What a Finish Lynch versus Deutsch

60 boards ended in a tie in this semifinal match.  Lynch went on to defeat Deutsch in a 6 board playoff.   So lets look at the board that set up this dramatic playoff.  Board 60 the last board of the regular deals in this quarterfinal match.

Coming in to Board 60 Deutsch was in the lead by 13 IMPS 113 to 100.  By the looks of it Board 60 was a routine 4♥ contract.  North-South was vulnerable against not and  North, in second chair with 22 high card points would show a balanced strong hand.  South would not much but 5-4 in the majors would bid find the 5-4 heart fit and the heart game would be reached.  The BBO commentators were thanking each other, the operators, the audience, the USBF and BBO and anybody else they could think of.

In one room Hamman and Bramley sat East-West for Deutsch.  Hamman held:

Not blinded by the favorable vulnerability he made a “normal” pass and the auction proceded in normal fashion to 4♥ making 5.  But something different happened at the other table where Passell held the West hand.  Passell made the more aggressive call of 2S and I like it at this vulnerability.  Do you?  It is easier if you are playing Muidenberg 2’s where 2♠ shows spades and a minor (or possibly spades and another suit.)  Now it was up to Larsen-Lall to find their way to the heart game.

Dealer: Vul:	Larsen ♠ AQ ♥ AK98 ♦ 1095 ♣ AKQ6
Passell ♠ KJ653 ♥ 10 ♦ QJ873 ♣ 84		Sutherlin ♠ 82 ♥ J64 ♦ AK2 ♣ 109532
	Lall ♠ 10974 ♥ Q7532 ♦ 64 ♣ J7

With 22 high card points Larsen was too good to overcall any number of notrump so he started with a double.  Sutherlin passed.  If Lall-Larsen were playing no specific conventions over this sequence Lall would have been hearts and the heart game would no doubt have been reached.  But they were playing Lebensohl to distinguish between a decent hand with hearts and a weak hand with hearts so Lall bid 2NT playing to eventually bid hearts.  Larsen couldn’t afford to accept the transfer by bidding 3♣ because it might get passed so he bid 3NT to show a very strong balanced hand.  Should Lall have pulled to hearts?  I think this auction does not suggest a hand with just tricks as a jump to 3NT might.  It should show a very strong balanced hand and therefore at least some heart support.   Larsen doesn’t figure to have more than a couple of spades so he is quite likely to have three hearts.  But playing hearts is by no means clear.  You can decide if you on Board 60 of a match you are winning would have made the bid that worked.

Now it was up to Passell. Having bid one suit and knowing they had that one covered, he led his second suit and the defense took five diamond tricks.  13 imps.  The tired players would have to play six more boards.