1700 is a possible but rare score at bridge. There are 2 ways to score it: down 7, doubled non vulnerable, or down 6 vulnerable. This week in Rijsel, in the final stages of the WMG, we saw an example of both possibilities.
First, in the semi-finals between the US and Sweden in the open, this hand came up.
Things were quiet in the closed room, a regular result was obtained. Up to 4♠ the bidding was standard, South guessed well to bid another diamond as 4♠ makes and 5♦ is only down 2, West didn’t guess that well to bid another spade. 5♠ can be made double dummy, but if Bob Hamman (east for the US, and the #1 player in the world for decades) doesn’t find a line of play, then it is by no means obvious.
Things weren’t that quiet in the open room though. Note that Meckwell have gone back to regular preempts and, from the 3NT bid, seem to have solidified their style considerable. I guess they must be getting older too. With an extra trick, south decided to bid one more.
Not a success, East led a heart to the ♥Q and west switched to the ♠6. Another heart followed, then a second round of spades. When the smoke cleared, EW had take 7 spades and 3 hearts, for down 7.
In the senior event, this hand came up in the play-offs for 3rd place between Sweden and France (as well as other matches, they use duplicated boards all over the event). In the closed room, the preempts by the Swedish NS were well timed. West showed a limit or better with heart support and thus was forced to bid over 5♠. That made it impossible for him to show first round spade control. In the next round, he could presumably have made a forcing pass to show first round spade control, but then he had no idea about the strength of the heart suit. EW took their 2 tricks against 6♠x and NS must have been very happy with that result considering that 7♥ is cold.
At the other table, 7♥ was reached by the Swedes. North decided to believe them and take the save. Now something went horribly wrong, the swedish east assumed from the 7♥ bid that west had first round control of spades and that must have been the ace. With his source of tricks, he decided to invite 7NT with a forcing pass. West seems to have thought that east could see that his spade control was a void. If partner then makes a forcing pass, he must have the ♠A. 7NT is then the obvious bid.
Well, I cannot say who is right or wrong, but it is clear that the combined EW thinking didn’t produce a great result. North doubled, cashed a spade and found that they could take 5 more tricks, for down 6, doubled. 19 imp’s to the French.
19 imp’s wasn’t the biggest swing on the board. The Swedish EW in the open finals managed to win 20 imp’s on the board. Closed the Poles Balicki and Zmudzinski doubled the Swedes too early. As far as I understand their methods, 4♠ showed shortness with a heart fit, 5♣ showed 0 or 3 keycards, 6♥ confirmed 3 but was a bit too lazy, with extra’s Zmudzinski should have made a move towards 7♥. Double said that east didn’t want too go any higher. Not a good result.
Open, the Swedes opened with a strong weak 2♥ (10-13, good 6 card suit). 4♦ showed spades and diamonds, and then west and north started with a couple of rounds of poker. North called but found out quickly that he could not defeat the contract. +2470, for 7♥x making, translated to 20 imp’s.
The finals of the WMG have reached the halfway point and, while there are still 32 to 64 boards to be play, aren’t that exciting. Sweden (open), England (women) and Hungary (seniors) have all taken a considerable lead and their opponents don’t seem to be able to do much about that.