They started a few days ago Buenos Aires The World Bridge Games. This is a competition on a regular basis four-year of great tradition that dates back to 1960 under the aegis of Bridge Olympics. A race for nations therefore, to which Federations from all over the world can register and which in the new edition includes, in addition to the top competition, also category races: women, senior and mixed. Italy participates in all the categories with justified ambitions.
We are at the 25th episode of the column "Play with champions” for all Bridge enthusiasts, the result of the collaboration between FIRST online , Italian Bridge Game Federation. Every Saturday will be the occasion to test yourself with the highest level Bridge with the publication of a particularly interesting hand, which will be played at an international level or highly spectacular. Competitive bridge is fun for everyone. You can see the previous deals by clicking on the banner on the front page, or here.
Hand number 25 in the Italy-United States challenge
During the qualifying phase right in a meeting between Italy and the United States this happened slam without trumps declared at the last minute by the Americans. He was at the wheel of the slam Eric Rodwell, one of the most successful world and Olympic champions in the world. The slam with thirty-one balanced points on the line was justified by the presence of the two minor fifths. The lack of the 10♣ made it complicated, however. How would you have played in the place of the American champion to obtain the twelve tricks required? The solution next Saturday.
The solution to hand number 24 of October 19th
Take the A♣ lead and look at your eleven beating tricks. The twelfth could come from overtaking the Q♠ . The thirteenth, however, can only come from a compression play. The most likely situation is that East is compressed between the four spades and the K♦ or, if West holds the K♦ , that a double compression works.
The K♣ reveals the color distribution. With West's last trump eliminated, you overtake with spades but... there's no need because East has the Q♠ second in impasse. Two spades, a single club and therefore ten cards in the red colors in East. You must change your game plan. A diamond-heart squeeze will suffocate the defense's hopes. You also cash in the J♠ by discarding a diamond from dummy and then A♥, K♥ and a heart ruffed from dummy. This maneuver serves to direct the threat towards East. Immediately after, you start the parade of trumps. With three cards to go, you remain with the 7♥ and the A♦ second when East must discard before us. If he gets rid of the Q♥ he frees the 7♥, but if the K♦ runs dry, it will fall under our A♦ freeing us the Q♦.
