Germany vs Poland (Juniors Round 18)

With only four matches to play Poland were laying third, with only three VP’s more than Germany at fourth place, so this was a very important match for both teams.

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	♠ K Q 9 3 2 ♥ Q 9 8 2 ♦ Q 10 8 ♣ 8
♠ 10 7 ♥ 10 5 3 ♦ K J 7 2 ♣ K Q 5 4		♠ A 4 ♥ A J 7 6 4 ♦ A 5 4 3 ♣ J 3
	♠ J 8 6 5 ♥ K ♦ 9 6 ♣ A 10 9 7 6 2

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Sikora	Smirnov	Nawrocki	Gotard
	Pass	1♥	Pass
2♥	2♠	3♥	4♠
Dble	All Pass

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Gottanka	Nowosadzki	Wuermseer	Wiankowski
	2♣*	2♥	2♠
3♥	All Pass

Facing a partner who didn’t open the auction might have put a break on Thomas Gotard. When he took a shot at game over 3♥, Jan Sikora doubled on general values.

Piotr Nawrocki led the three of diamond and when Sikora played the jack, not imagining his partner would underlead an ace at trick one, Smirnov took the first trick cheaply with the queen. At this point declarer can make the contract by playing a club to the ace and ruff a club, then avoid ruffing clubs with low spades in hand. In practice, Smirnov exited with a heart after winning the diamond queen. Nawrocki won the ace, cashed the diamond ace and played another diamond. Declarer ruffed in dummy, played the club ace and more clubs – Sikora did well by playing low – and ruffed in hand. The queen of hearts took the next trick and declarer ruffed a heart, then ruffed a club with a low spade, but East’s spade four won the trick. The trump ace was still to come, so that was one down and N/S –100. In the Closed Room 2♣ was for spades and when the defence didn’t slip up declarer had only eight tricks; N/S +50 and that was 4 IMPs to Poland.

Germany struck back immediately and gained 4 IMPs on Board 2 then on the board after that they scored 11 IMPs thanks to an unlucky Polish lead against 3NT. The Poles gained 3 IMPs on Board 4 and then this monster came along:

Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
	♠ K J 6 5 ♥ 3 ♦ A J 5 ♣ K 8 6 4 2
♠ A 10 9 7 4 3 2 ♥ K 9 5 4 ♦ – ♣ A 10		♠ – ♥ A Q J 8 7 6 ♦ Q 8 7 4 3 2 ♣ 7
	♠ Q 8 ♥ 10 2 ♦ K 10 9 6 ♣ Q J 9 5 3

Closed Room

Over the Polish’ styled club opening, East overcalled 3NT, showing a club suit or a red two-suiter. West’s 5♣ was for pass or correct and over 5♦ Daniel Gottanka cowardly bid only 5♥. There was not much to the play as the spades were easily established and declarer chalked up thirteen tricks for N/S –510.

In the Open Room the bidding was a different kind of an animal:

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Sikora	Smirnov	Nawrocki	Gotard
	1♣*	4♥	Pass
5♦*	Pass	6♦	Pass
7♥	All Pass

Here Nawrocki overcalled 4♥ over North’s Polish club opening and West’s cuebid of 5♦ didn’t deny a control in clubs. East was quite happy to find partner with support in one of his suits, thus he tried the small slam in diamonds. Sikora shook his head when the tray came back but a leap to 7♥ would do the job he thought, and it indeed did, so the Poles recorded 1510 and a worthy 14 IMPs. In the match between Norway and Sweden in the Juniors, the Norwegian pair of Petter Eide/Allan Livgard showed proof of practical bidding:

West	North	East	South
Eide		Livgard
	1♣	4♥	Pass
5♣*	Pass	5♠	Pass
7♥	All Pass

The 4♥ overcall with a hand shape as East’s has its advantages and disadvantages. Normally one could expect one or two more hearts and if West has diamonds and a heart shortage he likely will pass when E/W might be cold for 7♦. However, this time it was a good start on the way to the grand slam. 5♣ and 5♠ were cuebids. At this point Eide knew the grand slam should have a fair chance to succeed, since East declined a diamond cuebid. At the other table the Swedes stopped in 6♥ and that was 11 IMPs to Norway and a valuable contribution to their victory (21-9 VPs) over their arch-enemy.

We saw many different (amusing) scores on this board. In the Juniors, Slovakia gained 11 IMPs against Austria as the Slovak pair played 4♥ redoubled recording 1280 (only twelve tricks) and the Austrian pair got doubled in 4♥ but that was not more than 690. At three tables 6♥ was doubled for 1310. In the Schools, Italy gained 18 massive IMPs against Israel as the Italian pair redoubled 7♥ just made and the Israeli pair stopped in 4♥.

Well, now back to our match, where Poland had a solid lead by 41 to 15 after eight boards. The Poles gained more IMPs here:

Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	♠ 10 3 ♥ A 7 4 3 2 ♦ 5 3 ♣ Q 8 6 4
♠ K 8 7 ♥ Q 8 5 ♦ 7 2 ♣ A K 7 5 3		♠ J 9 5 2 ♥ K 10 9 ♦ A K Q J ♣ 10 2
	♠ A Q 6 4 ♥ J 6 ♦ 10 9 8 6 4 ♣ J 9

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Sikora	Smirnov	Nawrocki	Gotard
	Pass	1NT	Pass
3NT	All Pass

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Gottanka	Nowosadzki	Wuermseer	Wiankowski
	Pass	1NT	Pass
2♣*	Pass	2♠	Pass
2NT	Pass	3NT	All Pass

The play started in the same way at both tables. South led a diamond and declarer won in hand then played the club ten to South’s jack, which held the trick. South continued by playing the jack of hearts on which North played low, so the king took the trick. Declarer played three rounds of clubs and here the defenders’ roads divided. Smirnov played a spade back and that was declarer’s ninth trick; N/S –600. Michal Nowosadzki did better by playing a diamond back. After winning the queen declarer played the ten of hearts to the ace and Nowosadzki played a heart back to dummy’s queen, forcing a spade to be played from dummy; down one for N/S + 100 and 12 Polish IMPs. However, declarer can succeed by not playing a heart after winning the diamond trick.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	♠ J 9 ♥ K 10 8 ♦ K Q 10 8 5 2 ♣ J 7
♠ 8 5 4 3 ♥ J 4 3 ♦ J 9 3 ♣ Q 6 2		♠ K 7 2 ♥ Q 9 6 5 ♦ 7 ♣ A K 10 9 4
	♠ A Q 10 6 ♥ A 7 2 ♦ A 6 4 ♣ 8 5 3

Open Room

Closed Room

In the Open Room Nawrocki led the ten of clubs and the defence had five easy tricks; N/S –100. Gottanka had to find a killing lead from West’s hand, which was not easy after North/South’s anonymous bidding. He tried a spade, so declarer eventually claimed twelve tricks for 690 and another 13 IMPs to Poland.

The board that followed was won by Germany in the auction.

Board 16. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
	♠ Q 6 5 4 3 2 ♥ J 7 ♦ Q 10 2 ♣ A Q
♠ K J ♥ 8 6 ♦ A 9 6 4 ♣ K 10 7 5 2		♠ A 10 9 8 ♥ 10 9 4 2 ♦ 7 5 ♣ 9 6 4
	♠ 7 ♥ A K Q 5 3 ♦ K J 8 3 ♣ J 8 3

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Sikora	Smirnov	Nawrocki	Gotard
1♦	1♠	Pass	2♦*
Pass	2♥*	Pass	2NT
Pass	3♠	Pass	3NT
All Pass

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Gottanka	Nowosadzki	Wuermseer	Wiankowski
1NT	2♦*	Pass	2♥*
Pass	2♠	All Pass

Gotard’s 2♦ showed five hearts and 2♥ denied a void and any interest in the spade suit. The spade suit was no threat and Gotard established his diamonds and made an overtrick on a successful club finesse.

Nowosadzki’s 2♦ was for spades but Gottanka’s weak no trump kept the Poles away from game as they settled for a partscore. 2♠ was just made and that was 8 IMPs to Germany.

Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	♠ K 6 3 ♥ 8 5 3 ♦ Q 8 7 ♣ K 10 7 4
♠ J ♥ K 10 ♦ K J 9 5 4 3 2 ♣ 9 8 3		♠ A Q 10 7 4 ♥ 9 6 4 2 ♦ 6 ♣ A Q 6
	♠ 9 8 5 2 ♥ A Q J 7 ♦ A 10 ♣ J 5 2

Closed Room

2♣ showed either diamonds or nine cards in the major suits. South led a spade to the jack and queen and declarer then played a trump towards dummy. South hopped up with the ace, cashed the heart ace and played a heart to dummy’s king. Declarer drew the trumps by playing the king then a small one to North’s queen. On the club switch declarer finessed the queen and then claimed ten tricks; N/S –130

In the other room East/West had upped the stakes.

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Sikora	Smirnov	Nawrocki	Gotard
			1♣*
1♦*	1♠!	Pass	2♠
Pass	Pass	Dble	Pass
3♦	All Pass

Note though that Smirnov’s psyche at his first turn could have put the Germans in deep trouble. Nawrocki doubled 2♠ for penalties – a bloody affair for the Germans – but Sikora saved their day as he didn’t see any defensive values in his hand, thus converting to 3♦.

North led a club and when dummy played low South won the jack. Gotard now played the queen of hearts in tempo. West didn’t see any reason to cover, so he played low, but now South advanced the heart ace and the defence cashed out for one down. West misplayed the hand, nonetheless, well defended by South. That was worth 7 IMPs to Germany. However the Germans didn’t have the capacity to beat the skilled Poles.

After a slow start Poland was back on track on their way to a medal. 87-29 IMPs, 25-4 VPs, was an impressive performance.