1979, 24th Bermuda Bowl en Rio de Janeiro
This was Board 8 of the first U.S.-Australia match. shown on Vu-Graph:
Dealer: West Vul None
 K 3 K 9 7 A 8 6 3 J 8 5 4 |
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| J 7 4 Q 5 Q 9 7 5 Q 7 6 2 |
Q 9 6 2 A J 2 K 4 2 K 9 3 |
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| A 10 8 5 10 8 6 4 3 J 10 A 10 |
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South made 8. tricks, and this was considered as a fair result for Australia who scored 110.
In the open room the italians were more aggressive.
| Open Room | |||
| West | North | East | South |
| Cummings | Lauria | Seres | Garozzo |
| Pass | Pass | 1 |
Dbl |
| 2 |
Dbl | Pass | 2 |
| Pass | 3 |
Pass |
3 |
| Pass |
4 |
The end | |
West led’ the 2 and South’s 10 won the first trick when East elected not to, sacrifice his K at trick 1, Garozzo had little hope to win, and with some resignation he led a trump to dummy’s 9 but Seres, East, was quick to seize his opportunity. He cashed J and A and led a third round of trumps, leaving declarer with 8 tricks, down two, and this was 5 IMP to Australia.
Sitting at the commentators’ desk with Edgar Kaplan I was not happy with South’s play. I told Edgar that perhaps there might be some play for the contract, but Edgar felt that a total of nine tricks was the limit, and, indeed, I could not give him evidence to the contrary.
Still unsatisfied, I decided to phone Geza Ottlik, the inventor of so many extraordinary plays and author of the no less extraordinary new book, “Adventures in Card Play”.
I for once obtained a rapid connection with Budapest.
Besse: Hello Geza, this is Jean Besse speaking from Rio.
Ottlik: Hell. It’s 4 a.m. here
Besse: Sorry, I forgot the time shift, so much was I worried with Board 8.
Ottlik: Are you going to discuss a hand at FOUR am.?
Besse: Come on, Geza time is money. These were the cards. West led a club won by the 10 at Carozzo’s 4 contract.
Ottlik: Come on, Jean. Didn’t you, EVER read chapter 7 of my book?
Besse: Humm,. Yes, I suppose. What is it about?
Ottlik: Elopment. Not girls elopenrent, trump elopement. If you had just applied this technique, dear Jean, you would have spared both your money and your sleep.
Besse: Do you mean that South could win 4? How?
Ottlik; Easy, so easy. Just cash the 10 and A, then run the 10. East wins the K. Say he leads a club. You ruff, lead to dummy’s A, ruff a diamond, go to dummy with the K and lead a fourth diamond in this position:
| 3 K 9 7 8 J |
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| J 7 Q 5 Q Q |
Q 9 6 A J 2 |
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| A 10 8 10 8 6 |
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East is helpless, If he discards a spade, you ruff, play the A and ruff a small spade. Now North’s fourth club kills the defense. Should East ruff with the J, you discard a spade. Now you are home..free and clear.
Besse: But when East wins the’ diamond he need not help you with a club. He may, for example, lead a spade.
Ottlikc: No worry: Win with the A, then A, diamond ruff, K and a club ruff, third spade ruff in dummy and another club ruff in hand. East discards a spade as he wouldn’t gain anything by ruffing with the jack, That brings about the following, 3 card ending:
| K 9 8 |
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| Q 5 Q |
A J 2 |
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| 10 10 8 |
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South plays the 10 and, as you may easily work out, the defense is again helpless.
Besse Thank you, Geza, and sleep well.
Ottlik: All ‘right, Jean, and advise Benito to read my book.