| 45th GENERALI European Bridge Championships, Arona, Tenerife, Canary Islands | Monday, 25 June 2001 |
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Russia vs Austria Open Series - Round 17 At a certain moment on Friday afternoon, Austria all of a sudden were enjoying 3rd place in the standings. In the last match of the day, they suffered a temporary setback, losing to Lebanon 24-6. Was that some sort of omen for them with regard to their two matches on Saturday? And look at their task: play Russia and Italy in successive matches, the latter match being displayed live on Rama as well. Thus, it was only proper they could start the Saturday with a bye. They would not be left in peace for a single moment, however,
in their first match. The action started right on the very first
board.
The off-shape notrump opening did not work out very well. Petrunin could double for penalties and show a very good spade suit when 2§, which promised nothing but only denied any willingness to play 1NT, ran round to him. Gromov´s values were more than enough to make 3NT a fair bet, and so it proved. Two aces and seven spades were all that was needed. When the defenders played for the only possibility to set the contract, throwing their hearts, two overtricks were made. Russia +460.
3© showed the 5-5 and 4ª denied any diamond strength, so West jumped straight to slam. Even without the ©10 in the combined E/W hands, the slam is just odds-on and was duly made. Austria +980.
4¨ showed shortness, so when it was doubled Zlotov, holding a not very good-looking ¨Kxx, decided to call it a day. Russia +450 when declarer played safely. The match was level again. Two boards later it was slam time again.
On the lead of the ©K, there would have been 12 tricks had East held ©Jxxx and West ©KQx. As it was, Petrunin had to settle for 11 tricks, Russia +650.
When North managed to conjure up an opening bid on this collection, the pattern changed completely. In fact, add the ©J to the North hand and the slam is pretty good. On a heart lead, the suit might have been distributed favourably as we pointed out just now, but East led the §Q ending declarer´s aspirations. One down, Russia +100 and back in the lead with this 13-IMP swing. Please note that West followed suit with a low card when hearts were led from dummy for the first time: he knew what he was doing! The Austrians drew the match exactly level for the second time
on this one:
2ª showed a weak twosuiter, but North was not interested. South led the ªJ, which ran round to declarer´s queen when North played low! After that, Lindermann could establish his diamonds and come to eight tricks. Austria +120.
Here, 2¨ was either a weak two in hearts or a weak twosuiter with spades. When East overcalled 3¨ only, North ventured 3ª and was raised by opener. East led the ©A, not the happiest choice, and switched to the ¨K. When both black suits behaved declarer did not have too much trouble to come to 10 tricks. Austria another +620 and 13 IMP´s. On the next board, the issue was how specific the partnership
agreements on the meaning of Double after a strong club and an
overcall are:
With the trumps 5-0, this contract could not be made as declarer could come to his hand in time to take the diamond finesse for his 10th trick. Russia +50.
Here, Zlotov could correct 4© to 4ª, and this contract easily made when the hearts, and not the spades, were 5-0. Fortunate, but controlled bidding as well, it seems. Russia +450 and 11 IMP´s to take the lead for the third time in the match. On board 11 the Russians in the Open Room overbid to a slam on a reasonable trump break, a good guess and a finesse. Justice was done when this was asking just too much…Austria +50 to add to +420 from the other table. The Russian lead had shrunk to the odd imp now. The next board was another slam, this time an easy 6§ or 6NT
bid at both tables, and then came:
The old-fashioned gambling 3NT effectively shut out everyone. Austria +630.
Much more action in the Closed Room, where 3NT was not available to start proceedings. After 3§, Schifko found a double and Kholomeev had an easy redouble. Schifko then ran to 3¨ and Gloyer introduced his hearts. Zlotov´s 3NT now very much suggested a solid suit after all, so why should Kholomeev double 4©? Opposite a solid suit there are 10 easy tricks. As it happened, 4© was just one off, so the Austrians had picked up another 10 IMP´s and thus took the lead for the first and only time in the match. A few boards later, both teams reached the proper contract, but
the play made the difference when Gromov took a precaution missed
at the other table:
Guided by partner´s double, Lindermann made the good lead of the ¨Q, covered by king and ace. The ¨J followed and a third diamond was ruffed by declarer with the seven after a long huddle. Of course, Gromov could by no means be sure that East would follow suit a third time. His next move was to draw trumps in such a way that the risk of a lethal uppercut would be minimised. His solution was as simple as it was effective: he crossed to dummy´s §A and led a low trump from the board. As it was East who held the ©A as well as the third trump, Gromov´s problems were soon over when the ©A won the second round of the trump suit and the ªJ was continued. Well played for a well-deserved +420 to Russia. Please note that 4ª will go down on the same lead of the ¨Q as
declarer will be fatally shortened immediately. Interesting to
see that once again it was all about choosing the correct major
suit in which to bid game.
Proper contract at the other table as well, and an even better lead by Zlotov who found the same ¨Q lead without a double to help him. Same play, but declarer ruffed the third round of diamonds with the nine. This would not have caused him a problem, but when his next move was to play the ©J from hand he found himself in trouble when West won the ace and led another diamond. Ruffing with the seven now would have seen the contract home after all, but when declarer discarded a spade, East could insert the ©6 to force dummy´s queen and to promote West´s ©108 to a second trump trick and thus defeat the contract. Russia +50 and 10 IMP´s back to take the lead yet again. On board 17, Austria scored two IMP´s to level the match
for a third time, but then came:
When Gromov doubled 5© to show where his values lay and thus discourage his partner, Petrunin was quick to realise that he had better bury his aspirations. As a consequence, he quickly doubled 5ª which went two off, Russia +300.
Look at the difference it made when Gloyer refrained from doubling 5©! Now, his partner was really tempted to go to six and that was one too many. Russia another +100 and 9 IMP´s, back in the lead for a fifth time. And there it rested, the final result being 56-46 or 17-13 V.P. to Russia. Austria had done well enough to go into the encounter against Italy with confidence. |
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