Sbagliate questo ritorno e sarete cucinati ben bene!
A Ningbo, il giocatore nipponico che
sedeva in Nord, anziché a fiori, tornò con il 4©
e la frittata fu presto fatta.
Ping Wang, vinse con l'Asso e giocò un
piccolo atout, per il 9 del morto, rientrò in mano a cuori e ripeté il sorpasso
vincente in atout, poi, superò il Fante di cuori del morto con la Dama e quando
tutti risposero, intavolò la 13ª cuori.
Sud si rifiutò di tagliare e la giocante fece
sparire la seconda fiori del morto, cavandosela pagando: 2 picche, una fiori
ed una quadri.
Nell'altra sala i NS raggiunsero l'ottimo
parziale di 3§,
ma non riuscirono a mantenerlo: 9 imp per la Cina.
La coppia che aveva chiamato il contratto
infattibile lo mantenne contrato e quella che aveva optato per il par
della mano, finì down!
Questa smazzata, che ha il suo par fissato in
+100 per NS (3¨
! - 1), con i suoi 16 atout consente
17 prese (9 a fiori per
NS e 8 a quadri per EO).

Fireworks started right
away on Board 1 in the first Asian Cup.
In the Open Room, P. Wang for China started with a Precision 1♦
and her partner Wu tried 3♦ in an attempt to shut out the opponents. Passed
originally as dealer North now came alive with an optional double. It did not
work out well as Masako (Japan South) chose to defend given her hand and 3♦!
became the final contract.
West |
North |
East |
South |
P |
P |
1 * |
P |
3 ** |
X |
|
|
* Precision
** obstructive
See diagram above.
The opening lead by South
was ♠J, North overtaking with her Q but now made a miscalculated switch to ♥4,
making life easier for declarer.
A club switch instead would have meant
certain defeat.
Still P. Wang had her work cut out for her.
She took her ace and
finessed dummy’s ♦9 successfully, returning to her hand and continued a trump
finesse, the ♥J in dummy was overtaken by ♥Q in hand, then played her 13th ♥ and
ditched dummy’s remaining spade when South refused to ruff in front of dummy’s
trumps.
The ♣A was off but that was only academic as Sun now had nine tricks and
her doubled contract. In the Closed Room the NS Japanese ladies reached 3♣ but
the route to nine tricks proved too difficult, - 1.
Only the first deal but
China now 9 imps in front.