3rd/4th Playoff - Poland

After one night's rest, the 4 finalists have to do battle again, USA and Italy in a 96 board final, Poland against Singapore in a 64 board playoff for bronze medal. The playoff for third/fourth placing have always been a topic of contention in all sports. The idea is that after a straining semifinal, how would the losers be able to recover emotionally to play to their fullest abilities.

We had no shortage of motivation for the playoff. During breakfast, the American NPC, Bobby Rosen approached us and commended us on our excellent performance against them. Indeed, it was after that night that everyone finally acknowledged we can play and taking notice of us. We would do well to win Asia's first ever medal at the World Youth Championships.

Let me detract with a little story, in the Korean PABF 2005, we entered the last match of the tournament against Chinese Taipei. We needed at least 9 VPs and they needed a big win to overtake us. Our pair finished first with a scorecard that looked about average, no real disasters but not the best we ever had. Well, we were waiting at the lobby for our other pair to come out. Liyu (who wasn't playing) and us were discussing and awaiting when we saw the Taipei players come running out of the other room, looking for his teammates to compare scores. Liyu's comment then was one I will never forget: 'Forget it, we lost.. they wanted it more'

It is true the desire to win is very important. In our playoff match, we had all the desire and motivation to win. Poland , on the other hand, was visibly deflated, there was no burning desire to win. After all, most of the team already have a gold (2003) and a silver (2005) medal at previous World Youth Championships. You can understand why they aren't looking forward to collecting a bronze medal to complete their 'collection'.

Do not be mistaken that the Polish players did not play well. They are all professional players who have been playing for several years and are proven to be technically among of the best around. Indeed, the match against them was beyond doubt one of the most well played in the whole tournament. It was a great learning experience in terms of card play and bidding technique. The reason we won was that whatever they did, we matched them and came up with even more.

Poland started with a 2 imp carryover and extended that in the first board but we took the lead on the second board and poured it on from then on. Winning all 4 segments, we didn't look back and won with a very flattering 186-100 in imps.

Well, there are quite a number of interesting boards so I will only pick a few personal favourites to comment on:

♠ Q 9 5 4
♥ 6
♦ A K 9 6 4 3
♣ J 5


♠ A K J T 2
♥ Q T 9 8 5
♦ -
♣ A 9 7

This was the board we took the lead. You reach 6S by South and was fortunate to get a D lead. Plan the play.

Liyu was at helm in this contract and perhaps reminded of his misplay against the Polish in the RR, he made no mistakes on this one.

Whether you elect to take the ace or to ruff the lead, the correct play on the second trick must be a H. In fact, Liyu took the ace , pitching a club and played a H immediately, he soon was able to establish the H while throwing his club losers on the D. West had:

♠ 6
♥ K 7 2
♦ J T 8 5 2
♣ Q 6 4 2

At our table, our opps were in 4S, making only 11 tricks on a club lead (no way to 12 tricks after a club or trump lead). 13 imps for us.

Poon Hua judged well to earn us a swing on the following:

All Vul,

♠ -
♥ K Q 9 7 2
♦ A Q J 8
♣ Q T 3 2

RHO opened 3S, you double (a pressure bid), LHO raise to 4S and partner doubles. Do you bid?

His winning move is to pull the double to 4NT, 5D goes 1 off but 4S x is cold. When the opp at the other table elected to leave the double in , it was soon 12 imps for us.

You may recall the Polish are very pushy slam bidders so the following hand is quite a rarity:

♠ T 9 8 5
♥ A 4
♦ T 7 5
♣ K T 8 7


♠ A K Q J
♥ 2
♦ A K
♣ Q J 9 6 5 2

With South dealer, what contract would you reach?

Alex and Fabian did faboulously to reach the cold 6C on such minimal values. When the Polish pair stopped in 4S (theoritcally right since there is a club ruff) , we had 10 imps.

♠ 7 3
♥ Q J 9 7 3 2
♦ K
♣ T 9 7 6


♠ A K 4
♥ A K
♦ T 6 5
♣ J 8 4 3 2

South deals, what would you be in?

When the Polish pair at our table reached 4H on the above hand, there were some worries about an adverse swing. Alex and Fabian was up to the task and reached the thin vulnerable game too. When clubs were 2-2, it was an honourable push!

♠ A 8 5
♥ 5 4
♦ K 6 3 2
♣ Q J 8 2

♠ Q T 9 6 4
♥ A K Q 6
♦ A 8
♣ A T

This was probably the hand Poon Hua remembered most. We bidded to 6S by South.
On the D Jack lead, East drops the Q, You take the ace and play the Q of S, West contributing the Jack. Plan your play (East will return a club)


This is a beautiful hand in terms of technique. Suppose you take the D Q to be a true card, you can make the contract either on a finesse or on a squeeze. If you take the club King to be onside, a simple finesse suffices. However, if the club King is on your left (as it is at the table), the winning play is to unblock the 8 of S, Suppose East wins the K, you win the club return, cash 2 H and ruff a H with the ace. Next you draw trumps with the aid of the finesse of the 6 and squeeze West in the minors. The variations are similar if East refuse to take the S King.

When partner played the 5 of S, he couldn't get back to hand to draw trump and so went one off on the finesse.

In the fourth segment, the Polish team threatened a comeback but the following hand put paid to their chances:

♠ K Q 4 2
♥ 9
♦ 7 6 3
♣ A K 6 4 3


♠ J T 8 7 5
♥ A Q T 7 6 4
♦ J 2
♣ -

After West opens 1H, North dbls, East jumps to 5C (Natural) and you end up in 5S, dbled by West. (5S was a dubious bid given the state of the match)

You are lucky to escape a D lead, West led a club and you cashed 2 clubs, throwing 2 D from your hand. West ruffs the second club and belatedly tried to cash a top D. Plan your play.

In order to make the hand, you need East to have a singleton K,J or 8 of H. Thus you play accordingly: ruff the D switch and lead a trump.

Say West takes the ace and plays another D, you need to be very careful. Unblock the Q of S under West's Ace, ruff the D. Cash the ace of H, dropping East's high H (say the 8), lead the Q of H , covered, ruffed, small trump to your T. T of H, covered, ruffed again and another small trump to your Jack, drawing the last trump and your hand is high. The play goes along the same line if West returns a trump. Note that it is essential to unblock the S honour if West started with 4 trumps.

On the actual layout, West had 3 trumps and East the Sgl K of H. So I quickly wrap up 11 tricks and +850 and 13 imps when our teammates went one off in 5C.

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When the match ended, you can sense the relief we had. Indeed, most of us were already brain-dead,zombie-like by then. Imagine playing 10 continous days of bridge.... In the final, the Americans were brushing aside the Italians, leading by 100 imps at the end of 64 boards and 96 after 80 boards. However, the Italians showed their mettle and put up one of the most astonishing comebacks in bridge history, outscoring the Americans (a full strength one at that) 82 - 1 over the last 16 boards.

Thus, the Americans held on, surviving 2 comebacks in the knockout stages to claim their second consecutive title and their third in 4 years. Worthy winners for sure!

For an account of the match and also to other very good posts by Justin Lall:

http://squeezingthedummy.blogspot.com/