1979, 24th Bermuda Bowl en Rio de Janeiro
This was Board 8 of the first U.S.-Australia match. shown on Vu-Graph:
Dealer: West Vul None
|
 K 3
 K 9 7
 A 8 6 3
 J 8 5 4 |
|
| J 7 4
Q 5
Q 9 7 5
Q 7 6 2 |
|
Q 9 6 2
A J 2
K 4 2
K 9 3 |
|
A 10 8 5
10 8 6 4 3
J 10
A 10 |
|
| Closed room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Pass |
1 |
Dbl |
1 |
| The end |
|
|
|
South made 8. tricks, and this was considered as a fair result for Australia who scored 110.
In the open room the italians were more aggressive.
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Cummings |
Lauria |
Seres |
Garozzo |
| Pass |
Pass |
1 |
Dbl |
| 2 |
Dbl |
Pass |
2 |
| Pass |
3 |
Pass |
3 |
| Pass |
4 |
The End |
|
West led’ the
2 and South’s
10 won the first trick when East elected not to, sacrifice his
K at trick 1, Garozzo had little hope to win, and with some resignation he led a trump to dummy’s
9 but Seres, East, was quick to seize his opportunity. He cashed
J and
A and led a third round of trumps, leaving declarer with 8 tricks, down two, and this was 5 IMP to Australia.
Sitting at the commentators’ desk with Edgar Kaplan I was not happy with South’s play. I told Edgar that perhaps there might be some play for the contract, but Edgar felt that a total of nine tricks was the limit, and, indeed, I could not give him evidence to the contrary.
Still unsatisfied, I decided to phone Geza Ottlik, the inventor of so many extraordinary plays and author of the no less extraordinary new book, “Adventures in Card Play”.
I for once obtained a rapid connection with Budapest.
Besse: Hello Geza, this is Jean Besse speaking from Rio.
Ottlik: Hell. It’s 4 a.m. here
Besse: Sorry, I forgot the time shift, so much was I worried with Board 8.
Ottlik: Are you going to discuss a hand at FOUR am.?
Besse: Come on, Geza time is money. These were the cards. West led a club won by the 10 at Carozzo’s 4
contract.
Ottlik: Come on, Jean. Didn’t you, EVER read chapter 7 of my book?
Besse: Humm,. Yes, I suppose. What is it about?
Ottlik: Elopment. Not girls elopenrent, trump elopement. If you had just applied this technique, dear Jean, you would have spared both your money and your sleep.
Besse: Do you mean that South could win 4
? How?
Ottlik; Easy, so easy. Just cash the
10 and
A, then run the
10. East wins the
K. Say he leads a club. You ruff, lead to dummy’s
A, ruff a diamond, go to dummy with the
K and lead a fourth diamond in this position:
| |
3
K 9 7
8
J |
|
| J 7
Q 5
Q
Q |
|
Q 9 6
A J 2
|
| |
A 10 8
10 8 6
|
|
East is helpless, If he discards a spade, you ruff, play the
A and ruff a small spade. Now North’s fourth club kills the defense. Should East ruff with the
J, you discard a spade. Now you are home..free and clear.
Besse: But when East wins the’ diamond he need not help you with a club. He may, for example, lead a spade.
Ottlikc: No worry: Win with the
A, then
A, diamond ruff,
K and a club ruff, third spade ruff in dummy and another club ruff in hand. East discards a spade as he wouldn’t gain anything by ruffing with the jack, That brings about the following, 3 card ending:
| |
K 9
8
|
|
|
Q 5
Q
|
|
A J 2
|
| |
10
10 8
|
|
South plays the
10 and, as you may easily work out, the defense is again helpless.
Besse Thank you, Geza, and sleep well.
Ottlik: All ‘right, Jean, and advise Benito to read my book.
