Self Restraint
By WBF In 15th World Bridge Series, Articles On 30th September 2018
There was no time for the players to catch their collective breaths at the start of the fourth session of the finals – this was the opening deal:
What do you think of South’s 3
? He was more than likely to have three red suit losers and even if his partner held a doubleton spade there was no guarantee the suit would break.
He got his reward when West doubled and East decided to defend. There were only four tricks for the defence, +530, just the start China Evertrust must have hoped for.
Declarer ruffed the opening spade lead and played two rounds of diamonds, taking ten tricks but losing the same number of IMPs.
In the Rosenblum both EW pairs bid to 5
, were doubled and went one down.
In the McConnell team Baker lost 300 in 5 doubled – South led a top spade and declarer ruffed with dummy’s heart seven. After two rounds of diamonds South won, cashed a club and played another spade. Declarer ruffed with the 10 and played a diamond, but South could overruff declarer and play another spade, putting North’s 6 into the game.
However, at the other table the contract was 5
doubled and East had to find a lead after this auction:
Notice that here too South was content to bid 3.
When East led the 
J it was all over, +550 and 6 IMPs to Baker.
