2008 IBPA Awards – C and R Motors Declarer Play of the Year

I don’t know who C & R Motors are.  I did goggle them but the name is not unique.  All the businesses do seem to have some connection with vehicles though.  The winning player this year was Giorgio Dublin and the journalist was Mark Horton.  Mark Horton was bound to win something.  He kept submitting entries.

The deal is from the World Bridge Team Championships in Shanghai.  This deal is very nice.  It is a classic battle between great defenders and a great declarer.

It all started off with a bidding decision.  For the moment you will be Bocchi. holding the North hand. 

 

North: Bocchi

♠ A10842

♥ K

◊ K82

♣ K754

 

West Helgemo	North Bocchi	East Helness	South Duboin
		3♥	pass
pass	?

What do you like here?  I confess that I would have done exactly what Bocchi did, made a takeout double and that decision leads you to the tough contract of 3NT.  4♠ is easier.  Would you have bid 3♠ on his hand?  Is there any argument for doing so?  So it is now up to Duboin to make 3NT.  Play along with me for a moment single dummy.

North: Bocchi

♠ A10842

♥ K

◊ K82

♣ K754

 

South: Duboin

♠ KJ5

♥ J1085

◊ QJ963

♣ A

The opening lead is the ♣Q and you perforce win with the ♣A.  There are a lot of potential tricks here but obviously some pitfalls.  Even if he ca play spades for five winners he is going to need some red suit tricks so he might as well play a diamond.  Duboin led the ◊J which Helgemo won with the ◊A.  Helgemo continued a club and Duboin could afford to duck once.  He threw a diamond from hand.  He won the third club with the ♣K throwing the ♠J from hand.  Helness followed to all three clubs.

North: Bocchi

♠ A10842

♥ K

◊ K8

♣ 7

 

South: Duboin

♠ K5

♥ J1085

◊ Q96

♣ —

Tricks: N-S: 2  E-W:2

At this point we probably know eleven of Helness cards, assuming he had a seven card heart suit.  He has seven hearts, three clubs and a diamond.  It is the last two cards that might give us a problem.  If we take the spade finesse and lose the defence will be able to take five winners.  The two they already have, two hearts and a diamond.  What now?  Duboin decided that he might as well try to develop a heart trick.  There is a slight risk that clubs are 4-4 but I assume Duboin was able to deduce the 5-3 club split from the defensive card play.

This has many potential benefits.  It cuts the defensive communication and it might put East under some pressure.  In fact, this is the key play in the hand.  Let say that Helness wins and cashes another heart and gets out a heart.  Playing any other suit will give up the ninth trick.  That will give us eight tricks.   But Helgemo is under tremendous pressure and will certainly be squeezed in the other suits.   Now let’s go double dummy for Helness is about to make two nice plays.

	North: Bocchi
	♠ A10842
	♥ (K)
	◊ K8
	♣ 7
West: Helgemo		East: Helness
♠ 976		♠ Q3
♥ 3		♥ AQ97642
◊ 1075		◊ —
♣ 109		♣
	South: Duboin
	♠ K5
	♥ J1085
	◊ Q96
	♣

At this point Bocchi led the ♥K and Helness ducked.  He could see that winning the ♥A would only help Duboin.  According to Mark this led to some cheers from the Norwegian supporters.  Now Duboin crossed to his hand and led the ♥J.  If Helness wins this card and gets out a heart Helgemo will be forced to discard a spade or a diamond.  One of the pointed suits will have to break and Duboin is home.  So Helness made the only play he could, he ducked the ♥J.   A very fine play.  But now Duboin is home anyway.  When he plays a spade to the ace he doesn’t care what happens.  If Helness has another spade then Duboin sets up spades by giving  a spade trick to Helgemo who can only cash one club (he had to throw the other on the second heart) for the fourth defensive trick.  If he shows out then Duboin knows that the diamonds are breaking.

Here is the whole hand:

	North: Bocchi
	♠ A10842
	♥ K
	◊ K82
	♣ K754
West: Helgemo		East: Helness
♠ 976		♠ Q3
♥ 3		♥ AQ97642
◊ A1075		◊ 4
♣ QJ1092		♣ 863
	South: Duboin
	♠ KJ5
	♥ J1085
	◊ QJ963
	♣ A

Congratulations to all involved.

Other entries on the shortlist were:

Lauria (Phillip Alder)

Sementa (Yeh Bulletin)

Cohen (Phillip Alder)

Cannell (John Carruthers)

Helgemo (Mark Horton)

Greenwood (Andrew Robson)