USA II vs. Japan

August 2006
Bangkok, Thailand
2006 World Youth Bridge Team Championships
IMPS

1.	Q 5 3 9 3 2 Q 9 6 5 4 2 8
A K 9 7 Q 8 5 4 A K K 9 3		10 8 6 2 A 10 7 6 J 3 A 7 5
None Vul	J 4 K J 10 8 7 Q J 10 6 4 2

Gill West 1 ¹ Dbl³ 4

Ikemoto North Pass 2 Pass All Pass

Shore East Pass Dbl² 4

Yokoi South Pass 3 Pass

1. 16+, ART
2. GF
3. T/O

4 by West
Made 4 — EW +420, push
Total: USA II 0 to 0

I admit I don't actually remember the auction at all on this board. It could also be that South preempted 3C and West made a takeout double, and East cuebid 4D to tell West to pick a major. Anyway, there was a grand total of 1 IMP swung on this board in the entire event, so it wasn't very memorable, needless to say. I know we didn't have an unimpeded 1C auction, because that would have made East the declarer and not West.

2.	K J 10 5 2 3 J 10 7 5 2 J 6
Q 8 6 4 K Q 10 9 8 7 Q A 4		A 9 6 K 8 6 4 3 K 9 8 5 3
N-S Vul	7 3 A J 5 4 2 A 9 Q 10 7 2

Gill West Pass Pass Dbl

Ikemoto North Pass 1 All Pass

Shore East Pass Dbl Pass

Yokoi South 1 Pass Pass

1 x by North
Down 1 — EW +200, win 7
Total: USA II 7 to 0

North did well here to run to 1S, since we had 1H wrapped. This was a hard contract to defend, and the declarer guessed well. We were happy to get +200 out of it. This was a very solid score for us, as at least half of the tables were going minus in some contract or another. A few made 3NT, but most went dwon in that contract. At the other table, our teammates beat 3C by two tricks, so we had a reasonable pickup.

3.	A Q J 10 8 7 J 10 9 3 2 4 9
5 4 3 K 5 4 A Q 8 6 5 Q 5		9 7 K J 9 7 A K 10 8 7 6 3
E-W Vul	K 6 2 A Q 8 6 10 3 2 J 4 2

Gill West Pass 4

Ikemoto North 2 ² 4

Shore East 3 All Pass

Yokoi South 1 NT¹ Pass

1. 10-13
2. GF Stayman

4 by North
Made 4 — NS +420, win 6
Total: USA II 13 to 0

This is an extremely interesting hand, and at our table, the opponents light 1NT opening made things harder on us than on most pairs probably. It's not clear to me if North's 2D call would be deemed a 'psych' or not, since he really does want to bid game in his partner's better major. When Noble came in at unfavorable into a game-forcing auction, I knew I had to take some kind of action on my hand - you have to trust your partner to have this bid. He's not just going to bid on random crap at these colors when the opponents have announced game-going values. I think there is a better bid available, though, namely 3D. Personally I think a free raise to 4C here should be very forward-going, but 3D both should be forward going, and also has to imply some good club support, since I'm not going to bid if I think we're misfit. 3D would have allowed partner to easily bid 5C over 4S. However, I still think it's clear (and so does he) that he should be 5C over 4S anyway, since it really can't be down more than 1 and it might be making. On a good note, our teammates had a monster result on this board, being allowed to make 5HX.

4.	J 10 9 J 9 4 3 2 8 2 10 7 6
A 8 5 3 — K Q J 10 K Q 4 3 2		Q 7 6 4 K Q 10 6 5 A 9 3 5
Both Vul	K 2 A 8 7 7 6 5 4 A J 9 8

Gill West 1 ¹ 1 4 NT² 5

Ikemoto North Pass Pass Pass All Pass

Shore East 1 4 5 ³

Yokoi South Pass Pass Pass

1. 11-15, 0-5 diamonds
2. keycard
3. 1 or 4

5 by West
Down 1 — NS +100, lose 12
Total: USA II 13 to 12

This hand is another instructive example of a principle illustrated first during our Brazil match. On this hand, I have just about the best hand I could have for opening only 1D. When partner jumped to 4S, he had 11 billion different ways to ask me about my hand if he was even remotely interested in slam. Instead, he chose to do nothing, and he must have had a reason. He just thought game would be very close and didn't want to give away information. I had never seen him make a bid like that before and didn't consider this as a possibility. In these situations, it's important to trust partner's judgement, especially when your hand is better known than his. There is another good reason for me to pass 4S, and that is that no slam investigation I make is really all that reasonable. I ended up bidding keycard because I figured it would at least get us to slam when we had 4 out of 5 and the trump Q. On this hand, I got what I deserved.

5.	Q J 9 A K Q J J 4 3 A 8 6
8 6 10 9 4 3 2 10 7 6 K Q 10		A 10 3 2 7 6 5 A K 9 2 J 4
N-S Vul	K 7 5 4 8 Q 8 5 9 7 5 3 2

Gill West Pass All Pass

Ikemoto North 1 2 NT

Shore East Dbl Pass

Yokoi South 1 3

3 by North
Made 3 — NS +110, lose 5
Total: Japan 17 to 13

On this hand, I'm not sure about the exact auction, but I imagine it was similar to this. It turns out we can beat 3C, if Noble just cashes his 3 tops and waits for partner's my two trumps. But, this was probably not obvious at the table, and after cashing a high diamond, I might have given a wrong signal for a switch or something, allowing declarer to get away enough losers. Both tables that got to 3C made it, but most Norths were in some number of NT. Our teammates somehow found their way to 3D and went down 1.

6.	5 3 K J 6 2 K 10 3 A Q J 8
K J 7 6 A Q 10 8 Q 9 8 7 10		10 4 2 9 7 5 3 A 6 4 6 5 4
E-W Vul	A Q 9 8 4 J 5 2 K 9 7 3 2

Gill West 1 ¹ 2 ² 3 ??

Ikemoto North Pass 3 Dbl

Shore East Pass 1 Pass All Pass

Yokoi South Pass Dbl Pass

1. 11-15, 0-5 diamonds
2. Min raise to 2H with side shortness

3 x by East
Down 2 — NS +500, push
Total: Japan 17 to 13

This hand I made another costly error - actually it was more of a lost opportunity given to us by our system. I was able to show a raise to 2H with outside shortness, which should allow me to pass 3C out comfortably. Somehow, I talked myself into the idea that partner might not know I had a stiff club, and that my heart spots argued for competing. Anyway, I didn't punish North for making a horrible mistake by bidding only 3C, and went for 500. It turns out that every single E-W pair went minus on this board, and 13/18 tables got -300 or worse. So passing out 3C would have been a huge win. In standard this is a tougher decision, since my hand has undisclosed offensive values. Our teammates took a piece out of 2H at the other table for the same 500 (Noble played it really well to escape for that), so it ended up a push, but definitely should have been a big win.

7.	8 5 4 2 Q J 6 2 Q 9 A J 10
A K Q 9 7 6 10 7 J 2 8 7 2		J 10 3 A 8 5 A K 10 5 K 9 4
Both Vul	— K 9 4 3 8 7 6 4 3 Q 6 5 3

Gill West 2 3 NT³

Ikemoto North Pass All Pass

Shore East 2 NT¹

Yokoi South Pass Pass

1. Modified OGUST
2. good suit, good hand

3 NT by East
Made 4 — EW +630, lose 2
Total: Japan 19 to 13

We got to 3NT, which is a better contract than 4S, since you have 9 tops, and in spades, you could easily lose 3 clubs and a heart. But unfortunately, with the A onsides, and everything else working, you actually lose IMPs because you can't get your K without giving up a bunch of hearts. More than half of the tables here got to 4S, and they deserve to be down 1.

8.	8 7 6 K Q 9 8 6 4 A 7 6 5
K Q 5 J 10 5 2 2 K 10 7 4 2		A J 4 2 A Q 9 5 4 3 Q J 9
None Vul	10 9 3 7 3 K J 10 8 A 8 6 3

Gill West Pass 3

Ikemoto North 2 All Pass

Shore East Dbl

Yokoi South Pass

3 by West
Made 4 — EW +130, win 1
Total: Japan 19 to 14

3C by West was the normal contract. They let me make an extra trick somehow, I guess by not forcing my hand in diamonds during the play.

9.	7 2 6 4 2 J 10 8 7 5 3 6 5
6 5 10 7 A 9 6 2 K Q 9 8 7		A J 8 4 Q J 5 3 Q A J 4 3
E-W Vul	K Q 10 9 3 A K 9 8 K 4 10 2

Gill West 2 ³

Ikemoto North Pass Pass

Shore East 1 NT¹ 3 NT

Yokoi South 2 ² All Pass

1. 14-16
2. majors
3. inv+ with clubs

3 NT by East
Made 3 — EW +600, push
Total: Japan 19 to 14

Noble opening 1NT helped us out getting to this aggressive game. With all the HCP in South's hand, it's tough to defend, especially not knowing about the singleton diamond Q. Our South led the Q, then likely switched to a top heart, which pretty much ends the defense. They played in 3NT at the other table too, so it ended up being a push.

10.	K 9 5 10 9 5 9 8 7 J 4 3 2
Q 3 7 6 K 6 4 3 2 K 10 9 5		A J 7 6 A Q J 8 2 A A Q 8
Both Vul	10 8 4 2 K 4 3 Q J 10 5 7 6

Gill West 3 ² 3 4

Ikemoto North Pass Pass

Shore East 1 ¹ 3 ³ 3 NT5

Yokoi South Pass Pass All Pass

1. 16+, ART
2. 2254 GF
3. asking
4. min
5. 21-22 playing points

3 NT by East
Made 4 — EW +630, win 12
Total: USA II 26 to 19

This hand it was easy for us to stay low, because Noble's hand was able to diagnose the misfit and sign off in 3NT. He managed to make one less trick than the field, but was still a big win because our opponents at the other table had an accident and got themselves into 6NT going down 1.

11.	Q J 7 5 2 Q 5 K 10 A Q J 5
9 8 6 9 7 3 A Q 9 8 7 4 2		A 10 4 A J 10 4 2 J 9 6 3 K
None Vul	K 3 K 8 6 8 7 5 4 2 10 6 3

Gill West Pass Pass All Pass

Ikemoto North 1 Dbl

Shore East 2 Pass

Yokoi South Pass Pass 2

2 by North
Made 4 — NS +170, lose 2
Total: USA II 26 to 21

Most E-W pairs competed to 3H, which really has no play. I decided to keep my mouth shut with the West cards, and sold out to 2S. This turned out to cost more than our -100 or -50 in 3H for a small loss.

12.	Q J 4 K Q 6 7 5 2 Q 9 5 3
10 7 4 Q J 10 9 6 4 3 A 10 8		K 8 6 A J 9 8 2 K 8 J 6 4
N-S Vul	A 9 5 3 2 10 7 5 3 A K 7 2

Gill West 3 NT¹ 4 All Pass

Ikemoto North Pass Pass

Shore East 4 ² Pass

Yokoi South Pass Dbl

1. preempt to 4-minor
2. P/C

4 x by West
Down 1 — NS +100, lose 5
Total: USA II 26 to 26

Because we preempt so aggressively at the 3-level here, I sort of have to open the West hand with 3NT, since I could have the same hand minus a 7th diamond and the club A for a 3D preempt at these colors. This turned out to overbid the total trick count, and was a small loss when our teammates pushed to the aggressive (but going down) spade game at the other table. One has to accept occasional losses of this kind.

13.	2 8 6 2 A 8 7 4 K Q J 9 3
A K Q J 10 9 7 3 K 5 — 5 4 2		8 5 4 Q 10 7 3 Q J 10 9 6 3 —
Both Vul	6 A J 9 4 K 5 2 A 10 8 7 6

Gill West 4 Pass

Ikemoto North Pass 5 Dbl

Shore East Pass 5 All Pass

Yokoi South 1 Pass

5 x by West
Made 6 — EW +1050, win 9
Total: USA II 35 to 26

This auction seemed fairly normal to me. Our teammates somehow found a way to not double 5S, I don't remember the auction, but I think that West bid something other than 4S at his first call (which, in my opinion, is losing bridge).

14.	8 7 6 3 2 K Q 5 4 K J Q 9
10 9 6 3 10 9 8 5 4 2 A 7 4		A K J 4 A 7 2 Q 7 6 3 8 2
None Vul	Q 5 J 10 9 8 A K J 10 6 5 3

Gill West 2 ² Pass

Ikemoto North Pass 3 NT

Shore East 1 NT¹ 2 ³ All Pass

Yokoi South Pass 3

1. 14-16
2. relay to 2D
3. forced

3 NT by North
Down 5 — EW +250, win 13
Total: USA II 48 to 26

I'm not sure of this exact auction either, but I know our opponents belonged nowhere near 3NT. Unfortuantely, I don't think I really can double opposite a diamond signoff from partner. When there was no entry to the clubs, the hand fell apart and he went down 5. Our teammates also got a very good result on this hand. They bid to 4H confidently enough to buy a 5D sacrifice from the opponents, which they sawed off for 500 and another big win.

15.	A 7 3 A Q 8 7 K Q J 9 6 2
10 9 6 5 6 5 10 8 6 5 2 Q 10		Q J 2 K 10 9 4 2 A 7 J 8 5
N-S Vul	K 8 4 J 3 9 4 3 A K 7 4 3

Gill West Pass

Ikemoto North 3 NT

Shore East All Pass

Yokoi South 1

3 NT by North
Made 4 — NS +630, push
Total: USA II 48 to 26

A few tables managed to hold this to 3, probably by not leading a heart, but there was really nothing big happening on this one.

16.	A K 4 Q J 6 K J 10 5 J 5 4
Q 9 3 A K 4 A 8 7 3 2 K 6		10 8 7 5 9 3 2 4 A Q 9 7 2
E-W Vul	J 6 2 10 8 7 5 Q 9 6 10 8 3

Gill West 1 NT

Ikemoto North All Pass

Shore East

Yokoi South

1 NT by West
Made 2 — EW +120, lose 1
Total: USA II 48 to 27

Really nothing going on here. With clubs 3-3 I had 8 tricks, and really no prospects for a 9th. Somehow our teammates found a way to let this make 3 on the same lead (h Q).

17.	5 Q J 9 6 3 2 J 3 K Q 6 2
K Q 10 9 8 3 8 7 4 6 2 10 3		7 4 2 A 10 5 9 8 A 8 7 5 4
None Vul	A J 6 K A K Q 10 7 5 4 J 9

Gill West Pass Pass Pass Pass

Ikemoto North 1 ? 3 4 ² 5 (4) Pass

Shore East Pass Pass Pass Pass Dbl

Yokoi South 2 ?? 4 ¹ 4 NT³ 5 NT(5) All Pass

1. keycard in clubs
2. 1 or 4 keycards
3. slow, undiscussed, intended as to play
4. slower, undiscussed, intended as to play
5. even slower still, same

5 NT x by South
Made 5 — NS +670, lose 5
Total: USA II 48 to 32

The bidding on this hand really was exactly how I described it, so first I want to rant about that for a while. I really have no place for South's bidding. If you know where you're going and want to throw in a psych to confuse the opponents, fine. But on hands like this where your right contract could be anywhere from 3NT to 4H to 7D, and your opponents aren't going to bid, why lie when the only person you can fool is your partner? It makes no sense to me. Especially since he continued the lie after his partner raised clubs, then sprung an undiscussed 4NT and an undiscussed 5NT call on the guy. Now 5NTX goes down on a spade lead, but I didn't (and still don't) think I can lead anything but a heart after partner doubles. Noble hoped his double would scare them into 6C, which he knew he could beat, but it really seems unlikely they'll run to a contract they know is going down. Anyway, I really hold to the belief that doubles like this should be lead-directional period (and for a heart lead, since he could have doubled 4D for the lead earlier in the auction. What else is he supposed to do withe AQ of hearts and and another A? or AKJ of hearts? etc etc. Point being, these holdings seem unlikely from my perspective, but then again so does this auction. If he doesn't double, I of course lead a spade, and we take our 3 tricks and win 10, which is what they deserved for this auction, since our teammates were sensibly in 3NT.

18.	J 5 2 K J 10 2 9 8 7 6 3 Q
A Q 8 3 J 5 2 A J 6 5 3 2		K 10 6 3 7 6 5 4 K Q 10 8 7
N-S Vul	Q 9 8 7 4 A 9 A 10 4 K 9 4

Gill West 2

Ikemoto North 2

Shore East Pass 3

Yokoi South 1 All Pass

3 by West
Down 1 — NS +50, push
Total: USA II 48 to 32

This was another push, and a normal result. Some pairs sold to 2S, which made for a small loss compared to bidding 3C.

19.	Q 8 5 A Q 6 4 A 7 5 K 10 4
K J 7 10 7 K 8 4 A Q 8 6 2		A 9 6 3 2 9 2 Q J 10 6 2 5
E-W Vul	10 4 K J 8 5 3 9 3 J 9 7 3

Gill West 1 ¹ 2 Dbl

Ikemoto North Dbl 4 All Pass

Shore East 1 4

Yokoi South Pass 2 5

1. 11-15, 0-5 diamonds

5 x by South
Down 2 — EW +300, win 4
Total: USA II 52 to 32

Again I'm not sure about the auction, but it seems like North had to have made a takeout double instead of overcalling 1NT at his first call for South to be able to get in hearts. Our got a little overboard here, and unfortuantely, the lead from my hand isn't obvious, and I chose to lead a trump with scattered values. if I lead a spade or the A, we can get 500, but it was still a win.

20.	Q 9 6 5 3 7 6 A Q J 10 6 2
J 7 10 2 K 9 8 7 2 8 5 4 3		K 8 4 K Q 8 5 4 3 J 10 4 3 —
Both Vul	A 10 2 A J 9 6 A Q 5 K 9 7

Gill West Pass All Pass

Ikemoto North 2 ¹

Shore East 3

Yokoi South Dbl

1. spades and a minor

3 x by East
Down 2 — NS +500, win 4
Total: USA II 56 to 32

North opened a two-suited two spades here, which was good and bad for his side. South has a reasonably obvious double of this, but unfortuantely with the club void in East's hand, South has no way to get to North for a spade lead, so the defense has a difficult time. Our teammates bid the normal 4S contract and so we won another small swing.