Momentum Changer

The members of the Canada Open Team going to Lille in just a few days are (clockwise from the top) Leslie Amoils, Daniel Korbel, Daniel Miles, Darren Wolpert, Vincent Demuy and Nicolas L’Ecuyer. They earned this right at the 2012 Canadian National Team Championship (CNTC) with a victory over the Todd team (Bob Todd, Doug Fisher, Neil Kimelman, Don Pearsons, Jonathan Steinberg and David Sabourin).

When one looks back over a scorecard, sometimes a single hand emerges as a turning point of sorts. In the CNTC Final, it may well have been this hand. Toward the end of the second set, the match was tied when the players picked up:

Kimelman decided his hand was sufficiently lopsided to warrant a strong suit-oriented auction. His choice of 4♣ over Pearson’s 3♦ (rather than 3NT) got his side to the wrong spot.  Darren doubled and led a trump.  Declarer did the best he could by ruffing two hearts, but the defense was careful not to cash their heart winner before dislodging declarer’s second top diamond. That led to two down for +500.

At the other table the auction was completely different:

Despite holding four small spades and an Ace, Vincent respected his vulnerable opponent’s overcall enough that he chose a rather conservative pass.   As it turned out Nicolas had a perfect defensive hand and 3♠ drifted off three for +300 (Vincent was able to score two heart ruffs after overtaking the ♣K lead).

Todd must have been optimistic that his team had engineered a pick-up for -300 into +600 at the other table.  But it was not to be. In fact, the 13-IMP gain put Team Canada  well on its way to winning the match. 

Back to West’s pass of 3♠. As it turns out, bidding 3NT would have gained only 2 more IMPs while doubling would have netted just 3 more IMPs. Some days just turn out like that!

Early next week, the team will be off to Lille to battle against some of the best teams in the world. The competition begins on August 10th.