Fort Lauderdale, Florida, August 1999. The
players on the 12 teams that had not
qualified for the knockout stage of the
World Junior Teams Championship were
eligible to compete for a secondary title in
the Junior Swiss Pairs. Although age was the
only restriction, only four of the 24 pairs
entered (three involving Canadians) took the
opportunity to form transnational
partnerships.
Toronto's Mike Nadler and Norway's Oyvind Saur were in contention all the
way, tying for first with Saur's Norwegian
team-mates, Boye Brogland-Chris
Kristoffersen. A better IMP "quotient" gave
Norway the gold.
When these pairs met, one momentous deal turned the match. Saur, West, had
to select an opening lead against 7NT
redoubled from the following collection:
QJ8743
32
Q4
763, after this lively auction:
West |
North |
East |
South |
OS |
CK |
MN |
BB |
|
|
2 |
3 |
5 |
7 |
Pass |
Pass |
7 |
Pass |
Pass |
7NT |
Pass |
Pass |
Dbl |
Rdbl |
End |
|
|
|
Make your selection before reading further.
Could Nadler possibly have an ace? And if
he did, was it necessary to lead that suit?
Saur, going for the big set, led the Q.
This was the full deal:
Brogeland won the
A, cashed clubs, and
guessed diamonds correctly for thirteen
tricks; plus 2980. A heart lead would have
swung 3380 points and led to the playing of
"Oh Canada" at the Closing Ceremonies.
Kokish: A double of a freely bid slam
traditionally demands or at least suggests a
particular lead. South's 7NT was not quite
of that ilk, however, so Saur was more or
less on his own. South's 7NT marked him with
the
A. If East held the
A, he might have
doubled 7, intending to lead it, and if he
had the
A, it could hardly disappear. If he
held the
A, however, it was more attractive
to double 7NT than 7. Perhaps East was most
likely to hold the
A.
Kraft: Oh, sure. I feel for Saur. The
straightforward spade lead to knock out the
A might have produced a huge penalty. Did
declarer have to have five tricks in an
unbid suit?
Kokish: Mike Nadler is the proprietor of a
thriving bridge club called ... "Doubles".
Is this the Twilight Zone, or what?