| 47th European Bridge Team Championships | Page 5 | Bulletin 14 - Saturday Evening, 3 July 2004 |
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Poland v Turkey – Open Round 32 by Jos Jacobs Friday’s last round was the penultimate one for the Open Series, but it would also be the final round in the Women’s series. The most interesting match in the Open no doubt was Poland v Turkey, as either team might qualify if it scored a big win. Poland were in fourth spot, 6.5 VP ahead of England and the Netherlands, and 17.5 VP ahead of seventh-placed Turkey, whom they were playing. Earlier in the day, both teams had done well with two good wins each. A gambling 3NT opening by Atabey was brilliantly converted by his partner on Board 1:
Had Zmudzinski led one of his aces, this contract would have been quickly one down. When he led a trump, however, declarer seized his chance immediately. He won the lead, finessed in hearts, drew some more trumps and repeated the heart finesse. When this held again, he claimed all the tricks for a score of +440 to Turkey.
This North hand looks more suitable for any pre-emptive action than for a disciplined 2§ Precision-style opening bid, but their discipline led the Poles to the proper contract this time. Also, it made it easier for East to find a good lead but, when West won the ¨6 lead with the ace and returned a trump, Puczynski still had 12 tricks; Poland +170 but Turkey 7 IMPs to take an early lead. On Board 5, both teams had a chance to score:
When Zmudzinski led the §3, Kolata ran this to his jack. With the help of a repeated club finesse ten tricks were easy enough, even when the diamonds did not break; Turkey +630.
In the Open Room, Zorlu made the same opening lead and thus paved the way for Chmurski to make nine tricks as well; Poland +600 and just 1 IMP to Turkey to lead 11-0. The interesting point in the hand is the lead. Of course, long-reigning European champion Alfredo Versace for Italy simply led a spade against Zlotov’s 3NT, for a swing of 12 IMPs in that match. On Board 7, Turkish science beat Polish inspiration:
Atabey led the ª5 to king and ace. Declarer ruffed a heart and took the losing club finesse. Atabey then cashed the ªQ and exited with a trump. When declarer led his singleton diamond, Atabey rose with the ace to lead another trump. This way, declarer could only come to nine tricks for +200 to Turkey.
2ª showed an enormous club fit, but Zorlu was not interested. On less accurate defence he made an overtrick; Turkey another +130 and 8 IMPs to lead 16-0. On the next board, Poland finally got off the Schneider:
When West led the §AK and got off play with a diamond, Kolata won the ace and simply cashed the ªAK. This works if trumps are 3-2 and clubs 3-3, with the outside chance of a possible correct view in the suit. A better line may well be available, certainly on this deal but, as it was, Kolata went one light and Poland scored +50. In the Open Room, the smoke screen laid by Assael backfired:
Nobody knew what was going on, but the contract was the relative disaster Assael surely had been hoping for, as game to the opposition looked pretty sure on his cards. Zorlu managed three tricks for a score of +250 and 7 IMPs to Poland, who trailed 7-16 now. After a number of flat boards, Board 13 lived up to its reputation:
You have to defend well to beat this, but for Balicki this was no problem. Zmudzinski led the ¨K, won by declarer’s ace. Kolata then played the ª10 to dummy’s king, smoothly ducked by Balicki. A club was led off the board now, but Balicki rose with the queen and led the ©J. Kolata won the ace and played a spade to the jack, queen and ace. Balicki continued another club, but the ensuing cross-ruff was not enough to come to nine tricks as Zmudzinski could ruff dummy’s spade winner; one down, Poland +200. In the Italy v Russia match, 3© doubled came home on the lead of the ¨K when Lauria forgot to lead his ©J when he first got the lead. As 3NT went one off in the other room, this brought Russia a 12-IMP swing on their way to beating the new champions.
At this table, the Turks also got the chance to double 3© and beat it but Zorlu, expecting a stronger dummy, chose 3NT instead. On a heart lead, he had to lose four hearts and the ¨A for one down, 100 more to Poland or 7 IMPs. The score now stood ad 20-14 to Turkey. A few more quiet boards followed, but near the end, some action boards came along:
After 1NT, Kolata did not overcall, vulnerable against not. As a consequence he was confronted with a nasty lead problem against 3NT shortly afterwards. His choice of the §A was aimed at beating the contract out of hand, but it did not work, even less so when Atabey obligingly unblocked his §Q; ten tricks and Poland +430.
In the other room, Chmurski did overcall and made the alternative
natural lead of the §6. This worked to perfection when partner produced
the §Q and another, so the contract was quickly one down for Poland
+50 and 10 IMPs to go into the lead 26-24.
On this auction, it was difficult for North to judge the full value of his §J, so the slam was missed. 6NT is best, as it need one minor to break decently, but 6§ would be a very good second choice. Twelve tricks meant Turkey +490.
When Chmurski bid and rebid his good suit, even suppressing the spades, Puczynski did well to show some support with 4§ over 3NT. After that, Chmurski could not possibly go wrong any more, so the slam was duly reached; Poland +940 for a gain of another 10 IMPs. On the last boad, Poland got 2 more IMPs to clinch a 38-24 or 18-12 VP victory. Their chances for qualification were still very much alive with only one more match to be played. |
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