A Schneider … Last Segment of the Spingold

Perhaps the best two bridge teams in the world battled it out in the final of this year’s Spingold, in what was basically USA versus Monaco.  Monaco is of course a new team put together by Pierre Zimmermann from some of the best of European player  hosted in Monaco.  The final segment of this match saw Rodwell and Meckstroth playing Nunes and Fantoni (formerly of Italy) against Helgemo and Helness (formerly of Norway) playing Weinstein and Levin.

And while Monaco had the best of this last segment picking up 42 imps to nothing  (defeating Nickell 143 -101) as far as I am concerned the war is not over.  These teams will meet again and the results may be quite different.  By the way for those who don’t know a Schneider is a gin rummy term used when one opponent is shutout of the scoring.

On board 58 Monaco played notrump in both room.  Nunes and Fantoni played 1NT making 2 in the open room.  This is the “normal” result.   The result in the Closed Room was anything but normal and it probably decided the match.  Helgemo and Helness played 1NT redoubled against Weinstein and Levin.  

First let’s look at the auction from Levin’s perspective.

 

Helness opened 1♦  and Levin made a normal looking overcall of 1♠ .  West made a negative double (I presume this shows hearts).  Weinstein’s redouble showed values.  Levin passed the redouble to Helgemo who bid 1NT. This was passed back to Levin. 

Is Levin forced here?  I am not sure.  Normally I would say yes but what does Weinstein have for this bidding?  These are my guesses (and I mean guesses).  The pass suggest that Weinstein is minimum for his redouble.  I think he probably doesn’t have three spades or he would have raised spades at some point.  On the other hand I would guess he has a doubleton spade and can stand 2♠ by Levin.  The entire auction suggests he doesn’t have a particuarly good suit of his own.  

If this is true than the auction really shouldn’t be forcing.  I could make an equally good case for the bid being forcing I suppose.  What do you think?

In any case Levin is pretty certain that his side has the preponderance of the points since he has 12 and Weinstein has to have at least 10.  He made the reasonable call of doubling 1NT.  Helgemo redoubles and this is passed out. 

Here is the entire auction.

Weinstein is told by Helgemo that the redouble is takeout.  The opening lead is the ♠ Q. and Helgemo plays the ♠ K what is your plan?  Think about it for a moment.

Helgemo has bid 1NT on three small spades.  Weinstein has the Qx of spades.  But what it the X?  If Weinstein has EXACTLY the Q10 then you can take all five spade tricks as long as Weinstein can get to your hand.   Remember Weinstein probably has about 10 points.  If he has the ♥ K you have a sure heart entry.  In fact you likely have an entry in at least one of the other three suits, you just don’t know which!  On the other hand if Weinstein has Q9, Q5 or Q2 of spades then ducking will simplify the defense for the opponents.  I suppose you are 3-1 on that Weinstein does not have the ♠ 10.  Would you duck?  Don’t ask me what is right.  Knowing me greedy heart I would probably win the ♠ A but   maybe that is why I am not playing in events like this.

Levin ducked.  Helgemo now played a diamond from dummy which went to the ♦ 9, the ♦ 10 and the ♦ K.  Weinstein returned the ♠ 10.  (Rats!)  Levin overtakes the ♠ 10 and plays three rounds of spades.  On the third spade Weinstein throws the ♣ J.    On the fourth spade Helgemo throws the ♣ 5 and Weinstein the ♥ 8, dummy throws a diamond (upside attitude I believe).  This is the position at this point from Levin’s perspective.

What do we know?  Weinstein seems to have the J10 of clubs (the ♣K as well?), probably not much in hearts and the ♦ K.  Could he have something like

 

 

This would leave Helgemo with

 

If so Helgemo has taken one spade, he has a diamond trick and two heart tricks and a club trick already.  We have four spades and a diamonds for sure.   In order to set up diamonds Helgemo will have to let Levin in again.  (Setting up a third heart trick is not enough anyway). 

I think that most of us would just cash that last spade and let nature take its course.  But you are defending a redoubled contract in the final of an important event.  Do you cash the last spade?  Can it cost?  I may have missed something but in theory I think it is safe.  I am not going to be able to work out what Levin’s reasoning was.  I may be misunderstanding the carding or missed something else. 

In any case Levin did not cash the last spade and that was fatal.  Since Weinstein had thrown a heart Helgemo now had four heart tricks two clubs and a spade.  Seven tricks.  Making 1NT redoubled.  The score was -760 for Nickell.  That combined with -120 in the Open Room was worth 13 imps to Monaco.  Had Nickell defeated 1NT redoubled for two tricks as they might have they would have scored +1000 for a net of +880 or 13 imps to Nickell.  This was a swing of 26 imps.  That still wouldn’t have been quite enough for Nickell to win.

But who knows.  A board like that affects the momentum.  It certainly was possible that the overall result would have been different.  

The US team in Lille will be a bit different but I believe that in the near future these two identical teams will meet again.  It will be great bridge.  It will be exciting.  And either team might win.