Opponents One, Oz None

Sydney Morning Herald

Tuesday February 21, 2006

Ron Klinger

The OzOne program sent two teams to the 11th NEC Cup in Yokohama, which consisted of 42 teams. Both teams made the final eight, but did not advance to the semi-finals. In the quarter-finals, our team gained valuable experience by playing 40 boards against the Italy-Lavazza team, which included Norberto Bocchi and Giorgio Duboin, members of the Italian team that won the 2005 Bermuda Bowl. Their other playing members were Italian champion, Guido Ferraro, and the young Argentinian star, Augustin Madala, who has relocated to Italy to play with the Lavazza group.

On this deal from the quarter-final both OzOne teams suffered a double figure loss:

South dealer: Both vulnerable

Hans was feeling good. With trumps 2-1 and the DK with South, the slam would be

home. He played the DA and South ruffed. South switched to a heart and declarer was two down.

Wiltshire's 1C was richer than Richman's opening style and gave the partnership a good chance to reach the 6C save. Having shown a good hand, Dyke did not need to double 5S without any trump values.

The club lead eliminated West's heart loser. After drawing trumps West played a

diamond to the ace and made eleven tricks.

The double finesse in diamonds would have yielded twelve.

North switched to a club, but there was no way to escape a diamond loser.

Neill's double was for penalties and had I passed, we probably would have collected

+200 to reduce the loss by 3 Imps. So why did I remove to 6S?

South's willingness to bid 6C, vulnerable against not, meant that any penalty would not be a heavy one. Clearly South had a freakish hand and if it were freaky enough (0-6-0-7? 0-5-0-8?), perhaps 6C was unbeatable. Secondly, maybe 6S was making. If North had led a club, 6S can make. Had East's CA been the HA, 6S would make except on a low diamond lead.

Further, South was sure to have a void and it was likely to be in spades. If so, West

has no defensive trick and East would be entitled to expect at least one defensive trick from West. With the cards held, East has a clear penalty double in our methods. If playing slam-sacrifice doubles, East might pass out 6C.

Answer to yesterday's problem:

The final reason for 6S was the choice of lead. If South was void in spades and had

slightly stronger hearts, it might be vital to lead a diamond to defeat 6C. Bidding 6S was protection from a potentially fatal lead. On a diamond lead, 6C will succeed.

Defence is very important - especially against one's partner. (Kieran Dyke)

Tomorrow's problem:

You hold:

Partner opens 1H and your methods have allowed you to find partner with 11-13 points and three spades - six hearts - three diamonds - one club. When you bid 4NT,

RKCB for hearts, partner bids 5S, two key cards plus the HQ. What do you do now? If

you choose 5NT for kings, partner shows no kings. Then what?

© 2006 Sydney Morning Herald

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