Making a comeback
In the Swiss segment of the Mixed Teams, Schaltz was in a bit of
trouble in the early going, losing the first match and winning by
a small margin in the second match. That was not going to do if
Jens and Sabine Auken, Dorthe Schaltz and Lars Blakset were to qualify
for the knockout phase of the event.
They began their comeback by winning the third match 23-7 (20-10
in Victory Points), but they faced a strong squad in round four
– Roni Barr, Ilan Herbst, Jan Jansma and Elizabeth Van Ettinger.
Schaltz gained 6 IMPs on the first deal when Herbst-Barr overreached
to 4©, doing down
two, while Van Ettinger and Jansma stopped in 3©
and brought it home.
The Dutch-Israeli team struck back on board 2, however, as Herbst
used clues from the bidding to land a close game.
Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
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ª 3
© J 8 7 4 2
¨ K Q 7 6 3
§ J 8 |
ª K 10 5 4 2
© 9
¨ 8 5 2
§ A Q 9 4 |
![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª A J 8 7
© Q 3
¨ A 10 9 4
§ K 6 5 |
|
ª Q 9 6
© A K 10 6 5
¨ J
§ 10 7 3 2 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Blakset |
Jansma |
Schaltz |
Van Ettinger |
|
|
1NT |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
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Van Ettinger led the ©A,
switching to the ¨J
at trick two. Schaltz won the ¨A
and ruffed the ©Q
in dummy, following with the ªK
and a low spade from dummy. When North discarded, Schaltz had to
concede defeat. There was no way to avoid losing a spade, a heart
and two diamonds.
At the other table, Herbst had a clue from the auction and the
play.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Herbst |
J. Auken |
Barr |
S. Auken |
|
|
1¨ |
1© |
1ª |
4© |
4ª |
All Pass |
Jens started with a heart to Sabine’s king and she took her
time before switching to the ¨J.
When Herbst played low, Sabine continued with the ©A,
ruffed. Herbst then played a low spade to the ace and a second spade
from dummy. There was a strong inference that Sabine had a singleton
diamond, so she was more likely to have length in spades –
and Jens had jumped to 4©
at unfavorable vulnerability, and he surely was bidding on a shapely
hand. After considering his play for a moment, Herbst played the
ª10 – and
4ª was home for
a 10-IMP gain.
Board 6 put Schaltz back into the lead.
Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
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ª -
© K Q J 10 7
¨ A K 8 7
§ A K 5 3 |
ª A J 6 5
© 6 5 4 2
¨ 2
§ Q 9 8 4 |
![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª Q 7
© A 3
¨ Q J 9 6 5
§ 10 7 6 2 |
|
ª K 10 9 8 4 3 2
© 9 8
¨ 10 4 3
§ J |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Blakset |
Jansma |
Schaltz |
Van Ettinger |
|
|
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
3NT |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
|
|
West led the ¨2, taken by the ace in dummy. Van Ettinger cashed
dummy’s top clubs, pitching a diamond, and ruffed a club.
The ª8 floated around to East’s queen, and West ruffed the
diamond return, exiting with the §Q, ruffed. Declarer still had
to lose to the ªA J and the ©A, finishing two off for minus 100.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Herbst |
J. Auken |
Barr |
S. Auken |
|
|
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
The contract was doomed on any lead but a diamond, but it’s
hard to fault Barr for her choice of the ¨Q.
Jens won the ace and fired back a low diamond, taken by Barr with
the jack. She switched to a low club to the jack, queen and ace,
but Jens was in control. He played a diamond to dummy’s 10
and the ©8 to his
king and Barr’s ace. She switched to the ªQ,
but Jens covered with the king and that was it for the defense.
Herbst could cash the ªJ,
but then dummy would be all good spades. He chose to return a club,
but Jens had four heart winners to go with his minor-suit aces and
kings. That was nine tricks, plus 400, and an 11-IMP swing.
Board 9 also produced a swing for Schaltz in an unlikely way.
Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
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ª 10
© Q 3 2
¨ A 6 5
§ A J 9 6 4 3 |
ª K J 9 8 7 5 2
© -
¨ Q 10 9 7
§ Q 8 |
![Bridge deal](/Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª Q 4
© A 10 7 6 4
¨ J 3 2
§ 10 7 2 |
|
ª A 6 3
© K J 9 8 5
¨ K 8 4
§ K 5 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Herbst |
J. Auken |
Barr |
S. Auken |
|
1§ |
Pass |
1© |
3ª |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
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Jens did well to bid 4©
– if he makes the normal lead of a low heart, the contract
will be made (a club goes away on the ©A).
Even on perfect defense, the result for North-South is only plus
200 – not enough to compensate for their game.
Against Sabine’s heart game, Herbst started with a low spade
to the queen and ace. Sabine ruffed a spade in dummy and returned
to her hand with the §K.
She ruffed her last spade with the ©Q,
overruffed by Barr, who returned a diamond. Sabine won in hand and
cashed the ©K, getting
the news of the 5-0 trump split.
Sabine then played a club to the queen and ace, and she pitched
her low diamond on the §J.
When Sabine played a fourth round of clubs, Barr erred by ruffing.
Sabine overruffed, returned to dummy with the ¨K
and played another club. Again, Barr ruffed and was overruffed,
and Sabine finished the deal with 12 tricks for plus 480.
At the other table, Schaltz took a position that many players would
not.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Blakset |
Jansma |
Schaltz |
Van Ettinger |
|
1§ |
Pass |
1© |
3ª |
Pass |
Pass |
3NT |
Pass |
Pass |
4ª |
Dble |
All Pass |
|
|
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The 4ª save at unfavorable vulnerability would not be everyone’s
choice, but it worked out well as North made the normal lead of
a low heart, allowing Blakset to get rid of a losing club on the
©A. From there, his losers were one club, the ªA and two diamonds
for a profitable minus 200. That was 7 IMPs to Schaltz, 25-10 winners
on their way to qualifying for the knockout round of the event.
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