Potent Deals
By WBF In 15th World Bridge Series, Articles On 7th October 2018
The last set of the Mixed teams was action packed. With three deals remaining Manfield led 109-81. Wilson must have suspected they were behind and both pairs were pushing hard.
On Board 26 both teams reached 6
with 
KQ3 
KJ10964 
J64 J opposite A87 A A83 AK10762, but West held 106 Q53 10972 Q853 and the essential diamond lead was found at both tables – one down and no swing.
On 27 North-South’s combined holding was 965 10732 KJ862 2 facing AQ1083 A9 A AK864. Chip Martel made an interesting observation on BBO. After 2*-2*-2North jumped to 4,a splinter in support of spades. Chip pointed out that it is possible to use 3NT to show an unspecified splinter with three-card support ,so that a jump to the four-level always has four card support.
On a good day clubs will behave and East will hold a doubleton spade king, but this time West held K42 KQ4 Q7 QJ1093 and the 6 reached in the Closed Room was hopeless, so Manfield collected 11 IMPs by stopping in game.
6 was unbeatable.
When the opponents overcall your Roman Keycard ask, you can use double to show 0/3/5 keycards, with Pass promising 1/4 and the next two cheapest suits to show 2 keycards, the higher also promising the trump queen.
6 was a great save, and although declarer lost two trump tricks, one via a ruff, the other by failing to drop the then singleton king, it was still a great way to finish for the new World Mixed Team Champions.
