Naturalists vs Scientists

[Walddk]

[hv=d=n&v=e&n=sj83h3daqjcaqj1096&w=s72hj10852d8743c53&e=sk10965haq96d52ck2&s=saq4hk74dk1096c874]399|300|Scoring: IMP

South: 3NT

Lead: H5[/hv]

The bridge on day 1 may not have been brilliant all the time, but I am prepared to forgive all of them as long as I have this deal. Amazing, wonderful, stunning, cute, fascinating, pretty, excellent, spectacular, breathtaking. Take your pick.

 

In the closed room David Gold as East overcalled 1♠ after 1♣ to his right. South ended up in 3NT and Hallberg led a spade. Easy ride for declarer. 11 tricks.

 

The contract was the same in the open room with Zia as declarer. However, Priday chose to double 1♣ and then got the killing heart lead from Lord Wolfson. 5♣ is the spot because you only have 8 tricks in 3NT when a heart is led.

 

So it went ♥5 to the queen and Zia's king. On the auction Zia knew that ♣K was offside, so he had to rely on some help from the opponents. At trick 2 he exited with a heart. EW took their four tricks, and the spotlight was on West. In order to break up the squeeze he must play a club. Instead he exited with a passive diamond, and now a very rare criss-cross squeeze materialised.

 

Before the last diamond from Zia the position was:

 

[hv=d=n&v=e&n=sj83h3daqjcaqj1096&w=s72hj10852d8743c53&e=sk10965haq96d52ck2&s=saq4hk74dk1096c874]399|300|Scoring: IMP

South: 3NT

Lead: H5[/hv]

When ♦9 was played declarer pitched ♣Q from the dummy and East was caught in a criss-cross squeeze. He could choose his poison. If he bared ♠K, dummy would be high (cash ♠A), and if he came down to the singleton ♣K, the hand would be high (cash ♣A).

 

Priday chose the latter and Zia landed his game, restricting the loss to £200 for 2 IMPs away.

 

"Stop the presses!!", one commentator said. I agree. This is a deal that deserves to be published in newspapers and magazines worldwide. Yes, the defence erred at a crucial point, but that did not make Zia's dummy play less spectacular.

 

You read about criss-cross squeezes, but you hardly ever see them at the table.

 

Roland

[jbgood]

As one of the regular commantators for some years, I should like to make perfectly clear that I have never - repeat NEVER - been instructed or told by Roland or anyone else to do anything but commentating. We do this volonteerely, and try to treat rank and file with an equal amount of respect.

 

I really find it sad that people question the integrety of Roland and BBO commentators.

[han]

That was a wonderful deal, great play by Zia.

 

Of course, as a commentator pointed out, it should have been clear to Wolfson (west) that east held the club king (else Zia wouldn't have returned a heart and pitched all those clubs).

[han]

Roland, do each of the players pay or receive the 100 pounds per IMP or is that per team? I imagine the two players who only played one day only get the money from that day?

[Walddk]

Roland, do each of the players pay or receive the 100 pounds per IMP or is that per team? I imagine the two players who only played one day only get the money from that day?

Question 1: Per team.

Question 2: They get paid per day.

 

Roland

[gnasher]

So it went ♥5 to the queen and Zia's king. On the auction Zia knew that ♣K was offside, so he had to rely on some help from the opponents. At trick 2 he exited with a heart. EW took their four tricks

 

I'm quite surprised that Priday, by far the stronger player, allowed this. He could have ensured that he was on lead after the third round of hearts, and switched to a diamond without cashing any more winners.

 

He wouldn't have to envisage the exact ending - cashing the defence's tricks in this sort of situation is nearly always a bad idea.

[han]

So what was the outcome, who won and by how much?

[Walddk]

Thursday was won by the Scientists (78 IMPs), and they were also stronger Friday (Goulash). The win came to 58 rubber points after 40 of the scheduled 48 boards. No explanation as to why they did not play the last 8, and they don't owe us one.

 

I think it was great fun, and as I have stated 4 or 5 days ago, I don't care if this was a true contest between no conventions/conventions as long as it produced that delightful criss-cross squeeze.

 

Roland

[vuroth]

An excellent event. My wife, whom you could not PAY to watch the Bermuda Bowl, watched some of the Friday hands with great interest (mostly, I expect, to see how outrageous the NEXT deal would be).

 

V