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District 25 News for January 2007
Buzz from the Individual
District 25 ran its shortest regional of the year, the Keohane Individual, in Newton, MA over the weekend of January 5-7, 2007. By the time Sunday rolled around, the tough 22-team field in Newton's premier Friday night Flight A Knockout had been winnowed to four. I've been feeling guilty about not reporting more deals in this column, so I dumped my match on Saturday in order to be able to kibitz and report Sunday's semifinal and final matches. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
I could have watched the top seed, DeMartino (DeMartino, Brod, Earl, Rothenberg) play Neil Montague (Montague, Gorsey, Gladyszak, Newburg), a semifinal which must have had drama. DeMartino came back to win after Montague led at the half. The alternative, however, was Aquino (Aquino, Starr, Hunter, Mukherjee) versus second-seeded Applebaum (Applebaum-Streisand, Arvedon-McDevitt, and Marcus-Gillespie). So I placed my kibitzer's chair southwest, with Mark Aquino to my left and Lloyd Arvedon on my right.
...................McDevitt
...................S-KJxxx
.Aquino.......H-Kxx.........Starr
.S-...............D-K10x.......S-109xxx
.H-Axx........C-J9............H-xx
.D-AJxxxx.......................D-9xx
.C-KQ6x.....Arvedon......C-A8x
....................S-AQx
....................H-QJxxx
....................D-Q
....................C-107xx
After West opened one diamond in fourth chair, both North-South pairs bid up to three spades, which was surely going down. Both Wests, Mark Aquino and Jim Streisand, took the push to a precarious four diamond partial, and got a spade lead. Without a trump opening lead, four can always be made by playing clubs from the top. North could ruff in, but now even a trump shift isn't good enough, because declarer can play the fourth club, ditching one of dummy's hearts. South wins, but has no more trumps to play. At my table Mark took his diamond ace early, and now when North ruffed in, he could draw one of dummy's trumps, to leave declarer a trick short. Jim Streisand played similarly, but his South signalled with the club seven, and Jim then ran the club eight. Five Imps to Applebaum.
...................McDevitt
...................S-KQ10x
.Aquino.......H-J10x.......Starr
.S-xx...........D-109x.......S-AJx
.H-Qxx........C-Qxx........H-xxx
.D-Kxx...........................D-xx
.C-Kxxxx.....Arvedon.....C-AJxxx
....................S-xxxx
....................H-AKxx
....................D-AQJxx
....................C-
Starr opened the East cards a 10-12 notrump. Lloyd Arvedon bid 2D for majors, and raised Pat McDevitt's 3S to 4S. Starr led her doubleton diamond, ducked in dummy and, remarkably, by Mark Aquino also. Pat ruffed a club and led a spade to the king and ace. He won a heart shift with the ace, cashed the spade queen, and took a losing heart finesse. A second club was ruffed with dummy's last trump, and declarer's last club went on the fourth heart, but he still had a diamond to lose, for down one. I think declarer could have made 4S once the spade king wasn't ducked. Can't he rise the heart ace, cash the spade queen, and instead of that heart finesse, play diamond ace and a diamond? Now if Aquino dislodges dummy's last trump with a second club, Pat can lead the fourth diamond to pitch a club, then eventually throw the third heart on the last diamond, losing only two trumps and the diamond king. To beat 4S legitimately, Starr had to duck the spade king, so Mark could put a trump through when he wins a red trick.
The other table also played 4S. Heart lead to the ace, trump to queen and ace, heart ducked to queen, club ruffed in dummy, spade finesse, third spade, diamond finesse, cash two clubs for down 3. Declarer could never make 4S after two heart leads, but he would get out for down one by not finessing the spade ten. Five more Imps to Applebaum.
...................McDevitt
...................S-AKxx
.Aquino.......H-QJx.........Starr
.S-Q109......D-J............S-xxx
.H-A10xx....C-KQJxx...H-xxx
.D-10xx.........................D-AKxxxx
.C-10xx.......Arvedon.....C-A
....................S-Jxx
....................H-Kxx
....................D-Qxx
....................C-98xx
Starr overcalled Pat's one club opening with two diamonds, intermediate. Aquino subsequently competed to three diamonds, which would be down one, but McDevitt took the push to 4C, down one. At the other table, Applebaum overcalled one diamond, and Mukherjee bought the hand for 3C making, for four Imps to Aquino.
...................McDevitt
...................S-Jxxx
.Aquino.......H-Axxx.......Starr
.S-Ax..........D-Q...........S-K10xx
.H-10xxx....C-AKxx......H-
.D-9xx...........................D-AJ10xxxx
.C-Jxxx.......Arvedon......C-Qx
....................S-Qxx
....................H-KQJxx
....................D-Kx
....................C-xxx
Vul against not, Lloyd opened the South cards one heart. McDevitt splintered 4D, and Starr took a phantom sacrifice in five diamonds, doubled by Lloyd, down one. At the other table, North raised the same 1H to 4H, and Applebaum made a takeout double, which Streisand converted to penalties. Three rounds of spades, ruffed, DA, fourth spade, and Hunter was down 2, minus 500, and 12 big Imps to Applebaum.
Suppose you held S-Kxx H-AQ10xx D-xx C-Jxx, and hear this auction:
Partner You ------------------------------------ 1C 1D 1H 4D 5C Pass ?
Aquino bid six clubs and Streisand didn't. The deal:
.....................McDevitt
.....................S-Jxx
.Aquino.........H-9xxxx......Starr
.S-Kxx..........D-Jxxxx......S-Axxx
.H-AQ10xx..C-...............H-x
.D-xx...............................D-x
.C-Jxx..........Arvedon......C-AKQxxxx
.....................S-Qxx
.....................H-KJ
.....................D-AKQxx
.....................C-xxx
You need two spade pitches from the hearts, and today, you can't go down, whether you finesse or not. 11 imps to Aquino, for enterprise.
.....................McDevitt
.....................S-Qxx
.Aquino.........H-Jxxxxx......Starr
.S-xx.............D-Ax...........S-K109x
.H-KQ..........C-Kx...........H-
.D-K9xxx..........................D-Q10xx
.C-J10xx......Arvedon........C-AQxxx
.....................S-AJxx
.....................H-A10xxx
.....................D-Jx
.....................C-9x
At my table, East doubled North's weak 2H, and North led a heart against 5D, ruffed in dummy. If Aquino had next played dummy's DQ, McDevitt would have to find a difficult spade shift to defeat the contract. But Aquino ruffed in dummy and came off a low diamond. McDevitt topped the king with the ace, and now a second heart locked Aquino in dummy, for down 1 and a push.
.....................McDevitt
.....................S-Kx
.Aquino.........H-Kx............Starr
.S-................D-xx..............S-Jx
.H-AQxx......C-AQxxxxx...H-J10xxxx
.D-AKQxxxx.....................D-Jxx
.C-Kx...........Arvedon........C-Jx
.....................S-AQ109xxxxx
.....................H-x
.....................D-x
.....................C-10x
At both tables, North opened 1C, South responded 1S, West doubled, North bid clubs, East hearts, South spades, and both Wests spiraled into 6D. Both Souths took a phantom save in 6S doubled. Aquino led the DA, then the HA. Streisand led the HA, saw the heart deuce from Applebaum, and took a huge gamble by switching to a low club, believing Alan's heart card indicated a club void! Hunter scored up 1210, 17 gnarly imps to Aquino.
.....................McDevitt
.....................S-AQxx
.Aquino.........H-8xxx......Starr
.S-109xx.......D-xx.........S-KJxxx
.H-Qx...........C-Kxx......H-A
.D-Jx..............................D-K10xx
.C-Axxxx.....Arvedon.....C-QJx
.....................S-
.....................H-KJ109xx
.....................D-AQxxx
.....................C-xx
Applebaum, East at the other table, went down two in 4S doubled - club to the king, diamond through, overruff dummy. Lloyd bid 5H over 4S, doubled by Aquino, who led a spade. I see at least 5 lines of play. You can finesse, trying to pitch two clubs, or you can rise, decide which minor to pitch, and then pick a red suit to try first. Lloyd rose ace, pitching a club, and finessed the DQ successfully. Now a low heart makes it. But Lloyd tried DA, D, and Aquino ruffed in with HQ for down 1 and 11 imps to Aquino.
.....................McDevitt
.....................S-Qxx
.Aquino.........H-J9..........Starr
.S-AJ109......D-Jxxxxx...S-xxx
.H-10xxx.......C-Qx........H-AKxx
.D-AQx..........................D-Kx
.C-xx............Arvedon....C-Axxx
.....................S-Kxx
.....................H-Qxx
.....................D-xx
.....................C-KJ10xx
Arvedon led a diamond against Starr's 4H. Starr won the king and ducked a club, won the next diamond, tried to ruff a club in dummy, got overruffed, pitched a spade as South ruffed the third diamond, got overruffed in clubs again, and still lost a spade. Down 2. At the other table, South led a spade against 4H. Applebaum ducked to North's queen, ducked a club return, won the next trick, took his two top trumps, and merrily crossruffed for ten tricks. 11 imps to Applebaum.
After all these swings, Aquino led 45-35 at the half. Marcus-Gillespie replaced Applebaum-Streisand, but otherwise the players retained their seats, as did I.
.....................McDevitt
.....................S-xx
.Aquino.........H-xx..........Starr
.S-Axx..........D-KQxxx..S-KQJxxx
.H-Qxxx.......C-10xxx.....H-J10xx
.D-x................................D-x
.C-A109xx...Arvedon.....C-QJ
.....................S-xx
.....................H-AKx
.....................D-AJ10xxx
.....................C-Kx
East-West were vulnerable. They can make 4H, but 4S can be defeated with a heart ruff. Hunter-Mukherjee went down 300 saving in five diamonds doubled. At my table, Lloyd opened a 15-17 notrump. Aquino bid 2C, showing either diamonds, or clubs and a major, not my favorite convention. McDevitt bid a lebensohl 2NT, another doubtful method, asking Lloyd to bid 3C. Starr decided her partner had diamonds and passed. When Lloyd bid 3D instead of the expected 3C, she didn't change her mind, so Lloyd made +110 in 3D, to win 9 imps for Applebaum.
.....................McDevitt
.....................S-Qxxxxx
.Aquino.........H-10xx........Starr
.S-A10x........D-10............S-x
.H-xx............C-Qxx..........H-KQJxx
.D-K8xx............................D-AJxx
.C-AJ10x.....Arvedon........C-xxx
.....................S-KJx
.....................H-Axx
.....................D-Q9xx
.....................C-Kxx
Marcus-Gillespie tried 3NT on the East-West cards. After ducking two spades and winning the third, they knocked out the heart ace, rose the ace on a club switch, and played DK, D towards the AJ. When North showed out, they cashed out for down 1. At my table, Lloyd doubled Starr's threadbare 1H opening, and McDevitt, not expecting Lloyd's 4333 shape, leaped to 3S over Aquino's redouble. Mark, who couldn't take a joke, whacked this for +300 and 8 Imps to Aquino.
.....................McDevitt
.....................S-Jxxx
.Aquino.........H-Jx............Starr
.S-Axx..........D-AKxx......S-xxx
.H-Kxxxx......C-KJx.........H-AQxxx
.D-x..................................D-xxx
.C-A10xx.....Arvedon.......C-xx
.....................S-KQx
.....................H-x
.....................D-Q9xxx
.....................C-Q9xx
Both Wests opened 1H. After 1H-Double-4H, Bill Hunter went quietly as South for +50. Lloyd tried 4NT and McDevitt bid 5D, doubled by Aquino for 200 and 6 imps.
Lloyd picked up S-AKJx H-Qxxx D-xxx C-Qx. Aquino opened a 10-12 notrump on his left, Starr bid 3C transfer on his right, and Aquino bid 3D, passed back to him. Arvedon doubled, and the upshot was +140 in 3H to go along with +110 in 3D at the other table, 7 imps to Applebaum.
.....................McDevitt
.....................S-Jxx
.Aquino.........H-AQ............Starr
.S-AQJxxxx..D-Kxxx..........S-Kx
.H-10xxx.......C-AQxx........H-Jxx
.D-A...................................D-Jxxx
.C-x.............Arvedon..........C-Kxxx
.....................S-x
.....................H-Kxxx
.....................D-Q10xx
.....................C-Jxxx
Arvedon-McDevitt goaded Aquino by bidding up to 3C, but Mark just bid 3S. McDevitt cashed two hearts and a club and Arvedon eventually scored the heart king. 140. At the other table, Marcus-Gillespie overbid to 4S. However, when declarer led a club towards the king, Mukherjee ducked. 420 and 7 Imps to Applebaum. However, they lost it back here:
.....................McDevitt
.....................S-Kxxx
.Aquino.........H-Axx..........Starr
.S-J10xxx......D-Kxx.........S-A
.H-Jxx...........C-xxx..........H-KQxx
.D-QJx.............................D-10x
.C-10x.........Arvedon........C-AKJ9xx
.....................S-Qxx
.....................H-10xx
.....................D-A98xx
.....................C-Qx
At both tables, East opened 1C, reversed to 2H over 1S, and bid 3C over 2S. Gillespie sensibly passed this, for +110. Aquino bid a swingy 3NT. McDevitt led a small diamond from Kxx to Lloyd's ace, and Lloyd returned his fourth best diamond to the queen and king. McDevitt knocked out dummy's spade ace. Aquino led a heart to the jack and ace. When McDevitt cashed the spade king, dummy pitched a club, and Lloyd completed an echo in spades. With book against Aquino, Pat McDevitt went into a long think, but he didn't find the necessary spade play. A moment later, the club queen dropped and Mark the Shark had stolen ten imps.
Was it enough? The other table still had two boards to play. As a kibitzer, I sauntered over and sat behind Bill Hunter. Looking at somebody's scorecard, I calculated that Aquino still led by 11 imps, but their lead was in jeopardy, because I knew the remaining two results.
.....................Mukherjee
.....................S-QJ10xx
.Gillespie.......H-Kxx...........Marcus
.S-xx.............D-9xx............S-AKx
.H-QJ...........C-7x..............H-109xx
.D-Axxx..............................D-KJxx
.C-AK96x.....Hunter...........C-8x
.....................S-9xx
.....................H-Axxx
.....................D-Q10
.....................C-QJ10x
At the other table, Mark Aquino had opened 1C and rebid 1NT with the West cards, raised to 3NT by Starr. After Pat McDevitt led the spade queen, Starr commented as she put down the dummy that she had added a point for Mark's declarer play.
Now personally, I'd duck the first spade, win the second, and play hearts. I might make if spades are 4-4. If anybody ducked a heart, I might go for diamonds for my contract. Today South would rise and clear spades, and I'd go down one. Perhaps this explains why I was kibitzing instead of playing.
Mark won the second spade and led a low club from dummy. Lloyd couldn't afford to duck, so he nonchalantly played the ten. Mark could have made 3NT now by crossing to the DK to play another club. But who would do that? Instead, he played CAK, club, Pat discarding a heart. Lloyd cleared spades. Mark desperately played DA, D to DJ, and lost the rest for down four, and an ugly minus 400. I'm not sure about that point for declarer play.
When I watched the hand again at the second table, Gillespie rebid 2C with the West cards and raised Marcus's 2NT to 3NT, putting Hunter on lead. This looked bad for Aquino, but Hunter came up with a wonderful lead of spade nine, and when Mel Marcus won immediately to lead a club, Hunter split just as Lloyd had done. Like Mark, Mel continued clubs. Here, Mukherjee discarded a diamond on the third club, and Hunter cleared spades. Mel was never going to finesse in diamonds now, so he could have scored 7 imps by just cashing out for down one. Instead, Mel tried a heart, and it was the defense that cashed out, for down 3. Still, that was 3 imps to Applebaum, who trailed by 8 with one board to go.
.....................Mukherjee
.....................S-Qxx
.Gillespie.......H-xxx...........Marcus
.S-xxx...........D-Qxxx........S-Axxx
.H-KQ10x....C-QJx..........H-AJxxx
.D-J10xx...........................D-Ax
.C-Ax...........Hunter..........C-xx
.....................S-KJx
.....................H-10
.....................D-Kxx
.....................C-K109xxx
At the first table, Mark Aquino, West, had opened a 10-12 notrump. When Starr transfered to hearts and made a game try, Mark accepted. However, McDevitt led the CQ, and eventually the defense took its four tricks. It wouldn't be good enough for Marcus-Gillespie to stay out of this bad game - they needed to bid and make it. When Mel opened 1H in third seat, and responded 2S to Drury, Luke bid 3C, showing an ace along the way. Mel bid 4H, and once again Bill Hunter was on lead.
The play would be interesting on a major suit lead. Assuming the honors are split, there are two ways to play that diamond suit for a pitch. Here South is shorter in diamonds, and has no answer to ace and another. If North were short, jack from dummy works. However on this deal dummy lacks the entries the latter play requires (try it - remember you need a trump after you pitch), so ace and another is best. Mel has to play that way after at most one round of trumps, or he runs out of entries.
A club always beats 4H. But Bill, who couldn't see all the cards, led a low diamond, the unbid suit. Curtains! Ten, queen, ace, draw trumps, diamond to DJ. 10 imps to Applebaum, to win the match by two.
I took a brief break to find out how the Patriots were doing, and returned to watch the last match. As so often happens after such a dramatic semifinal, however, the DeMartino versus Applebaum final was a blowout.
.....................North
.....................S-K10xxxx
.West............H-Kxx............East
.S-Qxx..........D-J.................S-
.H-10............C-J9x.............H-AQJxxx
.D-xxxxx..............................D-AKQ10
.C-A10xx.....South...............C-Kxx
.....................S-AJxx
.....................H-xxx
.....................D-xxx
.....................C-Qxx
Both Norths opened 2S, doubled by East. When Arvedon raised to 3S, DeMartino dredged up a responsive double. No shrinking varlet, Brod leaped to 6H as East. He ruffed the spade ace and led a heart to the ten and king for +1430. Only an unlikely club lead would trouble Geoff, although he'd be very worried on a diamond lead.
At the other table, South redoubled 2S instead of raising. I don't know whether Streisand bid 2NT as unusual or as lebensohl, but the wheels came off. 3H by Applebaum, passed out, +230, 15 imps to DeMartino.
.....................North
.....................S-Kxx
.West............H-x....................East
.S-Axx..........D-Jxxx...............S-Q109xx
.H-KJ7xx......C-9xxxx............H-10
.D-AKx..................................D-xxx
.C-Kx...........South.................C-A10xx
.....................S-Jx
.....................H-AQ98xx
.....................D-Q10x
.....................C-QJ
With only North-South vulnerable, Applebaum passed as East, South opened 1H. East-West bid to two spades, making four for +170, missing a nonvulnerable game.
Brod opened the East cards a weak 2S. Arvedon overcalled 3H, doubled by DeMartino. Lloyd played well to escape for -1100, 14 more imps to DeMartino.
.....................North
.....................S-J1098
.West............H-xxx...............East
.S-AQx.........D-J..................S-x
.H-KJxx........C-AK106x......H-Qx
.D-A10x...............................D-K9xxx
.C-87x..........South...............C-QJ9xx
.....................S-Kxxxx
.....................H-A10xx
.....................D-Qxxx
.....................C-
With both vul, the Souths opened 1S in third seat, doubled by the Wests. When the Norths splintered 4D, Brod passed and let 4S go peacefully down 2. Streisand bid 4NT over 4D, and West wound up in 5C doubled by North, down 2 for 500 and 12 imps to DeMartino.
.....................North
.....................S-xxx
.West............H-xx.................East
.S-QJxx.........D-Axx..............S-Ax
.H-AQxx.......C-AKxxx.........H-K10xxxx
.D-Q......................................D-xxx
.C-QJ10x......South...............C-xx
.....................S-Kxxx
.....................H-J
.....................D-KJ109xx
.....................C-xx
Both vulnerable Easts opened a weak 2H, raised to 4H. The DeMartino South led a minor and got a spade return, down 1. Arvedon led a fatal spade, 13 imps to DeMartino.
There was only one major swing the other way.
.....................North
.....................S-QJxx
.West............H-Qx.................East
.S-98xxx.......D-AKxxx..........S-x
.H-A.............C-xx.................H-K10xxxx
.D-Qxx..................................D-x
.C-KQxx........South..............C-J10xxx
.....................S-AKx
.....................H-Jxxx
.....................D-J10xx
.....................C-Ax
Applebaum-Streisand were given a free run to 3NT, but after the heart ace and club switch, they didn't guess diamonds and had to cash out for down two. At my table after Brod opened 1D as South and DeMartino responded 1S, McDevitt stuck in an unusual 1NT. Brod raised to 2S, and Arvedon jumped to 4C. DeMartino bid 5D, a contract with some chances. However, Brod corrected to 5S, and DeMartino played there, doubled and butchered for 1100.
DeMartino led by 31 imps at the half. The second set was dull - four pushes, seven swings of 1 imp, and one of 2 imps. Marcus-Gillespie bid a lucky non-vul slam, missed by DeMartino-Brod, but the match was never in doubt.
Congratulations to the Connecticut squad. See them and everybody at the Grand National Teams in two weeks, and in Cromwell in a month.
Other News
The New England Knockout Regional will be held in Cromwell, CT February 14-19, 2007. The District 25 tournament committee is making some schedule changes for 2007. The biggest is game times of 10 AM and 3 PM for senior events. There will be Compact Knockouts at the Summer Regional. Don't assume 2007 tournament schedules will be the same as 2006.
District 25's 2008 fall nationals co-chairs, Kathy Benjamin and Frank Lombardo, are filling the various committee chairs. I'll post these when I get them.
The webmaster solicits New England bridge-related written matter of suitable quality for posting. District 25 web site material is volunteer only, but you'll see your name in lights. Short is best.
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