2002 European Teams Championships Page 2 Bulletin 13 - Friday, 28 June  2002


England vs Germany

Women Round 14

By Tony Gordon

This potentially crucial match between the teams lying first and joint second, was effectively decided in the bidding, with England coming out on top 22-8, a result that reduced Germany's lead to 3 VPs over the Netherlands and 4 VPs over England.

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

Closed Room
West North East South
Brunner Auken Goldenfield von Arnim
    Pass 1ª
Pass 2© Pass 2NT
Pass 4¨ Pass 4NT
Pass 5© Pass 6ª
All Pass      

Sabine Auken showed at least an invitational spade raise with her 2© bid and then a good hand with short diamonds with her 4¨ bid. Daniela von Arnim's 2NT had been a game try with an unspecified shortage, and she then asked about keycards. The 5© response indicated that one keycard and the ªQ were missing, but she judged to bid the spade slam.
With the black suits behaving, there were no problems in the play as dummy's club suit provided discards for her losing hearts. +1430 to Germany.

Open Room
West North East South
Rauscheid Smith Nehmert Dhondy
    Pass 1ª
Pass 2NT Pass 3©
Pass 4¨ Passs 4©
Pass 4NT Pass 5©
Pass 5ª All Pass  

The same situation arose in the other room where Nicola Smith began with a game-forcing fit-showing 2NT. She also discovered that the trump queen and a keycard were missing, but she settled for 5ª. +680 to England, but 13 IMPs to Germany.

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

Open Room
West North East South
Rauscheid Smith Nehmert Dhondy
      1NT
2¨ 2NT Dble 3§
4© 5§ Dble All Pass

Andrea Rauscheid decided to treat her hand as one-suited with hearts, so she overcalled 2¨ to show a single-suited hand. After Smith's Lebensohl 2NT, Pony Nehmert doubled to show values and this encouraged Rauscheid to jump to 4©, but, after considerable thought, Smith sacrificed in 5§. The defence took two spades and a spade ruff, and the ¨A and a diamond ruff, so Heather Dhondy was three down for +500 to Germany.

Closed Room
West North East South
Brunner Auken Goldenfield von Arnim
      1ª
2© 2NT 4© Dble
All Pass      

Von Arnim knew that Auken had a competitive hand with clubs, but she decided to double 4©. This proved expensive when Auken, not unreasonably, led a spade. Michelle Brunner won in hand and ruffed out the ¨K. She then crossed to the ªQ and played the ¨J. Von Arnim ruffed with the ©10, but Brunner over-ruffed, went back to dummy with a spade ruff and continued with the ¨10 on which she discarded her club as Von Arnim ruffed in with the ©K. There was only a further trump trick to lose, so Brunner scored +990 for a 10-IMP gain to England.

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

Closed Room
West North East South
Brunner Auken Goldenfield von Arnim
      1§
Pass 2ª* Pass 2NT
Pass 3§** Pass 3ª
Pass 4ª All Pass  

* A balanced hand with a minor. ** Showing diamonds.

Open Room
West North East South
Rauscheid Smith Nehmert Dhondy
      1ª
Pass 2ª Pass 3§
Pass 4ª Pass 5§
Pass 5ª Pass 6ª
All Pass      

This board was the reverse of board 2. This time it was England who pushed on to the making slam while Germany settled for game. 13 IMPs to England, who led 28-18 at this point.

There were two big swings to come, and they both went England's way. The first came on board 13 when Germany played in the wrong game and lost 13 IMPs, and the other came on board 15.

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

Closed Room
West North East South
Brunner Auken Goldenfield von Arnim
      Pass
1© Pass 1ª Pass
1NT Pass 3NT All Pass

It didn't seem unreasonable for Auken to lead a diamond on the auction, but it gave Brunner her contract. Declarer won the ¨J at trick one and cashed the ¨A. She then played a club, and was no doubt grateful to see the appearance of the ten. Von Arnim won the trick and switched to a low heart and Auken took her ace and continued the suit, but the defence could come to only two clubs and two hearts, so England scored +400.

Open Room
West North East South
Rauscheid Smith Nehmert Dhondy
      Pass
1© Pass 1ª Pass
2§ Pass 2NT Pass
3NT All Pass    

The pushy 3NT contract was reached at the other table as well, but with East as the declarer. Dhondy naturally led a low club, and there was no way for Nehmert to get home as the cards lay, so England scored +50 and gained a further 10 IMPs.

England eventually won the match by 62-26 IMPs (22-8 VPs).



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