August 23, 2019
Today the first 26 pairs in the U 26 Open Pairs Championship are battling for only one spot: the number one position. In the race the Austrian pair: THORPE Stephan (Austria)–SCHEBERAN Philip (Austria) played a beautiful endplay in the first session 1 Board 3.
Session 1 Board 3Dealer South/E-W Vul
9 2
A J 9 4
J 8 4
K 10 5 2
A 8
K 10 8 7 3
7 6 2
J 9 6
J 10 7 5 4
9 3
A Q 8 7 4 3
K Q 6 3
Q 6 5 2
A K Q 10 5
West
North
East
South
Stephan
Philip
Pass
1
Pass
1
2 (1)
4 (2)
Pass
4
Pass
5 (3)
Pass
5
Pass
Pass
Double
All Pass
1: C & S
2: splinter
3: void
Lead: J
Stephan Thorpe
Declarer played dummy’s K, and West won the trick with his ace, to return the 8. Stephan played his 9, East his 10 and the Q from dummy made the second trick.
Back came the Q, West covered with his king, and Stephan played his ace while watching East pitching a club. Declarer continued ruffing a small club in dummy, and returned to his hand with a small diamond to the J. The continuation was a diamond to the ace, and next came the K, East pitching a club.
Declarer continued with the 10, West discard a club, next trick was the Q, all discarded clubs and the last diamond, again all pitched clubs.
This was the end position:
J 9 4
K
10 8 7 3
7 5 4
A
6 3
6 5
Now came the 6, West ruffed with the 8, and declarer overruffed with the 9, East played a small spade. Stephan continued with his last club, ruffed in dummy with a small heart and West overruffed, who was endplayed with 10 3, while declarer had J 4…
So a four spot was the card that gave declarer a beautiful hand and a 75%…
Click here to see what was played on the other tables on board 6
9 2
A J 9 4
J 8 4
K 10 5 2
