The Netherlands v. Sweden

Seniors Series - Round 4

With so many events going on here simultaneously, it´s only proper to divert from the Open Teams and the Ladies Teams at times to have a look at the other events taking place. That´s why our reporters set off on Friday morning to watch the Seniors match between The Netherlands and Sweden. Right on the very first deal it was made clear to us once again what a wonderful game we are involved in.

Board 1, Dealer North, None Vul.
	ª K Q 10 8 2 © Q 3 ¨ A 8 4 2 § 9 7
ª J 7 6 5 3 © K J 8 4 ¨ K 5 § A 10		ª A 4 © 10 9 7 6 ¨ 7 3 § K 8 6 5 2
	ª 9 © A 5 2 ¨ Q J 10 9 6 § Q J 4 3

At both tables, North was declaring 3¨. This looks a straight-forward enough contract, and indeed in the Closed Room it was when declarer simply took the diamond finesse to land his contract. Sweden +130.

In the Open Room, East led a club, won by West who shifted to a low spade. Declarer, Jan Willem Bomhof made as good a shot as any by running this to the nine in dummy. East won the ace and this time shifted to a heart. Declarer now seized his extra chance: ©A, ¨Q overtaken by the ace when it was not covered, and two top spades to ditch the losing hearts. When East could ruff the second top spade with his low trump, yet another an ice-cold contract had gone down. Sweden +50 and 5 IMP´s.

Two boards later the Dutch struck back when the weak NT could easily be dealt with by E/W:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Ekberg	Bomhof	Alfredsson	Englander
			1¨
Pass	1ª	Pass	1NT
Pass	2ª	All Pass

Well, this auction was about silencing your LHO at the proper time. As it happened, both South and North managed to do so in quite natural fashion. After the 1¨-opening West could not make any sensible move, whereas East was shut out when North responded 1ª. A balancing double of 2ª would have saved the day for Sweden, but when Ekberg stayed quiet a vulnerable game was missed. Down only two, Sweden +100.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Rebattu	Hallén	Van Oppen	Backström
			1NT
Dble	2ª	Dble	All Pass

This time, the weak NT turned out a dubious weapon. Playing a natural defence against it, it was easy enough for both West and East to venture an opinion about their opponents´ bids. The penalty was 500 when the contract went down three. The Netherlands +9 IMP´s.

Near the end of the match (the Seniors are playing three 14-board matches a day) the difference between the strong and the weak NT again caused a swing, be it a peculiar one.

Board 11, Dealer South, None Vul.
	ª 10 8 2 © 9 8 5 3 ¨ Q 7 5 § Q 7 4
ª A 5 3 © Q 6 4 ¨ 9 8 6 § J 10 3 2		ª K 9 7 6 © A 10 7 ¨ J 10 2 § A 6 5
	ª Q J 4 © K J 2 ¨ A K 4 3 § K 9 8

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Ekberg	Bomhof	Alfredsson	Englander
			1NT
All Pass

This was easy going: The Netherlands +120.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Rebattu	Hallén	Van Oppen	Backström
			1¨
Pass	Pass	Dble	Pass
1©	All Pass

Well, what should East do in fourth seat? It´s close between double and 1NT.
Well, what should West do after East´s double? Our West made the rather obvious choice of the cheapest bid available, no doubt hoping partner would rebid something. As it happened, he was left in a nice 3-3 fit. The advantage was, of course, that the defence did not know this…

North led a diamond and the defenders cashed their three tricks in the suit. Back came a club from North, ducked to South´s king. With no good alternative available, South returned the suit and declarer cashed two tricks in it. Next came three rounds of spades so South was on play again as he understandably did not unblock both his jack and queen. Down to the 13th diamond and all his three hearts, what should he do? Double-dummy it´s easy to see that only a heart honour beats the contract, as it will prevent declarer from scoring his ©10 separately. When South returned his low heart instead, this ran to the 10, after which the ©Q became an extra trick when declarer led his last spade. Contract made, The Netherlands another +80 and 5 IMP´s.

The hypo-Moysian 3-3 fit phantom remained present at this table, as this was the next board:

Board 12, Dealer West, North-South Vul.
	ª A K 7 © Q 10 9 ¨ A § A K J 7 5 4
ª 3 2 © A J 8 3 2 ¨ K Q J 9 2 § 8		ª 10 9 8 6 5 © K 5 ¨ 10 8 6 4 § 10 6
	ª Q J 4 © 7 6 4 ¨ 7 5 3 § Q 9 3 2

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Ekberg	Bomhof	Alfredsson	Englander
1©	Dble	Pass	2§
2¨	3NT	All Pass

In the Open Room, Nico Englander did not bother to mention his best suit in reply to partner´s take-out double. This turned out to be an excellent idea as it enabled Bomhof to jump to 3 NT without any further ado. The Netherlands +630.

Please note that there are nine tricks available for E/W in diamonds.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Rebattu	Hallén	Van Oppen	Backström
1©	Dble	Pass	1ª
2¨	3¨	Pass	3ª
Pass	4ª

Another reminiscence to Werner Herbert, very much a senior by now, at the other table. Once again, the response to the take-out double was made on the cheapest three-card suit available. Of course, we all know that from time to time one has to make bids like that, but once again it led to a pretty strange contract. Four Spades went down four, The Netherlands thus picking up another +400 or 14 IMP´s.

A similar auction we saw on Rama in the Israel v. Norway match:

Closed Rama Room
West	North	East	South
Yaldin D.	Aa	Yaldin I.	Groetheim
2©	Dble	Pass	2ª
Pass	3ª	Pass	4ª
All Pass

As the Herbst brothers duly reached 5§ to be played by South in the Open Room and made it when West made the natural opening lead of the ¨K, Israel too gained a similar 14-IMP swing.

On the board to follow, the Dutch pair in the Closed Room had a bidding misunderstanding which led to the wrong contract. They ended up in 5§ which could not be made.

Board 13, Dealer North, Both Vul.
	ª J 7 © J 9 4 ¨ Q 10 9 8 7 6 § 8 6
ª A Q 9 5 © Q 7 5 2 ¨ - § Q J 5 4 3		ª 10 4 © K 8 3 ¨ A K J 4 2 § A 9 7
	ª K 8 6 3 2 © A 10 6 ¨ 5 3 § K 10 2

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Ekberg	Bomhof	Alfredsson	Englander
	Pass	1¨	Pass
1©	Pass	1NT	Pass
3NT	All Pass

As 3NT presented no problems the Swedes recouped 13 IMP´s here, but the match was still won 37-24, or 18-12 V.P., by The Netherlands.