1978 WBF World Open Pair Championship – New Orleans, LA by Peter Nagy
World Bridge Crown Won by Brazilians. Marcelo C. Branco and Gabino Cintra of Brazil have won the world bridge championship. They came from behind in the final session to edge out Montrealers Eric Kokish and Peter Nagy who had led after all the three earlier rounds of the finals. Branco and Cintra were the world team Olympiad champion Brazilian team in 1976.
As mentioned above, sometimes hands are culled from the Championship books, and even published many years later. This hand was published in 1991 (Winnipeg article), featuring another hand of direct combat between the Canadians and the Brazilians.
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A K 5 4
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Neither Vulnerable, dador Sur
| Oeste | Norte | Este | Sur |
| Pass | |||
| 1NT | 2 |
2 |
3 |
| 3NT | 4 |
Pass | Pass |
| Dbl | Pass | Pass | Pass |
Openning Lead: K
Branco and Cintra won the World Open Pairs Championship in 1978. On this deal from that event, they bested their nearest challengers, Peter Nagy and Eric Kokish of Canada.
West’s opening bid of one no trump was weak, North’s two clubs was a takeout for the major suits and East’s bid of two hearts showed shortness there. After South, Cintra, bid a suit he actually had, West’s three no trump asked partner to pick a minor, but with the big heart fit revealed, wild horses could not have stopped North from contracting for game. West, looking at the ace-king of trumps and a side ace opposite a partner who had shown values, could not be faulted for doubling.
The defenders did as well as they could, but it was not good enough. West led the king of hearts and shifted to a spade. Declarer won in dummy and, since there was no fast entry to the closed hand to lead a club toward dummy, led the king of clubs.
In with the ace, West cashed the ace of trumps, then reverted to a spade, won on the board. A spade was discarded on the queen of clubs and luck smiled on declarer when spades broke evenly – a spade ruff set up a long card in that suit. The only loser that remained on the table was a club, and declarer still had a trump in hand to take care of it. Making four-odd doubled.