A DERBY IS ALWAYS DANGEROUS

Belgium beats the Netherlands in a spectacular match

By Jean-Francois Jourdain

Surprisingly enough, Belgium managed to beat the top favourite Dutch team in Round 5. The Belgian players had received as a mission to struggle for their life as hard as possible and save a maximum of points. It started not too well for the Belgian youth who let through an unmakable game on Board 3. Two boards later arrived this one:

	ª 3 © J 7 3 2 ¨ K Q 5 2 § 9 5 4 2
ª A Q 8 6 5 © A 8 6 ¨ J § K Q J 6		ª 9 © K 9 ¨ A 10 8 7 6 4 § A 10 7 3
	ª K J 10 7 4 2 © Q 10 5 4 ¨ 9 3 § 8

The slam in no trumps is hopeless, but fortunately, at the other table Steven De Donder found the killing lead of the §8 against the better 6 §, leaving East one trick short to make his contract on crossruff. The contract went two down and Belgium saved 2 IMPS on the board.

Another two boards later came this:

	ª K 5 4 3 © Q J 10 9 8 ¨ K 2 § J 9
ª 10 7 6 © 75 ¨ A 10 7 3 § A 6 5 4		ª A Q J 9 8 2 © A 6 4 3 ¨ 9 8 § 2
	ª - © K 2 ¨ Q J 6 5 4 § K Q 10 8 7 3

This time the Dutch youngsters found themselves playing too high. Steve De Roos led a small spade which was ruffed by South. When declarer played a diamond to the king and then another diamond for the queen and his ace, he promptly switched to the ace of trumps, followed by another trump. Now his brother cooperated by ducking the A©, holding Schollaardt to nine tricks; -500. In the other room Belgium just played in a partscore.

	ª K 10 9 4 © A Q 9 ¨ 6 2 § K J 3 2
ª J 8 6 5 3 2 © 4 2 ¨ - § Q 8 7 6 4		ª 7 © J 10 7 6 5 ¨ A J 9 8 § A 10 9
	ª A Q © K 8 3 ¨ K Q 10 7 5 4 3 § 5

The opening of Steve De Roos was Muiderberg, promising at least five spades and an unknown minor. Despite the vulnerability he decided to seek adventure. After the 3 NT gamble of Schollaardt, Lagas felt free to suggest a slam, hoping partner had a strong hand. Schollaardt gambled for a second time, but it was once too often. Daniel De Roos didn’t have too much difficulty in finding a double and, after a club lead for the nine, East made another club and two diamonds, scoring 500.

In the other room Cornelis and De Donder stopped in 4 NT and were happy to make it. So another 14 IMPS went to Belgium.

Finally, Board 20 was the toughest of all:

	ª A Q 9 7 3 2 © J 9 7 3 2 ¨ 9 2 § -
ª J 8 5 © K 8 ¨ Q J 10 8 7 § Q 7 4		ª - © A Q 6 5 4 ¨ A 4 3 § A K J 10 3
	ª K 10 6 4 © 10 ¨ K 6 5 § 9 8 6 5 2

After he saw dummy, Daniel was afraid he had missed a slam, but even 5¨ was not making. Daniel ruffed the spade lead, cashed the ace of trumps and crossed to the ©Q to ruff another spade. When he tried to pitch the last spade on the third heart, he was ruffed by South who collected ¨K and a spade for one down.

Even the best play of a low diamond at trick 2 would not have been sufficient against the best defence. South has now to duck and even if East crosses to the table to ruff another spade with ¨A, he would then concede a heart ruff when trying to enter dummy a second time to draw trumps. Now all South has to do is to take his king and cross with the suit-preference showing ª10 to collect his heart ruff for down one.

There is another funny line possible if East enters dummy twice to ruff all the spades. This leaves the defence with five trumps which they collect on crossruff, for down three!

With open cards you could win by first playing a low diamond, then cash the ¨A and simply play all the clubs, as South must follow five times, but of course nobody found that fancy line.

In the other room the Dutch team went wrong

Unfortunately, South could not start by leading a trump, so he led the §A which was ruffed by Cornelis, who led a heart to set up the ruff. Sjoert Brink won the king and switched to a trump, but Drijver thought his partner had a heart fit and pitched a heart from his hand with catastrophic effect. Cornelis set up the suit and claimed for +790, winning 12 more IMPS.

Be aware of derbies. Belgium won the match by 53-32 IMPs, or 19-11 VPs.