Two penalties in Tokyo

Press, 26 December 1979, Page 9

Two penalties in Tokyo

CONTRACT BRIDGE

By

J.R.Wignall

Although the New Zealand open team could finish only sixth in the Far East Bridge Federation Championship in Tokyo, it could never be entirely discounted by the strongest opposition. Playing against a very solid team from Hong Kong, New- Zealand scored well at both tables on this hand dealt by South with both sides vulnerable: N. A K 9654 V KQB7 ♦ - A 10954 W. E. A .12 A AQ 10 8 V 9654 V J 32 ♦ 1076 ♦ AS 542 A K J 7 2 A 8 S. A 73 V A 10 ♦ KQJ93 A AQ63 Where K. G. Wooles and F P. S. Lu held the EastWest cards for New Zealand the auction proceeded S. W. N. E. 1 ♦ No 1A No 2A No 3A No 3V No 4V No SA No No Dble

Having passed throughout on the best hand at the table. Wooles thought Christmas had come early when his opponents arrived at a final contract of five clubs. With tw'o aces and two top honours in the trump suit he felt entirely justified in making a penalty double and was handsomely rewarded. West found the best lead of the lack of spades and the unfortunate declarer, trying valiantly to minimise his losses, lost control of the hand to be defeated by four tricks. The penalty of 1100 to New Zealand was very welcome. When the board was replayed at the other table with G. M. Sims and P. H. Marston North-South, the final contract was three no trumps by South which had been doubled by East. The eight of clubs was led covered by the nine jack and queen, the king of diamonds was taken by East’s ace and a diamond was returned to the declarer’s queen. After this start. South played the hand very well and. helped by some indifferent discarding by

the defenders, came to nine tricks. For making three notrumps doubled. New Zealand collected a further 750 points for a total swing on the board of 1850. Pakistan is always an imaginative team but they make up for their frequent overbidding by some very competent declarer play. This hand was dealt by West with only his side vulnerable: A 6 V KQJ3 ♦ A J 10 7 3 A AK4 W. E. A AQ754 A 10 82 V A 10432 V 86 ♦ 4 ♦ KQ965 A 97 A J 52 S. A KJ9 3 V 75 ♦ 82 A Q 10 8 6 3 With Lu and Wooles North-South, the Pakistanis on their combined 16 high card points were soon at the three level: W. N. E. S. 1A Dble 2A No 3 A Dble All Pass

Lu's doubles were both for take-out, but clearly Wooles had no reason to do other than play for a penalty with his good holding in the opponent’s trump suit. Against three spades doubled Lu cashed his ace king of clubs and ace of

diamonds and switched to the king of hearts. The declarer’s task was hopeless, because when he tried to trump hearts on the table Wooles over-ruffed and eventually West scrambled together only six tricks to concede a penalty of 800. The auction at the other table was equally aggressive, but this time the Pakistanis were North-South:

W. N. E. 8. IA Dble No INT No 3> No 3NT No No Dble

With such a good hold- 1 ing in his right hand op- ; ponent’s diamond suit East ’ felt fairly confident in i doubling the final contract, I but some first-class card : play by South made him i regret his decision later. ■ Against three no trumps doubled West found the : best lead of a low diamond . buf, reading the distribu- ' tion correctly, South put ’ on dummy’s ace and led : the king of hearts which ■ was allowed to hold the : trick. Five rounds of clubs ■ followed to bring the total | to seven tricks as diamonds I were discarded from the table. The declarer now led a heart towards dummy and, whatever he did, the unfortunate West was compelled to yield two further j; tricks to South and allow ■ the contract to be made. That was a score of 550 , to Pakistan but still a ' swing to New Zealand of ' 250 points on the board.