Round 13 Greece vs Germany

by Jos Jacobs

Over the first four days of these Championships, Greece had been doing quite well and were in fourth position, top of the hunting squad though way behind the leaders, when the day started. Germany had begun the day in ninth, 16 VPs behind Greece. In their first match of the day, both teams had suffered a small defeat:, Germany 14 against Hungary and Greece 13 against England. So, to stay in the hunt, a good win for either team was essential. A well-fought match therefore could be expected, and so it turned out.

Theodoros Trianthafyllopoulos, Greece

Before starting this report, I have to specifically introduce two of the Greek players to you: Theodoros Trianthafyllopoulos and Yiankos Papakyriakopoulos. There is in fact no special reason for this separate introduction, except that their family names are far too long for the paper format and size we are using in these Bulletins. So we have to abbreviate their names for efficiency’s sake. My apologies to their parents (etc.)

There also was another problem for this match, restricted mainly to the Open Room, as the communication between the players had its uncertainties due to a certain lack of fluency in English in both camps. Maybe, this is the reason why the bidding and play of the first board in the Open Room took a full 22 minutes. This, however, is including the time needed by West to pick up his cards after dropping all of them when his partner got doubled in 1NT…

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

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Filios	Reps	P'poulos	Ludewig
	1NT	Pass	2©
Pass	3ª	Pass	4ª
All Pass

1 NT was 10-12 and 2© an invitational transfer, accepted gratefully. East led the ©Q to dummy’s ace and Reps led a low trump from the board, ducked by West. Declarer went on to cash the ©K and ruff a heart before returning to trumps. West won and played a diamond to the queen and king, and East returned the ¨10 to Reps’ ace. Reps now advanced the §J, which was quickly covered by East to solve declarer’s problems; just made, Germany +420.

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
Gotard	Kannavos	Piekarek	Trianthafyllopoulos
	1§	1NT	Dble
2§	Dble	2©	2ª
Pass	3ª	Pass	4ª
All Pass

Maybe, this hand looked a trifle straightforward, taking into account the proceedings in the Closed Room. This is probably true, but it also makes it even more unclear why playing such a hand should take 22 minutes. As it was, the bidding was much more lively, but also gave away much more information.

1NT showed five diamonds and a major, 8-15 HCP and, after the double, West, once he had found back his cards, showed at least four hearts and three spades by bidding 2§. He led a heart to declarer’s ace and then came a low spade, dummy’s nine winning (please note that South was the declarer here). Another trump went to the king and a diamond came back, finessed and won by East’s king.
To make the hand, declarer has to guess the clubs. With West already having shown the ªAK this should not have been too difficult, so declarer called for the §10 from dummy in the fullness of time, running it to make his contract; no swing.

The first substantial swing of the match was due to over-enthusiasm:

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

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Filios	Reps	P'poulos	Ludewig
		1§	Pass
1©	2¨	3©	4§
Pass	4¨	Pass	5¨
All Pass

A good and disciplined auction by the Germans saw them land nicely on their feet for a score of +400. Please note the nice semi-psychic 1© reply from Filios.

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
Gotard	Kannavos	Piekarek	Trianthafyllopoulos
		1§	Dble
Pass	2§	Pass	3§
Pass	6¨	All Pass

The problem here apparently was, according to our sources, that Triantha made an enthusiastic double, green v red, followed by an irresponsible cuebid. This may or may not be true, but what counted was the +50 to Germany, good for 10 IMPs to lead by 10-2 now, a lead they were never to lose.

The next board proved quite interesting.

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

At both tables, North opened 1NT third in hand and South raised to three.

In the Closed Room, East led a club, giving declarer four tricks in the suit and an easy road to his contract; Germany +600.

In the Open Room, Piekarek for Germany led a spade. Declarer won the third round of spades with the king and played the ¨Q which went to the king. Now East crossed to his partner with the last spade (having unblocked the 10 before) and Gotard went into a huddle. He emerged with a very good card, a completely neutral ¨4. Had he played a heart, declarer would no doubt have risen with the ace and cashed his winners, squeezing East between hearts and clubs in the process. Left to his own resources, declarer eventually decided to go for the heart finesse. He might have done otherwise had he believed in what he could see at the table. East had made heavy weather of his two discards, the ©10 and the §4. So there might have been a case for playing for the squeeze to work, but one never knows in this sort of situations, one down, another +100 to Germany and 12 IMPs.

On the next board, Greece recouped some points as the defence erred in the Open Room:

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

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Filios	Reps	P'poulos	Ludewig
Pass	2¨	Pass	3§
Pass	3©	Pass	3ª
Pass	4ª	All Pass

2¨ was multi and 3§ showed an invitational hand. West led the ¨K on which East played the jack. Nevertheless, West switched to a club, which was as good as anything. The ace won the trick and declarer cashed the ªA, noting the fall of the ten. He then crossed to the ©A and finessed the spade queen. East, on lead to his surprise, cashed the §J and ¨A for down one; Greece +50. That’s what the scorecard said the last time I saw it. Suggestions will be accepted.

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
Gotard	Kannavos	Piekarek	Trianthafyllopoulos
Pass	2ª	Pass	4ª
All Pass

In the Open Room, the contract was played from the other side of the table, which made the successful defence very unlikely. East has to lead the ¨A and continue the suit (or underlead the ace at trick one, for the purists) and West should play a club when on lead.

East led the ©7, however. Now declarer could win, draw trumps and concede a heart. All the defence got more were the two diamond tricks they were entitled to; Greece +420 and 10 IMPs back.

Two boards later, the German hopes of defeating the opponents in 1NT, vulnerable, prevailed over their assessment of their own chances to make a contract.

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

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Filios	Reps	P'poulos	Ludewig
		Pass	Pass
1§	1©	Dble	Pass
1NT	All Pass

Here you see the point. Reps clearly was hoping for undertricks, rather than going for a contract for his side with so many losers. In the long run, he may well be right but, this time, holding a double stopper in the suit, declarer had no trouble to come to two overtricks with the clubs lying favourably for him too; Greece +150.

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
Gotard	Kannavos	Piekarek	Trianthafyllopoulos
		Pass	Pass
1§	1©	Pass	1ª
Pass	2©	All Pass

In the Open Room, Kannavos made the risky 2© bid and found a quite suitable dummy, notably it included the priceless ©J. This card enabled him to make his contract easily for another +110 to Greece and 6 IMPs.

On the next board, we saw Klaus Reps ensure his contract in a very elegant way:

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª A K J 3 © 7 6 ¨ K J 8 3 § K 10 8
ª Q 10 9 4 © A 8 2 ¨ A 10 9 5 § J 4		ª 6 © K Q J 4 ¨ 7 6 4 2 § Q 7 6 2
	ª 8 7 5 2 © 10 9 5 3 ¨ Q § A 9 5 3

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Filios	Reps	P'poulos	Ludewig
			Pass
1¨	1ª	Dble	3ª
All Pass

Klaus Reps, Germany

Playing in a four-four fit after his unorthodox overcall, Reps had to play well to bring home the bacon. He indeed found a very neat way to ensure his nine tricks. Hearts were led and continued, Reps ruffing the third. Next came a diamond to the queen and ace, and West returned the ª4. Being down to ªAKJ bare already, Reps reasoned that West was out of hearts and would probably have at least four diamonds, in accordance with his opening bid. So it would be 100% safe to win the ªA, cash the ªK as well and play for the loss of one spade and one club trick.

If spades happened to be 4-1, there would be no problem either. West would then hold 4-3-4-2 distribution, so declarer would be able to could cash the top clubs ending in his hand, then cash the two top diamonds and ruff the fourth round. Next, he would be able to play the ©10 and score his ªJ en passant.

Had West held five diamonds after all, he would have to hold a singleton club. In that event, playing a club from dummy towards the king would give West the losing options of ruffing fresh air or discarding his fifth diamond. Either way, the same coup en passant would develop.

Nicely played and a joy to watch; Germany +140.

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
Gotard	Kannavos	Piekarek	Trianthafyllopoulos
			Pass
Pass	1NT	All Pass

No real problem here either; Greece +120 and a loss of 1 IMP to them.

The only other sizeable swing of the match came five boards later and went to Germany again:

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

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Filios	Reps	P'poulos	Ludewig
			1ª
Pass	2ª	5¨	All Pass

Ludewig led the §K on which Reps dropped the queen. What does this mean? North clearly holds the §J, but what about his count?

If South returns the §2 (or the §6 if playing a different agreement) North may be able to work it out.

At the table, it certainly went wrong as South continued the §K and then tried the ªA first. Greece had scored +400 and were set for a nice swing, I thought.

This was completely wrong. Mistakes can always be improved on. The Open Room was the scene of a horror show, even more so if you once again take into account the huddles that were part of it:

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
Gotard	Kannavos	Piekarek	Trianthafyllopoulos
			1ª
Pass	2NT	5¨	5ª
Pass	Pass	6¨	Dble
All Pass

Five Spades would already have been a little expensive, but it helped to push the Germans overboard. Defeating the slam was not so easy, however, but it might have been not so difficult using the advantage of playing five-card majors (contrary to what North/South were playing in the Closed Room).

You lead the §A and see partner follow suit with the queen. Knowing that partner holds at least four spades for his 2NT bid, why not continue a low club and let partner work it out? Holding five spades himself, he would have continued clubs for sure…

Would not partner have shown count, holding five clubs, rather than follow suit with the queen?
At the table, South played the ªA to trick two, thus conceding the contract; Germany +1090 and 12 IMPs to them instead of a loss of 10 IMPs.

The 22 IMPs turnover on this board was almost exactly the final IMP difference between the teams. At the end, nothing very much more happening on the final boards, the score stood at 45-2 to Germany, a win by 20-10 VPs.