Open Series - Round 11

On Thursday early afternoon, the Rama match of course had to be Poland v. France. Somewhere else on the premises, however, another important match was in progress: Bulgaria v. Greece. Below, we are presenting highlights from both matches. For the sake of convenience, we will go through the boards in numerical order while reporting the things of any interest at either table.

Board 2 produced a big swing in the Rama match when the popular contract of 2© doubled was let through:

Session 11. Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	ª 8 6 4 © 10 6 ¨ 9 8 7 4 § K Q 10 2
ª 5 2 © K 8 7 4 2 ¨ A K 5 2 § 6 4		ª AQ J 10 3 © 9 ¨ Q J 10 3 § J 7 3
	ª K 9 7 © A Q J 5 3 ¨ 6 § A 9 8 5

In both our matches, as well as at many other tables around here, East opened 1ª and South overcalled 2©. When this came round to East again, he doubled and West sat it. This contract should go down one, but it needs careful defence. West can either continue diamonds or spades after leading a top diamond, but if he plays spades East should play the ten to keep communications intact. In the Closed Room of the Rama match, Lesniewski took the ªA at trick two and returned the queen, but now Quantin, after winning the ªK, could cross to dummy twice in clubs and ruff two diamonds in hand before playing a third club which Martens ruffed. Now what should he do? If he returns a fourth diamond, declarer can ruff with the jack and exit with another club. If West ruffs this, he will have only trumps left; if East ruffs it he can cash spades, but West will have to ruff his partner´s winner and return a trump into the AQ after all. Neither did it help West to return a trump, as he did at the table; the nine was taken by the jack and the AQ would certainly score as well with East no longer able to lead a trump through.

Please note the difference if East plays the 10 to the first spade trick. Now West can ruff the third club and still reach his partner to cash a spade and lead a trump through. There are variations, but they are bound to lead to one down as well.

So France scored 670 and 200 to lead 13-0.

A board of general interest was board 6:

Session 11. Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
	ª 5 4 © K 7 6 4 3 2 ¨ Q J 9 § A 9
ª K Q 3 © A Q 10 8 ¨ - § K J 6 5 4 2		ª A J 9 8 2 © J 9 5 ¨ A 7 § 10 8 7
	ª 10 7 6 © - ¨ K 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 § Q 3

Bulgaria v. Greece

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Skoularikis	Karaivanov	Zotos	Trendafilov
		Pass	3¨
Dble	4¨	4ª	5¨
Pass	Pass	Dble	All Pass

A cheap save by the Bulgarians for 300 only when their opponents did not go any further, though 5ª can be made.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Mihov	Kapayannidis	Nanev	Liarakos
		1ª	3¨
4§	5¨	Dble	Pass
5ª	Pass	Pass	6¨
Pass	Pass	Dble	All Pass

Here, the Bulgarians did go on to 5ª so the Greeks had to save at the six-level. They correctly did so, but the extra undertrick was still worth 200 or 5 IMP´s to Bulgaria.

On Rama, we saw a pretty auction:

Poland v. France

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Palau	Pszczola	Allegrini	Kwiecien
		Pass	2ª
3§	3¨	3ª	4© (!)
4ª	Pass	Pass	5¨
Pass	Pass	5ª	All Pass

Kwiecien´s 2ª showed a preempt in either minor or a weak major twosuiter. When Palau overcalled in clubs, Pszczola could show a diamond fit with some confidence. When Allegrini showed his spades, Kwiecien found the wonderful bid of 4©. He explained it as a cuebid to Palau (it cannot possibly be a suit, of course), and at the other side of the screen Pszczola told his opponents that they had no agreements, but that he expected the bid to have some lead-directing values.

The French then went on to 5ª, but Allegrini´s line of play made it clear that he had not for a second thought of the possibility of4© showing a heart void. He ruffed the diamond lead high, played the ªQ and then finessed the ª10 through North. So Kwiecien won a surprise trick, but when he returned a low club to partner´s ace, Pszczola was quick to play back a heart for his partner to ruff. One down, Poland +100.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Martens	Multon	Lesniewski	Quantin
		Pass	4¨
Pass	5¨	All Pass

Here, Quantin completely shut out the opponents when he decided to open 4¨. Multon raised to game, with his good trump support, and there it rested. One down for -50 looked a fine result for France indeed, but it only served to keep the adverse swing to 4 IMP´s only.

Board 8 looked like a little partscore, but it brought a wide range of scores:

Session 11. Board 8. Dealer West. None Vul.
	ª Q J © K 6 5 3 ¨ 4 2 § K Q !0 7 6
ª A 9 7 3 2 © Q 10 ¨ A K 10 § 8 5 3		ª K © 9 7 2 ¨ Q J 8 6 5 3 § 9 4 2
	ª 10 8 6 5 4 © A J 8 4 ¨ 9 7 § A J

Bulgaria v. Greece

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Skoularikis	Karaivanov	Zotos	Trendafilov
1ª	Pass	2§	Pass
2¨	Pass	Pass	2©
3¨	3©	All Pass

Against this contract, West led the ªA. This brought down the king as well, so Skoularikis first cashed the ¨K before continuing with a spade for partner to ruff. Back came a diamond, and the next spade was ruffed in dummy with the king. Declarer then took the heart finesse, losing to the queen, and on the next spade East was able to ruff with the nine, thus promoting partner´s ©10 into the second undertrick.. Greece +100.

Fotis Skoularikis, Greece

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Mihov	Kapayannidis	Nanev	Liarakos
1ª	All Pass

Nobody had anything to add to Mihov`s 1ª opening, but the Greeks once again had the last laugh when this contract also went two down. Greece +100 and 5 IMP´s to them.

On Rama, the auctions in both rooms were identical, but the play made a difference of four tricks.

Poland v. France

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Palau	Pszczola	Allegrini	Kwiecien
1ª	Pass	1NT	All Pass

Lead: ª6. Tricks: 8, France +120.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Martens	Multon	Lesniewski	Quantin
1ª	Pass	1NT	All Pass

Lead: ©4. Tricks: 4, France +150 and 7 IMP´s to them.

The next board was a cold slam, but apparently difficult to reach, as you can see from the four auctions below:

Session 11. Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	ª A © 10 6 ¨ A K Q 10 7 6 § 6 5 4 3
ª Q J 6 5 3 © 9 8 7 4 2 ¨ J § J 2		ª K 9 7 2 © Q J ¨ 5 3 § A 10 9 8 7
	ª 10 8 4 © A K 5 3 ¨ 9 8 4 2 § K Q

Bulgaria v. Greece