1989 Bermuda Bowl: Brazil World Champion

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Brazil Campeon 1989
Brazil Campeon 1989

Source: Kentucky New Era – 20 Sep 1990

This deal is from the 1989 Bermuda Bowl final between Brazil and the United States. It added to the Brazilians already substantial lead at a time when the Americans were hoping to make a comeback. That hope never materialized, and Brazil went on to capture the world title.

East Dealer None vulnerable

  K Q 4
A 10 8 7 5 4
Q J 10 5

 
10 9 8 7
K J 9 6 3
8 6 3
J
  6 5
Q
K 9 7 4 2
Q 7 6 5 2

A J 3 2
2
A
A K 10 9 8 4 3
 
     
West North East South
Pass 1 Pass 1
Pass 2 Pass 3
Pass 3NT Pass 6
The End      
       

Lead: 8

When Mike Lawrence and Kit Woolsey of the United States held the North-South cards, they reached six spades as shown. Woolsey’s second round jump-shift understandably caused Lawrence to think of slam. However, Lawrence had an awkward choice after Woolsey rebid three notrump.

Mello-Branco
Mello-Branco

He finally opted for six spades, even though he knew his partner had only four spades. Six spades is not an unreasonable contract, but the opening diamond lead – which knocked a vital entry out of the declarere’s hand – and the uneven divisions in the black suits gave Woolsey no chance.

He won the diamond lead with the ace, East following low, and ruffed a club with the queen of spades. The A-K-J of spades came next, but when the suit broke 4-2 and the queen of clubs didn’t fall the hand felt apart, and Woolsey finished down three.

At the other table, where Pedro Branco and Roberto Mello of Brazil were North-South, the bidding went:

West North East South
Pass 1 Pass 1
Pass 1 Pass 3
Pass 4 Pass 4
Pass 4NT Pass 5NT
Pass 6 The End  
       

Four notrump was Blackwood, and five notrump showed one ace and a void. With the jack of club falling on the first round of trumps, Mello had no trouble. He simply conceded a trump trick to East’s queen and easilly took the rest, scoring a 14 IMPs pickup for Brazil.