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Women Teams — Quarterfinal:
Nederlandse Bridge Bond — Women v Ladies
by Peter Ventura
In the quarterfinal of the Women Teams two oranges would be squeezed into one, as the Dutch Ladies were facing the far more experienced team of the Dutch Women. Your editor had two questions before the play started:
1. Could we expect any blackouts from the players, as a result of the power breakdowns from time to time during the match? Ron Tacchi suggests that the Seniors would be providing the blackouts!
2. Would this be the time for a change of generations as opposed to generators?
On the first question the answer was no, at least not noticed by the editor. The answer on the second question will be unveiled if you keep on reading!
In the first half these were playing in the Open Room:
East: Carla Arnolds (NL1)
West: Bep Vriend (NL1)
North: Astrid Dekker (NL2)
South: Rosaline Barendregt (NL2)
These were playing in the Closed Room:
East: Anke Wijma (NL2)
West: Claudia van der Salm (NL2)
North: Jet Pasman (NL1)
South: Anneke Simons (NL1)
In the text which follows the teams will be named as ‘Women’ (NL1) and ‘Ladies’ (NL2).
Did we see any difference between experience and youthful enthusiasm on the very first board?
| Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul. |
| | ♠ 7
♥ J 9 8 7 5 3
♦ A 9 2
♣ 9 5 3 | ♠ K Q 5 4 2
♥ –
♦ Q J 5 3
♣ Q J 6 2 |
 | ♠ A 10 9
♥ 6 4
♦ 10 7 4
♣ A K 10 7 4 |
| | ♠ J 8 6 3
♥ A K Q 10 2
♦ K 8 6
♣ 8 |
Open Room
| West | North | East | South
|
| Vriend | Dekker | Arnolds | Barendregt
|
| | 2♦* | Pass | 4♣*
|
| Pass | 4♦* | Pass | 4♥
|
| All Pass
|
Closed Room
| West | North | East | South
|
| Van der Salm | Pasman | Wijma | Simons
|
| | 2♦* | Pass | 2NT*
|
| Pass | 3♣* | Dble | 4♥
|
| 4♠ | Pass | Pass | 5♥
|
| Pass | Pass | Dble | All Pass
|
In the Open Room Barendregt arranged for a transfer to partner’s major after North’s Multi opening, and when Vriend sat quietly N/S recorded +420.
In the Closed Room Three Clubs showed hearts, but less values than if she would have rebid Three Hearts. Wijma saw her opportunity to show that she had the club suit and this move encouraged Van der Salm to bid Four Spades, as she might always correct to Five Clubs if N/S doubled. This time the sporty Four Spades bid worked out pretty well since it upped put the stake to a higher level when Simons bid Five Hearts, doubled by Wijma. There were no more than ten tricks; NS –100. That was worth 11 IMPs and a flying start for the Ladies.
The young ladies continued in the same spirit, picking up IMPs in the early boards, leading by 24-0 after just four boards.
| Board 6. Dealer South. E/W Vul. |
| | ♠ A K Q 8 7 2
♥ A J
♦ Q 8
♣ A 6 3 | ♠ J 5 4 3
♥ Q 8 4 2
♦ 7
♣ Q 10 8 2 |
| ♠ 6
♥ K 9 7
♦ K 10 5 4 3 2
♣ K 7 5 |
| | ♠ 10 9
♥ 10 6 5 3
♦ A J 9 6
♣ J 9 4 |
The ladies lost 10 IMPs on board 6 where, while Dekker misguessed the trump suit in Four Spades Pasman/Simons were playing in a far better game at the other table, Three No-trumps, where nine tricks came easily.
The score was 24-11 when this large swing came up for the Women.
| Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul. |
| | ♠ J 3 2
♥ Q J 7 5 2
♦ K 9 7 2
♣ Q | ♠ 7 6 4
♥ A 9 3
♦ 10 4 3
♣ K 9 3 2 |
| ♠ Q 9 5
♥ 8 6 4
♦ A J 8 6 5
♣ 7 6 |
| | ♠ A K 10 8
♥ K 10
♦ Q
♣ A J 10 8 5 4 |
Open Room
| West | North | East | South
|
| Vriend | Dekker | Arnolds | Barendregt
|
| | | | 1♣*
|
| Pass | 1♥ | Pass | 1♠
|
| Pass | 1NT | Pass | 3NT
|
| All Pass
|
*2+ Clubs
Closed Room
| West | North | East | South
|
| Van der Salm | Pasman | Wijma | Simons
|
| | | | 1♣
|
| Pass | 1♥ | Pass | 1♠
|
| Pass | 1NT | Pass | 3♣
|
| Pass | 3NT | All Pass
|
The same contract was reached at both tables. A normal low diamond is the only lead to defeat the game, one which was found in both rooms. After winning the queen, both declarers played a low club up and both West players erred by playing low. From this position Dekker crossed to dummy with the spade ace and cashed the ace of clubs. As the cards lay, with the heart ace in West’s hand, declarer cannot afford to continue in clubs. When Dekker played a high club to West’s king, Vriend was able to play the ten of diamonds, to the king and ace. Arnolds put her partner in again by playing a heart and it all fell apart for declarer, as another diamond gave East three more diamond tricks with J-8-6 over North’s 9-7. That was two down for N/S –200.
In the Closed Room, Pasman played a heart to the king and ace, after she had won the queen of clubs. The ten of diamonds was covered by the king and ace and on the club return declarer correctly rose with the ace. The situation as regards entries to hand was not the best, so Pasman went for the 3-3 split in hearts. Thus she overtook the ten of hearts with the jack. When that line was successful she ended up with an overtrick; N/S +630 and that was 13 IMPs and a huge recovery for the Women. The score was level now at 24-24 IMPs.
Now the Dutch Women had their engines going at full speed. They scored another 9 IMPs on the next two deals, then came:
| Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul. |
| | ♠ 4
♥ 7 6 3
♦ A K J 10 3
♣ J 10 5 2 | ♠ K J 9 3
♥ A Q 10
♦ Q 5
♣ Q 9 8 7 |
| ♠ Q 8 7 5
♥ 9 5
♦ 9 7 2
♣ A K 6 4 |
| | ♠ A 10 6 2
♥ K J 8 4 2
♦ 8 6 4
♣ 3 |
Open Room
| West | North | East | South
|
| Vriend | Dekker | Arnolds | Barendregt
|
| | | Pass | Pass
|
| 1♣* | 1♦ | 1♥< | Dble
|
| 2♠ | All Pass
|
< 4+ spades
Closed Room
| West | North | East | South
|
| Van der Salm | Pasman | Wijma | Simons
|
| | | Pass | Pass
|
| 1♣ | 1♦ | 1♠ | Dble
|
| 2♠ | 3♥ | Pass | 4♥
|
| All Pass
|
In the Closed Room Simons’ double over One Spade led N/S to a reasonable game in Four Hearts but a bad trump split complicated things for declarer. Pasman again showed her declaring skills, as she took the chance she was given, when Wijma didn’t find to shift to a trump after winning the club ace at trick one. On a spade shift Pasman could now go for the cross ruff, thanks to the beneficial breaks in the black suits. In the three-card ending West held A-Q-10 in trumps and was thrown in to give dummy a trump trick; NS recording +620.
We didn’t see any rock’n’roll in the Open Room where E/W managed to buy the contract in Two Spades. Considering that N/S cannot take more than eight tricks in hearts, on a proper defence, it was well judged not to go any further. None the less, E/W’s recording 140 was profitable for the Women, as they gained a huge 13 IMPs on the board.
At half time the Women were in the lead by 49-24. In the first half Meike Wortel and Marion Michielsen were sitting out but in the second half they rejuvenated the leading team by replacing Pasman/Simons in the Closed Room.
The first board in the second half was a push, as both tables bid and made slam.
Sitting South, green against red, would you save in Five Clubs with the following hand? One Spade shows five cards and your Two No-Trump bid promised 5-5 in the unbid suits.
| | ♠ 10
♥ 10 9 6 3 2
♦ K
♣ Q 10 9 4 3 2 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| 1♠ | Pass | 2♦ | 2NT*
|
| Pass | 3♣ | 3♠ | Pass
|
| 4♠ | Pass | Pass | ?
|
From your point of view it seems that Four Spades would be a piece of a cake, but at the same time the auction tells us that it is quite possible for partner to hold four spades, since it is likely E/W will be playing in a 5-3 fit. Pass or bid?
Rosaline Barendregt chose to pass, which was the right move as her side recorded +200 a little later.
| Board 16. Dealer West. E/W Vul. |
| | ♠ K Q 7 4
♥ J 7
♦ Q 8 6 5
♣ K J 8 | ♠ A J 9 8 6
♥ Q 8 4
♦ 9 4
♣ A 7 6 |
| ♠ 5 3 2
♥ A K 5
♦ A J 10 7 3 2
♣ 5 |
| | ♠ 10
♥ 10 9 6 3 2
♦ K
♣ Q 10 9 4 3 2 |
Open Room
| West | North | East | South
|
| Vriend | Dekker | Arnolds | Barendregt
|
| 1♠ | Pass | 2♦ | 2NT*
|
| Pass | 3♣ | 3♠ | Pass
|
| 4♠ | All Pass
|
Closed Room
| West | North | East | South
|
| Van der Salm | Wortel | Wijma | Michielsen
|
| 1♠ | Pass | 2♦ | Pass
|
| 2♠ | Pass | 3♦ | Pass
|
| 3NT | Pass | 4♠ | All Pass
|
Dekker led the heart jack, which was won in dummy. Vriend played a trump to the ten, jack and queen. North continued the atack on hearts, won in dummy. A spade revealed the bad trump break and Vriend let North win the trick with the king. Dekker shifted to a club, which declarer won in hand and then run the nine of diamonds. Barendregt won the king and gave partner a heart ruff. Dekker exited with a trump and when the diamond finesse then the ace didn’t clear the suit declarer had to lose a club; two off and N/S +200.
The Ladies gained 3 IMPs since Van der Salm collected nine tricks in the Closed Room for N/S +100.
As the cards lay, all you actually need to do as declarer is to take two club ruffs in dummy as you can afford to lose two spades and a diamond trick. A winning line could be to win the first trick in dummy, cross to the ace of clubs, ruff a club, play a spade to the ace and ruff the last club. From here on the defence cannot harm declarer. With a different position, for example if the trumps split badly and South had another diamond with her king, it would shorten declarer’s trumps and the game would be beatable – which was what the declarer had feared.
We move on to board 25 and at this point the Women were in the lead by 60-41. The Ladies came closer here.
| Board 25. Dealer North. E/W Vul. |
| | ♠ J 6 4 3
♥ J 7 3 2
♦ 10 4
♣ 10 7 3 | ♠ 10 2
♥ Q 10 9 8
♦ A J 9 2
♣ K J 9 |
| ♠ A 7 5
♥ K 5
♦ K 7 5
♣ Q 8 6 5 2 |
| | ♠ K Q 9 8
♥ A 6 4
♦ Q 8 6 3
♣ A 4 |
Open Room
| West | North | East | South
|
| Vriend | Dekker | Arnolds | Barendregt
|
| | Pass | 1♣ | 1NT
|
| Dble | Pass* | Pass | Redble
|
| Pass | 2♥ | Pass | Pass
|
| Dble | Pass | Pass | 2♠
|
| Pass | Pass | 2NT | Pass
|
| 3NT | All Pass
|
Closed Room
| West | North | East | South
|
| Van der Salm | Wortel | Wijma | Michielsen
|
| | Pass | 1♣ | Dble
|
| Redble | Pass | Pass | 1♦
|
| 1NT | All Pass
|
In the Closed Room E/W stopped in One No-Trump. Wortel led a heart and when the defence didn’t shift to a spade when they came in, Van der Salm could count to no less than eleven tricks in her basket when the smoke had cleared. Four club tricks, three both in hearts and diamonds plus one spade were eleven in total; N/S –210.
Overcalling One No-trump could have been an expensive affair for N/S in the Open Room. Dekker’s pass over the double denied any five card suit, so Barendregt knew they were in a 4-3 fit in hearts. She therefore introduced her spade suit and in that way they landed on their feet. Doubling Two Spades was too risky for E/W, so they went for game instead. Barendregt’s spade lead sank the attempt, as it left declarer one trick short; N/S +100. That reduced the margin by 7 IMPs and with three boards left the Ladies needed just one more good board, as the score now was 60-48.
The next two boards were flat. On the last board 13 IMPs were at stake, just what the Ladies needed to turn the match into a win by 61-60! That would have been a real knock-out!
| Board 28. Dealer West. N/S Vul. |
| | ♠ A J 8 7
♥ A K 4
♦ 10
♣ 9 8 5 4 3 | ♠ Q 5 2
♥ 8 5 3
♦ J 6 4 3
♣ A J 2 |
| ♠ 10 3
♥ J 10 9 7 6 2
♦ A 9 5 2
♣ 10 |
| | ♠ K 9 6 4
♥ Q
♦ K Q 8 7
♣ K Q 7 6 |
Four Spades was reached at both tables. If Wortel, who was declarer in the Closed Room, were to fail while Dekker in the Open Room could succeed, the match would be turned around. In both rooms the ten of clubs was led. In the Open Room Vriend won the ace and then gave her partner a ruff. Arnolds cashed the diamond ace and then exited with a diamond. Dekker had the intention to create a swing as she played the trumps from the top. This was not their day and when the game was made in the Closed Room that gave us the final score of 73-48 IMPs.
The Ladies had kept pace with the Women, as the score in the second half of the match was 24-24. Summarizing, that was good and bad news for the Ladies, since they had lost the match but at the same time they had added another important experience to their curriculum vitae.
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