2nd WBF Youth Online Championship – U26 Final By Simon Fellus

Here we are! After six months and many boards played we are at the final stage of the 2nd WBF Youth Online Championships.

Read A Nice Defense By Luc Bellicaud  

The big news of this edition is that the result of 2019 Online tournament will be the base for creating the WBF Youth Online League, in 2020, which will be divided to groups as – Premier League, Division 1 and Division 2. Every year teams will go up and down between the leagues. Who will succeed to the former U26 champions of Egypt? The French Team or the USA Team? U26 France reached the Final beating Portugal (111-46) in the QF and China (132-82) in the SF. U26 USA get the final stage beating Bulgaria (61-47) in the QF and Israel (79-68) in the SF. August 14th, 17:00 GMT – Session 1 (Boards 1-14) OPEN ROOM

West	North	East	South
(Cyrus Hettle)	(Thibault Vincenot)	(Victor Xu)	(Julien Bernard)

CLOSE ROOM

West	North	East	South
(Theo Guillemin)	(Ilan Wolff)	(Arthur Boulin)	(Nathan Finkle)

After four “routine” boards, finally we see some action: Board 5 A different start for the same end.

The decision of East, after N pass, to open or not depend on the style of the player but moreover of the pair. Personally, I like top open with these cards: I have wonderful 9 points and an easy second bid. Could be too late to describe our shape if the bid come back at level four… at least we already announced one suit. But after opening, you should be coherent. East didn’t show his void in clubs. As you can see a vital information to reach a wonderful slam. Void over three small means no points wasted. In the CR, East didn’t open, so the slam couldn’t be taken in mind from the beginning. Board 6 Double? Some trouble…only CR.

In the OR, a sensitive 3 was played by the French. In the CR, iijwolff & hijunny132 reached the contract of 4 doubled by West. As you can see from the diagram, the defense should cash four trick tricks but something went wrong for East who lead the J won by W who played clubs. Three rounds of trump, last round of clubs, diamond to the Ace and diamond to the Q – K by East who cashed the Ace of hearts instead of playing the 9 as exit card. 9 IMPS for USA. Board 7 Nothing scared me!

  Both South took the same decision: after passing on first position, they doubled with a scholastic shape knowing that anything can happen. Both North, in fact, passed. But when in the OR, EW were playing 2 spades doubled, in the CR East could reach only 6 tricks in 1NT doubled. OR Contract: 2 doubled by West. Lead:2 After the lead, West can count 7 tricks: 4 spades, 2 hearts and 1 diamond but without any reason decided to make a double impasse in diamond losing one more trick. 500 for France. 99% of the times, leading trump against a contract doubled is the right choice but, in this case, you should think before leading trump. You pass with A10652 not A10987, your partner has the other suits, without 11-12 HCP, and in my opinion you should try to ruff with your small spades. Leading K should help you to have a look at the dummy without big danger. Hearts could be another reasonable choice trying to ruff faster as you can with all your small spades. Board 14 Does it worth a 2 opening?

  Last boards of the first session with different judgement. In OR, Victor Xu decided to open 2 while Arthur Boulin opened 1. Whether is right or wrong is up to you. I don’t like to open the unbalanced hands with 2, even with three losers. When you open one minor and then bid 2/2 you show a big strength, almost game forcing. Below some opinions about this opening bid:

Dennis Bilde: in my system 2-2, 3 showing 4 hearts and longer diamond GF. Without this agreement 1.      

Vincent Demuy: 1, it’s going to be hard to describe my hand after a 2 opening, even if I sort have the playing strength of a 2 opener. I still only have 16 HCP and I’m not worried it will go all pass and there is no way we stopping short of game.  

Giovanni Donati: 2, almost 10 tricks of my own and I have a comfortable rebid even though opponents bid at high level.      

Robin Fellus: 1, the strength of the hand worth a GF opening with 3 and a half losers but I think is correct to open at level one to better describe your cards.    

Zia Mahmood: 1, huge hand but easier to bid after 1 start and hearts reverse; 2 opening won’t work well as would be starting too high. But if I was a teenager I might start at level 6!! By the way, in the OR, the auction didn’t allow EW to find the hearts fit. 4 by West what should have meant? The Ace of , one  and one  defeated 5 contract. In the CR even with  4-1 nothing can put in danger the 10 tricks for Arthur Boulin. 11 IMPs to France. France won the 1st session 19-12 and the 2nd session as well, 23-17. On Sunday 18th the last 2 segments at 17:00 GMT, maybe on Vugraph? We hope so. For sure on BBO! Click HERE for the Score of the 1st session Click HERE for the Score of the 2nd session

Don’t forget – you can still enter for the 6th World Youth Open Bridge Championships being held in Croatia from 20 – 29 August.

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