NABC 2019 SF, Amerikan mestaruuskilpailut San Franciscossa

Bridgeä Kaliforniassa

Postauksen rakenne:

• Tunnelmia reissusta ja peleistä. 
• Board analysis at the end of this post (In English)

Vuoden 2019 viimeiset Amerikan mestaruuskilpailut kilpailtiin San Franciscossa, Kaliforniassa. San Francisco on yllättävän viileä paikka tähän aikaan vuodesta. Onneksi olimme muistaneet katsoa ennakkoon säätiedot - palttoolle oli totisesti käyttöä. Hieman ennen lähtöämme olin huomannut Hesarissa kolumnin kaupungin ongelmasta kodittomien suhteen. Taksimatka lentokentältä hotellillemme osoitti kodittomia olevan kaduilla paljon. Yksi kortteli oli täynnä jalkakäytävällä olevia telttoja toinen toisensa perään. Nallekarkit eivät mene tasan. Toinen muistikuvani oli näkemistämäni kuvista peräisin: San Francisco on maastoltaan epäsainen.

San Franciscossa riittää ylä- ja alamäkeä!

Perinteisesti syksyn kilpailut on pyhitetty parikilpailu ja Board-A-Match (BAM) laskennalle. Tänä vuonna lanseerattiin kuitenkin uusi kilpailumuoto Soloway Knockout edesmenneen Paul Solowayn muistoksi. Paul Soloway on moninkertainen maailmanmestari, joka pelasi USA:n joukkueessa mm. Bob Hammanin partnerina. Soloway-KO:n myötä saatiin uusi kilpailumuoto mestaruuskisojen tarjontaan: kilpailumuotona oli ensin kaksipäiväinen Swiss, josta 32 parasta selviytyi pudotuspelikierroksille. Pudotuspelikierrokset kestivät aina yhden päivän, kunnes voittaja saatiin selville. Kyseinen kilpailumuoto aloitti syksyn mestaruuskilpailut.

Paul Soloway

Syksyn Amerikan mestaruuskilpailut päättyvät ehkäpä arvostetuimpaan ja haastavimpaan kilpailuun, Reisingeriin. Kilpailumuotona on BAM eli joukkuekilpailu, jossa jaon voittamiseen riittää 10 pisteen ero.

Meidän ohjelmaamme kuuluivat seuraavat kilpalut:

• Soloway Knockout
• Michell BAM
• Reisinger
• Pari muuta joukkista.

Golden Gate kaukaa kuvattuna.

Valmistautuminen kisoihin

Systeemiprujumme sivumäärä on jo kasvanut lukumäärään 84. Vaikka useat sopimuksemme noudattelevat samoja yleisperiaatteita, kerrattavaa kuitenkin riittää. Tämän takia systeemi tulee luettua useampaan kertaan läpi isompaa kisaa edeltävinä päivinä. Viimeiset kertaukset onnistuu vielä tekemään kymmenen tuntisen lentomatkan aikana.

Muutaman Yhdysvaltain reissun jälkeen on oppinut valmistautumaan myös jetlagista toipumiseen mahdollisimman nopeasti. Nykyään itsellä on vakiovarusteena mukana melatoniinia ja korvatulpat, jotta nukkuminen olisi mahdollisimman helppoa. Silti varsinkin täpärät karsiutumiset saattavat vaikeuttaa nukahtamista, kun virheet saattavat jäädä pyörimään päähän ja haittaamaan unta...

Lyhyt turistikierros

Ensimmäinen päivämme uudessa kohteessa on useasti ollut hyvää aikaa turistikierrokselle. Samalla kaavalla olemme tälläkin reissulla. Nopean googlettamisen avulla päädymme ottamaan ratikan tai "kaapeli auton" satamaan, josta kuuluisimmat kohteet sijaitsevat. Näitä ovat esimerkiksi Golden Gate silta sekä Alcatrazin vankilasaari. Vankila on valitettavasti kiinni kiitospäivästä johtuen.

"Cable Car"

Chinatown

Keskusta

Etualalla "kääntöpöytä"

Itsenäisyyspäivä maailmalla.

Joulutunnelmaa.

Tunnelmia peleistä

Soloway KO

Ensimmäinen päivä sujuu hieman alavireisesti, mikä tarkoittaa parannusta vaadittavan toiselle päivällä, jotta 32 parhaan joukkueen joukkoon on mahdollista selviytyä. Ennen kahta viimeistä kierrosta meillä on vielä hyvä mahdollisuus selviytyä jatkoon.

Toiseksi viimeisessä ottelussa karsintakierroksilta tulee vastaan jako, mikä jää pitkäksi aikaa kummittelemaan painajaisiin. Vastustajat tarjoavat sangiavauksen jälkeen itsensä suoraviivaisesti 6NT. Korteilla Kxxxx J9xx xxx x päätän valita passiivisen ruutulähdön...

KATASTROFI!

Valitettavasti vastuksella on 12 tikkiä kannelta tuolla lähdöllä, mutta partnerilla on padassa ATxx ja vieläpä vastuksen pata on jakautunut 2-2. Yritän hieman parantaa omaa tunnelmaani toteamalla, että sattuipa jako, jossa 3NT menee aina pietiin, mutta 6NT menee kotiin... Ei se paljon lohduta vaikka vastustajamme Michael Rosenberg toteaa nähneen saman tyylisen jaon aikaisemmin. Tämä ei ollut se hetki, jolloin huono tuuri oli paikallaan. Kun muutkaan jaot viimeiselle kahdella kierroksella eivät parannusta tilanteeseen tuo, voimme todeta laulukuoron odottavan meitä.  Joudumme hakemaan menestystä BAM joukkiksesta... Tulokset Swiss.

Mitchell BAM

BAM on haastava pelimuoto. Pelin on oltava todella tarkkaa, sillä usein jaon voittaminen tai häviäminen on yhdestä ylitikistä kiinni. IMP-kisassa osassa jaoista pystyy välillä hieman huilaamaan, kun kotipeli on varma. BAM -kisassa ei huilaamiseen ole varaa. 

Pääsemme finaalipäivään kuitenkin melko huonolla carryoverilla, joten menestyminen finaalissa vaatii hyvän pelin lisäksi tuuria. Tässä kisassa valitettavasti pariin kertaan oireilen himean jetlagista, minkä takia muutamaan otteeseen keskittyminen herpaantuu. Parin tikin menettäminen on kallista eikä menestyminen ole aivan huippuluokkaa... Loppusijoituksemme on 17. Tulokseen ei täysin tyytyväinen voi olla ja oma fiilis on hieman väsähtänyt... Täytyy koittaa saada väsymys pois loppuviikkoa ajatellen - onneksi seuraavana vuorossa on sivukisoissa IMP-joukkista... Tulokset.

Reisinger

Pääsemme loistavissa asetelmissa pelaamaan ensimmäisen päivän toista sessiota. Alkumme on pelottavan karmiva. Ensimmäiset kolme jakoa vaikuttavat varmoilta tappioilta. Ei todellakaan sellainen alku, mitä olimme toivonneet... Onneksi jo seuraavassa jaossa saan varastettua ylitikin vastuksen peittäessä pelaamani J:n Q:lla pöydän Jxxx vs käteni AKTx, jonka ansiosta saatu ylitikki vaikuttaa riiittävän voittamaan jaon.

JES!

Tuuri siis kääntyi. Loppukierrokset sujuvat selvästi paremmin ja pääsemme hyvällä sijoituksella semifinaaliin. 

Toisena päivänä pisteiden saaminen hankaloituu entisestään. Joukkuemäärä on vähentynyt kahteenkymmeneen, jotka kaikki ovat hyvätasoisia joukkueita. Toisessa sessiossa teemme paljon vääriä arvauksia, mutta toisaalta hyviä jakoja on myös aika paljon. Arvioimme olevamme suunnilleen meedelissä, mikä on minimipistemäärä, jolla finaalipaikka aukenee. Kauko toteaa session jälkeen:

"Pitäisi riittää".

Totuudessa tipumme todella harmittavalla tavalla... Jäämme vajaan yhden pisteen päähän jatkopaikasta. Seuraavana yönä nukkuminen on hankalaa, kun voitettavissa olevat jaot pyörivät mielessä. Esimerkiksi viimeisessä jaossa toisessa pöydässä tulee 1NT tarpeeton ylitkkii.-120 tarkoittaa, että meidän +100 ei riitä jaon voittamiseen. Katkeran lähelle jäämme finaalista ja joukkueen fiilis ei tietenkään ole katossa. Niin lähellä mutta silti niin kaukana. Joudumme pelaamaan viimeisenä päivänä arvostetuimman finaalin sijaan sivujoukkista. Miten turhauttavaa... Tulokset.

Seuraavaksi muutamia jakoa turnauksesta - tuttuun tyyliin englanniksi.

Qualification to Mitchell BAM

From Mitchell BAM tournament. I opened with a stretched 1NT and ended up playing four hearts after a transfer sequence. Kevin Castner started with the Queen of diamonds. What is your plan?
There’s no point of discarding dummy’s club on my third spade. It’s true that I won’t lose any club after that, but what I’m going to do with all the diamonds in the dummy? If I play clubs by myself, I could discard one diamond on the third spade and one on the King of clubs. Then I will lose one diamond and one club. To make the contract I need to find North with the King of hearts and 3-2 split in trumps. Best plan is to duck the first trick. If the defence cashes the Ace of clubs next, I’ll need the favourable trump position. To my relief Castner continued diamonds and now I had a better approach. What is that?

I won the diamond continuation with the Ace, crossed to the dummy with the Ace of spades, ruffed a diamond, cashed King-Queen of spades discarding the Queen of clubs, ruffed dummy’s last diamond with the Queen of hearts, ruffed a club, took the Ace of trumps and conceded two trump tricks. Making ten tricks and winning the board. You can follow the play below:

Reisinger, the 1st day

Our team had a nice 1st session. We were in a good position when Kauko had to face the following declarer problem:




Reisinger second qualifying session against young Australians. After Liam Milnes’s takeout double our Gazilli convention was off so my two clubs was just natural. Vesa took a conservative view, not inviting with two no trumps but settling for a preference bid of two spades. Andy Hung started with the three of diamonds (3rd/5th) to his partner’s Ace and Milne continued with the five of diamonds. How would you continue?

It didn’t look like a good idea to try to draw the trumps. After the takeout double West has most probably only two spades and the defenders are shortening my trumps. There’s no way to score more than two club tricks after the forcing defence. But maybe it would be a good plan to accept the force and try to ruff as many red cards in my hand as possible. I played a small heart to the King, Milne winning with the Ace, and I was expecting him to continue with diamonds. Then I could ruff, unblock the Queen of hearts and use my two club entries for two further ruffs. Unfortunately, Milne is not playing a diamond back, but a heart instead and I win into my hand with the Queen. I continue with the King of spades, which Milne wins with his Ace. After that, defence can’t prevent me of taking three ruffs in my hand, eight tricks and tied board when our opponents played three clubs just making at the other table. The whole board can be seen below:



I was happy with my line of play, but without a reason. Milne defended well returning a heart after the Ace of hearts, only switch to kill the contract. And if he next ducks my King of spades, I have no chance to make eight tricks.

Instead of playing a heart to the King I should have continued with the Queen of hearts to the third trick. Say that West ducks (no difference) and now I can continue with the King of spades. West ducks again, but that doesn’t help him. Next comes three rounds of clubs, East ruffing the third round. He plays back the Queen of diamonds, which I ruff. Next any black card from my hand is enough to make the contract. For example, a spade to West’s Ace, he cashes the Jack of diamonds, but I discard my last heart. In the three-card ending West has to play a heart and I still score one ruff and the King of hearts.





There was in fact no reason to fear the forcing defence. The contract makes even if I play a spade to the Queen at trick three. West continues a diamond, which I ruff. A club to the dummy and next..?

The continuation of clubs is correct, but careful now, a small club to the Ace! If you would make a mistake and take first high club from the dummy and then play a club to the Ace. East can set the contract declining to ruff but discarding a diamond (a heart is good as well). If you next try the Queen of hearts, West will win and continue diamonds. Seven tricks is your limit now. If you play the club suit in correct order, it doesn’t help East if he refuses to ruff. You are in the dummy and play a low heart to the Queen and next more clubs. If East is not ruffing, he has to play a trump in the ending to declarer’s K9-tenace. And even if he ruffs, declarer will end up making eight tricks with any defence. Try it yourself!

Reisinger, 2nd day, Semi-Final

We start well the 2nd day of Reisinger (Semi-Final) and an average session from the fourth session would be enough to get us into the final on Sunday.

With three rounds to go we are meeting Jan Jansma and Chris Willenken from the team Rosenthal. With vul against not, first in hand I open one no trump (14+ to 17) with 85 A1075 KQJ83 A4.





Jansma passes, Vesa bids 2C stayman and Willenken overcalls two spades. My double would be for takeout, but I should have more than 14 hcp for that action. Besides, the double from Vesa would also show four hearts, so we are not going to miss the heart fit even if I pass. Vesa keeps the bidding alive with a natural two no trump bid. I can’t pass that because I see that this contract is wrong handed, so I choose three diamonds, which is followed by three passes. Jansma starts with the Queen of spades, Willenken thinks for two seconds, then overtakes with the King and plays back the three of clubs. What is your overall plan?




If the West’s club is singleton, I can’t afford to duck the club shift. I guess Willenken has more clubs, because in favourable vulnerability Jansma might have overcalled his seven card suit. Not willing to risk an early ruff, I take the Ace anyway and play the five of hearts to deuce, King and the nine. Opponents are playing UDCA. Next I decide to cut the communications between defenders and play a small club from the dummy. Willenken takes the trick with the ten and continues the suit, I’m ruffing and Jansma follows with the King. And then?





If opponents trumps are 2-2, the rest is easy. I just pull out the trumps and ruff my two heart losers in the dummy. But if Jansma has three trumps, a trump promotion with the spades is an obvious threat. I decide to take two rounds of trumps with the King and the Ace, Willenken discarding a spade. That’s annoying. Spades look like to be 6-1 and because the defenders can’t cash six spade tricks, I would have made eight tricks in no trumps. So I have to make ten tricks in diamonds to win the board if our opponents stays in no trump at the other table. I continue with the Ace of hearts and ruff a heart in dummy Jansma following with low cards and Willenken with the eight and the Jack. Do you have any chance to make ten tricks anymore?

Yes you do. I played a spade from the dummy, West winning and continuing with another spade. In the three-card ending H10 and DQJ, I ruffed high, but what Jansma could do with HQ D10 CQ. Of course he can’t underruff, but he can’t discard his heart, neither. In that case I would draw trumps and the ten of hearts would be high. Reluctantly Jansma finally discarded a club, but then I could make ten tricks with a heart ruff into the dummy. We had big hopes to win the board, but at the other table our opponents were climbing up to three no trumps. West was overtaking the lead of Queen of clubs with the King, but without the club continuation declarer managed to make the contract.

Reisinger, Final Round

Last round we are playing in the BBO vugraph. The very last board is decisive. If we would win the board, we’ll go thru, if we’ll lose, the Swiss teams are waiting us on Sunday.





At IMPs passing two spades doubled would be too risky, but at BAM my decision was clear cut. I cashed Ace-King of hearts all following. I switched to the four of diamonds, King, Ace and the five. What next?

In order to cut down club ruffs into the dummy, Vesa played back a spade to my Ace, declarer unblocked the King, and I continued the trumps dummy’s nine winning the trick. A small club from the dummy. Your turn.




It looks natural to play second hand low. But that would have been a fatal mistake. Declarer would win the King, play two rounds of spades discarding a low red card from the dummy and play a diamond to the Queen. When dummy’s Queen of hearts is cashed, South is helplessly squeezed. If he discards the Jack of diamonds, dummy’s ten will be high. But if he discards a low club, declarer continues clubs and makes three tricks in this suit. The correct move on the first round of clubs is to win with the Ace and continue with any diamond. Both defenders have still one trump left, so declarer won’t make a trick anymore in either red suit. '

Vesa was not tested anyhow, because I played low to the first round of trumps, dummy winning. Declarer continued with a club to the King and a spade. When I took the Ace and continued with a diamond, dummy was dead and declarer had still to lose two club tricks.

Our result from the last board was good and we were expecting to qualify for the final, but our opponents played one no trump at the other table from the South hand. Unfortunately, the defence slipped badly, declarer making eight tricks, so we lost the board and were disqualified with narrowest possible margin.

Sunday A/X Swiss

After this huge disappointment my motivation and concentration were not the best one at the Swiss teams on the last playing day, as the following board shows.



East’s opening showed at least five cards and West’s three clubs was natural invitation with a long suit. I led with the three of diamonds (3rd/5th), deuce, Queen and the Ace. Declarer plays next the six of clubs. And you?

Surely enough it looks natural to try to block the club suit by ducking the first round. But that’s not correct. If declarer has five hearts and the Ace of spades, he is home with nine tricks if I let him take one club trick. The correct move is to rise up with the Ace and see what partner is playing. We play regular Smith, so playing a high card at the first opportunity tells that he has missing honour or extra length. If for example Vesa had played the Jack to the first trick and a high club to the second, he promises either the Queen or four cards in diamonds. In the actual layout a high club would promise four cards and after the Ace of diamonds the defence takes five tricks. On the other hand, if partner plays a low club, he denies the hoped for combination. And in that case I have to find the partner with the Ace of spades and defend accordingly. This time Vesa would have played the seven of clubs and the situation wouldn’t have been clear to me. The seven could be from 97-doubleton as well. But change Vesa’s club combination to nine doubleton and the situation would be easier to read.



As a minor consolation, we finish 3rd (tied) in the final Swiss.

Kisat ohi Las Vegasissa

Yhteenvetoa kisoista

Yhdet kisat ovat taas pelattu. Las Vegasin hälinä ja ihmispaljaus jää nyt taakse. Tätä tekstiä kirjoittaessani odottelen jatkolentoani San Franciscossa. Kauas matkustaminen tarkoittaa myös paljon odottelua, jonka voi onneksi hyödyntää tekemeällä jotain hyödyllistä. Kun aikaisemmin emme olleet kirjoitelleet mitään yleistä näistä kilpailuista, ajattelin olevan mielenkiintoista kertoa vain yleisesti (ja suomeksi) kilpailuista.

Osallistujamäärältään kilpailut olivat Amerikan liitolle (ACBL) menestys. Noin puolentoista viikon aikana kisoihin osallistui yhteensä 13 622 pöytää. Tämä oli ACBL:llä erittäin positiivinen asia, sillä viime vuonna Havaijilla järjestetyt Amerikan mestaruuskilpailut olivat hurjan tappiolliset heille surkean osallistujamäärän takia (kokonaispöytämäärä oli vaivaiset 6034,5). Varsinkin kesällä Amerikanmestaruuskilpailut ovat todella kansainväliset - amerikkalaisten lisäksi osallistuja lienee ainakin lähes jokaisesta maanosasta. Tosin tällä kertaa jäätiin selvästi pelaajamääristä,  joka oli edellisissä Las Vegasin kisoissa, sillä vuonna 2014 osallistujia oli 16 615,5 pöytää. Amerikkalaisten pelaajien keski-ikä on kasvanut jo useiden vuosien ajan, mikä näkyy myös Atlantin toisella puolen vähentyneissä pelaajamäärissä.

Las Vegas vaikuttaisi vetävän paljon pelaajia puoleensa. Näkisin Las Vegasin etuna olevan sen monipuolisuus: erilaisia hotelleja, ravintoloita ja kulkuyhteyksiä on tarjolla useita. Pelipaikkana toiminut Cosmopolitan on yksi Las Vegasin hienommista hotelleista, joka sijaitsee Las Vegasin pääkadulla, "Stripillä". Lyhyen kävelymatkan tai taksimatkan päässä on myös lukuisia huokeamman hintaisia hotelleja. Tosin heinäkuussa yli 40 asteen paahteessa ulkona oleskelu saati pidempien matkojen kulkeminen kävellen on liki mahdotonta. Monipuolinen ravintolavalikoima saattaa myös vetää ihmisiä puoleensa. Ravintoloita oli lähellä pelipaikkaa lukuisia - moneen makuun ja hintaan. Itse emme juurikaan tutustuneet ravintolavaihtoehdoihin, sillä Kauko ja Heike majoittuivat huoneistossa, jonka keittiössä Heike loihti maittavat ruoat. Lisäksi Las Vegas on helppojen kulkuyhteyksien päässä. Kaupungin suurin lentokenttä sijaitsee vain noin 15 minuutin päässä keskustasta, mikä on mukava lisä liikkumisen helpottamiseksi. Amerikan länsirannikolta (Kaliforniasta) kaupunki on myös ajomatkan päässä.

Pelipaikka, Cosmopolitan Las Vegas

Las Vegas & viihde

Kaupunki on tunnettu viihde-elämästään ja se näkyy kaikkialla. Ensimmäiset asiat, mitkä huomasin astuessani lentokoneesta ulos olivat jo lentokentällä sijainneet peliautomaatit ja viinakauppa. Kun vielä tanssimusiikin voimakkuus oli asetettu sen verran kovaksi, ei voinut erehtyä tulleensa niin sanottuun syntiseen kaupunkiin. Hotelliin kirjautumisessa suurimpia haasteita tuotti hotellivirkailijan puheen kuuleminen, sillä aulassakin musiikki oli häiritsevän kovalla. Ylipäätänsä kaikkialla huokuu viihde: kellonympäri pystyy uhkapelaamaan, käymään yökerhoissa tai nauttimaan alkoholia. Pelipaikan hotellissa järjestetään maailman kuuluisimpia allasbileitä, mikä näkyi jonottajien vaatetuksessa (tai siis sen puutteessa :)).

Viihteestä puhuttaessa on syytä mainita myös se, että Las Vegasissa on tarjolla kymmenniä ellei satoja erilaisia show-esityksiä. Tarjolla on muun muassa sirkusta, komiikkaa, musiikkia ja taikuriesityksiä. Itse ehdin käydä katsomassa yhden esityksen: Criss Angel - The Mindfreak. Pidin esityksestä todella paljon. Amerikkalaiseen tyyliin esityksessä lavasteet olivat kunnossa, mutta siinä oli mukana myös paljon muuta. Se oli luotu kuin pääesiintyjän Criss Angelin kasvutarinaksi sille, miten hän onnistui haaveissaan päästä esiintymään Las Vegasiin rakastamassaan asiassaan - illuusioiden tekemisessä. Esiintyjänä Criss Angelistä huokui inhimillisyys ja nöyryys, mikä teki esityksestä entistä elämyksellisemmän. Onnistui hän sen verran hyvin illuusioiden tekemisessä, että moni jo pelästyi luulemaan, että yleisön istuinten alle olisi ilmestynyt isoja hämähäkkejä...

Pelaaminen Amerikassa

Pelitiloina totuttuun amerikkalaiseen tyyliin toimi hotellin konferenssihuoneet. Pelejä oli muutamassa eri tilassa, jotka saa helposti selville katsomalla  päivän bulletiinista eri kilpailuiden pelitilat.
Tilat olivat sopivasti ilmastoituja tällä kertaa (ei liian kylmä!) ja valaistus oli loistavaa ainakin mielestäni.

Ennakkoilmoittautumista Amerikassa kisoihin ei ole muissa kuin pääkisassa Spingoldissa (siidauksen tekemistä varten). Yleisimmät pelien alkamisajankohdat ovat klo 13 ja 19.30 paikallista aikaa, mutta sivukisoissa käytetään myös aloitusaikoina klo 10 ja klo 14. Käytännössä tämä tarkoittaa sitä, että pelit kestävät melkein puoleenyöhön päivittäin. Aloitusaikojen myöhäisyyttä voi pitää hieman yllättävänä varsinkin, kun huomio pelaajien ikäjakauman. Varmaankin vanhempikin väestö on tottunut valvomaan myöhään.

Jokkueemme & pelimme

Meidän joukkueessa pelasivat Connie Goldberg, Hua Poon, Kien Fong, Yukun Zhang, Kauko Koistinen ja Vesa Fagerlund. Connie on yhdysvaltalainen ja Hua & Kien & Yukun ovat Singaporesta. Peliohjelmamme oli ensisijaisesti päästä päätapahtumassa Spingoldissa niin pitkälle kuin mahdollista, jonka jälkeen pelata joitakin muita kisoja. Spingold pelataan ns. "tulos tai ulos" -periaatteella eli vain ottelun voittaja jatkaa seuraavalle päivälle. Pelaamamme kisat ja tulokset olivat seuraavanlaiset:

•  Fri-Sat Knockout Teams 1 (vain Kauko). Sijoitus 3-4.
• SPINGOLD KNOCKOUT TEAMS Sijoitus 17-32.
• A/X/Y Swiss Teams Sijoitus 4-7.
• ROTH OPEN SWISS TEAMS Sijoitus 38.

Tuloksia voi pitää kohtuullisen hyvinä. Spingoldissa jokainen ottelu on todella haastava. Jo yhden ottelun voittaminen on erinomainen asia. Roth Open Swississä oli täpärällä, että pääsimme kolmannelle päivälle. Onnistuimme voittamaan riittävän selvästi, jotta pääsimme kilpailun viimeiselle päivälle. Todettakoon tässä vaiheessa, että meidät Spingoldista tiputtanut Zia Mahmoodin joukkue ei kilpailun viimeiselle päivälle selvinnyt. Kisassa taso on oikeasti siis kova. Valitettavasti viimeinen päivä Roth Open Swississä ei sujunut hyvin. Väärät valinnat seurasivat toisiaan, joten tyytyminen oli sijoitukseen finaalin loppupäässä.

Kilpailuissa ykkösluokan menestymisen saavuttamiseksi vaaditaan vielä harjoittelua. Erot ovat sen verran marginaalisia välillä, että yhteenkään nukahdukseen tai systeemikämmiin ei ole varaa. Henkilökohtaisesti sanoisin myös, että keskittymiskyvyn pitäminen täydessä kapasiteesissaan vaatii vielä työstämistä. Pieniä askelia ottamalla eteenpäin voi vielä joskus olla mahdollista kamppailla aivan kärkisijoituksista.

Two defensive slips in one board

In Spingold knock-out we were down 55 IMPs before the last 15 boards. In the last segment the boards were quite boring, so in the end my concentration was not the best anymore, knowing that even a miracle is not enough to win the match. Six boards to go and another partscore came up.

Two hearts was weak and three spades was natural and inviting. Vesa started with the King of clubs and David Gold won the trick with the Ace. He continued with the three of diamonds to seven, Jack and I won the trick with the Ace. Gold ruffed my club return and played the King and the Queen of diamonds, Vesa showing an even number and dummy discarding a club. You can see the position in the bridge movie below. What is your plan?

At the table I didn’t spend too much time with ruffing and returning the ten of spades. Gold played the Queen, Vesa won with the Ace and continued with spades and I won with the King. What next?

Clubs, what else. The whole deal:

Did declarer make his contract?

Yes. Gold finished his trumps and in the end Vesa was squeezed in the red suits. What were my to mistakes?

If I return the King of Spades instead the ten, Vesa will win the second round of trumps and he can cash his diamond ten as a setting trick. I still had a second chance. If I would have played back a heart after the King of spades, the entry for the squeeze is gone and the contract fails. Declarer also made a mistake. He should play only one high diamond from his hand and then ruff a small diamond. After that the contract is unbeatable.

Two-way finesse

On Thursday we played swiss teams, eight rounds of six-board matches. Two first rounds we won our matches against average standard opponents. The third round opponent was already much stronger, team captained by Gaylor Kasle, but we kept on winning. The following board had a challenging declarer play problem.

Joshua Donn started with the nine of hearts, attitude leads. What is your general plan?

Establishing the diamonds is not a good idea. You can make four diamond tricks only if North has honour-ten third in the suit. Most often you can make three diamond tricks. Three hearts and two spades brings the total up to eight. If you try to establish the ninth trick from clubs, the defenders might take two diamonds, two clubs and one heart. So, it’s much better line to start with the clubs. If I can make two club tricks, three spade tricks are enough to make the contract. How should you handle the club suit?

If opponent’s clubs are 3-3 or if the nine is doubleton, there is no problem. If North has an honour doubleton, you can make two club tricks only with good guessing. If South has Ax or Kx of clubs, you succeed if you play twice low club from your hand. So, I took the lead in my hand with the Jack and continued with a low club, South took the King and continued with the two of diamonds to North’s Queen and my Ace. My ten of clubs held the next trick and South won the third club with his Ace, North following the suit. South continued with a small heart. Follow the play in the bridge movie below. How are we doing?

Not too well. The diamond switch was not welcomed. If I now lose a spade trick to North, he plays back a diamond and I might lose five tricks. There is no point of finessing the other way. If I play the ten of spades and lose the trick to South’s Queen, he plays back another heart and the entry to the third spade trick is gone. To see some discards from the opponents, I cashed my good club from the dummy, both opponents discarding hearts. Next I played diamond to my Jack. If North has the King, I have my nine tricks. And if South has K10xx, I cut the communications between the defenders.

Unfortunately, South wins the Jack with his King and plays one more heart, North discarding a spade. In the four-card ending dummy has just spades left and I have two spades and two diamonds. You can see the position in the bridge movie below. What now?

Gaylor Kasle was first discarding his last heart and after that one spade. It indicates strongly, that his distribution is 4-3-3-3. From five card suit the obvious first discard is a spade. If North has the Queen of spades, I should let the ten run, play a spade to the King and exit with a diamond. It doesn’t matter who’s winning the next to last trick, both opponents have spade as their last card. If South has the Queen of spades, I can make an overtrick with a normal finesse. Which way?

There is one indication, that I should play North for the Queen of spades. If South had Qxx 9xxx Kxx AKx, he might have made a take-out double of my opening bid of one club. Therefore, I let the ten of spades run and made nine tricks the whole hand being:

At the other table the play was following the same lines. Connie also found the mean switch to diamonds. The Polish declarer also misguessed the diamond suit and when he finessed the Queen of spades from the South hand, we gained 13 IMPs from the board.

Disasters do happen at the top level!

The game of bridge could be also called as a game of mistakes. Everybody will make a lots of mistakes - that's something that cannot be avoided. The best make less erros but still time to time they may end up in a silly contracts. The following hand is an example.

After partner opening and right hand opponent's 1NT-overcall I was happy to start doubling them. Eventually I was almost on cloud nine when they ended up on playing my best suit, doubled.

The defence was merciless. Furthermore, the declarer was so unhappy about the contract that failed to cash one of his obvious tricks. You can follow the play in the bridge movie below.

1400 was a nice score to collect! Something to be learned?

Even the experienced players end up in silly contracts - it is human. Even when playing a dumb contract, you should focus on the board, and after it is over try to forget it as soon as possible. It is only one board - it should not ruin your entire session.

The hotels are connected to each other in Las Vegas via pedestrians sky-bridges, as in picture above

Knocked out in the round of 32

Our opponent's for the round of 32 were a team captained by Hemant Lall, playing with Reese Milner, Sabine Auken, Roy Welland, Zia Mahmood and David Gold. Facing a top class opponent means that you should be playing your best game and also have your share of luck to be able to advance for the next round. With 60 boards to be played in the match we were expecting to have a lot of interesting boards.

Zia Teaches Us A Slam Bidding Technique

The following board from the 3rd segment proved to be too difficult for us. You be the judge how it should have been bid... The bidding has gone as shown in below.

You can see the explanations of the bids by clicking the bids on the bridge movie above. So far the bidding has been basically forced with the agreements we have.

Now it is a decision time. Should you stay or should you go?

The whole deal is shown below:

If you managed to reach 7 diamonds, I congratulate you. It is not easy to bid as the key card is the queen of clubs. With our agreements, we did not have an easy solution to find out the queen.

Zia Mahmood and David Gold reached it, well done by them. How were they able to do it?

They used a convention called a 6 Ace Roman Key Card blackwood. After a similar beginning to the auction, the strong hand was able to find out the club queen and both minor suit kings. That was all that was needed to reach the grand slam.

Above pictured Zia and David. Picture by Francesca Canali.

Two boards on the same theme

On the round of 64 of the Spingold knock-out teams there were two boards with a similar kind of squeeze. From the first segment board number 6:

Two diamonds showed majors and four no-trumps asked partner to pick a game in a minor. Douglas Doub started with the two of hearts to his partner’s Ace and Adam Wildavsky returned the two of diamonds to the second trick. What is your plan?

When dummy came down, I was pretty certain that North has all the remaining trumps. The diamond return revealed anyway, that I don’t have to worry about a trump loser. Why was North doubling the final contract, then. The reason is quite obvious. He must be void in spades and he wanted South to lead that suit. Therefore, the trumps must be drawn before any spade finesse. I took the diamond continuation with dummy’s Jack and continued three more rounds, West discarding one spade and three hearts. Next spade to the Queen, which holds, North discarding a heart, as expected. Now I had two ways to make my contract. Can you spot both of them?

East’s distribution must be 6-5-1-1. If I continue with any club but the Ace to the next trick, either defender has to give me an entry to a second spade finesse. But much nicer way is to make an immaterial squeeze against North. I took the Ace of spades, ruffed a spade into my hand. In the five-card ending dummy had just clubs, I had the King of Hearts, one trump and three clubs and North was down to two small hearts and KJ7 of clubs. When I took my last trump, Wildavsky had no answer. If he discards a club, I concede a club to him. When he discarded one of his hearts, I cashed the King of hearts and endplayed him with a club to the Ten. At the other table our opponents chose their other eight card fit, but went two down in five clubs so that was a 14 IMP gain for us.

The very first board from the second segment: Venkatrao Koneru started with the six of spades. What would your line of play?

Besides the two sure trumps losers you have three potential diamond losers. Spade ruff or two is your big concern, but the obvious line is to win the lead in dummy and take the diamond finesse. Is that a good idea? To play a diamond to the Queen and see what happens? What happens is that you go down. East takes the King of diamonds and continues with three rounds of hearts. The whole hand:

Hua realised that there is no reason to take the diamond finesse on the second trick. If West has the King of diamonds, declarer has always ten tricks if the defenders can’t organize any spade ruffs. Correct line is to play trumps immediately. East wins and plays back a club, which you ruff. A second round of trumps is followed by a second club ruff. Next declarer takes his last trump and plays two more rounds of spades. In the five-card ending North has one spade and four diamonds, West KJ5 diamonds and two clubs and South one high spade, two diamonds and A10 of clubs. What East can discard when a spade is played from the dummy? If a diamond, he can win the diamond continuation, but declarer takes the rest. If a club, declarer takes the Ace of clubs and endplays East with a diamond. At the table East made it easy for Hua with returning the Jack of diamonds to the third trick. Koneru hoped to find the Queen of diamonds from his partner’s hand, but this time the unlucky diamond switch resulted an overtrick, when Hua could ruff his both diamond losers in dummy.

Declarer play problem from Spingold 2019, Round of 64

The Summer Nationals are being held in Las Vegas where summers are extremely hot. The temperature is over 40 degrees Celsius daily! No wonder, most visitors stay inside. The air-conditioning is really needed! Unfortunately, the Americans seem to love really cool air so it may be freezing. Quite a difference compared to outside...

This year we managed to qualify for the round of 64 of Spingold. The following board from the round of 64 was a challenging declarer play problem. After natural bidding you are playing 4H. Opponents are playing UDCA (low = even, encouraging). What is your plan?

There seems to be at least a spade loser, a trump loser and a diamond loser. It seems natural to start the play with a diamond towards dummy´s honors. So you play accordingly and East wins the trick with the ace. The club is returned. You can follow the play in the bridge movie.

What now?

Now you need some favorable lies - the goal should be to force the opponents to open up the spade suit in the end. There is also a tiny chance of QJ tight in hearts. Noticing West`s count signal in diamonds you play a diamond to the dummmy and ruff a diamond to the hand. Follow the play in the bridge movie below.

When you cash the heart K, East plays the J. What now?

If the hearts are 4-1 and even if you take the heart finesse, there simply does not look to be enough entries and winners to make the contract. So, you just have to hope the hearts are 3-2. You play heart to the Ace, all following with low cards.

Nice try by East! - he surely has QJx in hearts and was giving a losing option to the declarer. The play continues as follows: ruffing dummy`s last diamond and ruffing a club. Now you are able to endplay East with a heart. Follow the play of the hand in the bridge movie below.

The play was similar at both tables. Anyway, a nice way to make a push board!

Memphis NABC (some interesting boards)

Our 14th Nationals playing together were held in Memphis, Tennessee. For five times we have been playing in a team captained by Hansa Narasimhan and eight times our captain has been Justine Cushing. Now in Memphis we had a new team, playing four-handed with Connie Goldberg from Philadelphia and Hua Poon from Singapore. As usual, we arrived already on Wednesday evening to have one day to recover the jetlag. Thursday, our vacation day, was luckily nice and sunny. There’s not too much to see in Memphis, the best part of our sightseeing was the Civil Rights Museum, which was located in the same building that Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968. 

The sun was shining :)

The Spring Nationals starts traditionally with the Kay Platinum Pairs. This was our first time to play this event, since with Hansa and Justine we always started the first weekend with Knock-out Teams. Platinum Pairs is a three-day event pair with half of the field eliminated after each day. To be eligible to play in the event player must have won at least 50 platinum points in the past three years (platinum points are earned only in National rated events of ACBL). Before the games started Connie asked us to be nice to her if we would meet at the table. We met. And we were nice.

It’s a borderline decision if my hand is good enough for GF 2/1.  Two spades didn’t promise six cards, and that’s why I had to bid two no-trumps. Three clubs was natural, possibly 6-4, and three spades showed doubleton. Hua started with the Queen of hearts and I was already regretting not having bid a semi-forcing one no trump. Vesa would have shown his black two-suiter and my invitational two no trumps would have ended the auction. 

Connie follows the lead with the six of Hearts, standard attitude. What would be your line of the play?

The prospects were poor indeed. Even if spades would break, the lead removed the only sure entry to the dummy. Looks like I have to find spades 3-3 and Club King with West to make my contract. I decided to try my luck in diamonds first. The ten of Diamonds ran to West’s Queen and Hua returned a low heart to Connie’s ten and my King. A low spade went to the King, back to hand with the Jack of Diamonds and another spade, Hua winning with the Ace and Connie showing an even number. Hua returned a Diamond to Connie’s King and my Ace. Fingers crossed I tried a Club to dummy’s Queen, but Connie won with the King and contract was two down. The whole hand:

With open cards I could have made the contract. After the Ace of Hearts, I should play a Club to the Ace and a small spade to dummy’s King. Then a low spade from dummy and later ducking a Club to Connie’s King and nine tricks are mine! Not easy to find this kind of imaginative line. And we promised to be nice… After the first session we were just above the qualification line, but the second session was well below average, so we were kicked out from this event after the very first day. 

On Saturday we entered the A/X Open Pairs, with much easier field, as the following board proves. How would you play the hand if North finds the best lead, a trump?

At our table an elderly lady from the North seat tried her luck with the Ace of Spades and Vesa soon claimed all the tricks, with a 94% score for us. After the trump lead it’s not that easy. If you try to ruff all your minor losers in dummy, you have to concede a diamond to the defence and after a second round of trumps the contract will fail by one trick. Dummy reversal saves the day. You win the heart lead in dummy and ruff a spade. Next concede a diamond trick for the opponents and win the trump continuation (as good as anything). A spade ruff to the hand is followed by Diamond Ace and a ruff. A third spade is ruffed to the hand and dummy is crossed with the Queen of Clubs. After two rounds of trumps South is squeezed in minors the whole hand being:

     

After the spade lead Vesa was playing the dummy reversal with the squeeze and the lucky lie in the minors gave him the valuable overtrick.  The first session we scored 59% and the second 55%, which meant 6^th place in the field of 114 pairs. The results: https://live.acbl.org/event/NABC191/23PA/2/results

Our original plan was to start the main team event, the Vanderbilt KO-teams, on Monday, but Connie changed her mind and we decided to play pairs during the week and teams only the last weekend. With only four in the team it was maybe the best thing to do. In the Vanderbilt it’s better to have at least a five-member team.

The second main Pairs event of the week was the two-day Lebhar IMPs Pairs. We start very well and after the first session we have the lead with over 80 IMPs, with over 10 IMP gap for the second place. The following board was one of the successful ones of the session:

You have a modest holding A874 Q1072 A2 1084. RHO opens with one Heart, LHO one Spade, RHO two Hearts, LHO two no trumps and RHO three no trumps. Your turn. A man or a mouse?

At matchpoints doubling would be lunatic, at IMPs only foolhardy, but that’s what I did. Partner obeys and leads a heart, but when the dummy gets down, I’m getting worried.

With 16 hcp in the dummy I start to regret my double. Well, if he makes the contract, it’s only minus four IMPs. 

Declarer takes the trick with the Ace, plays a diamond to his Queen and a second round to dummy’s King. I continue with a small spade and declarer plays a small. After the second round of Hearts declarer can’t make more than eight tricks, 8 IMPs for the good guys. Declarer didn’t want to play the King of Spades, because if Diamonds are 3-3, he has nine tricks. But on the other hand, I would not play a small Spade if I have the Queen as well. Poor declarer must have been very unhappy to go down in three no trumps with a combined 28 count!

The following club slam was an interesting declarer play problem:

Two no trumps promised 18-19, three Clubs forced three Diamonds and four Clubs showed 5-5 blacks with slam invitational values. Now my four Diamonds would ask keycards with Clubs as trumps, four Hearts would accept the slam invitation with Spades as trumps, four Spades and no trumps would be to play. When partner was a passed hand I didn’t dream about grand slam, but to make a slam invitation he must have at least one Ace, so I saved some time by not to using RKCB with four Diamonds, but rather bid directly what I thought I can make. As if we ever were short of time… South leads the King of Diamonds. Take it over.  

The first four tricks are obvious. The Ace of Diamonds, a Heart to the Ace, a Club to the Ace and discarding a Diamond to the King of Hearts. But then?

How about taking the King of Clubs and if the Queen is not falling, eliminating the red suits and throwing in the defender with the last trump. Not a good idea. Dummy doesn’t have any more trumps and defence can safely exit with a Diamond. If declarer could eliminate the red suits and then finesse Clubs, South must open the Spade suit, if he has doubleton Queen of Clubs. Forget that! Declarer doesn’t have entries to do all that. Hoping to find some material for the daily bulletin, I cashed a high Heart, ruffed a Heart to dummy, took the Ace of Spades, came into my hand with the King of Spades, ruffed a Diamond and was prepared to run the Jack of Clubs. If South has the Queen of Clubs doubleton, but a Spade doubleton as well, he is endplayed and has to give me ruff and discard. If North would have overruffed the fourth Heart with his doubleton Queen, I would have been thankful that I would have to apologize only to my partner and not to my teammates as well! The whole hand:

We start the second day from third place, but the carryovers are surprisingly small. The third session is not good and the fourth is bad. We are not playing well but our opponents are.

Your partner starts with the Jack of Clubs. What is your defensive plan?

If you take the Ace of Clubs, you must return your singleton Diamond to the second trick. This is just enough to beat the contract the whole hand being:

Declarer has nine tricks, one Spade, four Hearts, Two Diamonds and two Clubs, but not a real chance to establish the tenth trick. The spades are breaking, but declarer can’t establish the suit without giving the lead to East, who will return a Diamond and West will ruff out one of declarer’s winners. And if declarer removes West’s all trumps, he doesn’t have an entry to cash out his strong Clubs. But let’s make North’s Spades slightly stronger, say 1093. Then if you took the Ace of Clubs in the first trick, you handed the contract for your opponents. Then a Diamond return is not enough anymore. Declarer can establish his tenth trick from the Spade suit. East will never gain the lead for the Diamond ruff. Easiest way to set the contract is to play low to the first trick! The Ace of Clubs will never score a trick, but declarer ends up one trick short. That’s what our opponent did at the table, earning 8 IMPs for this good defence. 

After the games at post mortem we came to the conclusion that North should bid three no trumps at his second turn. South’s three Diamonds surely shows majors, but why didn’t he double at his first turn. Because his distribution is not correct for a take-out double. Most probable 4-4-3-2 or 4-4-4-1. And if for example Kxx of Diamonds, North should be the declarer in a no trump contract. East hardly can start the Queen of Diamonds from AQ10xxx. 

On Tuesday it’s again matchpointed pairs event with 70 pairs of average standard. First round, second board, I have nice opening hand 1054 AKQ106 95 K92, prepared to open one Heart in the second seat, but East open one Heart before me and I have to pass. West bids one Spade, East two Clubs and West three no trumps. Do you react? A man or a mouse? 

Having four sure tricks after the Heart lead, I decided to gamble with a lead directing double. Partner duly leads the nine of Hearts.

Declarer covers with the Jack and you win with the Queen. What next? 

If partner has a singleton Heart, I should cash my four Heart tricks and hope that we can cash fifth from somewhere. But if I cash my Hearts, I might establish ninth trick for the declarer. That’s why I played back the ten of Spades, just hoping that the remaining Heart is in my partner’s hand. How right I was:

Declarer took the trick with the Ace, Vesa was signalling with the Queen and dummy discarding a Club. The declarer crossed to dummy with a Diamond and took a successful Club finesse, but when the King was not coming down under the Ace, the contract was one down. 

The declarer didn’t choose the best line of the play. After the Ace of Spades he should cross to dummy with a Diamond and play the eight of Hearts discarding a Club from his hand. I win and can take one more round of Hearts before switching to a Spade.  But if I cash a third round of Hearts, I’m paving the way for an endplay against me. After the third round of Hearts I continue with a Spade, but declarer wins and cashes his Diamond tricks. I have to keep my three clubs so in the four-card ending declarer throws me in with my singleton master heart and I have to give declarer three Club tricks.

It doesn’t make any difference if I don’t take a third heart but play a spade instead. Declarer ducks the Spade to Vesa and organizes the same kind of endplay against me. So, giving up?

No, don’t take a third heart and don’t continue with a Spade but a Diamond! If declarer now concedes a Spade to Vesa, he will play another Diamond. In the five-card ending I have two high Hearts left and the contract goes down. So again. Heart nine, Jack, Queen and small. Spade ten, Ace, Queen and small. Diamond to the Ace and Heart eight to the King. And now after a Diamond switch one down?

Oh no, declarer has a different kind of medicine against that! He takes the Queen, finesses the ten and takes the fourth Diamond. After two rounds of Clubs with a finesse he plays a middle Spade to Vesa, who has only Spades left in his hand. Vesa is able to continue with a high spade, but declarer ducks and takes two last tricks his K6 of Spades. Who would have believed that North can’t afford to play a high Spade at the second trick! 

If Vesa plays a low spade instead of the Queen and declarer crosses to dummy with a Diamond to play the eight of Hearts, would I have found the killing defence not to cash a third Heart but to play back a Diamond? 

To be honest, I would have misdefended that position! We have two good sessions, 63% and 67%, finishing first with a big margin to the second place. The results: https://live.acbl.org/event/NABC191/26PA/2/results

On Wednesday it’s again a two-session pairs tournament with 112 pairs participating. You open with one Spade holding A6542 A73 Q4 KJ3, LHO overcalls with two diamonds and partner doubles negatively. What is your call?

I was tempted to bid two no trumps. If partner has something like Axx or Kxx in Diamonds, the contract would be right-handed. I decided to bid two Hearts anyway, rebidding this kind of spade suit was not an option for me. Partner invites with three hearts. What then? 

At IMPs I would accept the invitation with three no trumps, hoping for the best, but at matchpoints it is wiser to go for a plus score and pass. 

South starts with the Ace and King of Diamonds and continues with a third round of the suit. Your plan?

Obviously, our opponents are having a signalling misunderstanding. I happily discarded a spade from the dummy and ruffed in my hand. I took the Ace of Hearts and continued the suit to South’s King. He tried a Spade, but I claimed ten tricks. 

A clever no trump bid from me wouldn’t have worked at all this time. Even if South leads a low Diamond, seven tricks is the limit in a no trump contract. The nice gift from our opponents gave us 99% score, but I shouldn’t be too proud of that. The opponents made a serious error, but so did I. 

Where?

    

It was a mistake to cash out the Ace of trumps. Now if South continues with a fourth round of Diamonds after the King of Hearts, North’s Jack of trumps is promoted to a trick. But if I continue with a low heart after the Diamond ruff, I always make ten tricks. The two sessions were 60% and 61%, being enough for third place, only four matchpoints behind the winners. In the last board I made an expensive misguess. So close for a second first place! The results: https://live.acbl.org/event/NABC191/27DO/2/results 

The third big pairs tournament, Silodor Open Pairs, a two-day National event has a starting field of 336 pairs. Again, half of the field is eliminated after the first day. The first session is very good, 63%, the second enough, 50%, and we are qualifying easily for the second day. In the third session we do almost everything right, scoring 69% and taking the lead with a big margin to the second place. 

Stefan Skorchev from Bulgaria and Cristophe Grosset from France won’t forget the next board too soon:

Two no trumps showed 20-21, but with good five-card suit upgrading should be automatic. Skorchev started with a low club (fourth best) and Vesa noticed that this opening lead was not surely the best for the defence. Grosset follows with the eight of Clubs. What next?

Did you play a high Club from dummy? Then you won’t make your contract anymore. You can establish your Club suit, but you will make only seven tricks and go one down. That should be a fair score, because looks like NS can make nine tricks in Diamonds. Vesa played the seven from dummy and overtook the eight with the Ace! The whole hand:

Vesa continued with a low Heart, Skorchev took the Queen and continued with the Queen of Clubs! That’s an expert play. If you lead a low Club to the presumed partner’s Jack and declarer’s King, you are on the lead later, which is not a good thing, of course. The play of the Queen forces out declarer’s King and after few moments South will take a trick with the Jack of Clubs and play Diamonds thru declarer. Now the Queen of Clubs was a disaster and we scored well deserved 80% from the board. Another good board from the third session:

My three Clubs showed 6-9 with four card support. Gale Senter started with the King of Hearts and continued with a small one to South’s Ace declarer ruffing. Vesa played a small spade and North was following with the nine. How would you continue?

Vesa played the ten from the dummy and South was following with the five. The Ace of trumps confirmed the 3-1 brake and next Vesa took Diamond AK and ruffed a diamond, North discarding a Club. Heart ruff was followed by another Diamond ruff, North again discarding a Club. On the forth Heart both defenders were following, Vesa ruffing and continuing with his fifth Diamond. North refused to ruff, but on the next trick Vesa could throw her in with the trump. Vesa got his tenth trick with the King of Clubs. These efforts were worth 83%. The whole deal:

If North would have ruffed third or fourth round of Diamonds, Vesa just discards a club on that trick and then another one on the fifth Diamond. If North would have split her Spade honours on the third trick, Vesa has to finesse the Diamonds in order to make his contract.

Unfortunately, the fourth session is just average, dropping us to fifth place. Fifth place in Silodor Pairs is maybe the best achievement for us so far in American Nationals, but it would be much nicer to rise up from f.ex. 20^th place to fifth and not like this way! The results: https://live.acbl.org/event/NABC191/OPEN/4/results

The last weekend it’s finally team tournament, Jacoby Swiss Teams. Out of 112 teams 56 will continue on Sunday, we end up at 39^th place, six VPs above average. We start the final day well, rising up to best ten teams when four rounds is left to play. How would you play the following no trump game?

After the bidding I was commenting: “This is like playing with my wife!” Peter Bertheau was leading the three of Spades (attitude) and Daniel Zagorin was following with the eight (standard attitude and count). It’s a good question, should North show count or attitude for the ten. Anyway, I paused to think for a while and Peter was commenting: “Your wife would have finished the board already!” How would you continue?

If I play a diamond to the Jack and it loses to the Queen, I’m most often down. Only if Peter has five Spades two the King without any red Ace, I’ll survive. I decided to cross to my hand with a Club and played a Heart to the King. Zagorin cashed the Ace and played back the two of Spades, confirming the 4-4 Spade distribution. I ducked the Spade to Peter and next he cleared up the suit. Next I had to make the correct guess in diamonds. Zagorin had shown the other red Ace, so I played Diamond to the King. Wrong!

“Your wife would have made an overtrick!” was supposed to be a funny comment, but I didn’t laugh. I was sure that we should lose 10 IMPs on the board, but to my big relief Antonio Palma was playing the contract exactly the same way, so no swing. Before the last round we were lying seventh, just eight victory points behind the leaders. In the last match we made lots of wrong decisions at both tables, losing heavily and dropping to 16^th place. If we would have won the last match with the same numbers we lost, we would have won the whole event! So close. Maybe next time? Las Vegas in July. Results: https://live.acbl.org/event/NABC191/SWIS/4/results

Kauko Koistinen