Americans dominate world championship

Press, 27 October 1982, Page 11

Americans dominate world championship

CONTRACT BRIDGE

J.R. Wignall

The great depth of United States bridge was proven again at the World Pairs championship in Biarritz when players from the United States dominated the event.

The World Open Pairs was won by Chip Martell and Lew Stansby, and the Women’s Pairs went to Betty Ann Kennedy and Carol Sanders, for them a particularly satisfying result since, when the event was last held four years ago they were the' runners-up after a very close finish.

Following the pairs championships came the World Knock-out Teams in which a team led by Martell and Stansby reached the final only to be narrowly beaten by a French quartet.

New Zealand does not. officially participate in the Pairs Olympiad, but players from this country do take part on an unofficial basis under their own steam. Two of them, Mrs K. Boardman and Mrs J. Cormack, from Auckland, took sixth place in the Women’s Pairs, a most creditable achievement and probably the best result of any New Zealand pair in open international competition. Martell and Stansby are just one of a large number of very competent American partnerships who play regularly in major events. Earlier this year they won the Reisinger Teams, one of the top four American championships. On this hand dealt by South with both sides vulnerable they produced perfect defence to earn a large pen-.

The auction was brief:

No Dble All Pass South had the perfect hand for a weak no-trump, but when this was passed round to him East had the perfect hand for a penalty double. No-one likes to play one notrump ■ doubled when . the opponents have the balance

of power, so’ North retreated into two clubs.

At this point East’s pass was forcing — West had to bid or double. With no real suit he decided to play for penalties. Against two clubs doubled, East found the best lead of the queen of spades. When South’s king won, the declarer led a heart to the queen which was Captured by the king. East cashed the ace and jack of spades before switching to the 10 of hearts. After winning with the ace, the declarer ruffed a heart, thus scoring his third trick then led a diamond to the jack and ace. West returned a diamond to the king, and now both sides had won four tricks.

South’s last heart was ruffed by North’s jack of clubs and over-ruffed by East, the queen of diamonds was cashed, and East continued with a low club' to South’s nine and West’s 10. The contract was already two down and the defenders still had to make the ace of trumps for a penalty of 800.

When the board was replayed at the other table the auction was different:

Again South opened one weak no-trump but North saw that if he passed East was likely to double, so he tried two clubs before the axe fell. As expected East dofibled and South called two hearts. >

When East .doubled again it was not clear that it was for penalties, so after long thought West called two spades. Though he duly took 10 tricks his score of 170 was somewhat short of the 800 collected by East-West at the other table. Martell’s team scored a game swing on this hand dealt by East with neither side vulnerable:

When South reached the good contract of four hearts West started the defence when the king of clubs was taken by dummy's ace. The jack of hearts was continued to the two and three as West discarded a low club. The 10 of hearts won the next trick, then a diamond was led to the declarer’s ace.

Next the jack of spades was covered t by the queen and ace and another diamond was led from the dummy. Quite correctly, Martell in the East seat declined to ruff so South made the king of diamonds. Stansby was now put on play with the queen of diamonds but he cashed the queen of clubs and continued with the jack.

South was forced to ruff with the king of hearts and could make the king of spades and ace of trumps but that was all. East could not be prevented from making two tricks in trumps to put the contract one down. ■

At the other table, North became the declarer in the same four heart contract. After winning the first trick with the ace of clubs and trying the heart suit, he quickly switched to spades to establish a discard for his losing club. , ’ . Eventually, assisted by some indifferent defence he confined his losers to two in hearts and one in diamonds, to bring home a slightly fortunate game.

s W N E 1 NT No No Dble No No 2 + No

s W N E 1 NT No 2 ♦ Dble 2 V No No Dble No 2 4* All Pass