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The Antalya Hand
by Peter Ventura
You might have superficial knowledge about the fanciful notion that a Vilamoura hand consists of two six-cards suits, named after the European Championships in 1995 which was held in the Portuguese city of Vilamoura. That definition doesn’t fit the following hand, which turned up in session three of the Semi Final A in the Open Pairs.
| | ♠ A K J 9 5 4 3
♥ A K 10 6 4 2
♦ –
♣ – |
We might use the term of an ‘Antalya hand’ instead, expressing a 7-6 suiter from now on.
Before we reveal the auctions from some of the tables, you can decide what to bid as North, red against green, when the auction has started in this way:
| West | North | East | | South
|
| | | Pass | | Pass
|
| 1♦ | ?
|
What’s your approach? One of many strategies could be to overcall your longest suit first – hopefully not all will pass – and then jump in hearts. Pavel Vorobei of Russia had the chance of glory as he had the possibility to pass out One Spade as West.
| Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul. |
| | ♠ A K J 9 5 4 3
♥ A K 10 6 4 2
♦ –
♣ – | ♠ 2
♥ J 3
♦ A K Q J 9 8
♣ A K 8 4 |
 | ♠ 10 8 6
♥ 9 8 5
♦ 6 5
♣ Q J 6 3 |
| | ♠ Q 7
♥ Q 7
♦ 10 7 4 3 2
♣ 10 9 7 5 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Vorobei | Kahraman | Solntsev | Koksoy
|
| | | Pass | Pass
|
| 1♣* | 1♠! | Pass | Pass
|
| 2♦ | 6♥ | 7♣ | Dble
|
| All Pass
|
One Club was Polish, so West ‘had’ to bid Two Diamonds, showing a strong hand with diamonds. Now the guillotine fell down over West as Ahmed Kahraman of Turkey bid Six Hearts. Evgueni Soltnsev did well to save in Seven Clubs. Which trick(s) South saw in his hand is still a mystery. My estimate in the value of the board is EIGHT spades...
The defence cashed their three tricks but –500 was only worth 14% for N/S.
Nine E/W-pairs managed to buy the contract in Seven Clubs or Diamonds.
Andrew Robson bid cleverly against the reigning champions from Tenerife 2005, the Poles Piotr Tuszynski – Apolinary Kowalski.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Kowalski | Robson | Tuszynski | Allfrey
|
| | | Pass | Pass
|
| 1♣* | 2♣* | Pass | 2♥
|
| 3♦ | 4♦* | Pass | 4♥
|
| 4NT | 5♣* | 6♣ | 6♥
|
| Pass | 7♥ | All Pass | |
Robson had a weapon to show both majors by overcalling Two Diamonds. Over Three Diamonds he once again bid diamonds to show his powerful hand and followed it up with Five Clubs over Four No-Trumps, described as six to seven diamonds and four clubs. When Allfrey found the strength to bid small slam Robson had an easy raise. When we asked Mr. Robson for a description of the auction he answered: ‘It was just bridge!’.
Bidding a grand slam with 13 tricks was worth a decent 71%.
As an Italian should have, Stelio di Bello had his share of luck.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Kupnicki | S. di Bello | Sielicki | F. di Bello
|
| | | Pass | Pass
|
| 1♦ | 2♦* | Pass | 2♥
|
| 3♥* | 4♥ ! | Pass | Pass
|
| 5♦ | 6♥ | All Pass
|
* Both majors
Marian Kupnicki saved di Bello’s day by reopening. 34% was not too bad for the Italians, considering they missed a cold grand slam.
Here is the auction from the Egypt pair Waleed El Ahmadi – Tarek Sadek facing the Norwegians Sam Inge Hoyland – Finn Brandsnes.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Hoyland | Ahmadi | Brandsnes | Sadek
|
| | | Pass | Pass
|
| 1♦ | 2♦* | Pass | 2♥
|
| 3♥* | 4♦* | Pass | 4♥
|
| 5♦ | 6♥ | Pass | Pass
|
| 7♦ | Pass | Pass | 7♥
|
| Dble | All Pass
|
Two Diamonds showed both majors. Hoyland had his chance but it turned out quite badly for him, that is to say, almost as badly as N/S +2470 and a 93% for the opponents could be.
Barry Westra displayed great courage as he redoubled his grand:
| West | North | East | South
|
| Koca | Westra | Eren | Ramondt
|
| | | Pass | Pass
|
| 1♦ | 2♦* | Pass | 2♥
|
| 3♦ | 4♦* | Pass | 4♠
|
| Pass | 7♥ | Pass | Pass
|
| Dble | Redble | All Pass
|
Two Diamonds showed both majors. The Dutch pair shared the top with the Turkish pair Cengiz Arigun – Akin Ucar, both pairs scoring +2940.
Bjorn Fallenius – Martin Schifko had a pessimistic view as they stopped in Five Spades for a poor 19%-board. They must have been more satisfied by their score than their auction. Waldemar Jaworski – Grzegorz Narkiewicz of Poland stopped in Five Spades too, but was doubled by David Burn of England. Wow, a striped-tailed ape double, we thought, but Burn admitted ‘I doubled in the pass out seat’. N/S scored +1250, although that was way over average, 79%, for Burn and Janet de Botton. Even if the Poles could have redoubled, it would have been a fairly good result for the English pair as Five Spades Redoubled scores 2000 while the vulnerable grand scores 2210! |
