Marc Smith visits the knockout stages of the MontreAlt

Last week, we saw eight teams qualify for the knockout stage of MontreAlt. As winners of the Swiss, GUPTA (USA/France/Netherlands) had first choice of quarter-final opponents from amongst the teams who finished fifth-eighth and they selected MACAVITY (Netherlands/Belgium), the only qualifiers to survive to the knockout stage. GUPTA would begin with a 10.1-IMP carryforward advantage for winning the Swiss. BARNSLEY (GB) selected SWEICE (Sweden/Iceland) with a 6.1-IMP advantage, then BLACK (GB/Sweden) chose to play RED DEVILS (Belgium) with a 3.1-IMP lead. That left KOEPPEL (USA/Italy) and ZHAO (China/Netherlands) to contest the fourth quarter-final with the former starting out 1.1 IMPs ahead.

Just one bidding problem for you to consider this week, but it illustrates the difficulties that can be created by even low-level pre-emption, particularly when you do not know which suit the opponents have got. With neither side vulnerable, you hold as North:

East’s Two Diamonds is a Multi (a weak two in one of the Majors) and partner’s double shows either 12-15 balanced or a very strong hand. West’s Two Hearts is ‘pass-or-correct’. What action, if any, do you take?

Let us head straight into the action with Board 1. Although it may appear to be a routine 3NT for North/South, that contract was reached at only four of the eight tables.

None Vul - Dealer North

Naren Gupta’s Two Heart overcall showed spades, so Dennis Dewit’s jump cue-bid promised both minors and game values. Emiel Vandeweile was not tempted by an eleven-trick game despite the known double fit, and his 3NT ended the brief auction. West led spades and declarer set about establishing his clubs. When that suit failed to break and West cleared his spades, prospects did not look great. Vanderweile played off the ♥A after cashing his clubs, but he was in the wrong hand to attempt an endplay on West, so he was virtually forced into the winning line and the appearance of West’s ¨K under declarer’s ace was a welcome sight for the Belgians. N/S +400.

At the other table, one of GUPTA’s Dutch World Champions was set the problem posed above:

West – Schols  North – de Wijs  East – van den Bos  South – Muller

East began with a Multi (a weak two in one of the majors) and Bauke Muller doubled, showing either 12-15 or some very strong hands. West’s pass-or-correct Two Hearts then set Simon de Wijs a problem for which he had no suitable answer.

Double here would usually show either hearts or a takeout double of hearts. (Partner is assumed to be able to work out which depending on opener’s action.) A natural 2NT would be right on values, but hardly looks attractive with a singleton spade. Whether 2NT is available as a natural bid is another matter of course, as it would be Lebensohl for many pairs. (Perhaps, it would be worth checking that your regular partnership knows the meaning of 2NT in this auction.) If 2NT would be Lebensohl, then a forcing Three Clubs is, perhaps, another option? All very tricky.

De Wijs elected to pass, presumably expecting East to bid Two Spades and intending to make a takeout double when that came back around to him. When van den Bos passed (showing hearts), South had no reason to bid again, so there matters rested. Two Hearts failed by a trick, but N/S +50 was poor compensation and MACAVITY gained 8 IMPs, virtually wiping out their opponent’s carryforward advantage on the first deal.

Of course, when you play with fire you have to judge exactly how far to push your luck or you may get burned, as the RED DEVILS discovered on this deal:

West – Arts  North – Gold East – de Roos  South – Black

Belgium’s Steve de Roos also decided to pre-empt on this East hand. Things ended very differently at his table, though. Andrew Black doubled on the South cards and David Gold made a well-judged pass. N/S +800 and 9 IMPs to BLACK when the Belgians made 3NT at the other table.

In two of the quarter-finals, Board 4 was a dull push at +650 in Four Spades. In one match, though, it provided the largest swing of the day in a rather curious fashion:

Both Vul - Dealer West

In BLACK vs RED DEVILS, the auction was identical at both tables:

West – Hallberg Arts  North – Caputo Gold  East – Hult de Roos  South – Vandervorst Black

Not wishing to commit himself blindly, Gunnar Hallberg led a trump. Declarer won and advanced the ♦Q, which won, followed by the ♦K to Hallberg’s ace. The ♠A was cashed and then Hallberg switched to clubs. The defenders thus collected the five tricks to which they were entitled: N/S -800.

This result was also duplicated by the Icelanders Einar Gudjohnsen and Jon Baldursson in the match between BARNSLEY and SWEICE, the Scandinavians gaining 4 IMPs when their teammates were left to play Four Spades in the replay.

At the second table in our match, though, a signaling wheel fell off the Belgian applecart. Geert Arts found himself under the spotlight after making the unfortunate choice of the ♦A as his opening lead, his partner following with the ♦2. He cashed the ♣A next, and saw another deuce from his partner. Since East’s signaling would be inconsistent with showing count, I would guess that his low cards were discouraging. Surely, now, West should cash the ♣A to make sure of beating the contract even if his partner has nothing but spades. When, instead, West continued with a second spade, declarer was home. He drew the last trump, crossed to dummy with the ♥7, and discarded all three of his club losers on dummy’s high diamonds. N/S +850 and 17 IMPs to BLACK, a particularly large swing even though the same non-slam contract was played at both tables.

Board 10 set the North players at half of the tables a brutal defensive problem:

Both Vul - Dealer East

This auction was typical:

West – Molenaar  North – Koeppel  East – Verbeek  South – Tokay

Lynne Koeppel’s Two Clubs was a Meckwell variant, showing clubs and another suit, and Tim Verbook’s jump to Three Hearts was invitational or better with at least five spades. Four of the eight North players were faced with this lead problem after similar auctions. Koeppel kept the defense alive when she started with the ♥K, South following with the ♥9 (standard count). With declarer likely to hold only two spades (on the bidding) does it not seem likely that West will, therefore, have begun with four hearts?

Switching to the ♣K now looks quite reasonable (although equally unsuccessful). Koeppel continued with a low heart at trick two and declarer was soon claiming an overtrick: E/W +630, but only 1 IMP to ZHAO as North at the other table was one of the two who fell at the first hurdle by leading the ♣K against 3NT.

At the other table where North began with a top heart, Alex Hydes chose the ace. Here Richard Plackett followed with the ♥3, upside down attitude, perhaps? Again, this persuaded North to continue with a low heart at trick two. Again, E/W +630, but 10 IMPs to SWEICE when West went down in Four Diamonds at the other table.

Does any system of defensive signals work on this layout? Whether North asks for count or attitude at trick one, how does South tell his partner to cash the other top heart next? Sorry, I only have questions, not answers too, as I don’t see an obvious way of solving this one.

At the midway point of the quarter-finals, GUPTA had opened the biggest gap, outscoring MACAVITY 48-26 to lead by 32.1 IMPs with their carryforward. One underdog had also gained a moderate lead, SWEICE beating BARNSLEY 35-18 on the set to lead by 10.9 at the midway point of the match. The difference remained in single-figures in the other two ties: KOEPPEL won the set 25-20 to lead ZHAO by 6.1, and RED DEVILS outscored BLACK 34-28 to lead by 2.9 with 14 boards remaining.

The boards in the second half were uninspiring, but Board 22 swung a total of 51 IMPs across the four matches, with one pair in each tie reaching slam while their counterparts stopped in game. Who was right?

E/W Vul - Dealer East

This auction from KOEPPEL vs ZHAO was typical:

West – Malenaar  North – Madala  East – Verbeek  South – Tokay

Danny Molenaar’s Two Heart bid showed spades (and may have been fairly weak), so it is hard to believe that anyone would pass after partner then jumps to game. Indeed, Tim Berbeek eventually made a grand slam try (5NT was alerted as ace-asking) on the way to Six Spades.

South led the ♣Q and declarer immediately cashed his high diamonds, discarding a heart, a club and then the ♥Q from dummy. Verbeek crossed to the ♥A but, when he then tried to cash the ♣A, North ruffed with the ♠8. Verbeek could overruff with the ♠K, ruff a heart to dummy, and play another club. When North ruffed in front of dummy with the ♠9, though, the defenders played two rounds of trumps and declarer was still left with a club loser: two down, E/W -200.

The three other declarers who attempted Six Spades all finished one down. It was left to Alfredo Versace (playing in Four Spades) to demonstrate how to make twelve tricks. Playing from the long trump hand, Versace got the singleton club lead from North. He also cashed the diamond winners, but he pitched one heart and two clubs. He then played a trump to the queen and advanced his remaining low club. North could ruff with the ♠8, but Versace overruffed with the ♠K, took the heart finesse, and played a second round of trumps. Declarer was left with just trumps and a pair of aces. E/W +680 and 13 IMPs to KOEPPEL.

None of the four teams who were trailing at halftime managed to come back to win. GUPTA just edged the second half by 5 IMPs to win 91.1-54 over MACAVITY. SWEICE won the second half 27-14 to record a comfortable 62-38.1 victory over BARNSLEY. Although only leading by 6.1 IMPs at halftime, KOEPPEL won the second half 51-29 to defeat ZHAO 77.1-49. In the closest of the quarter-finals, BLACK lost the second half 23-38 to send the RED DEVILS into the semi-finals with a win by 72-54.1.

The semi-final matchups ensure a Europe vs North America final. In one semi-final, GUPTA (USA/France/Netherlands) will start with a 0.1-IMP carryforward advantage over KOEPPEL (USA/Italy). The other pits the RED DEVILS (Belgium) against SWEICE (Sweden/Iceland), with the Scandinavians ahead by that same slender margin.

We will be back next week with the best of the action from those semi-final matches.