The Round of 8: Orange 1 v. Denmark by Jos Jacobs On Tuesday morning at 10.30 hrs., the quarterfinals were scheduled in the area where the Seniors Teams had been playing before, a long way from the Championship Headquarters. Once again, the match of the Dutch team looked an interesting one to have at look at, as they were playing Denmark. In the Open Room, De Wijs and Muller would face the Lund Madsen brothers, and in the Closed Room Graversen-Clemmensen would play Bertens-Bakkeren. On the first two boards, the Danes registered two small partscore swings to lead 9-0 Two boards later they recorded a double-figure swing: Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul.   ♠ A K Q 9 6 ♥ A J 10 3 ♦ K 7 6 ♣ 8 ♠ 10 8 7 4 ♥ K Q ♦ Q 10 5 4 2 ♣ 6 5 ♣ A 10 9 ♠ 5 3 ♥ 9 8 6 5 ♦ A J 9 8 ♠ 5 3   ♠ J 2 ♥ 7 4 2 ♦ 3 ♣ K Q J 7 4 3 2 Open Room West North East South M. Lund Madsen De Wijs L. Lund Madsen Muller Pass 1♣ Pass 1♦ Pass 1♠ Pass 1NT Pass 2♣ Pass 3♣ Pass 3♥ Pass 5♣ All Pass       The Dutch Modified Strong Club led to an understandable contract, but it also was off three top losers. Denmark +100. Closed Room West North East South Bakkeren Graversen Bertens Clemmensen Pass 1♠ Pass 1NT Pass 2♣ Pass 3♣ Pass 3♥ Pass 4♣ Pass 4♥ All Pass   The Danes were a shade lucky, I feel, in reaching a very playable spot on this one. The lead of the ♦A, followed by the ♣A and another diamond made it easy for declarer to ruff a diamond in dummy, lead a trump to the queen and ace, cross to dummy’s ♠J and lead another trump. When West took his king, the ♦K was still there to take control, so declarer could draw the rest of the trumps and cash his spade tricks for an excellent +620 to Denmark and 12 IMPs more. After a slam missing AJxx in trumps and on a finesse, bid at both tables, the Dutch showed less aggression on the next board: Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.   ♠ A K 7 6 ♥ 9 7 ♦ 10 6 3 ♣ A J 9 3 ♠ 10 5 ♥ K 3 ♦ A K 5 ♣ K 10 7 5 4 2 ♠ J 8 4 2 ♥ Q 10 6 4 ♦ 9 7 4 2 ♣ 8   ♠ Q 9 3 ♥ A J 8 5 2 ♦ Q J 8 ♣ Q 6 Open Room West North East South M. Lund Madsen De Wijs L. Lund Madsen Muller     Pass 1♥ 2♣ All Pass     Three down against correct defence. Orange 1 +300. Closed Room West North East South Bakkeren Graversen Bertens Clemmensen     Pass 1♥ 2♣ Pass Pass Dble All Pass       Reopening looked very much like a matter of routine for Clemmensen, and right he was! The defence led three rounds of spades, establishing dummy’s ♠J. Declarer ruffed the third round and played the ♥K, won by South’s ace. South returned the ♦Q to the ace and a club went to the eight in dummy and South’s queen. South returned his second trump, which went to the ten and jack. Declarer could win the diamond return now, cross to the ♥Q and throw a loser on the ♠J to escape for down two. Still, 5 more IMPs to Denmark. Near the end of the segment, the Dutch recorded their only success of the morning session: Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.   ♠ 10 7 ♥ Q 9 5 3 2 ♦ K 7 5 ♣ A 9 8 ♠ J 9 8 2 ♥ 6 4 ♦ Q J 4 3 ♣ Q J 2 ♠ A 6 3 ♥ 10 8 ♦ A 10 9 8 6 ♣ K 10 3   ♠ K Q 5 4 ♥ A K J 7 ♦ 2 ♣ 7 6 5 4 Open Room West North East South M. Lund Madsen De Wijs L. Lund Madsen Muller Pass Pass 1♦ Dble 1♠ 3♥ Pass 4♥ All Pass       East led a trump, won by declarer who immediately presented the ♠10. East won this and returned a trump, but it was too late anyway. One club would go on the top spades and that was +620 to Orange 1. Closed Room West North East South Bakkeren Graversen Bertens Clemmensen Pass Pass 1♦ Dble 2♦ 3♥ Pass 4♥ All Pass       At the other table, Bertens led ♦A and then found the lethal switch to the ♣3, Bakkeren winning the jack and returning the suit. This way, declarer lost two clubs and two aces and thus had to concede one down and a loss of 12 IMPs. Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.   ♠ K J 8 5 4 ♥ A Q 9 4 ♦ A 6 ♣ 8 2 ♠ A Q 10 9 7 6 3 ♥ - ♦ 10 9 7 ♣ K 5 4 ♠ - ♥ K J 8 7 6 5 ♦ Q J 5 4 3 2 ♣ 9   ♠ 2 ♥ 10 3 2 ♦ K 8 ♣ A Q J 10 7 6 3 On the last board of the session, the approaches at both tables were quite different: Open Room West North East South M. Lund Madsen De Wijs L. Lund Madsen Muller     3♥ Pass Pass 3♠ 4♦ All Pass Lars Lund Madsen started the fun by opening a rather off-shape 3♥ and continued it too when given a second chance. Everybody was quite impressed and Muller led his partner’s suit. Declarer thus could throw his club on the ♠A and start a nice little cross-ruff in clubs and hearts. De Wijs went up with the ♦A when the 3 rd club was played from dummy and returned a trump. Muller won the king and led his last heart to De Wijs’ ace. A heart return produced a ruff to set the contract just one. Denmark –50. This looked a very good score against the NS game in no-trumps Closed Room: West North East South Bakkeren Graversen Bertens Clemmensen     Pass 1♣ 3♠ Pass Pass Dble Pass Pass 3NT Pass Pass Dble 4♦ Pass Pass Dble All Pass   Bertens passed as dealer, a move he was to regret later. He showed his red twosuiter by bidding 3NT two bidding rounds later, but NS had been able to exchange enough information in the meantime to double the final contract. Of course, Bertens could (and maybe should) have adopted the same line of play as his Danish counterpart, but he chose a different route. ♠2 lead too to the ♠A on which the club went away, but now Bertens, probably afraid of a bad trump break, decided to play trumps first. North won the ace and returned a trump to South’s king. This way, declarer made sure that he could never be fatally shortened any more, but also that he would have to lose three heart tricks and concede down two. Denmark +300 and another 6 IMPs to make the halftime score 37-13 to them, a quite substantial lead. For the second half the Danish line-up would be unchanged, but Jansma-Verhees would replace De Wijs-Muller. On the second board, Orange registered a useful 6-IMP partscore swing to cut down the deficit to 17 but board 18, 19 and 20 then secured the Danish semi-final berth, it looked Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.   ♠ Q 10 8 6 ♥ K 6 4 ♦ 10 3 2 ♣ 10 6 4 ♠ J 5 ♥ Q 10 5 ♦ A K 4 ♣ K Q J 7 2 ♣ A 9 3 ♠ 9 2 ♥ A 7 2 ♦ Q 9 8 6 5 ♣ A 9 3   ♠ A K 7 4 3 ♥ J 9 8 3 ♦ J 7 ♣ 8 5 At both tables, North led the ♠6 after West had opened 1NT in third position and East had raised to three. What’s the problem, one would say? The problem is that South wins the king (or ace, if he likes) and returns the ♠3 to the jack and queen. Next, North plays the ♠10 and what should South do? It seems obvious to let it hold, but then you might be looking very foolish if a declarer of Chagas’ imagination has played the jack to trick two from J8x originally AND if partner led a spade from ♠Q106. Not very likely, I think. There is another chance to wrong here if you are playing 3 rd and 5 th best leads. Where is that ♠8 gone? With Q1086, would partner have led the 8? Bakkeren opted for the latter possibility, so he overtook the ♠10, blocking the suit for the defence. 10 IMPs to Denmark out of thin air. The same problem occurred on Vugraph. In the Hecht-Jacobs match, the Danish pair let through the same 3NT against Versace. It did not cost them, as their team-mates did very well to end up in 5♣. Their sequence: West North East South Hecht Katz Blakset Jacobs     Pass Pass 1♣ Pass 1♦ 1♠ Dble 2♠ 3♠ Pass 4♣ Pass 5♣ All Pass Very well done on their way to the semifinals. Next: Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.   ♠ K J 9 8 7 6 ♥ 8 3 ♦ 5 3 ♣ K Q 8 ♠ 10 3 ♥ A K J 10 7 ♦ A K 4 ♣ 10 9 5 ♠ Q 5 ♥ Q 9 4 ♦ Q 9 8 7 6 ♣ A 7 3   ♠ A 4 2 ♥ 6 5 2 ♦ J 10 2 ♣ J 6 4 2 Open Room West North East South M. Lund Madsen Bertens L. Lund Madsen Bakkeren       Pass 1♥ 2♠ Dble 3♠ Dble Pass 4♥ All Pass This contract made easily, so the lack of enough aggression cost the Dutch another big swing here as at the other table the Danes were well awake: Closed Room West North East South Jansma Graversen Verhees Clemmensen       Pass 1NT 2♦ 3NT 4♥ Pass 4♠ Pass Pass Dble All Pass     After Jansma’s 1NT opening the tempo of the bidding had changed. Thus, it was easier for Clemmensen to suggest a save by bidding a convertible 4♥. Two down only, 8 IMPs more to Denmark. And the next board: Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.   ♠ A K 8 7 6 5 2 ♥ 4 3 ♦ 3 ♣ Q 7 4 ♠ Q 10 9 ♥ A J 9 5 2 ♦ K J 7 ♣ 10 3 ♠ 3 ♥ K Q 10 6 ♦ A 10 9 8 ♣ K 9 8 5   ♠ J 4 ♥ 8 7 ♦ Q 6 5 4 2 ♣ A J 6 2 Open Room West North East South M. Lund Madsen Bertens L. Lund Madsen Bakkeren 1♥ 3♠ 4♥ All Pass Very much the same problem as on the previous board. When South kept silent, ten easy tricks were there for the taking. Please note that Morten Lund Madsen opened the bidding! Closed Room West North East South Jansma Graversen Verhees Clemmensen Pass 1♠ Dble 2♠ 4♥ 4♠ Pass Pass Dble All Pass     Jansma did not open the bidding, so the Danish were given a more or less free run to 4♠ doubled. This was only one down, as it happened, so another 9 IMPs went to Denmark who led by 44 at this stage. It looked all over. In fact, I was seriously thinking about finishing my report here. However, on the last 7 boards, the Dutch rallied to score an incredible 56 IMPs and win the match comfortably by 12. What did they do? On the first board of this series, they clearly outbid their opponents, reaching a game they did come nowhere near to at the other table: Board 22. Dealer East. E/W Vul.   ♠ A 4 ♥ A 10 6 ♦ K J 10 ♣ 9 8 5 4 2 ♠ J 9 ♥ K 9 8 5 4 3 ♦ 9 ♣ K Q 10 7 ♠ 7 6 5 3 ♥ Q 7 ♦ A 8 3 2 ♣ J 6 3   ♠ K Q 10 8 2 ♥ J 2 ♦ Q 7 6 5 4 ♣ A Open Room West North East South M. Lund Madsen Bertens L. Lund Madsen Bakkeren     Pass 1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦   Pass 2NT 3♦ Pass 3♠ Pass 3NT All Pass       Lead: ♥Q. Eleven easy tricks. On a club lead, it would have been only nine tricks. Orange +460 Closed Room: West North East South Jansma Graversen Verhees Clemmensen     Pass 1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass 2NT 3♦ Pass 3♠ Pass All Pass The contract was just made on a ♣K lead, but only 140 meant a swing of 8 IMPs to the Dutch. Another very inspired bidding sequence in the Open Room produced its reward on the next board: Board 23. Dealer South. All Vul.   ♠ A J ♥ K 5 ♦ A K Q 7 6 ♣ 10 7 5 4 ♠ K Q 10 9 5 3 2 ♥ 8 7 2 ♦ J ♣ 6 2 ♠ 6 4 ♥ Q 4 ♦ 10 8 4 3 2 ♣ K Q 8 3   ♠ 8 7 ♥ A J 10 9 6 3 ♦ 9 5 ♣ A J 9 Open Room West North East South M. Lund Madsen Bertens L. Lund Madsen Bakkeren       1♥ 3♠ 4♦ Pass 4♥ Pass 4NT Pass 5♥ Pass 6NT All Pass   On a spade lead, declarer will have to duck and execute a minor suit squeeze on East to make his contract, but East led the ♣K. When the ♥Q appeared at the desired moment, the play was quickly over. Orange +1440. Closed Room West North East South Jansma Graversen Verhees Clemmensen       1♥ 3♠ 4♦ Pass 4♥ Pass 4NT Pass 5♥ All Pass       Nearly the same bidding as at the other table, but with the ♥Q missing slam did not look a good proposition. This may even be true, but their careful judgement cost the Danes another 13 IMPs. A push and another Dutch partscore swing made it 64-48 to Denmark with three to play. Here is the first of them: Board 26. Dealer East. All Vul.   ♠ 6 ♥ K 6 3 ♦ K J 10 5 4 ♣ J 7 6 2 ♠ 7 5 4 3 2 ♥ 4 ♦ A Q ♣ A 10 5 4 3 ♠ A J 10 8 ♥ Q 9 8 5 2 ♦ 8 6 3 2 ♣ -   ♠ K Q 9 ♥ A J 10 7 ♦ 9 7 ♣ K Q 9 8 Open Room: West North East South M. Lund Madsen Bertens L. Lund Madsen Bakkeren     Pass 1NT Pass 3♠ Pass 3NT All Pass       For once, the Danes were lacking aggression. 3♠ showed a singleton and a willingness to play in a Moysian heart fit. With his good-looking spade stopper Bakkeren opted for 3NT which needed some luck (♠A right and a favourable diamond position) but proved an easy make on the actual layout. Orange +630. Closed Room: West North East South Jansma Graversen Verhees Clemmensen     Pass 1NT Dble 2♦ 2♥ Pass 2♠ 2NT Pass 3♥ 3♠ All Pass     In the other room, the auction was far more exciting when Jansma entered the scene and EW found their spade fit. For fairly obvious reasons NS refrained from stretching to the NT game, so 3♠ became the final contract. When North led the ♦J Jansma even made an overtrick for +170 and another 13 IMPs to Orange. The difference had gone back to 3 IMPs only. After a push on a possible slam that might as well go down this was the last board. In fact, the board had already been played in the Open Room, where they started with boards 27 and 28 for Vugraph reasons. So the audience knew that the Dutch had a good result to come on this last board, and so it proved: Board 28. Dealer West. N/S Vul.   ♠ K 9 8 6 2 ♥ K 4 ♦ - ♣ A 9 8 6 4 2 ♠ 5 ♥ Q J 7 3 ♦ A Q J 9 6 4 ♣ 10 5 ♠ A 10 7 4 ♥ 10 9 2 ♦ 3 2 ♣ K Q J 3   ♠ Q J 3 ♥ A 8 6 5 ♦ K 10 8 7 5 ♣ 7 Open Room West North East South M. Lund Madsen Bertens L. Lund Madsen Bakkeren 1♦ 2♣ Pass 2NT Pass 3♠ Pass 3NT Pass 4♠ Dble All Pass “When holding strength in the opponents’ side suit, lead a trump.” Had East followed this old stratagem this board would have produced a different story. On the actual diamond lead, declarer ruffed, cashed ♣A and ruffed a club, crossed to the ♥K and ruffed a third club. ♥A and a heart ruff were followed by another cub ruff, and a diamond was ruffed now by declarer with his ♠8. Declarer was down to two trumps and two club winners; East was down to only his four trumps. Though both defenders ruffed the club played at trick 10, East had to ruff West’s card at trick 11 and lead a trump back to let the ♠K score the game-going trick. Orange +790. Closed Room West North East South Jansma Graversen Verhees Clemmensen 1♦ 2♣ Pass 2NT Pass 3♠ Pass 3NT Pass 4♣ Dble 4♠ Dble All Pass     When Jansma doubled the final contract from the West seat (after the double of 4♣ he could be sure that Verhees wanted him to double 4♠ on decent defensive values) the layout of the hand was far less clear to declarer. Any chance of making the contract was soon gone when Verhees did find the required trump lead to the cheers of the Dutch supporters. Declarer won the queen in dummy, played ♣A and a club ruff and next led a low trump from the board, losing to East’s ♠10. From then on, East could tap declarer twice in diamonds when he was given his club tricks, so declarer ended up down two for the final 15-IMP swing to Orange. They had achieved the seemingly impossible: they had won the match 76-64 and they had given the audience a wonderful show, fully deserving the fact that bridge luck had been with them on the one or two deals where it was most urgently required.

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