Page 20 - ABF Newsletter December 2024

De Livera led the five of hearts against 4[, covered by the queen, king and ace. Joseph Engel drew a second round of trumps then led dummy’s club to the queen and ace. De Livera returned the seven of spades for the queen and ace, and Engel played the jack of spades back to De Livera’s king. Engel ruffed the spade return and ruffed a club then, having put the decision off for as long as he could, led the eight of diamonds off the dummy and put up his king. That lost to the ace and back came the six of dia- monds. Engel put in the nine and had his contract; +620 and 9 imps to Israel, who had moved into the lead by 111-105.
Board 24. Dealer West. Neither side vulnerable.
ton spade and collected three ruffs, so the contract was down three for -150 and 6 imps to Israel, grow- ing their lead to 117-105.
Board 25. Dealer North. East-West vulnerable.
]J94
[J4 }Q86543 {84
]AK765
[KQ7 [A963 }A } K 10 9 {AK72 {965
] Q 10 7 6 [QJ87 }93 {542
WEST NORTH Braithwaite Engel
EAST
De Livera
SOUTH Cohen
pass pass pass pass all pass
WEST Braithwaite
pass pass all pass
NORTH EAST
Engel De Livera Cohen
pass 1{ 1NT 2NT pass 3NT
1. Game force, or 22+ balanced, or Acol-two in any suit. 2. 7-9 HCP, any shape.
3. Control bids.
Both Wests opened their systemic strong artificial bid. De Livera’s 2] response showed 7-9, nothing to do with hearts. Spades were bid and supported and cuebids exchanged, but Braithwaite had had enough by the time that de Livera signed off in 4]. Engel led a diamond to the nine, two and ace. Braithwaite played three rounds of spades, Engel winning the third and returning a diamond. Braithwaite won the }K, pitching a club from hand, then tried to split the hearts and, when they failed to oblige, conceded a club at the end; 11 tricks for +650.
]4
[632
} Q 10 7 5 4 2 {Q76
]KJ93 [AK54 }6
{ K 10 9 3
]Q8
[ 10 8 5 2 }J72
{ Q J 10 3
]A852 [ 10 9 }AKJ8 {AJ8
2{1 pass 2] pass 4{3 pass 4[3 pass
2[2 3] 4}3 4]
Both Souths overcalled 1NT and both Norths re- sponded 2NT, transfer to diamonds.
Cohen liked his diamonds so much that he took a shot at 3NT – facing long diamonds he had eight tricks, and needed very little in dummy to provide a ninth.
Braithwaite led the queen of hearts and continued with a low heart. The defence took its heart tricks, then Braithwaite switched to a club round to the ace- jack, and Cohen had nine tricks for +400.
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Kalish Lavings Grinberg
pass pass 1{ 1NT pass 2NT pass 3} pass pass dbl pass 3[ all pass
Krochmalik did as requested and bid 3}, showing that he liked the suit, and when Lavings passed that, Grinberg doubled to compete the partscore, and passed the 3[ reply. Just looking at the EW hands, 3[ looks to have chances, but Lavings led his single-
WEST NORTH Kalish Lavings
pass 2{ pass 2] pass 3NT pass 4NT pass 5} pass
Grinberg responded
spades were bid and supported. 3NT may have been a non-serious slam try, but Kalish went on with key- card, then asked for the queen of trumps and settled for 5] when Grinberg denied that card. Lavings led the eight of clubs to the five, three and ace. Kalish cashed the ace and king of spades and ace of dia- monds, then played a third spade. Lavings won that and returned a diamond to dummy’s king. Kalish
SOUTH
Krochmalik
EAST SOUTH Grinberg Krochmalik
pass pass 2} pass
3] pass
4] pass
5{ pass 5] all pass
pass pass
] 10 3 2
2}, showing 5+ HCP, and again
Page 20
Australian Bridge Federation Ltd. Newsletter: December 2024