At the start of a major event everyone hopes for a few easy deals that will allow a player to settle in. The opening round of the Rosenblum was not so obliging:
Declarer took 12 tricks for +480, but it was a missed opportunity.
Declarer won the trump lead with the [S]9 and played the [D]10 to dummy’s queen. A spade to the ace was followed by a diamond to the ace and a diamond ruff, declarer then cashing the heart queen, drawing the outstanding trump and claiming when West discarded on the [H]10, an 11 IMP pick up for Black.
Would you like to play 7[S]?
If North is the declarer which happened in the match between Gupta and Juster, you avoid a potentially awkward diamond lead through the AQ (and were West to find a diamond lead declarer might well go down). The declarer Nystrom, did get a diamond lead – but that was from East and he had an easy ride to gain 11 IMPs.
Lavazza picked up 14 IMPs when Madala made 7[S] as South on a trump lead, their opponents stopping in 4[S] in the other room.
The old wives theory that slams always come in pairs was immediately proved on the next deal:
That scored +620.
Declarer won the heart lead, cashed the [C]A and ran the ten, recovering all but one of the IMPs that had been lost on the previous deal.
