The Swedish Pairs Championships, qualification

by Tjolpe Flodqvist

170 pairs were expected for the Swedish Pairs Championships, but seven pairs did not show up without giving advance notice. This caused a lot of inconvenience for both the participants as well and the secretariat. Which 52 pairs that play the A final were to be decided over 66 boards on the Sunday.

I decided to watch a few of the early rounds, and started with Tomas “The Cross-country skier” Magnusson and Frederic Wrang, who encountered a bidding problem here.

The deal has been rotated.

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

West	North	East	South
	Tomas Karlsson		Fredrik Bjornlund
Pass	1ª	2§	Dble
Pass	3§*	Pass

At this point did South - rather unwisely - bid 3NT, which ended the auction. The consensus was that South should have bid 3¨, so that North could have clarified the nature of his hand with 3ª.

In my opinion North should not consider to stay in three no trumps, when South did not bid it over 3§. But with a couple of low clubs it’s quite another story and he should give partner the opportunity to bid 3NT.

430 was worth a mere 4 out of 154 MPs compared with 76 MPs for 450. They got it all back on the next board.

The deal has been rotated.

Board 12. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	ª J © K 4 ¨ K Q J 9 6 5 2 § J 9 3
ª A 6 4 2 © Q 10 ¨ 8 7 4 § Q 10 7 2		ª K Q 10 7 © J 9 8 5 3 2 ¨ 3 § A 8
	ª 9 8 5 3 © A 7 6 ¨ A 10 § K 6 5 4

West	North	East	South
	Tomas Karlsson		Fredrik Bjornlund
			1NT*
Pass	3§	Pass	3¨
Pass	Pass	3©	Pass
Pass	3NT	All pass

The no trump opening showed 9-12 hcp and 3§ was a transfer to diamonds. When poor East bid his obvious 3© North suggested 3NT and South had the perfect hand to accept that.

On a black suit lead the defence can cash five tricks, but West naturally enough lead the queen of hearts. Declarer won the king and cashed his seven diamond tricks.

Board 12. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	ª J © 4 ¨ - § J 9 3
ª A © 10 ¨ - § Q 10 7		ª K Q © J 9 ¨ - § A
	ª 9 © A 7 ¨ - § K 6

After a club to the ace and spade to the ace, West played his last heart, and when declarer cashed his king of clubs, East discarded his last heart.

460 was worth a huge 152 for an almost flat round.

The art of positioning your 3NT contracts correctly is worth many MPs.

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

Here the bidding went:

West	North	East	South
			2§
Pass	2¨	Pass	2NT
Pass	3NT	All pass

After the six of heart lead to the queen and king, South could not make more than ten tricks and 38 MPs. There were quite a lot of 490’s, probably after a diamond lead from East, followed by an endplay towards him.

I moved to watch a Stockholm derby.

The deal has been rotated.

Board 17. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª 10 9 8 6 © K J 4 3 ¨ A K 8 § 3 2
ª 7 4 © 10 9 6 ¨ 10 9 6 4 2 § A Q 10		ª Q 3 2 © Q 8 7 5 ¨ 5 § K 9 7 6 5
	ª A K J 5 © A 2 ¨ Q J 7 3 § J 8 4

West	North	East	South
Lagerman	Wingborg	Ryman	Sjoberg
			1NT
Pass	2§	Pass	2ª
Pass	4ª	All pass

West led the two of diamonds, third or fifth, and declarer got nervous and refused to take the trump finesse. In stead he played the ace and king of spades, which meant that the defence got three tricks for 46/154 MPs as opposed to the available 117 MPs.

The deal has been rotated.

Board 18. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	ª 8 6 4 © 8 7 ¨ 10 9 8 3 § 7 4 3 2
ª Q 10 3 © A 4 2 ¨ Q 7 4 § A J 10 9		ª K 5 2 © K J 10 9 ¨ K J 6 5 2 § 5
	ª A J 9 7 © Q 6 5 3 ¨ A § K Q 8 6

Tomas Karlsson, Sweden

Janne Lagerman, playing a strong club, decided to open 1NT, and North launched a 2§ Stayman and had to pass 2©. West led the ace of hearts and shifted to the spade three for the king and ace. Now South for some reason played the queen of hearts out of hand, and finished with four tricks and -200, never a good score in a pairs tournament, unless the opponents have an easy game to bid and make. He must have been surprised to receive 57/154 MPs for this effort.

Sacrificing at the five level vulnerable against not in pairs is not an easy task, especially when the opponents open fourth in hand.

Board 31. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	ª 10 9 © K Q 8 4 ¨ 10 8 6 4 § K J 7
ª 8 6 5 2 © A 10 ¨ 3 2 § A 8 5 4 3		ª A K Q J 7 4 3 © J 2 ¨ Q 7 5 § 6
	ª --- © 9 7 6 5 3 ¨ A K J 9 § Q 10 9 2

Last years winners were North-South.

West	North	East	South
	Tomas Karlsson		Fredrik Bjornlund
			Pass
Pass	Pass	1ª	Dble
2ª	3©	3ª	4©
4ª	Pass	Pass	5©
Dble	Pass	Pass	Pass

This honourable effort gave 142/154 MPs as opposed to 82 MPs for defending four spades correctly, i.e. playing a heart after the lead of a high diamond. Anyone for a fourth in hand 4ª opening?

The deal has been rotated.

Board 51. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	ª A K 6 © 10 9 7 4 3 ¨ A 8 6 3 § 9
ª J 8 7 4 © K Q J 5 ¨ 9 § K 10 4 3		ª Q 10 5 3 2 © 8 6 2 ¨ K J § J 8 6
	ª 9 © A ¨ Q 10 7 5 4 2 § A Q 7 5 2

West	North	East	South
	1©	Pass	2¨
Pass	3¨	Pass	3ª
Pass	4§	Pass	4NT
Pass	5©	Pass	6¨
Pass	Pass	Pass

Simple enough and the play presented no problems either, but 920 still produced an amazing 115/154 MPs.