Finland v Hungary – Juniors Round 14

Finland got Slammed Away

Finland is not here to have a likely chance for a qualification spot but would they damage Hungary's chances of taking one? The answer is no. The Finns were slammed away.

On the second board came one of very few swings to Finland. Finland won 10 IMPs due to a switch from Matti Kanervo's which gave him a ruff later on. Then came the second largest swing for Finland.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Polkki	Marjai	Laukkanen	Minarik
-	-	1NT	Dble
5¨	All Pass

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Szabo	Kanervo	Riesz	Kinnunen
-	-	1§	1ª
1NT	2©	Pass	4©
All Pass

Jussi Polkki took a fair chance by bidding 5¨, but since spades were split 7-1 he was one trick short after a spade lead continued by a spade ruff; -100.

Matti Kinnunen, Finland

Matti Kanervo's descision to introduce the moth-eaten heart suit worked out well. Matti Kinnunen jumped to 4© and was left to play there. East made an odd choice to lead ªQ and that helped Kanervo on his way to ten tricks. He won the ace then played ªJ and ruffed when West covered with the king, and now the spades were established. Next he played a heart to the king followed by ©J to queen. East had to have two tricks with his red aces, but that was +420 and 8 IMPs to Finland.

The Finns won another 3 IMPs on the next board and were leading by 22-4 after eight deals. Hungary bid better than Finland on many boards thereafter. In fact, Finland just scored 6 more IMPs on the 12 remaining boards. Two boards were pushes, so the Hungarians gained 10 swings out of 12.

Here is one of many slam boards where the Finns were slammed away.

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	ª 6 3 © Q 10 8 7 2 ¨ K 8 6 2 § K 7
ª Q J 9 7 © 5 ¨ Q J 9 7 § 9 6 5 4		ª A K 8 2 © A K 6 4 3 ¨ A 5 § A J
	ª 10 5 4 © J 9 ¨ 10 4 3 § Q 10 8 3 2

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Polkki	Marjai	Laukkanen	Minarik
Pass	Pass	2§	Pass
2¨	Pass	2©	Pass
2NT	Pass	3ª	Pass
4ª	All Pass

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Szabo	Kanervo	Riesz	Kinnunen
Pass	Pass	2§	Pass
2¨	Pass	2©	Pass
2ª	Pass	3ª	Pass
5ª	Pass	6ª	All Pass

In the Open Room neither of the Finns was interested in making a mild slam try, so they reached game in a natural way after a forcing 2§ opening. The beginning was the same in the Closed Room but, after East showed five hearts and four spades, Csaba Szabo jumped to 5ª, then Andras Riesz had an easy raise to 6ª.

Declarer won the spade lead in hand, played a heart to the ace and ruffed a heart. The ¨Q held the next trick then a diamond to the ace and a second heart ruff. A club to the ace and a third heart ruff followed. Declarer was out of spades but he entered the dummy with a diamond ruff to draw trumps. All the defence got was a club trick; +980 was worth 11 IMPs for Hungary.

Here comes Finland's only swing on the last 12 boards. They won it in a funny way, by playing 1NT with an overtrick at both tables.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Polkki	Marjai	Laukkanen	Minarik
-	-	-	Pass
Pass	Pass	1NT	All Pass

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Szabo	Kanervo	Riesz	Kinnunen
-	-	-	Pass
Pass	Pass	1§	1©
Pass	1NT	All Pass

Elina Laukkanen opened 1NT in the Open Room and was left to play there. ©Q was led but North won it with his singelton king. Next came a club and Laukkanen won the trick with the king to take the spade finesse. Since the spades were split 3-3, and North held the king, the declarer collected seven black tricks and ¨A; +120.

In the other room the Finns were again fastest to 1NT. East led a low diamond to nine, jack and king. Declarer cashed ©K and played a diamond to create an entry for dummy's hearts. There was nothing East/West could do prevent the declarer from taking eight tricks; +120 and 6 spectacular IMPs to Finland.

Board 16.Dealer West. E/W Vul.
	ª J 10 8 6 © 10 3 ¨ 10 9 § 10 8 5 3 2
ª K 5 2 © A Q J 9 5 4 ¨ Q 8 7 § K		ª A Q 7 4 3 © K 8 7 ¨ J 4 2 § 9 4
	ª 9 © 6 2 ¨ A K 6 5 3 § A Q J 7 6

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Polkki	Marjai	Laukkanen	Minarik
1©	Pass	1ª	3NT
4©	5§	6©(!)	All Pass

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Szabo	Kanervo	Riesz	Kinnunen
1©	Pass	1ª	2NT
Dble	3§	4©	All Pass

Polkki/Laukkanen had their chance to double 5§, a contract that likely will go only one off due to the lack of an entry to dummy to take the losing club finesse. If the declarer is a brave man he can play three rounds of diamonds then lose a club trick by finessing, of course. Even though §K can be dropped, East/West has to win three major-suit tricks. Laukkanen found a bizarre 6© and that impressed Gabor Minarik to a great extent so he forgot to double. The defence took the diamond ruff and four tricks in total; -300.

In the other room North led ªJ. Declarer could establish a spade for a club discard. Two diamond tricks were given to South; +650 and 14 powerful IMPs to Hungary who now had a head of steam up.

Here's another example where the Hungarians bid a lot better.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Polkki	Marjai	Laukkanen	Minarik
-	1NT	2ª	Pass
3NT	All Pass

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Szabo	Kanervo	Riesz	Kinnunen
-	1ª	Pass	2ª
3©	Pass	4ª	Pass
6¨	Pass	6©	All Pass

Peter Marjai, Hungary

A weak no trump opening from Peter Marjai made life hard for Polkki/Laukkanen in the Open Room. Laukkanen overcalled 2ª and Polkki found 3NT attractive so she was left to play there. North led a club and declarer took the obvious eleven tricks for +660.

Szabo/Riesz could in the Closed Room take over the auction and find the nice small slam in hearts despite some early intervention by North/South. 4ª was RKCB and 6¨ showed two aces, ©Q plus a void. The trump king was finessed and two clubs could be ruffed in dummy; +1010 and that was 11 well deserved IMPs to Hungary.

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	ª 10 9 7 © 5 3 ¨ Q 5 3 2 § J 9 7 5
ª A K J 4 2 © A Q ¨ J 10 8 6 4 § 8		ª Q 8 6 5 © J 10 9 6 4 2 ¨ - § A K Q
	ª 3 © K 8 7 ¨ A K 9 7 § 10 6 4 3 2

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Polkki	Marjai	Laukkanen	Minarik
-	-	1©	Pass
1ª	Pass	2ª	Pass
3¨	Pass	4§	Pass
4©	Pass	4ª	All Pass

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Szabo	Kanervo	Riesz	Kinnunen
-	-	1©	Pass
1ª	Pass	3ª	Pass
4§	Pass	4ª	All Pass

Both of the two East/West pairs in this match stayed at game level when there were 13 tricks in a spade contract. The grand slam depends on where ©K is placed but 6ª would be a reasonable spot to be. In the match between the Netherlands and Portugal 7ª was reached and made at both tables.

In 6ª you can give up a heart trick but in 7ª you have to decide where to place ©K. If you consider South to have ©K you can establish the hearts by finessing, cashing ©A then running high hearts until South covers. If you place North with the king, ©Q has to go on a club and then it must be ruffed out.

Finland didn't have a chance against an IMP-thirsty Hungary. The final score was 88-28 IMPs to Hungary and that was an impressive 25-3 win converted to VPs.