DAILY BULLETIN INTERNET EDITION Number 6 ••• Friday 21 March 1997 Editors: Mark Horton, Brian Senior, Patrick Jourdain • Web Editor: Panos Pavlides

Results	Contents
OPEN, Final A, Sess 1 OPEN, Final A, Sess 2 OPEN, Final B, Sess 1 OPEN, Final B, Sess 2 OPEN, Consolation, Sess 1 OPEN, Consolation, Sess 2 SENIORS, Final, Sess 2 SENIORS, Consolation, Sess 2	Thanks from the President OPEN PAIRS, 1st Final session OPEN PAIRS, 2nd Final session Bid & Breakfast

An exciting finish, heightened by the players' knowledge of the current scores, is in prospect in the Open Pairs Championship. These are the leading scores:

The prospects of a gold medal for Germany increased when a strong finish to the second session enabled the overnight leaders to strengthen their position. The top of the table looks like this:

Congratulations to the winners of the Consolation, Poland's Czech & Macior, and the Seniors Consolation, Germany's Alvensleben & Höger. For them the hard work is over and they can relax until the prize-giving ceremony.

Due to the Barometer scoring, it is no longer possible to watch the same boards at more than one table. For session one of the final I decided to watch six boards of the leading mixed qualifiers, Andrea Rauscheid and Nedu Buchlev of Germany, then six boards of the leading women's pair, Marijke van der Pas and Bep Vriend of the Netherlands

Board 1. Love All. Dealer North. A 6 2 10 8 7 6 4 10 8 5 A 7 7 4 3 K Q J 10 9 8 5 J 2 A 9 7 4 2 K 6 Q J 8 6 K 5 4 - A K Q 9 5 3 Q J 3 10 9 3 2 West North East South Versluis Buchlev Vis Rauscheid Pass 1 2 Dble 2 4 5 5 Dble All Pass

A great start for the Germans. 4 can be beaten by leading two rounds of clubs while South still has a heart entry, but as a practical matter it will always succeed so Andrea Rauscheid did well for her side by bidding 5. Not having shown any spade support yet, Versluis went on to 5 and Buchlev, looking at two aces, doubled. He led a heart and Rauscheid switched to a club; one down for -100 and 37 matchpoints out of 42 for Rauscheid/Buchlev.

Board 2. N/S Game. Dealer East. Q A K J 3 A 10 6 10 9 8 6 3 A K J 9 7 8 5 4 3 2 2 9 6 8 7 4 3 K 2 J 4 2 A Q 7 5 10 6 Q 10 8 7 5 4 Q J 9 5 K West North East South Versluis Buchlev Vis Rauscheid Pass 2 2 4 4 Dble All Pass

Rauscheid opened a weak 2 and Versluis dredged up a 2 overcall. Buchlev jumped to 4 but Vis had an easy 4 bid. With most of her hand outside hearts, Rauscheid decided to double 4 but this was not a success. Buchlev didn't look very happy about it but he eventually passed and led a top heart. He switched to 10 but Versluis got those right, rising with the ace to drop the bare king. He just had to lose a diamond now; +690, leaving the Germans with just 1.1 matchpoints.

Board 3. E/W Game. Dealer South. 8 Q J 9 8 5 7 6 5 K J 6 3 A K 5 3 Q 10 6 4 6 4 A 10 3 10 4 3 2 K J A 7 4 Q 10 8 5 J 9 7 2 K 7 2 A Q 9 8 9 2 West North East South Babsch Buchlev Umshaus Rauscheid Pass 1 2 2NT 3 Pass Pass 3 All Pass

1 is the Blue Club opening on the West cards so the Austrians found their fit immediately. Perhaps trying to disrupt a possible canapé auction, Buchlev came in with a wafer-thin overcall and Umshaus showed a constructive spade raise. From a passed hand, Rauscheid's 3 had to promise heart support, and indeed Buchlev alerted it as such. But then he passed anyway, wanting to discourage Rauscheid from competing further. Umshaus could see that his hand wasn't getting any better and contented himself with 3, ending the auction.

Buchlev led a diamond to the jack and queen and Rauscheid switched to a heart for the jack and ace. Babsch cashed ace and king of spades then played a diamond for the king and ace. The defense played two rounds of hearts, declarer ruffing, and he now played a low club from hand. Buchlev rose with the king but that was the end of the defense; one down for -100. With the most popular score being 200 to North/South, that gave the Germans 20 out of 42.

Board 4. Game All. Dealer West. 8 2 8 5 4 A Q 3 J 9 7 5 2 J 9 6 4 3 A K 5 J 9 K Q 10 3 J 6 4 10 5 2 10 8 6 A K 4 Q 10 7 A 7 6 2 K 9 8 7 Q 3 West East Babsch Umshaus Pass 1 1 1NT 2 2 Pass

1 was strong and 1 showed 0-6. Umshaus showed around 18-20 balanced and Babsch transferred to spades. Rauscheid led 9 to the ace and Buchlev switched to a low club to declarer's ace. Umshaus cashed the top spades then played a heart to the jack and a second heart to king and ace. Rauscheid cashed Q to get a signal from partner and Buchlev threw a club. It seems to me that this is a simple situation where whichever suit partner throws you lead the other one, but Rauscheid obviously saw things differently because she cashed K then switched to Q and Umshaus could discard both of dummy's losers on the hearts; +140, leaving only 5.3 matchpoints for the Germans.

Board 5. N/S Game. Dealer North. 9 7 4 Q J 6 3 2 7 2 K J 9 Q J 10 5 2 A 8 3 10 8 A 9 A 10 3 Q J 6 4 Q 8 4 10 6 3 2 K 6 K 7 5 4 K 9 8 5 A 7 5 West North East South v.Luijk Buchlev Jialal Rauscheid Pass 1 Pass 1 Pass 1NT Dble Pass 2 2 Pass Pass 3 Pass Pass Dble All Pass

Rauscheid passed over the 1 opening but then doubled for takeout of spades on the next round. That was enough to persuade Buchlev to compete to 3 over 2 and van Luijk made a close matchpoint double. This was not the time for it. Jialal led a diamond to the king and ace and back came a club. The ten forced the ace and Buchlev played a heart to the queen and ace. Jialal played a second club, relieving declarer's worries in that suit, and he drew the trumps and gave up a diamond. With A well-placed, that was +730 and 41 matchpoints for the German pair.

Board 6. E/W Game. Dealer East. 10 A K 2 Q 10 8 7 6 3 J 8 3 A K 6 5 4 J 9 3 Q 10 9 8 4 J 7 3 J 4 K 9 2 7 A Q 10 2 Q 8 7 2 6 5 A 5 K 9 6 5 4 West North East South v.Luijk Buchlev Jialal Rauscheid 1 Pass 1 2 Pass Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 3 All Pass

The Dutch pair had an invitational sequence to 3. Buchlev led a low diamond, reducing declarer's losers in that suit to one. Rauscheid won the ace and returned a second diamond to the king. Van Luijk led a spade to the ace then a low spade to the jack and queen with some vague hope of keeping control. Rauscheid returned a trump to dummy's nine and declarer had no option but to play on hearts. He led the jack and Buchlev won and played 10. Van Luijk ruffed and played a second heart to Buchlev's ace. He switched to a club and declarer won the ace and played dummy's last heart but Rauscheid could ruff that for one down; -100 but still only 13.7 matchpoints to the Germans.

The low round of spades on the second round doesn't look right as we have seen that it doesn't succeed against the 4-1 break it was intended to guard against. If declarer just sets about the hearts he has a better chance. Sure he might run into a heart ruff but that is with the defensive trump trick and he can take a trump finesse when in dummy with the A.

On the six boards we have seen, our featured pair scored 118.1 matchpoints against an average of 126.

Board 7. Game All. Dealer South. A J 4 K Q 7 3 A 9 8 Q 8 3 K 9 Q 8 7 6 3 A 10 9 4 2 J 5 K 4 2 Q J 10 6 9 7 6 J 10 10 5 2 8 6 7 5 3 A K 5 4 2 West North East South Mayer Vriend Stretz v.d.Pas Pass Pass 1NT All Pass

The French pair scored surprisingly well for holding Bep Vriend to nine tricks here, +150 giving the Dutch pair only 8 matchpoints. Stretz led Q and followed up with a low one to the king. Vriend won the third round and played a club to dummy and a heart towards hand. Jean-Paul Meyer jumped in with the A and switched to K. Vriend won and ran the clubs but there was no squeeze so Meyer got the last trick with a heart.

1NT made ten tricks at ten tables and game was bid once.

Board 8. Love All. Dealer West. - Q 10 9 4 3 2 7 6 5 3 2 6 2 A K J 6 5 9 4 3 7 6 K 5 9 8 4 K Q J 10 K 9 5 A Q J 8 Q 10 8 7 2 A J 8 A 10 7 4 3 West North East South Mayer Vriend Stretz v.d.Pas Pass 2 2NT 3 4 All Pass

Vriend opened a multi and Stretz overcalled a natural 2NT. Van der Pas bid 3, to compete in partner's major, and Meyer closed proceedings with a leap to 4. It is hard to imagine that East/West have anywhere to run to and South's failure to double seems a little timid.

Vriend led 10 to the king and ace and overtook the J return to switch to a club. Meyer rose with the ace and played a spade to the ace, getting the depressing news. He played a diamond to the ace and van der Pas returned a club. Meyer won in hand and cashed two more clubs, pitching a diamond. Then he played a diamond which van der Pas ruffed. She had to make another spade so that was two down; -100 and 19 matchpoints to the Dutch, but a double would have meant 31.

Board 9. E/W Game. Dealer North. K 10 A K 4 3 2 K 8 6 A 9 6 8 6 4 3 2 A Q 9 5 Q 10 8 7 Q 7 A J 10 9 5 2 K Q 10 8 2 J 7 J 9 6 5 4 3 J 7 5 4 3 West North East South Bitran Vriend Nahmias v.d.Pas 1 2 Pass 2NT Dble Pass 3 Pass Pass 3 All Pass

The French pair missed game when Bitran judged that too much of his strength was in his partner's short suits to make game likely opposite a delayed 3 bid. Van der Pas led a heart and Vriend won and cashed A before leading the second top heart. Nahmias was a little sloppy here, ruffing low, and it was to cost him an overtrick. He played a club to dummy and took the trump finesse but was left with 9 which was bigger than anything in dummy so could not take the diamond finesse and had held himself to ten tricks; +170 and 34.2 matchpoints for the Dutch pair.

Afterwards, Nahmias explained to me that the nine of spades is considered to be an unlucky card in France - it certainly was on this deal!

The leaders after the first session of the Open final were Abate and Morelli of Italy after scoring over 62%. We will look at them shortly but first we take a brief look at ninth placed German pair, Gotard and Holowski.

Board 1. Love All. Dealer North. A Q 10 6 Q 10 9 A 7 4 A Q 6 7 2 J 5 4 8 5 A K J 4 3 2 10 3 2 K Q K 10 8 4 3 2 J 5 K 9 8 3 7 6 J 9 8 6 5 9 7 West North East South Panto Gotard Harris Holowski 1 2 Pass Pass Dble Pass 2 All Pass

The 1 opening was Polish: natural, strong and artificial or a weak no trump. 2 was described as strong but not forcing and the double was takeout. Panto led a heart and Harris played three rounds. As the cards lie, ruffing with the eight, drawing trumps and playing ace and another diamond produces ten tricks, but if the heart is over-ruffed and the club finesse loses even 2 may fail.

Holowski threw his club loser on the third heart and Harris switched to a trump. Declarer drew three rounds and ducked a diamond. Harris won the king and led a club and now Holowski laid down the A and had nine tricks; +140 and 25 matchpoints for the Germans.

Board 2. N/S Game. Dealer East. K 10 4 3 10 7 6 3 8 4 J 9 3 J 9 8 7 A J 9 K 5 4 A J 10 K 7 6 3 2 A Q 8 4 K 10 6 2 A Q 6 5 2 Q 8 2 Q 9 5 7 5 West North East South Panto Gotard Harris Holowski Pass Pass 1 Pass 1 Pass 2NT Pass 3 Pass 3 Pass 3 Pass 4 Pass 4 Pass 5 All Pass

The British pair did well here. 1 and 1 were natural and 2NT showed a good 17-19. Harris showed some club support then his heart feature and Panto realised that 3NT would be impossible as his partner had to be short in spades. He bid 4 but then left all the running to Harris, having already bid everything he had. Harris judged not to bid the mediocre slam.

The lead was a heart to the queen and ace and Panto drew trumps then led a diamond to his jack, making twelve tricks. +420 was worth 31 matchpoints for the British pair, five East/Wests going minus and one stopping in partscore while just two bid and made slam.

Board 3. E/W Game. Dealer South. 10 9 5 K Q J 9 3 K 10 K 4 2 Q 3 K 8 A 7 5 4 2 8 6 9 8 2 A 7 6 5 4 3 Q 8 7 A 9 5 A J 7 6 4 2 10 Q J J 10 6 3 West North East South Bessis Gotard Rombaut Holowski 2 Pass 2 All Pass

Not a very exciting board. Holowski opened a multi and passed the 2 response. Rombaut of France led ace and another diamond and Gotard won the king and tried a low heart to the ten. Bessis won the heart and switched to a low club and Gotard got that right, playing small. Rombaut won the ace and played a second club to the jack. Declarer played two rounds of spades and had the popular +140 for 22 matchpoints.

Board 4. Game All. Dealer West. A 5 3 K Q J 6 5 4 Q 8 2 8 K 8 7 6 Q J 4 2 9 8 2 J K 9 5 4 3 A K 10 7 4 3 Q 5 2 10 9 A 10 7 3 A 10 7 6 J 9 6 West North East South Bessis Gotard Rombaut Holowski 1 2 Dble 4 4 All Pass

Gotard made an intermediate jump overcall and Holowski raised him to 4. Bessis was minimum in high cards but had nice distribution facing a probable four card spade suit and tried his luck in 4. Nobody saw fit to double that and Gotard led his singleton club.

Bessis won with dummy's Q to lead a spade to the king and ace. Gotard led a careful J to force Holowski to win the trick and back came 9 for a ruff. Gotard decided that a diamond switch might give a trick in the suit, though that requires declarer to have a balanced hand and is really inconsistent with the bidding and play to date. Anyway, he exited passively with a trump so the defense had only a diamond to come; -100 and 17 matchpoints to the Germans, who had scored 75 against 84 average on our four boards.

At another table, the bidding was identical up to the final pass. Chodorowski of Poland doubled on the strength of his two aces. Chodorowska led her singleton club and Corn of France won and played a trump. This time the defense took both their ruffs for 500, still only worth 28 matchpoints as seven pairs were allowed to play game and make it on the North/South cards, usually making eleven. There were also two tables where 4 doubled made, once with an overtrick! Board 5.

Board 5. N/S Game. Dealer North. K 5 3 2 K J 5 3 K 10 2 9 6 Q J 10 8 7 4 A 10 Q 9 8 7 4 J 9 6 7 4 3 10 8 4 A Q 5 3 9 6 A 6 2 A Q 8 5 K J 7 2 West North East South Morelli Vriend Abate v.d.Pas Pass 1 Pass 1 Pass 1NT Pass 2 All Pass

The leaders achieved a solid if unspectacular score when their Dutch opponents couldn't find a way into the auction. Vriend led a club and in the fullness of time the defense got what was its due for two down; -100 and 20 matchpoints for the Italians.

Board 6. E/W Game. Dealer East. Q 5 4 9 7 3 J 8 6 A K 10 3 A K 10 9 3 J 6 8 5 A K Q 6 2 9 3 2 A Q 10 5 Q 7 5 9 6 8 7 2 J 10 4 K 7 4 J 8 4 2 West North East South Morelli Vriend Abate v.d.Pas 1 Pass 1 Pass 2 Pass 3 All Pass

Perhaps I misread the auction at the table because the Italian auction makes no sense to me at all. Anyway, a heart partscore is a perfectly reasonable resting place for all the combined 25-count.

Van der Pas led 2 and Vriend put in the ten then played ace and king. Abate ruffed, drew three rounds of trumps and ran J. Vriend won the queen and switched to a diamond but it was too late, declarer's diamonds going away on the spades; +170 but only 19 matchpoints for the leaders.

Board 7. Game All. Dealer South. A 6 4 A K Q 9 8 J 6 10 7 2 10 9 2 7 5 3 10 5 4 2 J 6 3 10 3 2 A K 9 J 9 6 A Q 4 3 K Q J 8 7 Q 8 7 5 4 K 8 5 West North East South K.Scherders Morelli J.Scherders Abate Pass Pass 1 Pass 1 Pass 1NT Pass 2NT All Pass

Most of the field were in game on this one but with the big majority of them going down +120 proved a useful score, worth 26 matchpoints to the Italians. Job Scherders led a top diamond and switched to ace and another club. That was ducked and Kees Scherders won and cleared the clubs. When the defense discarded accurately, there were only eight tricks.

Board 8. Love All. Dealer West. J 9 2 K Q J 9 7 3 J 10 6 2 K 10 4 Q 8 A 8 6 10 2 A 7 2 Q 9 6 4 J 9 7 3 A K 8 5 4 A 7 6 5 3 5 4 K 10 8 5 3 Q West North East South K.Scherders Morelli J.Scherders Abate 1 2 3 All Pass

3 was not very exciting, a fairly routine +110. But with six pairs bidding and making game and a number of other better scores the Italians scored 27, another useful score. On the four boards we watched, they scored 92 against the average of 84.

Just in case you are feeling lazy, here are four bidding problems for you to think about over breakfast. They all come from the first consolation session of the Seniors pairs.

Board 5. N/S Game. Dealer North. A K 9 J 7 6 3 10 7 J 6 3 2 West North East South Pass 1 Dble Pass ?

Whilst there could be a layout where it would be right to bid 2, the only realistic alternatives are 1NT and 2.

Maybe you should be influenced by the absence of a spade raise from West but in the long run 2 figures to be a winner and that was the bid chosen at the table.

A K 9 J 7 6 3 10 7 J 6 3 2 7 5 Q 8 4 3 2 Q 9 8 5 4 2 - J 6 4 3 K Q 5 2 8 A K 5 4 J 10 6 A K 10 A 9 8 Q 10 9 7

Not, however, this time! Of course if you know your partner's style then there is more to be said for 1NT.

Declarer escaped for one down, which was worth 13 of the 32 available matchpoints. Playing in 1NT would have been worth at least 20.

Board 7 . Game All. Dealer South. 6 3 A 10 9 5 3 K 8 6 9 8 3 West North East South 1 Pass 1NT Pass 2NT Pass ?

Did you decide to introduce your heart suit?

6 3 A 10 9 5 3 K 8 6 9 8 3 Q 4 2 9 8 7 7 2 Q 8 6 Q 9 7 4 J 10 5 3 J 6 4 2 A K Q A K J 10 5 K J 4 A 2 10 7 5

South had an easy raise to game and East an equally obvious lead.

After cashing three clubs he switched to a spade and North got the trumps wrong. Perhaps he should have been suspicious when East didn't switch to a diamond but he could only cope with a 4-1 break if East had the singleton.

One down was worth only two match points. Passing 2NT or raising to game (and not going down!) would earn more points, depending on how many tricks you make.

Board 8 . Love All. Dealer West. A K Q 9 6 2 8 5 K 8 7 6 3 West North East South 1 Pass 1 1 2 2 4 ?

A simple choice between pass and 4.

J 10 3 A 9 6 9 6 3 Q 9 5 2 8 7 5 4 2 K Q 8 5 J 10 7 4 3 Q 7 2 A K J 10 4 A J 4 10 A K Q 9 6 2 8 5 K 8 7 6 3

South passed and collected just 5/32.

Once spades have been raised it must be right to bid on - it's even possible you may be cold for game. As you can see, the defenders need to find at least one club ruff to be certain of defeating the contract, and +590 is a distinct possibility. Either way you are sure to increase your number of matchpoints by bidding.

Board 9. E/W Game. Dealer North. A K 6 2 10 9 3 A K J 10 9 7 West North East South 1 2 3 Pass 4 Pass ?

Once again a raise of your suit by partner has surely improved your hand. The obvious move is 4 which should be enough to persuade partner to bid the excellent slam.

7 A K 8 7 K Q J 10 8 6 5 3 Q 5 J 10 9 8 4 3 Q 6 4 2 J 5 3 9 7 5 4 A 8 6 2 Q 4 2 - A K 6 2 10 9 3 A K J 10 9 7

What a cruel game bridge can be! Ten pairs managed to bid 6 and were forced to curse their luck when the trumps were 3-0 offside.

Our South bid a simple 5 and collected an undeserved 23/32.

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