Getting ready for Sao Paulo

This is my first attempt to blog and since I’ll be doing some reporting from Sao Paulo for the Canadian Senior team I figured that a test run should make things a bit easier. It was shortly after the Penticton CNTC when I received a phone call from Arno Hobart (who was on his way to San Remo European Championships) inviting me (on behalf of the group) to be the team NPC (Arno Hobart, Martin Kirr, Boris Baran, Michael Schoenborn, John Carruthers and Joseph Silver). While still recovering from our team loss in the semifinals (open teams) I was honoured to be selected and accepted the invitation.  And so my attention shifted quickly to Brazil. For my part the preparation for Brazil had to do mostly with admin work so last week I was quite happy to accept to fill in for one of the practice matches arranged for the Canadian Venice Cup Team. As always Bev and Eric provided an interesting set of boards designed to challenge the partnership competitive bidding, defence and there were even a few interesting hands to declare. The practice match was arranged on BBO which makes it convenient for hand records and the sequence of play. I thought that the hand bellow provides some bidding challenges but mostly I think that it’s an interesting hand to declare after the opponents have entered the auction.

Sitting south you pick up not vul. vs vul: ♠A, ♥Q953, ♦J94, ♣J10542          and get the following auction                                           

 Without looking at North hand do you think that South should pass or considering the hand and vulnerability should bid on to 5♥?  Given the fact that a 4♠ bid by west was expected should South bid 5♥ directly over 3♥? If N has something like ♠xx, ♥KJxxx, ♦K(Q)xxx, ♣x it is pretty clear that south should bid on regardless of the vulnerability. More so if turns out that north second suit is clubs.  

Dealer: WEST Vul: E-W		North(Bryan Maksymetz)
		♠	8
		♥	K10762
		♦	Q10532
		♣	A6
West (Kiz Fung)				East(Susan Culham)
♠	KJ1032			♠	Q97654
♥	J4			♥	A8
♦	K87			♦	A6
♣	KQ9			♣	873
		South(Dan Jacob)
		♠	A
		♥	Q953
		♦	J94
		♣	J10542

In any case I did push on to 5♥ and was quickly doubled by west. The contract failed by 3 tricks (-500) after an early diamond ruff. At the other table west declared 4♠ and the contract failed by a trick. Nevertheless I think that  4♠ contract should make after N showed a 2 suiter. Let’s say you get the normal heart lead and go up with the A (no reason to duck). You play 3 rounds of diamonds ruffing the 3rd. and exit with a trump. After everybody follows to the spade, you pretty much have a good picture of the hand: north distribution must be 1-5-5-2 (or less likely 1-6-5-1) and south showed up with the ♠A and must have either K or Q of hearts. In fact S will probably cash the heart before shifting to a club. In my opinion it is highly unlikely that south will have both black aces and a heart honor. Would south bid just 4♥ after 3♥ by east rather than 3♠? I think not. Therefore should cost nothing to insert the club 9 and deservedly make the contract.

Ate depois!

Dan