| 48th European Bridge Team Championships | Page 2 | Bulletin 13 - Friday 25 August 2006 |
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Open Teams - Sweden v Ireland (Round 26) by Jos Jacobs The play in the Open Series resumed on Wednesday afternoon with an interesting choice on Vugraph: Sweden v. Ireland. This was the first of a number of matches Sweden still have to play against well-placed opponents. One might equally consider this match as their first warm-up match for Thursday evening’s great show: the Scandinavian derby Norway v. Sweden. Ireland so far have done remarkably well. On BBO the commentators had great trouble in finding out if Ireland had ever qualified for the Bermuda Bowl; the answer turned out to be NO. Therefore it would be a unique performance by them if they were to continue the good work for just three or four more days. Looking at the positions in the standings one might say, however, that Ireland would also be content with a small defeat whereas Sweden could not afford to lose too many VP at all; before the match started there was a gap of 26 VP between the two countries. That gap closed in to 24 VP when on board 1 the Swedes brought home a game on the opening lead away from a king. As it happened the same opening lead was made in the other room but the contract there was only 2♠. Had the ♠K been right and the trumps 3-2 we would just have said that Ireland missed a game on board 1 to lose 6 IMPs. The next board was more serious stuff, however, though neither side managed to come anywhere near a heart game (!):
Open Room
When West returned the ♥K at some point in the play Morath actually managed to make his contract. Sweden +110. Closed Room
The Irish, too, did not have any stratagem to show a black 6-4. Had either of the NS pairs been playing 2♣ as clubs and another or for example double as spades and another, North would at least have had the theoretical chance to introduce his nice red twosuiter. When declarer won the ♦K lead in dummy and immediately advanced the ♥Q, losing to the king, the last chance of a defensive mistake had gone. Ireland -100 and another 5 IMPs to Sweden to lead 11-0. On the next board, the Irish revealed one of the secrets of their success here in Warsaw:
Open Room
3♥ showed 6+ spades, invitational or better. Hanlon thought he held sufficient defensive values opposite his partner’s jump overcall and right he was! ♥A and a shift to the ♦K produced two undertricks for a well-deserved +300 to Ireland. Closed Room
The defensive position appeared far less clear for the Swedes, who get 4♠ go undoubled. Down two on a heart lead and a club switch, but only +100 to Sweden and 5 IMPs back to Eire. The Irish took the lead on the next board:
Open Room
This time it was Dr McGann’s turn to diagnose a double opposite his partner’s overcall, as he could see the clubs were not too well-placed for declarer. He too was quite right, even more so when Hanlon found a lead from his secret weapon (diamonds) to put the contract two down again, but this time vulnerable. Ireland a great +500. Closed Room
Well, the patient apparently was so seriously ill that Nystrom could also diagnose the double easily enough; but this time, Mesbur believed him! Had Fitzgibbon found the courage to pass 4♣ the Irish success would have been even greater. As it was, they lost 200 but gained 7 IMPs to take the lead. More Irish fireworks a few boards later, but this time the doctor’s diagnosis was a little too optimistic:
Open Room
Once again an inspired double from Hanlon but this time, McGann did not want to go for the sure plus. Thus, once again a fine +500 got converted into a dismal -200. Closed Room
Once again, Bertheau stayed quiet where Hanlon had not. This effectively kept his side away from trouble, so Sweden collected another +200 to gain 9 IMPs and increase their lead to 24-12. There was more to come for Sweden when a brilliant lead by Bertheau made a difference of four tricks:
Open Room
Hanlon found the good lead of a low spade to the queen and ace. Declarer went on to cash the trump ace, unblock the ♥A and play a trump to clear the suit. Hanlon knew his only chance of defeating 3♣ was an underlead in diamonds but declarer, who in act had no guess at all, simply put up the king and had the balance. Sweden +170. Closed Room
Bertheau found the brilliant lead of a low diamond! This not only removed the only entry to dummy prematurely but also completely led declarer astray. As Fitzgibbon held the ♦109 in the combined hands he elected to duck the lead, so Nystrom won his jack and continued the ♠Q on which Bertheau contributed the ten. When this held, Nystrom’s next card was a heart. The rest was easy. Declarer won the ace perforce, cashed the ♣A and led a diamond. Bertheau won his ace and continued a spade to declarer’s ace. In again with the ♣K he then could lead a third spade to beat the contract by one trick. Very well done: Sweden +100 and 7 IMPsn to lead 36-12 at the halfway stage. On the next board, the Irish came back strongly when the Strong Club could not easily cope with higher-level intervention:
Open Room
1♣ showed 16+. It is easy to understand Morath’s double on all his soft values in the red suits. The inspired lead of the ♦8 locked set to collect a telephone number... but Hanlon guessed to duck! Well done everyone! To make matters worse for the Swedes, the spade fit and North’s values were just enough for 12 tricks in the NS line. Closed Room
Ireland an easy enough +980 and 10 IMPs back. The score stood at 37-27 to Sweden with just four boards to go but much was to come on them:
Open Room
2♦ showed a threesuiter with a red singleton. The final contract was quite OK except that there is no legitimate way to make it after the ♦Q lead. Even playing the ♥A and another does not prevent the ruff so declarer had to go down two very quickly. Ireland +100. Closed Room
The Swedes once again were less enterprising. On a club lead by East, Fitzgibbon managed to make ten tricks for another +180 and 7 IMPs to Ireland. The match stood at nearly level again. On the next board, the Swedes fell overboard:
Open Room
Unlucky, Morath’s quantitative action, as the wrong hand was declarer and the ♥Q did not behave either. One down. Ireland +100 on the obvious spade lead. Closed Room
A little less quantitative here; on the same lead of the ♠10 declarer made the same 10 tricks for a vastly more satisfying score than his counterpart at the other table. Ireland +630 and 12 IMPs. They once again had taken the lead, with just two boards to go…
Open Room
On a correct club guess and a slight defensive mistake, Efraimsson just went one off. Ireland +100. Maybe, East should not have passed for penalties at this vulnerability… Closed Room
Fitzgibbon tried to block the EW engines with a full-blooded 4♠ overcall. In a sense he was right as this could have been a fine save with 5♥ still making but difficult to find. However, on a misguess in clubs and a complete lack of defensive mistakes he had to go down four, Sweden +800 and all 12 IMPs just lost back at once. It looked like a winning draw for Sweden… On the last board, one overtrick made it even better for the Swedes: with the help of the VP conversion table this IMP changed the result of the match into a 16-14 VP win for them, the final score being 50-47. |
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