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Forty Balloons
Arseni Chour
In the only Russian bridge book for beginners
there is a story about Winnie the Pooh and his friends, who
learn how to play bridge. When they started to play their first
rubber, they agreed on the following stake: one balloon (big
and bright) for one rubber point. This story had a great success
amongst Russian players, and now expressions like ‘went for
eleven balloons’ are very popular.
From issue to issue of this bulletin I
found an increasing number of balloons, gifted by one team to
another. Fourteen, seventeen, twenty…what more?
In two boards of successive rounds, the
Russian players acquired no less than forty balloons. Maybe
it is not unusual here, but both parts of this collection were
found at the very highest level of building - sorry, I mean
bidding.
Part I of the story is non serious.
| Round 11. Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul |
| |
ª
J 10 9 7 5 4
© 5 3
¨ 10 9
§ 10 6 5 |
ª
Q 8
© A K Q 9
8 2
¨ K 7 4
§ Q 8 |
 |
ª
A K 6 3
© 7 4
¨ A 8 6 5
§ A 9 2 |
| |
ª
2
© J 10 6
¨ Q J 3 2
§ K J 7
4 3 |
| asd |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
|
|
1NT |
2§ |
| 6NT |
7ª |
Dbl. |
All Pass |
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German Schools
Team Profile
Jenny Ewald, born
1981, with international experience, as she lived in New York,
Hong Kong and Sydney before coming to Germany. Hobbies: horses,
reading books, her friends, and will study biotechs.
Martin Stoszek, born
1980, of Polish descent, is making his alternative service and
will study psychology. Hobbies: dancing like Travolta, and roller
coasters.
Tamo & Janko Katerbau,
born 1985 at the same time, Janko some seconds earlier, are
pupils, and a very hopeful pair; one playing as strong as Schwartzenegger,
the other clever like Danny de Vito. Hobbies: Computer games
and badminton
Simon Morton, born
1982, with an Austrian mother, and an English father, lives
in Switzerland and is playing for Germany; that’s a European!
He will study economics. Hobbies: Stock-market (no surprise)
football, skiing.
Alexander Smirnov,
born 1987, is from Russia, and learned bridge when he was five,
and is a pupil. Hobbies: Bridge, reading fantasy books, bridge
and…bridge!
Claus Daehr, born
1955, npc of the team, is still trying to find out how bridge
is played - but never will!
Hobbies: Chess, science and
philosophy.
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After a strong no-trump the Danish player
sitting South bid 2§, alerted and explained as the majors. Nikita
Malinovski decided that his hearts had good chances to run anyway
because of his good pips and bashed 6NT. North looked at ‘Green
v Red’ and decided to make a cheap sacrifice on a huge fit.
Not quite right this time, as the cost was 2300.
(Declarer probably claimed he was unlucky
he didn’t simply loose two or three IMPs against a possible
2210 or 2220)
Part II is serious.
| Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul |
| |
ª
A Q 9 7
© A 10 9
8 7 6
¨ J 3
§ A |
ª
10 8 6 4
© 5
¨ 6 2
§ K 8 7 5
3 2 |
|
ª
K J 5 2
© J 3
¨ A Q 8 7
§ Q 6 4 |
| |
ª
3
© K Q 4
2
¨ K 10 9
5 4
§ J 10 9 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
|
Krasnosselski |
|
Kelina |
|
1© |
Dbl. |
4© |
| 4ª |
5§ |
Pass |
5¨ |
| Pass |
6© |
Pass |
Pass |
| 7§ |
Dbl. |
All Pass |
|
One heart was limited to 11-16 points,
and the raise to Four Hearts was based on distribution. When
West bid Four Spades, the right hand of Mikhail Krasnosselski
made an uncontrolled move towards the bidding box (apparently
a common disease at these championships) and the bloody red
card.
However, sometimes he uses his brains
too, and he found an ‘expert’ bid of 5§. With a maximum, Marina
showed her diamond control, and Mike bid the slam. Now West
decided to show his best suit. North led the ace of spades and
a small spade. When declarer put up the king, he was held to
just six tricks, -1700. Compared to the previous day it was
just a pinprick!
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