A big congratulation to the winners of the NAP
Jordan Cohen and Barry Senensky, representing District 2, were the winners of the North American Pairs.
Serensky and Cohen at the Memphis NABC
Cohen and Serensky just managed to qualify for the final when they had a poor evening session. But they really poured it on in the final. Jordan remembered something his father had told him; “Late in a matchpoint session pay attention to guys who are not in it any more.” He pointed out that they might not be concentrating and were more likely to give up some tricks. Jordan was able to got almost all the matchpoints on two boards in the same round from one such pair when he took advantage of small defensive errors to make extra tricks on squeezes!
On the first hand West opened a 12-14 notrump in fourth. Jordan South balanced 2♠ showing spades and a minor. East doubled and this was passed out
| Dealer: Vul: |
Barry ♠ 9xx |
|
| West ♠ J10 ♥ KJxx ♦ AJxx ♣ KJ10 |
 |
East ♠ Axx ♥ Qxxx ♦ Qxx ♣ xxx |
|
Jordan ♠ KQxxx |
West got off to a good lead the ♠ J.Jordan won win the ♠ Q and played a diamond up to the king and continued diamonds. East won the ♦Q and played the ♠ A and another clearing the suit. Jordan continued with a diamond and West won and cashed the fourth diamond before switching to a heart. East played the ♥ Q and Jordan ducked. If East returns a club at this point the contract will be set. But East erred and made what seemed to be a reasonable return of another heart. This gave Jordan the opportuniity he needed. Jordan cashed the remaining spades and West was squeezed in clubs and hearts. 2♠x doubled and making.
On the next board believe it or not, Jordan was able to make an extra tricks (and a lot of matchpoints) when East once again made a small error and allowed Jordan to squeeze West in the same two suit.
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It seems fitting that one of the Friday Sponsors at the Memphis tournament was a memorial to Ralph and Joan Cohen. You would have made them proud Jordan,
I don’t know the vulnerability, but it strikes me that EW made a number of errors … and winning mps is often about making the opponents pay for their errors, which the squeeze-playing declarer did quite well.
First, the EW auction left them defending a two-level contract in which the opponents own about half the deck and eight trumps.
Second, West might have anticipated the problem of his holding so many high cards and chosen to shift to the HK instead of a small heart, in order to allow his partner to protect against a late heart threat. There might have been a different defense (cashing of HA before playing the third spade) if his partner held the HA. Plus (again referencing the unknown vulnerability), down one is assured if partner holds the HA, as that gives the defense three diamonds, one spade, and at least two hearts.
Third, the error noted in the text. Unless West is permitted to open 1NT with a five-card major, declarer is marked with only one club, and a club return cannot be wrong and might, as in the subject case, be essential.
My partners can affirm that I have made more serious errors than any of the three above, but all three EW actions mentioned do, to me, seem to be errors and not just bad luck.
Thanks, Linda, for sharing the hand.
Well done Barry and Jordan. Coming back to win from 2nd to last is just awesome!
Jeff, i was not vulnerable in 2sx, so after the trump lead l was headed for -1, minus 100 which still should have been a good score against the opps. 110 or 140; without the trump lead, 2s was almost invariably going to make. Matchpoints is a game of errors; try and get your averages, and when the opportunities present themselves, get your (near)tops.
Thanks for taking the time to post. It’s lifted the level of debate
Do you have any video of that? I’d love to find out some additional information.