Although this event was of less importance in a sense but the proceedings of the game were equally tough and tiring for the competitors.
The credit for the winning of this event goes to the US ace player of Zia Mahmood in partnership with Sabine Auken. In the course of play this pair played remarkably well despite facing awkward misunderstanding in biddings at times. Eventually, Zia's witty and aggressive bidding and methodical play, contributed a great deal in winning the title.
An interesting hand of board-5 is reproduced here which shows interesting and systematic bidding sequences between Zia and Auken that turned the table in favour of American team.
East led diamond 7:
While bidding, Zia took a long pause to bid a grand slam in spades, as he doubted the type and strength of holding with his partner. Because in the same match on board-2 he reached a grand slam in spades with one ace missing on misunderstanding between partners and the queen of spades also was well protected with the opponent. Thus the grand slam went down by two tricks. In view of the bitter experience he did his best to avoid any bid which may lead to complication and when the dummy came down he said that "I wanted to bid six clubs to ask for third round club control but was afraid to after the last disaster. It is incredible that this decision came up twice".
The diamond lead was won with the ace of diamonds and Zia played six of clubs from the dummy and after winning it with the ace he moved a small club and ruffed with the six of spades in dummy on which the jack came from the West hand.
He then played a small spade from the dummy to the ace of spades on which the ten of spades came from the East. Again he moved another small club from hand and ruffed in dummy with eight of spades without any fear of overruff by the West.
At this point he played the ace of hearts and ruffed a small heart in hand and drew the outstanding trumps discarding losing two hearts and one diamond losers and another diamond on king of clubs to claim the contract. Whereas the opponents in the close room playing the same hand settled for a small slam and thus conceding swing to the US team which ultimately proved to be the tournaments winning points.
DEALER NORTH
North-South Vulnerable
North West East South
S AKQJ9 S 7542 S 10 S 863
H 7 H J654 H K1083 H AQ92
D 85 D 1042 D J97 D AKQ63
C AK1095 C J2 C Q8743 C 6
THE BIDDING:
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West North East South
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Faigen- Zia Halfond Auken
baum
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---- 1S Pass 2D
Pass 3C Pass 3S
Pass 4NT Pass 5H
Pass 5NT Pass 6D
Pass 7C Pass Pass
Pass
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GOLDEN TIPS: Conventional bids need a thorough understanding for their application.
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