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Austria
vs Germany
Ladies Series - Round 10
Going into Round 10, the Austrian Women were lying second, while
their perennial rivals Germany were eighth, somewhat below pre-tournament
expectations.
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Board 3. Dealer South.
E/W Vul.
|
| |
ª K 10 2
© K J 7
¨ A J
§ Q 8 7 6 3 |
ª Q 9 5
© A 9 2
¨ 8 7 3
§ J 9 5 4 |
 |
ª J 8 7 4
© Q 10 8 3
¨ Q 6 5
§ A 2 |
| |
ª A 6 3
© 6 5 4
¨ K 10 9 4 2
§ K 10 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Rauscheid |
Erhart |
Nehmert |
Smederevac |
| |
|
|
Pass |
| Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
3NT |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Weigkricht |
Auken |
Fischer |
Von Arnim |
| |
|
|
Pass |
| Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
3NT |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
Doris Fisher, Austria |
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Two identical auctions
attracted different opening leads from the East players. Pony
Nehmert led her stronger four-card suit, just as we were all
taught to do when we started out at this game. Andrea Rauscheid
won the ace of hearts and returned the nine for the jack and
queen. Nehmert led a third round to Maria Erhart's king. Erhart
played a club and Nehmert went in with the ace to cash her
heart, on which dummy and Rauscheid threw diamonds and declarer
a spade. Nehmert exited passively with a club to dummy's king.
Erhart played a spade to her king and cashed the queen of
clubs, throwing a spade from dummy. When the clubs did not
divide evenly, Erhart played ace then jack of diamonds, running
it when Nehmert played low. A spade to the ace allowed her
to cash the diamonds for +400. |
Doris Fischer chose to lead a spade. Sabine Auken put in the
ten but ducked when Terry Weigkricht's queen appeared. The spade
continuation was won in hand and Auken cashed the ¨A
then ran the jack. When that held she led a club, but here Fischer
ducked and Auken put in the ten. When that lost to the jack, Weigkricht
cleared the spades. Auken cashed the diamonds then played a heart
to the jack. When that lost to the queen she was two down for
-100 and 11 IMPs to Austria.
Germany struck back immediately.
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Board 4. Dealer West.
All Vul.
|
| |
ª K 7 6
© K Q 8 6 5 2
¨ 6 4
§ A 3 |
ª A J 10 9 5 2
© A 4
¨ 9 7
§ J 5 4 |
|
ª Q 8
© 9 7 3
¨ K 3 2
§ Q 9 8 7 2 |
| |
ª 4 3
© J 10
¨ A Q J 10 8 5
§ K 10 6 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Rauscheid |
Erhart |
Nehmert |
Smederevac |
| 1ª |
2© |
Pass |
3¨ |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Weigkricht |
Auken |
Fischer |
Von Arnim |
| 2© |
3© |
Pass |
4© |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
|
Rauscheid judged her hand to be worth a one-level opening
and Erhart made a simple overcall. When Jovanka Smederevac
tried 3¨,
that was not forcing in the Austrian style and Erhart passed.
Smederevac made an overtrick for +130.
Weigkricht preferred to open at the two level, no doubt
partly because she had a two-way bid available to her that
might cause her opponents some problems. Not this time,
however - 2©
showed either a weak two in spades or a weak two-suiter
with hearts and a minor. Auken overcalled at the three level
in her six-card suit and Daniela Von Arnim had an easy raise
to game. With the diamond finesse onside, there was nothing
the defence could do to prevent Auken from coming to ten
tricks for +620 and 10 IMPs to Germany.
|
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Sabine Auken, Germany |
|
Board 6. Dealer East.
E/W Vul.
|
| |
ª 4 3
© 9 8 2
¨ A K Q 8
§ J 8 5 4 |
ª Q 9 8 7
© J 7 6 4
¨ 10 4 3
§ A Q |
|
ª J 10 6 5 2
© K Q 10
¨ J 2
§ 10 7 6 |
| |
ª A K
© A 5 3
¨ 9 7 6 5
§ K 9 3 2 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Rauscheid |
Erhart |
Nehmert |
Smederevac |
| |
|
Pass |
1¨ |
| Pass |
1© |
Pass |
1NT |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Weigkricht |
Auken |
Fischer |
Von Arnim |
| |
|
Pass |
1¨ |
| Pass |
3§(i) |
Pass |
3NT |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
| (i) Invitational with the minors |
Rauscheid led the nine of spades against 1NT, treating her holding
as a sort of interior sequence. That worked beautifully as it
made it easy for Nehmert to preserve her honours, playing an encouraging
two. Smederevac won and played a diamond to dummy then a club
to the king and ace. Rauscheid continued with a low spade and
again Nehmert could duck. Smederevac just cashed out now before
playing a club towards the jack so the defence had the rest; +90.
The Germans reached the thin game contract but here Weigkricht
led her smallest spade and Fischer put in the ten. Von Arnim crossed
to a diamond to play a club up and Weigkricht won and played a
second low spade. When Fischer put up the jack, the suit was blocked.
Von Arnim cashed the diamonds then played a club up with no great
enthusiasm and suddenly found that she had made her contract;
+400 and 7 IMPs to Germany.
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Board 8. Dealer West.
None Vul.
|
| |
ª J 10 7
© Q 10 6 4 2
¨ A 5
§ A K 10 |
ª K 8 2
© A 9 5
¨ Q J 9 3
§ J 9 6 |
|
ª A Q 9 5 3
© 7 3
¨ K 8 6 4
§ 5 2 |
| |
ª 6 4
© K J 8
¨ 10 7 2
§ Q 8 7 4 3 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Rauscheid |
Erhart |
Nehmert |
Smederevac |
| 1NT |
Dble |
2ª |
3§ |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Weigkricht |
Auken |
Fischer |
Von Arnim |
| Pass |
1© |
1ª |
Pass |
| 2ª |
All Pass |
|
|
It was the table at which West passed as dealer where her side
bought the contract, while the table at which Rauscheid dredged
up an 11-13 no trump opening saw the opponents win the declaration.
Neither declarer was under any great pressure; +110 for Smederevac
and +140 for Fischer - 6 IMPs to Austria.
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Board 10. Dealer East.
All Vul.
|
| |
ª A 7
© A J
¨ 10 9 7 6 5 2
§ 9 5 3 |
ª 6 3
© Q 10 9 7 4
¨ A Q
§ K 10 7 6 |
|
ª Q J 9 5 2
© 6
¨ J 4
§ A Q 8 4 2 |
| |
ª K 10 8 4
© K 8 5 3 2
¨ K 8 3
§ J |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Rauscheid |
Erhart |
Nehmert |
Smederevac |
| |
|
1ª |
Pass |
| 2© |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
| 2NT |
Pass |
3§ |
Pass |
| Pass |
3¨ |
All Pass |
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Weigkricht |
Auken |
Fischer |
Von Arnim |
| |
|
2¨ |
Pass |
| 2© |
Pass |
2ª |
All Pass |
Fischer's two-way 2¨ opening - hearts, or spades and a minor,
stole the pot when Auken was unwilling to balance at the three
level with a ten-high suit. Two Spades made exactly for +110 to
Austria.
Nehmert opened at the one level and the Germans had a free run
to 3§. Now, however, Erhart balanced with 3¨ and bought the contract.
Nehmert led her singleton heart and later got her ruff to hold
the contract to nine; another +110 and 6 IMPs to Austria.
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Board 12. Dealer West.
N/S Vul.
|
| |
ª 5 4
© A K J 3 2
¨ 10 9 6 5
§ 10 6 |
ª 10 9 8 2
© 8 7 5
¨ 8 7
§ A Q 4 3 |
|
ª A K Q 7 6
© 10 6 4
¨ J 4 3
§ K 2 |
| |
ª J 3
© Q 9
¨ A K Q 2
§ J 9 8 7 5 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Rauscheid |
Erhart |
Nehmert |
Smederevac |
| Weigkricht |
Auken |
Fischer |
Von Arnim |
| Pass |
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
| 2ª |
Pass |
Pass |
2NT |
| Pass |
3¨ |
All Pass |
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Identical auctions to the same final contract but very different
results. Nehmert cashed the ace and king of spades and Rauscheid
followed with the ten, discouraging, followed by the two. Nehmert
clearly read the two as remainder count, showing an original three-card
holding, because she continued with a third spade. Erhart ruffed
on table and threw a club from hand. She drew the trumps and cashed
five heart tricks to score +130.
Fischer also began with two top spades but she found the killing
switch to king and another club. Weigkricht won and played a third
club and Fischer could over-ruff with her jack for one down; -100
and 6 IMPs to Austria.
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Board 15. Dealer South.
N/S Vul.
|
| |
ª 8
© A K J 8
¨ A K 10 7 6 4
§ 9 8 |
ª K 9 6 4 3 2
© 10 7 5
¨ -
§ A 10 4 3 |
|
ª Q 7
© Q 6 4 3
¨ J 9 8 3
§ 7 5 2 |
| |
ª A J 10 5
© 9 2
¨ Q 5 2
§ K Q J 6 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Rauscheid |
Erhart |
Nehmert |
Smederevac |
| |
|
|
1ª |
| Pass |
2© |
Pass |
2NT |
| Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
3NT |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Weigkricht |
Auken |
Fischer |
Von Arnim |
| |
|
|
1ª |
| Pass |
2§ |
Pass |
2¨ |
| Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3¨ |
| Pass |
4§ |
Pass |
4¨ |
| Pass |
4NT |
Pass |
5§ |
| Pass |
6¨ |
All Pass |
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I'm not going to translate all the German bids on this one. Suffice
it to say that they comprehensively outbid their opponents, only
to fall foul of the wicked trump situation, having to go one down
for -100 and lose 12 IMPs against the 630 in the other room.
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Board 17. Dealer North.
None Vul.
|
| |
ª K 10 7 5 3
© K 8
¨ 7
§ A 6 5 3 2 |
ª 9 8 6 4 2
© Q 6 5
¨ K 9
§ Q J 9 |
|
ª J
© A J 9 4
¨ Q J 10 6 5 3 2
§ K |
| |
ª A Q
© 10 7 3 2
¨ A 8 4
§ 10 8 7 4 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Rauscheid |
Erhart |
Nehmert |
Smederevac |
| |
2ª |
3¨ |
3ª |
| Pass |
4ª |
Pass |
Pass |
| Dble |
All Pass |
|
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Weigkricht |
Auken |
Fischer |
Von Arnim |
| |
1ª |
2¨ |
Dble |
| Rdbl |
2ª |
3© |
3ª |
| Pass |
Pass |
4¨ |
All Pass |
Erhart's 2ª opening showed 5-5 in spades and a minor. Smederevac's
competitive 3ª bid was a bit pushy on a doubleton spade, and whether
Erhart was supposed to go on to game I cannot say - Maria is a
law unto herself anyway, whatever the system says. Rauscheid could
see that 4ª was going to be hard work with a bad trump split and
her almost certain club stopper. She doubled and there the matter
rested. Nehmert led the queen of diamonds to dummy's ace. Erhart
led the eight of clubs to the nine and ace then a spade to the
jack and ace. That jack looked ominous. Erhart gave up a club
and back came a diamond, which she ruffed. She cleared the clubs
and Rauscheid, who was out of diamonds, switched to a low heart
for the king and ace. Nehmert forced declarer once again with
a diamond and Erhart could make only her trumps and the two aces
already in the bag; three down for -500.
The Austrians had the opportunity to defend against only 3ª at
the other table. Fischer preferred to compete to 4¨. Which it
looks as though she might have made, but the actual result was
down one for -50 and 11 IMPs to Germany.
The final result of the match was 47-46 to Germany, a 15-15 VP
draw.
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