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		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		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		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		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		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		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.