Poland vs Spain

Open Round 23

When this match was played on Monday afternoon, both teams were within the top five of the rankings and thus had everything to play for. Please don't forget that there really are only four more tickets for Bali at stake, as the qualification of Italy is looking well beyond any doubt at this stage. For once, Spain decided not to play their "guest pair," whereas Poland fielded Balicki-Zmudzinski and Lesniewski-Martens. It should be an interesting match as there would be much at stake for either side. As you can see, the difference in style and approach between the way bridge is played in the two countries caused many of the significant swings in this match.

On the first board, we saw an interesting defensive problem:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Lantaron	Lesniewski	Ventin	Martens
	Pass	1§	Pass
1ª	Pass	2ª	Pass
4ª	All Pass

Against this natural auction, Lesniewski led a trump. Lantaron won in hand and immediately led a diamond up. Lesniewski took the ace and saw the 9 from his partner, showing an odd number. What should he do now? The answer is that he cannot know. The solution would have been to duck the ¨A, which probably does not cost anyway, and look at the spot cards partner will be playing. On the second round, the ¨4 will appear and then the club switch is marked. When Lesniewski led a second trump the hand was over. Spain +420.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Zmudzinski	Frances	Balicki	Torres
	Pass	1NT	Pass
4©	Pass	4ª	All Pass

When East opened 1NT he became declarer in 4ª and Torres led the ¨4 to the ace. Of course, it was easy now for Frances to return a club, defeating the contract. Spain +50 and 10 IMPs. A few boards later we saw a big swing when Frances was reluctant to accept the consequences of his opening bid.

TORRES Juan Ignacio, Spain

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Lantaron	Lesniewski	Ventin	Martens
Pass	Pass	3©	Pass
3ª	Dble	All Pass

3© was either a spade preempt or minors. As Lesniewski had passed in advance, he could easily venture a double of 3ª. Martens had little trouble in finding a pass this time, and the contract went four off, Poland +1100.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Zmudzinski	Frances	Balicki	Torres
Pass	1©	2ª	All Pass

Here, Frances found a very light opening but apparently could not imagine partner to hold the hand he actually held. As Guido Ferraro pointed out in the Vugrap Auditorium, it may well be best to make the agreement always to reopen. This certainly would have restricted the Spanish loss to 5 IMPs here instead of the 14 it cost now. Poland were in the lead, 14-10.

After one more easy slam, we saw board 6:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Lantaron	Lesniewski	Ventin	Martens
		1ª	Pass
2NT	Pass	3ª	Pass
4ª	All Pass

Remarkable things happened in the play and defence on this board. Martens led the §A and, upon seeing the §7 from his partner, switched to the ©A and another. Lesniewski took his king and exited with a third heart, dummy winning. Now Ventin made the good play of taking a diamond finesse first. Of course, Martens followed suit with the ¨10, a card led at many other tables. According to the theory of empty spaces it already looked very much as if the ªQ would be with South, as he appeared to have much more room to hold it. At the moment of truth, Ventin did not take the finesse and so went one down. Poland +100.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Zmudzinski	Frances	Balicki	Torres
		1ª	Pass
2NT	Pass	3ª	Pass
4ª	All Pass

Balicki, on the other hand, would have nothing of this. He won the ¨10 lead with the queen and immediately played the ªK and a spade to the eight. Mission accomplished. Poland +12 IMPs.

For the remainder of this report, the main issue has to be: Missed Chances. On all the boards below a good chance to score was missed at either table.

On the first of these boards, both teams had their chances, maybe more than one, but did not take them.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Lantaron	Lesniewski	Ventin	Martens
			1§
Pass	1ª	Pass	2§
Pass	2©	Pass	2NT
All Pass

When West led the ¨10, the chance to beat this contract had gone. Either major suit lead will defeat it. It should be noted, however, that the bigger chance had been missed by NS. On the actual layout, the Russians bid and made 6¨ in their match, but 5¨ is a reasonable proposition even on a heart lead. Poland +150 when 2NT made with an overtrick as Lantaron duly switched to the ªQ after winning his first club trick.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Zmudzinski	Frances	Balicki	Torres
			2§
All Pass

Though Frances had a fit in any second suit partner might hold, he preferred to pass, a sensible approach. Nine tricks, but a chance and 1 IMP gone.

Spain levelled the match, however, when this chance came their way:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Lantaron	Lesniewski	Ventin	Martens
	Pass	1§	Pass
1©	2¨	Dble	2ª
3§	3ª	3NT	All Pass

The 2NT opening to solve all problems was not available here, so at both tables East started off with 1§, thus inducing NS to overcall vigorously in all sorts of suits. Still, Lantaron could should both his suits, one of them at the three-level, so game was duly reached in the proper denomination. Nine easy tricks on a diamond lead and spade continuation. Spain +600.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Zmudzinski	Frances	Balicki	Torres
	Pass	1§	1ª
Pass	2NT	Dble	3ª
4§	Pass	5§	All Pass

When Torres introduced his spades at his first attempt, it had become extremely difficult for the Poles to at all reach the proper contract. Certainly with the spade lead given, 5§ has no play so Poland had to concede one down quickly. Spain gained 12 IMPs and the match was tied at 27 all.

Interesting things happened on board 14:

Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
	ª Q 7 6 © A J ¨ K J 4 2 § A K 4 2
ª A 3 © 10 8 ¨ A Q 9 8 7 5 3 § 6 3		ª K 10 8 © K Q 9 6 5 4 3 ¨ - § 9 7 5
	ª J 9 5 4 2 © 7 2 ¨ 10 6 § Q J 10 8 § 8 6 3

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Lantaron	Lesniewski	Ventin	Martens
		2©	Pass
Pass	Dble	Pass	2ª
3©	Pass	4©	All Pass

Ventin opened an off-shape weak two in 2nd position and thus managed to deceive everyone. Lesniewski doubled for take-out, of course, and Lantaron competed once more, only to see his partner go to game. Nobody doubled this, and Martens made the good lead of the §Q. It looks as if Lesniewski should have realised that declarer might well hold more than six hearts and at least three spades, in which case dummy's trumps have to be attacked, the danger of the diamond suit coming in being near to zero. When he decided to play low instead of overtaking and leading the §A and another, Martens understandably switched to a spade. Ventin won in dummy, ruffed a spade and played trumps to score ten tricks and a valuable +420.

ZMUDZINSKI Adam, Poland

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Zmudzinski	Frances	Balicki	Torres
		4©	Pass
Pass	Dble	Pass	4ª
Pass	Pass	Dble	All Pass

Here, Balicki had made a more normal-looking preempt, followed by an interesting Lightner type of double of 4ª. Zmudzinski led the ¨A accordingly and, upon seeing the dummy, switched to a heart. Dummy won the ace and led a trump to the jack and ace, thus losing a diamond, a heart and three trumps for down two, Poland +300.

The score on this board thus became a Spanish gain of 3 IMPs where they looked like losing 8 IMPs. Poland led 31-30.

Poland led 34-30 when this board settled the issue:

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	ª A J 7 5 3 2 © 8 ¨ J 10 § Q J 6 4
ª 10 4 © 9 7 4 ¨ A Q 8 7 3 2 § A 3		ª 9 8 6 © A J 10 6 3 ¨ 9 § K 8 7 5
	ª K Q © K Q 5 2 ¨ K 6 5 4 § 10 9 2

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Lantaron	Lesniewski	Ventin	Martens
		Pass	1§
1¨	1ª	Pass	1NT
Pass	2§	Pass	2¨
Pass	2ª	All Pass

Well bid by the Poles, but they were already too high. Five top tricks and a club ruff should have meant one down, but not when Lantaron cashed the ¨AQ first and then returned a diamond, enabling Lesniewski to ruff high, draw trumps and make eight tricks. Poland +110.

This really mattered, because in the Closed Room, this happened:

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Zmudzinski	Frances	Balicki	Torres
		Pass	1NT
Pass	2¨	Pass	2ª
Pass	2NT	Pass	3§
Pass	3ª	All Pass

Zmudzinski, on lead against 3ª after Torres opened his weak NT, pulled out the §A immediately. After this, getting six defensive tricks was no longer a problem. Poland +200 and suddenly a significant swing of 7 IMPs instead of three. They led 41-30.

On the next board, both teams had chances again.

Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	ª A J 4 3 © A 9 5 4 ¨ 9 5 3 § K 9
ª 10 8 7 5 © 7 6 ¨ 7 6 § A Q 8 7 6		ª K Q 9 6 © J 10 8 3 ¨ A 10 § J 10 3
	ª 2 © K Q 2 ¨ K Q J 8 4 2 § 5 4 2

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Lantaron	Lesniewski	Ventin	Martens
			1¨
Pass	1©	Pass	2¨
Pass	3NT	All Pass

From the bidding, it was clear that Ventin had to lead a black suit. Had he chosen the §J, the hand would have been quickly over, but out came the ªQ on which Lantaron contributed the eight. Declarer is faced with an interesting problem now: he can either duck and hope for a spade continuation in view of the positive signal (probably showing just count) or he can win and hope for the missing ¨A to be with East too. After some consideration, he played low and East continued…a spade. Poland +430.

In the Closed Room, Spain did very well to reach a contract that could not be defeated.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Zmudzinski	Frances	Balicki	Torres
			1¨
Pass	1©	Pass	2¨
Pass	2NT	Pass	3¨
Pass	5¨	All Pass

With the §K behind the ace, there are always 11 tricks. Well done, be it for the loss of one more IMP. The final score became 42-33 or 17-13 V.P. to Poland. Both teams had held their chances for Bali intact.