July 2008 - 37

Cavendish pairs

wrong, with no club ruff coming.
The inference might seem clear, but
it was one that was drawn by remarkably few declarers. In fact, Pepsi was
the only declarer to make slam.
Sam Lev played 6 redoubled.
East had doubled a Blackwood response of 5, so West (not on lead,
and never having bid diamonds) produced a quasi-Lightner double. On
the 2 lead, Lev had no clue about
the opponent's shapes, and it sounded
as if West had the trump tricks, so
it was natural to tackle trumps by
leading low to his king for down one,
thereby turning over 600 IMPs in the
process.
With three deals to go, the top three
pairs were separated by less than 6
total IMPs or 160 cross-IMPs. Levin-
Weinstein, in third, did nothing wrong
in the last round but had three slightly
below-par results to lose 10 real IMPs
and stay third. Lev and Gary Cohler,
in second place, had a slightly
below-average round. They would
need Rodwell-Hampson to drop a
few IMPs to par to have a chance. It
didn't happen. The leaders picked up

small swings on each deal to finish
13 real IMPs and 350 cross-IMPs in
front of second place. It was sweet
revenge for last year when a belowaverage last set dropped them out of
the lead to second place. Their score
of 3367 cross-IMPs corresponds to
about 1 real IMP per board.
On the final deal, however, the
outcome was still in doubt:
Dlr: South  K 9 2
Vul: None  Q J 8 6 3
763
K4
J8753
Q6
N
A2
W E K74
J4
982
S
QJ62
 A 10 8 7 5
 A 10 4
 10 9 5
 A K Q 10 5
93
Lev as West heard 1 on his
right, and he passed. His opponents
conducted an invitational auction
to 2, which he passed out. Had
Lev guessed to balance with 2,
he would have collected plus 110 or

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driven his opponents to a non-making
contract.
Hampson as South opened 1NT
(14-16), and when Rodwell transferred to hearts and invited 2NT,
Hampson guessed to pass - and was
right, up to a point, because 3 can
be beaten on a spade ruff, though it is
hard to find.
2NT was no bed of roses, however.
If West finds the club lead, the defenders have the first seven tricks.
As it was, West led a spade against
Hampson and he took the first eight
tricks. The swing to Rodwell-Hampson was plus 55 instead of minus 120,
and that left them the winners by 330.
That meant that even if Lev had balanced and gone plus 110, Hampson
and Rodwell would still have won by
a handful of IMPs.
r

East hands for
July's Bidding Box
Bid these hands with a partner. The
West hands are on page 63. The N-S
players are silent unless otherwise
noted. Scores on page 29-31.
Problem 1. North deals. None vul.
A K J Q 8 6 5 4 A 3 K 10 3
Problem 2. East deals. N-S vul.
J 7 2 A K 2 K J 10 9 7 6 3
Problem 3. South deals. E-W vul.
A Q 7 5 2 5  - K Q J 10 7 6 5
Problem 4. West deals. Both vul.
A J 10 2 K 3 J 8 5 K Q 10 5
Problem 5. North deals. None vul.
North opens 2 (weak). South bids
3 if possible.
K 7 4 2 K 8 A 10 7 A 10 8 3
Problem 6. East deals. E-W vul.
K Q 8 6 5 2 8 K Q 4 A Q 4

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July 2008

Problem 7. South deals. N-S vul.
South opens 1. North bids 1 if
possible. South bids 2 if possible.
Q 6 J 5 3 K 5 4 2 K 6 5 2
Problem 8. West deals. Both vul.
5 Q 10 9 6 5 K Q 7 6 5 K 6
37
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2008
