Appeals cttee decides

Press, 7 March 1984, Page 9

Appeals cttee decides

CONTRACT BRIDGE

J.R. Wignall

There was an entry of 125 teams for the Spingold Championship, one of the most prestigious events on the North American bridge calendar. At stake was a place in

the trials to select the United States team for the 1984 World Olympiad to be held in Seattle. After days of knockout matches only four of the original entrants remained. Three of them were among the pre-tourna-ment favourites but the fourth was something of an outsider.

It was captained, at least on paper, by Mrs Luella Slaner, who took up competitive bridge as a retirement interest, was smitten by the bug and determined to reach the top. With her team of young professionals America’s newest Life Master very nearly made it. The problems of professionalism and sponsorship are such that over the last few years the American Contract Bridge League has instituted a number of rules and regulations. One of these is that, to qualify for masters points or as the winner of a national event every member of a team has to play at least half the number of deals in each match.

In the Spingold, Mrs Slaner certainly did that. In the semi-final, she played the whole of the first half, leaving the table with her team enjoying a comfortable lead against world-' class opposition. In the second half her professionals had the worst of things but managed to hold on to win a very narrow victory.

The final was a similar story. At the half, with Mrs Slaner having played her allotted boards, she was in front, but there was to be no Cinderella story. One of America’s toughest teams fought back strongly to take the title with something to spare. Perhaps ‘ next time Luella will rethink her tactics. .

The semi-final was notable ,for another reason: possibly it produced the most controversial hand of the year. North was the dealer with both sides vulnerable: *

At one table the auction was: W. N. E. S. - 1* If No No Double No 4* All Pass West led the jack of hearts to his partner’s ace and a heart was returned. After winning, South led a spade to dummy’s 10, cashed the ace and king of clubs then ruffed . a club with the queen of spades. He continued with a spade towards dummy. West took his ace, and put the North hand on lead with another spade but the declarer had no more problems. He simply led clubs until West ruffed with his master trumps, and the North hand still had the ace of diamonds as an entry to the remaining clubs. At the other table, a different auction ted to the Slaner team’s playing four spades doubled. Again a heart was led to the ace and the suit was returned to South’s king. The ace and king of clubs were cashed and a club ruffed low. When all this passed off peacefully, the declarer led a spade to dummy’s 10, then played the king of spades. At this point the declarer claimed his contract, stating that he “would do nothing foolish,” but not specifying his line of play. Now the rules are rather tough on this sort of thing, for in the past certain sharp citizens have been known to make

claims in order to learn something from the defenders’ reactions. The Laws now require the declarer to state his proposed line of play, and if he does not any doubtful point is resolved in favour of his opponents. On this occasion, EastWest, who had been around for a while, sat patiently saying nothing for about five minutes waiting for the declarer to clarify his claim. Then they called the Director. Having learned the facts he told the players to earn’ on, with which West took the king of spades with the ace, leaving this position:

After a great deal of argument, West returned a diamond to the jack, queen and king. Another long trance occurred before South said he would cash the queen of spades and lead another spade to West’s jack. On this, he would discard dummy’s three of diamonds. If West had another heart he would have to go down, but of course West, with only diamonds left, had to lead to dummy’s ace and the contract was home.

The Director accepted this line and awarded the doubled contract to the declarer, but not unnaturally East-West protested. The Appeals Committee sat for four hours trying to decide whether or not South had made a proper claim. By this time it was known that Mrs Slaner’s troops had won by such a narrow margin that the result of the appeal was crucial. Eventually, in the small hours of the morning, it was decided to let the. result stand, but to fine the declarer anyway. One way or another the underdogs just scraped through.