US Senior Teams (Round of 8)

With two teams to select out of the 12 entered there seems to be a rather byzantine plan of matches.  It started with a Round Robin and now they are playing a 60 board quarterfinal.

You might think with “Seniors” we would have nice sedate auctions.  But that has certainly not been the case.  In fact with this event being held in Motor City we might call it NASCAR.  (Ray pointed out that they don’t have NASCAR in Detroit but I wanted something to compare with that was full of action, risk and male hormones … and cars.)

Lets look at the Schwartz – Levine match.  It started quietly enough in the sense when 3NT was made at both tables after both Souths made a natural club lead which gave declarer his ninth trick.

Then, you are not vulnerable versus vulnerable and you have in your mitt this brilliant collection (one that could have won a big son of money from the Earl of Yarborough).

West ♠ 73 ♥ 87643 ♦ 9875 ♣ 62

Partner opens 1♦ .  RHO passes.   Call me conservative but I don’t see the attraction of 1♥ .  If I was going to pysche something a spade is more appealing.  But both youngsters in the West chair bid 1♥ .  In the Open Room Morse-Wolff then arrived in 4♠ after Gertman, East showed three card heart support.  Gertsman doubled and after long thought West, Clerkin, decided it was better to take his chances than risk the five level.  Down 1.

Dealer: Vul:	North ♠ A842 ♥ 2 ♦ KQ3 ♣ A10973
West ♠ 73 ♥ 87643 ♦ 9875 ♣ 62		East ♠ QJ6 ♥ KQJ ♦ AJ106 ♣ KQ4
	South ♠ K1095 ♥ A1095 ♦ 42 ♣ J85

Here was the auction in the Closed Room

Schwartz	Levine	Finkel	McGarry
—	—	1♦	Pass
1♥	DBL	RDBL*	1♠
Pass	Pass	2NT	Pass
3♣	DBL	Pass	Pass
3♦	All pass

This auction is more typical of what happens when I pysche 1♥ .  We end in an unmakeable 3♦ and our opponents can’t make anything.  7 imps to Levine.  The imps came back and then some on Board 2.  What would you open (playing strong notrump) on this hand in fourth chair, read versus white?

Gerstman (East) ♠ 104 ♥ AK4 ♦ AK842 ♣ K75

I have 17 HCP and a balanced hand I open 1NT.  Yes, I have aces and kings, yes I have a 5 card suit but my spots are non-existent.  I don’t upgrade.  Besides auctions always seem to work more easily after that descriptive bid.   Gerstman opened 1♦ .  Clerkin responded 1♥ and Morse overcalled 1♠ The Caution Flag is up.  What now?  You are missing that pesky spade stopper.  Anyway East-West ended in 3♦ which seems okay because you don’t have a spade stopper and the opponents do have five spade tricks to take.  BUT in the Closed Room after a 1NT opening, spades were not bid, and the lead was not found.  Interesting because this is one of those hands where 4♥ on the 4-3 is a pretty decent spot.

Dealer: Vul:	North ♠ KQ763 ♥ 973 ♦ 76 ♣ Q64
West ♠ J85 ♥ Q1082 ♦ Q95 ♣ A83		East ♠ 104 ♥ AK4 ♦ AK842 ♣ K75
	South ♠ A92 ♥ J65 ♦ J103 ♣ J1092

Here was the auction in the Open Room.  Can you get to 4♥ after the 1♦ opening?

Clerkin	Morse	Gerstman	Wolff
—	—	—	Pass
Pass	Pass	1♦	Pass
1♥	1♠	DBL *	2♠
Pass	Pass	DBL	Pass
3♦	all pass

Of course having seen the 1♥ bid on the previous deal by Clerkin perhaps caution was advised.

I am a fan of opening light and I have noticed that most experts (and others) are following this same trend.  But when Clerkin opened 1♥ on this hand he was speeding:

Clerkin ♠ 105 ♥ AKQ1064 ♦ 2 ♣ 10965

It did make it easy to get to 4♥ though, a vulnerable game missed in the other room.  Partner has four clubs to the ace for you, the top two spades and two hearts.  So you are off a diamond and two clubs.  You need a club break and a heart break or the stiff heart Jack.  10 imps for Levine.

One more heart pounding race around a tight corner… first take the wheel as Morse/Levine

Morse/Levine ♠ – ♥ AK532 ♦ 43 ♣ KJ10852

Vulnerable against not you hear 1♠ by West, Clerkin.  Your turn.  You decide to bid Michaels with your 6-5.  It now goes 4♠ -5♣ -5♠ to you.  I don’t know their rules about forcing passes but I think that when our side bids a vulnerable against not game pass here should be forcing and show some extra offense.  Either way do you bid or pass?

Morse bid 6♣ and Levine passed.  I think I would have passed at the table but I am not sure and I can’t really say which bid is right.  At Levine’s table McGarry, South doubled and the auction ended there.  When Morse bid it was now back to Clerkin.

Clerkin ♠ KQ10983 ♥ 10764 ♦ A10 ♣ 4

The heart situation is not really pretty since it suggests that hearts might work out for declarer.  Spades are not likely to produce a trick.  So this looks like one defensive trick to me.  I can see why he decided to bid 6♠ .  That was doubled by Morse.  Wolff-Morse found the heart overruff by Wolff for 800.  At the other table, in 5♠ doubled they didn’t find all their tricks and it went for 300.  11 imps.

Dealer: Vul:	North ♠ – ♥ AK532 ♦ 43 ♣ KJ10852
West ♠ KQ10983 ♥ 10764 ♦ A10 ♣ 4		East ♠ 76542 ♥ 98 ♦ K872 ♣ 93
	South ♠ AJ ♥ QJ ♦ QJ965 ♣ AQ76