Double game swings are rare no matter what form of bridge you are playing. If you’re playing team (KO or Swiss), these swings can be devastating to one side or the other. The old rub for IMP play is: Keep away from double-digit minus scores. Check out what happened at a recent Swiss Team.
vul: Both
dealer: North
» the bidding for hand a
N: Pass
E: Pass
S: 1 ♦
W: 1 ♠
N: 3 ♦
E: Dbl (responsive)
S: Pass
W: 4 ♠
N: Pass
E: Pass
S: Dbl
W: Pass
N: Pass
E: Pass
» The bidding for hand b
N: 3 ♣
E: Pass
S: 3 ♦
W: 4 ♠
N: 5 ♦
E: Dbl
S: Pass
W: Pass
the play
table a: east/west played 4 ♠ doubled
1. North led the ♥ Ace, 3 by East, 6 from South and Declarer the 2.
2. North then led the ♦ Jack, 4 from East, Queen by South, 2 from Declarer.
3. South led the ♥ Queen, 7 from West, North trumped with the ♠ 5, and 4 from East.
4. North then led the ♣ 2, King from East, 8 from South and Queen from Declarer.
5. Declarer now played the ♠ Queen from Dummy, South the King, West the Ace and
North the Jack.
6. Declarer led the ♠ 10, picking up the remaining trumps and making 4 ♠s doubled for plus 790.
the play
table b: north/south played 5 ♦ doubled
1. West led the ♥ 7, Ace from North, 5 from East and Declarer the 6.
2. The ♣ 2 was led from Dummy, 9 from East, 8 from Declarer, Queen West (Declarer was preparing a Dummy Reversal).
3. West continued with the ♥ 10, ruffed in Dummy with the ♦ 7.
4. The ♣ 4 was led and ruffed with the ♦ Ace in hand.
5. The ♦ 3 to Dummy’s 9.
6. The ♣ 5 was ruffed by ♦ King.
7. ♦ 5 to Dummy’s 10.
8. The ♣ 6 is ruffed with ♦ Queen.
9. Dummy is entered with the ♦ 9 and the last two ♣s are cashed, completing the Dummy reversal and taking 11 tricks–five ♦s doubled and made for plus 750.
note: A game could be bid, doubled and made from both sides of the table: 17 IMPs and a Swiss match win for one team.
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