USA 1. West North East South Hamman Chagas Soloway Branco - Pass Pass 1D Pass Pass Dble Redble 1S All Pass It seems strange for Gabriel Chagas and Marcelo Branco to sell out to 1S, especially Branco, with the good diamond suit. The play also had a curious side. Chagas led the D3, ducked. Hamman won the continuation and misguessed in spades, playing low from dummy to his queen -- but Chagas ducked! Bob Hamman then cashed his top hearts and played a heart to dummy's queen. He ruffed dummy's diamond, played a club to the ace and the good H9. Plus 110 and 6 IMPs to USA 1. On Board 2 through 4, Brazil mounted a small rally, outscoring USA 1 20-0. Perhaps the match would be interesting after all. The big swing was this one. Board 4. Both vul. Dealer West. S 7 6 4 3 H A J 4 3 D Q 6 2 C A T S Q J 8 5 2 S K T 9 H Q 5 H 9 7 2 D A J 9 8 D 7 5 4 3 C 9 8 C 7 4 2 S A H K T 8 6 D K T C K Q J 6 5 3 West North East South Campos Meckstroth Villas-Boas Rodwell Pass 1D Pass 2C Pass 2H Pass 3D Pass 3H Pass 3S Pass 4C Pass 4H All Pass Despite Jeff Meckstroth's opening bid, he and Rodwell didn't sniff at slam. Miguel Villas-Boas led the D7, and Meckstroth finished with 11 tricks for plus 650. West North East South Hamman Chagas Soloway Branco Pass Pass Pass 1C 1S Dble Redble 4H Pass 5C Pass 5D Pass 5H Pass 6H All Pass Branco and Chagas had a great auction to slam -- all Branco had to do was make it. Since Paul Soloway's redouble showed a spade honor, Hamman led a low spade to the king and ace. Obviously, Branco had to somehow figure the right way to play trumps. The camera work from the VuGraph staff was superb, zeroing in on Branco's hand as he shifted cards around and strained to find some clue that would help him with his decision. Hoping to learn something about the opponents' hands, Branco played the DK from hand. Hamman won the ace and played another spade. Branco ruffed and went back into the tank. At one point, Branco had the H8 at the far right of his hand. He looked very much like a man who was going to misguess trumps. Again and again, Branco had a card nearly pulled from his hand, only to put his cards on the table and his head in his hands. Finally, Branco chose the HK and another heart, ending the suspense and gaining 13 IMPs for Brazil. At that point, Brazil was down 48 and seemed to have momentum. Their run ended abruptly when Chagas bid too much on the next deal. Board 5. N/S vul. Dealer North. S Q T 9 7 6 3 H A 6 D 8 C A J 7 6 S J 5 S A K 8 4 H Q J T 4 2 H K 5 D Q T 9 3 D K J 5 4 2 C 4 2 C 9 5 S 2 H 9 8 7 3 D A 7 6 C K Q T 8 3 West North East South Campos Meckstroth Villas-Boas Rodwell - 1S Pass 1NT Pass 2S All Pass Rodwell had no trouble bringing home this contract with an overtrick. Plus 140 for USA 1. The auction was radically different in the Open Room. West North East South Hamman Chagas Soloway Branco - 1S 2D Dble 4D 4S All Pass Soloway's diamond suit is not exactly robust, but entering the auction reaped dividends for his side. Hamman put pressure on the Brazilians with his weak jump raise, and Chagas responded by taking the aggressive view. Actually, Chagas was a S8 away from making the optimistic contract. Since Soloway held that card, however, Chagas was due to fail barring a serious defensive lapse. Hamman and Soloway did not err, however, and Chagas recorded minus 50. Another 6 IMPs to USA 1. Hamman and Soloway did a lot of bidding on the next deal, but the proof was in the pudding as Soloway reeled in nine tricks. Board 7. Both vul. Dealer South. S A J 5 4 2 H Q 2 D 7 5 3 C K Q 5 S K T 9 8 S Q 7 6 3 H A K 4 3 H T 9 8 5 D A 8 6 D T 2 C A 6 C J T 8 S - - H J 7 6 D K Q J 9 4 C 9 7 4 3 2 West North East South Campos Meckstroth Villas-Boas Rodwell - - - Pass 1NT (1) Pass Pass Dble Pass 2C (2) Pass 2D All Pass (1) 16-18 HCP. (2) Forced. Rodwell scrambled home with eight tricks. Campos led the top two hearts, switching to the S10. Rodwell ruffed and played a club to the king. Rodwell played a diamond to his king, ducked by Campos. Another club lead put Campos on play, and he continued with spades. Rodwell won the ace, pitching a club, and played another diamond. Campos won and tapped Rodwell again in spades. Rodwell could pick up trumps and cash the HJ, but there was a losing spade in dummy. Plus 90 to USA 1. West North East South Hamman Chagas Soloway Branco - - - Pass 1C (1) Pass 1D (2) 1NT Pass 2D Pass Pass Dble Pass 2H Pass Pass Dble 2S 3D 3H All Pass (1) Strong. (2) Negative. Branco led the DK, ducked. Soloway won the next diamond and ruffed a diamond. He then played a spade from hand. Branco threw a low club, and Chagas took the SK with the ace and gave Branco a spade ruff. Alas, the ruff was with Branco's natural trump trick, so when Branco exited with a club, Soloway went up with the ace and picked up trumps, claiming for plus 140. 6 IMPs to USA 1. Brazil suffered another loss on this deal. Board 9. E/W vul. Dealer North. S K 5 2 H 9 5 D Q J T 4 C A K T 2 S 9 8 7 S A Q 6 4 H J 8 7 4 3 H K 2 D 3 2 D A 8 3 C 9 7 5 C Q 8 6 3 S J T 3 H A Q T 6 D K 9 7 6 C J 4 Chagas and Branco bid the North-South cards to 3NT, finishing with 10 tricks for plus 430. There were fireworks in the Closed Room. West North East South Campos Meckstroth Villas-Boas Rodwell - 1D (1) Pass 1H Pass 1NT Dble Redble 2C Dble All Pass (1) Precision. Villas-Boas was unlucky to find his partner with 1 high-card point, but when you slip up against Meckstroth and Rodwell, they usually make you pay. The cost for East-West on this deal was minus 800 and a 9-IMP loss. There was a rare occurrence on the next deal: Chagas misplayed a makeable game. Board 13. Both vul. Dealer North. S 4 H A Q J 8 7 D A 9 6 5 C K 8 6 S A T 9 8 S Q 5 H 9 4 2 H T 6 D 4 D K Q T 7 3 2 C T 9 7 4 2 C A 5 3 S K J 7 6 3 2 H K 5 3 D J 8 C Q J West North East South Campos Meckstroth Villas-Boas Rodwell - 1H 2D 2NT (1) Pass 4H All Pass (1) Heart raise. Villas-Boas led the DK to Meckstroth's ace. Meckstroth cashed the HA, then played his singleton spade to dummy's king. In with the SA, Campos played a club to his partner's ace, which was followed by the DQ and the D2. Meckstroth ruffed with the HK and ruffed a spade to hand. When the SQ fell, Meckstroth had a parking place for his losing diamond and an entry in clubs to cash it. Plus 620. West North East South Hamman Chagas Soloway Branco - 1H 2D 2S Pass 2NT Pass 3H Pass 4H All Pass Chagas also got the DK opening lead. Perhaps Chagas was tired -- he and Branco have played nearly every set for two weeks -- or he may have had a blind spot. In any case, he played three rounds of trumps, ending any chance for making the contract. Chagas played a spade to the jack and ace, but Hamman put Soloway in with the CA. Two winning diamonds followed for plus 100 and 12 IMPs to USA 1, who finished the session ahead by 79 IMPs. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Israeli Chutzpa Pinhas Romik of Israel, a successful computer engineer, returned to International Bridge competition here in Bermuda in the Orbis World Transnational Teams Championship. Romik, founder and CEO of the E-Bridge Company, used to partner the famous Sam Lev playing for Israel in the seventies and eighties, twice winning European silver medals, and Bermuda Bowl bronze medals in 1976 and 1985. Romik's Israel-Austrian team did very well until the tenth round of the Transnational event. In the ninth round, Pinhas exhibited great courage, in a match against one of the favourites, a team of Champions comprising Sabine Auken, Daniela Von Arnim, Bobby Wolff and Dan Morse. Board 1. None vul. Dealer North. S J 7 5 2 H K Q T 6 2 D T 8 C A 5 S A T S 3 H J 9 7 4 H 3 D A K 7 D J 9 6 5 3 2 C Q 8 6 4 C J 9 7 3 2 S K Q 9 8 6 4 H A 8 5 D Q 4 C K T Open Room West North East South Wolff Rohan Morse Baratta - Pass Pass 1S Dble Redble 2D 3S Pass 4S All Pass Declarer lost a spade and two diamonds to record +420. Closed Room West North East South Rand Auken Romik Von Arnim - 1H Pass 1S Pass 2S 2NT 4S 5C Dble All Pass Auken opened boldly with One Heart, and when Von Arnim responded One spade, West had no obvious way into the auction. However, when North showed her spade support, Romik decided to show his minors! South's bid of Four Spades did not deter West from bidding Five Clubs, and although this was doubled, the defence was limited to three tricks, a heart and two clubs. That meant a swing of 8 IMPs to the Israeli team, en route to an impressive win. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Orbis Transnational Open Teams Championship Semi-Final Milner v Mihov Disappointed Again The young Bulgarian team was disappointed to have been knocked out of the Orbis Bermuda Bowl, but they have continued to play well, earning a semifinal berth in the Orbis World Transnational Open Teams against an American-Canadian squad. The two teams played virtually even in the first of two sets, but the team led by Reese Milner prevailed, 85-70, to advance to the final against the American-Polish squad captained by Rose Meltzer-Johnson. Playing on VuGraph, the Milner squad drew blood on Board 1. Board 1. None vul. Dealer North. S J 6 3 H 5 D 9 7 5 2 C J 8 7 6 5 S K Q T 7 S A 9 5 4 2 H Q J 9 2 H K T 8 4 D Q J D K C A K 3 C Q 9 4 S 8 H A 7 6 3 D A T 8 6 4 3 C T 2 West North East South Stamatov Levin Popov Jacobus - Pass 1S 2D 2NT (1) 4D Pass Pass 4S Pass Pass 5D Dble All Pass (1) Spade raise. Marc Jacobus lost four tricks for -300. West North East South Gitelman Mihov Moss Nanev - Pass 1S 1NT Dble Redble Pass 2D 3D Dble 3NT Pass 4C Pass 4S All Pass Boris Popov could have defeated the contract with the lead of the HA, but there was no particular reason to do so. Brad Moss scored up plus 450 for a 5-IMP gain. An even bigger swing went Milner's way on the next deal. Board 2. N/S vul. Dealer East. S 6 5 2 H T 8 7 2 D T 7 4 2 C T 2 S A S K J 3 H 5 H K J 6 4 3 D K Q J 9 8 6 3 D A 5 C A J 7 5 C Q 9 4 S Q T 9 8 7 4 H A Q 9 D - - C K 8 6 3 West North East South Stamatov Levin Popov Jacobus - - 1H 1S Dble Pass 1NT 2S 3D Pass 3NT Pass 4D Pass 5D All Pass After the spade lead, Jerry Stamatov was able to pitch his losing heart on the SK. He gave up a club trick for plus 420. West North East South Gitelman Mihov Moss Nanev - - 1NT 2S 3D Pass 3NT Pass 4C Pass 4NT Pass 6D Pass Pass Dble All Pass Ivan Nanev hoped his double would result in a heart lead since it forbad the lead of his suit or a trump. Vladimir Mihov selected the C10, however, removing any difficulty Fred Gitelman might have had. He covered with the queen, took the CK with the ace and pulled trumps. He could then claim, unblocking the SA, crossing to the C9, taking the heart discard and finessing the C7 to land the overtrick. Gitelman could have succeeded after a heart lead, but the correct line might not have been worked out. To make the slam after a heart lead, Gitelman would have to win the likely spade return, play a diamond to the ace, followed by the CQ. South would have to cover, allowing Gitelman to drop the C10 with his jack to make his contract. Plus 1190 was good for a 13-IMP pickup. Bulgaria got back into the match on this deal. Board 6. E/W vul. Dealer East. S K 8 H A K J 8 5 2 D K Q 8 C 6 5 S 7 6 4 3 2 S A Q J T 5 H Q 7 6 H 3 D J 4 D 9 5 3 C A K 7 C Q 9 4 S 9 H T 9 4 D A T 7 6 2 C J 9 3 2 West North East South Stamatov Levin Popov Jacobus - - Pass Pass Pass 1H 1S 2H 2NT (1) 4H 4S All Pass (1) Spade raise. Robert Levin might have considered saving, but he may also have fancied his chances against 4S. Borislav Popov was not tested, however, and he scored up plus 620. West North East South Gitelman Mihov Moss Nanev - - 2S Pass 4S 5H All Pass Mihov had less information, but he bid 5H as a two-way shot: it might make, and if it didn't perhaps the opponents could make their game. He was right, so Bulgaria scored 11 IMPs. Milner got it back and more on the next deal, when Jacobus and Levin bid to 6C and while Nanev and Mihov stopped in 5C. The Bulgarians recovered 8 IMPs on the next deal when a weak two-bid by Gitelman preempted the wrong side. Board 8. None vul. Dealer West. S K Q H K D A K J T 7 5 3 C K T 4 S T 8 7 4 S A J 6 5 2 H A Q J 5 4 2 H 3 D 2 D Q 8 6 4 C J 5 C A Q 2 S 9 3 H T 9 8 7 6 D 9 C 9 8 7 6 3 West North East South Stamatov Levin Popov Jacobus Pass 1D 1S Pass 2D 2NT Pass 3C 4S All Pass Popov took 11 tricks with ease, losing only a diamond and a spade. West North East South Gitelman Mihov Moss Nanev 2H Dble Pass 2NT (1) Pass 3D All Pass (1) Relay showing a bad hand. After Gitelman's weak 2H bid, he and Moss had no chance to find their spade fit. Mihov took the seven tricks he started with for minus 100 -- and an 8-IMP gain. With three boards to go, Bulgaria had pulled to within 4 IMPs with another 8-IMP gain (Nanev made plus 120 in 1NT while Levin went down two in 3NT). Bulgaria pulled to within 2 IMPs on Board 14 by taking 11 tricks in 4S while Gitelman managed nine tricks in 3NT. But for stellar play by Gitelman, Bulgaria would have recorded a double-digit swing. Board 14. None vul. Dealer East. S K 6 3 H T 9 6 D K Q T 9 3 C Q 9 S A Q J 9 8 S T 2 H 7 H A K 5 4 3 D A 5 D 8 7 2 C A J 8 6 4 C K 5 2 S 7 5 4 H Q J 8 2 D J 6 4 C T 7 3 West North East South Stamatov Levin Popov Jacobus - - Pass Pass 1S Pass 2H Pass 3C Pass 3S Pass 4S All Pass Stamatov lost only to the SK and the CQ for plus 450. West North East South Gitelman Mihov Moss Nanev - - Pass Pass 1S Pass 2H Pass 3C Pass 3D Pass 3NT All Pass Gitelman's 3NT contract was in deep trouble after the lead of the DK and the diamond continuation, but he played according to the textbooks and brought the nerve-wracking contract home. Gitelman won the second round of diamonds perforce and played a club to the king. His plan was to cash the top clubs. If the CQ did not fall, the spade finesse would be next with the added hope that South held no more than three to the king. Gitelman was gratified and more than a little relieved when the CQ came tumbling down. His team still lost 2 IMPs, but it could have been 11. That brought Bulgaria to within 2 IMPs at 72-70. Board 15 was a push, so Bulgaria still had a chance on the final board. Board 16. E/W vul. Dealer West. S Q 8 4 2 H 6 3 D 9 7 C A 6 5 4 2 S A K 6 S J T 5 H 9 7 H A T 5 4 2 D T 6 5 3 D A K 2 C Q J 9 3 C K 8 S 9 7 3 H K Q J 8 D Q J 8 4 C T 7 West North East South Gitelman Mihov Moss Nanev Pass Pass 1NT Pass 3NT All Pass Nanev led the HK, which was ducked. Moss ducked again when Nanev continued the suit. Nanev got off lead with the S7. Moss won in dummy and played a club to his king. When the C10 popped up on the next round of the suit, Moss was in control. North won the CA and got out with the D9. Moss won and followed with the HA and another heart. He had his nine tricks via two hearts, three clubs, two diamonds and two spades. West North East South Stamatov Levin Popov Jacobus Pass Pass 1H Pass 1NT Pass 2C Pass 2H Pass 2NT Pass 3NT Pass Pass Dble All Pass Jacobus, listening to a tentative-sounding auction and wanting a heart lead, doubled the final contract. Levin led the H6, ducked to Jacobus's jack. Instead of continuing hearts, Jacobus switched to the S9. Stamatov went up with the ace and played a club to the king and another club to the 10, queen and ace. Levin played his other heart, ducked to the queen. A second spade was returned, and Stamatov played low. Levin won his SQ, and Stamatov was finished. He could not get nine winners before the defenders got five. Plus 200 was good for a 13-IMP gain, and a ticket into the TNOT final for the Milner squad. It was small consolation to the Bulgarians in the Open Room that defeating 3NT would not have changed the result of the match. Plus 100 would still have been a 3-IMP loss, and they needed a 3-IMP gain -- not possible with the cards they held. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message from Norway Please thank everyone over there for an excellent and fast results service. Of course one should like to ask for more VuGraph matches and maybe on-line, but this was a big step towards what I need as a journalist not able to be present at the Championships. TX ALL! Ib Lundby ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Blackjacked - Twice! by Sam Leckie - Scotland This spectacular defense by Poland's Balicki Zmudzinski occurred in the final qualifying round of the Transnational Teams when Meltzer met Hackett. Dealer West. All Vul S Q 10 9 H 10 9 D 6 4 2 C A K Q 7 3 S K 8 5 3 S J 2 H Q 4 2 H K J 8 7 3 D A 9 3 D Q 10 5 C 10 9 8 C J 6 2 S A 7 6 4 H A 6 5 D K J 8 7 C 5 4 West North East South Zmudzinski Justin Balicki Jason Pass 1C Pass 1S Pass 2S Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass Adam Zmudzinski led the ten of clubs on which Cezary Balicki played the jack, suggesting that he had a strong holding in hearts. Jason Hackett, having won the trick in dummy, played the ten of spades, but Balicki covered with the jack, forcing declarer to win with the ace. When declarer continued with a low spade, Zmudzinski hopped up with the king and switched to a low heart -- the contract was now doomed. If Declarer ducks hearts twice, then West would be able to set up the eight of spades while still holding the ace of diamonds. If declarer takes the heart ace earlier, he only has eight tricks. If East had not covered the ten of spades at trick two and West withholds the king, declarer could have continued with the queen of spades, thereby ensuring three spade tricks. Now it would be possible to duck two rounds of hearts and later finesse the jack of diamonds for the ninth trick. Declarer could have made the contract by cashing his club winners after taking the ace of spades. No matter how the defenders discard, declarer always has a counter. Editor In the other room North-South scored +110 in Two Clubs to gain 5 IMPs. Despite this, the Hackett team won the match 18-12VP. Both teams reached the last four, and met in yesterday's semifinals. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Appeal 8 Event: WTOTC, Round 5 Teams: Bulgaria (N/S) versus Poland (E/W) Committee: Bobby Wolff (chairman, USA), Rich Colker (scribe, USA), Jean-Paul Meyer (FRA) Board 1. None vul. Dealer North. S Q 4 3 2 H 9 D Q 8 5 C A K J 4 3 S 9 7 6 5 S K J T 8 H K Q J 8 H 7 5 4 2 D 9 6 D J 7 4 C T 9 2 C 7 5 S A H A T 6 3 D A K T 3 2 C Q 8 6 West North East South Puczynski Karaivanov Chveski Trendafilov - 1C (1) Pass 1D (2) 1H (3) Pass (4) 1S 2S (5) Pass 3C Pass 3D Pass 3S (6) Pass 4C (7) Pass 4D Pass 4H Dble Pass Pass 4S Pass 5C Pass 5NT (8) Pass 6C (9) Pass 7C All Pass (1) Clubs or certain balanced hands. (2) Transfer, showing 4+ hearts. (3) Takeout (see The Appeal, below). (4) Showed clubs. (5) Cuebid. (6) Likes diamonds. (7) Likes clubs. (8) Choice of suits (clubs or diamonds). (9) Break in tempo. Result: 7C by North made seven, plus 1440 for N/S. The Facts: The TD was called to the table at the end of the auction. East stated to him that it had taken North about 15-20 seconds to bid 6C over 5NT. The TD adjusted the result to 6C by North made six, plus 920 to N/S. The Appeal: N/S appealed the TDs' ruling. In reviewing the auction for the CommitteeWest stated that, although he had been Alerted to both the 1C and 1D bids, he bid 1H without asking about their meanings - intending it as natural. After passing the tray he finally inquired about the Alerted bids' meanings and learned that 1D showed hearts. He then explained to his screenmate (South) that his 1H bid was intended as natural but would be explained as takeout on the N-E side of the screen. E/W told the Committee they believed South's 5NT bid could have been interpreted as Josephine (Grand Slam Force) and that North's hesitation suggested the 7C bid. Given that this was essentially a Hesitation Blackwood auction, they believed that South should not be permitted to override his partner's decision. When asked again about the timing of North's 6C bid East affirmed that it took 15-20 seconds ("No more, no less."). North told the Committee that his 6C bid was slow but perhaps was not as slow as East suggested -maybe 10 seconds or so. N/S further denied that 5NT could have been Josephine. First, it was not a jump (their partnership requirement for Josephine). South would have jumped to 5NT after his 4H bid was doubled if he had wanted to bid Josephine. Second, 5NT made no sense as Josephine in this auction. South cue-bid 4S only to hear North sign off in 5C. Since South learned nothing from North's signoff that would have suggested investigating a Grand Slam - in fact, quite the opposite - 5NT could only be a "Choice of Slams" at the six level. Finally, N/S pointed out that had West not been negligent with his 1H bid, North would have had a 4H cue-bid available over South's 4C to unambiguously show heart shortness. (As it was, it could have suggested a 4H contract.) The Committee Decision: The Committee noted several important points regarding both the bridge issues involved in the situation and the informational considerations from the tempo. Regarding the bridge issues: First, two suits were bid and raised by N/S during the auction so that, from South's perspective, the appropriate strain was unclear. Second, N/S's assertions that 5NT made more logical sense as "Pick a Slam" (rather than Josephine) were accurate, although this argument was somewhat self-serving and had to be viewed with appropriate scepticism. Third, had South wished to investigate a Grand Slam the path he chose (first asking North to choose the proper strain; then raising his choice to seven) would be a logical one while other paths (such as recue-bidding 5S) would have been more ambiguous. Fourth, North showed clubs four times in the auction (by passing 1H, then by bidding 3C and 5C, and finally by choosing 6C when offered a choice of slams), for which AKJxx seems likely to be a minimum holding. Given this, South can easily count thirteen tricks - one spade, one heart, five diamonds (assuming that North either holds the DJ or, if not, the suit splits three-two or the jack drops), five clubs and at least one spade ruff in the South hand. Fifth, the North club holding in the previous point is made even more likely by North's failure to bid 3NT over 3D as he would have with a denser spade holding (e.g., SKQxx and correspondingly weaker clubs). Sixth, North had minimum high-card values, club length and fit for South's suits which made it unlikely in the Committee's eyes that he would have thought seriously about bidding a Grand Slam - and thus was more likely to have been deciding between the minors for the six level. And seventh, West's negligence with his 1H bid contributed to some (unknown) extent to N/S's problems in the auction. Regarding the tempo issue: First, all WBF events are supposed to be conducted under the new (1999) WBF Code of Practice. This provides, in part, that behind screens, "It is considered there can be no implications if a tray returns after 15 seconds or less. This period may be extended in the later stages of a complicated or competitive auction without necessarily creating implications." By all accounts, North's 6C bid was made within (approximately) the 15 seconds specified by the COP. Thus, there should be no finding of unauthorized information. While the Committee was concerned that the COP has not been formally announced to the players in this event, according to the WBF's stated intentions and the Chief Tournament Director (William Schoder), the COP is nonetheless presumed to be in effect in all events here. (Plus, it was noted that the COP has been available on the Internet for some time now and has been disseminated by the WBF to all NCBOs well before the tournament began.) More generally, even had the Committee found that the COP was not in effect, the fact that this was the eighth round of a complicated (and competitive) slam auction suggested being more lenient about breaks in tempo. Second, it is not clear that there was a true break in tempo here. Much of the previous auction (prior to North's 6C bid, especially after things turned competitive) had to have been conducted at a deliberate pace. Thus, the putative 15 seconds for the 6C bid may not have been significantly slower than the rest of the auction. While the act of North's thinking may have been obvious to East (perhaps from his facial expression, body language or other indicators), that is not a consideration behind screens (where such information is not transmitted to one's partner). A call cannot be taken in isolation and judged "out of tempo" merely because the player thinks for a time before calling behind screens. The time to return the tray must be significantly longer than normal and expected within the context of the auction (and must be unambiguously attributable to a specific player). For these reasons the Committee was not convinced that a break in tempo occurred (either in fact or under the COP). Moreover, even if it did occur it seemed unlikely that it conveyed useful information to South that was not obvious from the authorized information from the auction itself. The Committee therefore restored the table result of 7C by North making seven, plus 1440 for N/S. The Committee wishes to make two further points regarding this case and its implications. First, the TDs' adjustment of N/S's score seems out of keeping with the conditions of contest (in particular, the COP). In addition, their decision to adjust the score to plus 920 rather than plus 940 seemed rather odd. Wouldn't North make thirteen tricks without any jeopardy to the contract? Second, even though no score adjustment was made by the Committee in the present case, players should be aware that hesitations in slam auctions always involve some risk. While it is rarely possible to make difficult calls quickly, it is always possible to make easy calls more slowly and deliberately. This has the beneficial effect of giving one's screenmate less useful information regarding the ease of one's calls and additionally produces a more even tempo which avoids transmitting unauthorized information across the screen to partner. (It works even better without screens!) Also, in their COP the WBF states that it "considers it desirable that players should vary the tempo randomly when returning the tray under the screen." This acts effectively to further reduce the possibility of transmitting unauthorized information to partner. As we enter the 21st century, players must develop good playing habits which will make bridge not only a more enjoyable game but one which will be decided at the table and not by Appeals Committees. Isn't that the Olympic Spirit? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Orbis World Computer Bridge Championship Yes, computers can PLAY bridge, even though the bidding is still quite spotty from time to time -- the human touch, perhaps. Witness this hand from the final match between GIB (USA) and WBridge5 (France). Board 16. E/W vul. Dealer West. S K Q 9 H A Q J D 9 6 4 3 2 C 8 6 S T 6 S 8 7 3 2 H T 9 2 H 7 5 3 D T D A K Q J 8 5 C A J T 9 5 3 2 C - - S A J 5 4 H K 8 6 4 D 7 C K Q 7 4 West North East South GIB Wbridge5 GIB Wbridge5 Pass 1D Pass 1H Pass 1NT Pass 3NT All Pass After the 10D-lead, overtaken with the DJ, the contract is ice-cold because of the 7-0 club break when East cashes his diamonds. South simply discards three clubs. In actual play he discarded a major-suit card and had to go one down: +50 to GIB. At the other table, the bidding was: West North East South Wbridge5 GIB Wbridge5 GIB Pass 1NT (1) 2D 3D (2) Pass 3S (3) Pass 4S Pass Pass Dble All Pass (1) 11-14, no 4-card major unless 4-3-3-3 (2) Stayman, no stopper (3) Stuck! East cashed the DA and shifted to the H3 for the H4, 9 and Q. Declarer now cashed the HJ and led the C6, which was incorrectly ruffed by East. The return of the DK was ruffed with the SJ after which the SA and SK were cashed, leaving this position with North on lead, needing five tricks: S Q H A D 9 6 2 C 8 S - - S 8 H - - H 7 D - - D Q J 8 5 C A J T 9 5 3 C - - S 5 H K 8 D - - C K Q 4 North now ruffed a diamond, crossed to the HA, cashed the SQ and endplayed West in clubs who had to give South the last two tricks. Pretty neat, what? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- INVESTING IS OUR STRONG SUIT A daily column on investing by Orbis Investment Management Limited We hope that everybody has enjoyed these Championships. Being able to help host the event in Bermuda has been a privilege for us. We are also grateful for the many individual expressions of thanks that we have received both from you in person as we have met you and from all the bridge fans around the world who have been avidly observing these events on the Internet. It has been delightful to meet so many people who are so passionate about their sport. Hopefully you found our daily articles on investing interesting and informative. If you would like to receive a package of information about our funds or be placed on our mailing list we would be delighted for you to contact us using any of the methods listed below. You will also find contact forms that you may complete and leave at the Hospitality desk. How to contact us: By mail: Orbis Investment Management Limited By telephone: +1 (441) 296 3000 34 Bermudiana Road By facsimile: +1 (441) 296 3001 Hamilton, HM CX By e-mail: info@orbisfunds.com Bermuda Web site: www.orbisfunds.com Attention: Geoffrey Gardner, Director of Fund Management ======================================================================