Semifinals: WBridge5 versus Micro Bridge  

WBridge5 picked up 86 IMPS in the first 16 boards and won its semifinal match against Micro Bridge convincingly.  Four deals from the first 16 boards helped to establish a big lead.

Board 2
Board 3
Board 10
Board 14

Board 26 saw Micro Bridge make a good decision to pick up 9 IMPs.
Board 26

Opening lead: K

West’s 6 was an excellent save and South gambled on making 6.  Having pushed WBridge5 to the six level, Micro Bridge East doubled and West, having some defense, didn’t take the save at 7. With East having a singleton space and the A, 6 was cold.  A big pickup for WBridge5 as Micro Bridge was down in 5 X at the other table.

Opening lead: 3

South won the K, ruffed a club, cashed the A, K, and with the drop of the Q, led the J pitching a spade as West ruffed. West cashed the A and returned a club.  South won and cashed the A.  West didn’t make the obligatory false card of the J or 10 so South had no choice but to lead a low heart, making 4. WBridge5 picked up 10 IMPS when Micro Bridge went down in 4 at the other table.

Opening lead: J

Declarer won the A and led a diamond to the A.  At first glance this seems wrong, but it possibly allows declarer to pick up the trump suit with one loser by guessing the suit layout correctly.  A, K, and Q which West ruffed and Declarer over-ruffed.  A diamond return dropped both honors and then Declarer guessed the location of the spade J, making 5. WBridge5 picked up 14 IMPs when Micro Bridge went down in 3NT.

* 12-14 hcp

Opening lead: 10

East won the K and returns a low spade.  North pitched a low diamond and the J.  Now South cashed the K and A, and led the Q, 9, A, 8, and led a diamond to the J, making 3NT even if the diamond honors are reversed (East cannot have both A and the Q, and declarer was careful not to cash the Q so that even if declarer guesses the diamond position wrong the opponents cannot cash the J).  The best return at trick two was a low heart.  However declarer cashes three hearts retaining a heart entry in the South hand, and plays K and club to the 10. If the club loses to the J, then the A is marked with West and declarer still comes to nine tricks.

Opening lead: 2

Micro Bridge gains 9 IMPs when South routinely reopened with a Dbl and North passed.  Micro Bridge took the obvious seven tricks on defense for +500.  At the other table WBridge5 did not reopen with a double, a clear mistake, and then slipped in the defense for only +100.