2002 European Teams Championships Page 5 Bulletin 10 -Tuesday, 25 June  2002


Sweden vs Norway

Open Round 20

When this match was due on Sunday morning, Norway were enjoying a rather comfortable top spot in the rankings, whereas Sweden badly needed any V.P.'s they could get in order to bridge the 20-point gap that separated them from the top five. By tradition, the Nordic derbies are tightly fought matches, and this one proved no exception. In fact, not a single double-figure swing was recorded in this match, most of the swings coming from partscore decisions. Here are a few examples.

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

Open Room
West North East South
Brogeland Lindkvist Sælensminde Fredin
    1© Pass
1NT Pass 2§ All Pass

This looks pretty straightforward. The contract was made with an overtrick when North ducked his ©A twice. Norway +110.

Closed Room
West North East South
Gustawsson Grotheim Morath Aa
    1© Pass
Pass Dble Pass 1ª
All Pass      


BROGELAND Boye, Norway
  From the bidding in the Closed Room you can see that even on the most straightforward-looking boards swings can be created. This time, West passed his partner's opening bid. Taking into account that EW play limited openings from 11-16 hcp. This may be technically correct, but the other side of the coin was that it was easy for NS now to enter the auction and discover their spade fit. It did not matter any more if EW competed in clubs as 2ª can always be made. Norway thus scored another +110 and collected 6 precious IMPs.

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

Open Room
West North East South
Brogeland Lindkvist Sælensminde Fredin
      1§
Dble Redble 1ª Pass
Pass 2¨ All Pass  

This time, the Swedish system of light opening bids worked well. North could show both his strength and his diamonds without having to stretch, so the Swedes reached a very good contract which was made with an overtrick. Sweden +110.

Closed Room
West North East South
Gustawsson Grotheim Morath Aa
      Pass
1§ 3¨ Pass 3NT
All Pass      

When South did not open, Grotheim had to guess at which level he should intervene. Afetr the light jump to 3¨ Aa understandably went on to game, but this was not a success. Down two, +100 to Sweden and 5 precious IMPs.

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
  ª Q 8 6 5
© A 8 3
¨ Q 8
§ A 8 5 4
ª J 10 2
© K 9 5
¨ A 10 5
§ J 10 9 3
Bridge deal ª A K
© J 10 7 4 2
¨ J 9 6 4 2
§ 6
  ª 9 7 4 3
© Q 6
¨ K 7 3
§ K Q 7 2

Open Room
West North East South
Brogeland Lindkvist Sælensminde Fredin
Pass 1§ 1© Dble
2§ 2ª 3© All Pass

When the red suits broke friendly, declarer could make 9 tricks for +140 to Norway.

Closed Room
West North East South
Gustawsson Grotheim Morath Aa
Pass 1¨ 1© 1ª
2© 2ª 3© 3ª
All Pass      


FREDIN Peter, Sweden
  Here South competed once more at his second turn, as his counterpart in the Open Room might have done too. For NS, the layout of the trumps was very friendly, though the contract might still go down if EW find the club ruff. On a trump lead to the king and a heart continuation it was made when West played his ¨A on his partner's return of a diamond after winning the ªA. Norway another +140 and 7 IMPs.

Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
  ª K 5 4
© Q 9 7 6 5 2
¨ Q 3
§ J 9
ª Q J 9 3
© 4 3
¨ J 8 5
§ Q 10 4 2
Bridge deal ª A 10 7 6
© K 10
¨ 10 6 4 2
§ A K 5
  ª 8 2
© A J 8
¨ A K 9 7
§ 8 7 6 3

Open Room
West North East South
Brogeland Lindkvist Sælensminde Fredin
  Pass 1¨ Pass
1ª Pass 2ª All Pass

Though NS can make 3© neither of them was in a good position to take any action. Norway +110.

Closed Room
West North East South
Gustawsson Grotheim Morath Aa
  Pass 1NT Pass
Pass 2¨ Pass 2©
Pass Pass Dble Redble
3ª All Pass    

East's opening bid of 1NT gave NS the chance to enter the auction. East did well to reopen and West understandably jumped to 3ª. Going one down was the par result on the hand as 3© makes, but as the Norwegians had already beaten par at the other table, they chalked up another 5 IMPs to lead 27-12 at this point.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
  ª 10 9
© J 9 4
¨ Q J 9 8
§ Q J 4 2
ª A 8 6 2
© Q 10
¨ 10 6 5 2
§ 10 8 7
Bridge deal ª K J 7 5 3
© K 7 5 3 2
¨ A 3
§ 9
  ª Q 4
© A 8 6
¨ K 7 4
§ A K 6 5 3

Open Room
West North East South
Brogeland Lindkvist Sælensminde Fredin
      1§
Pass 1¨ 2§ Pass
4ª All Pass    

When East showed his major twosuiter, West just took a shot at game, holding two very useful honours. Well done, Norway +420.

Closed Room
West North East South
Gustawsson Grotheim Morath Aa
      1NT
Pass Pass 2§ Dble
Pass 3§ Pass Pass
Dble Pass 3ª All Pass

As the range of 2§ was wider in view of the auction here, West decided to adopt slower tactics. As a result, the reasonable game was not bid and Norway had scored another 6 IMPs.

The biggest swing of the match occurred on the very last hand.

Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
  ª 10 9 8 6 4
© K J 4
¨ Q 10 9
§ A Q
ª -
© 10 9 7 3 2
¨ A 6 4 3
§ K 8 7 6
Bridge deal ª A Q 5
© A Q 6
¨ K 8 7
§ 9 5 4 2
  ª K J 7 3 2
© 8 5
¨ J 5 2
§ J 10 3

Open Room
West North East South
Brogeland Lindkvist Sælensminde Fredin
Pass 1ª 1NT 3ª
Dble Pass 3NT All Pass

This was just asking too much: on a spade lead, the contract would make only if North held the ©KJ bare. When North happened to hold a small heart as well, three down was the outcome when declarer led a club to the king and ace near the end, and Sweden had collected +300.

Closed Room
West North East South
Gustawsson Grotheim Morath Aa
Pass 1ª Pass 3ª
All Pass      

Morath apparently did not judge his hand worth a vulnerable 1NT-overcall, so the Norwegians were allowed to go one down undoubled in 3ª for the loss of a further 100 and 9 IMPs. The final score: 41-21 or 19-11 V.P. to Norway. This would not do the Swedish chances to qualify any good, but at the same time meant another step towards qualification for Norway.



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