Hungary vs Sweden

Open Round 15

In Round 15 the VuGraph brought us Hungary v. Sweden. In the auditorium one could see Jan Kamras, the non-playing captain of the Swedes. And if one looked better one could see him wearing two different kinds of shoes. How come ? Two players of his team accidentally lost one shoe each. This inspired the captain to wear the remaining shoes, which in fact looked more or less the same, except for the colours (blue and brown). Moreover, from the moment that Kamras has been wearing his pair of odd shoes, his team started winning all its matches. So he is not inclined to take them off for the rest of the championships. We start the report with a hand which surely will be published all over the world. In fact, Jean-Paul Meyer already bought the rights for Le Bridgeur from us.

KAMRAS Jan, Sweden npc

Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	ª K © A Q 10 6 5 2 ¨ A J 3 § 7 4 3
ª A J 6 © 9 8 4 3 ¨ 10 9 8 6 § 8 6		ª Q 9 7 5 3 © - ¨ K Q 7 2 § A 10 9 2
	ª 10 8 4 2 © K J 7 ¨ 5 4 § K Q J 5

Four Hearts was the popular contract, but hardly anyone made it. The 4-1 trump split was too hot to handle, since the danger of getting shortened in trumps was always there. In fact, in the Closed Room the Hungarian declarer didn't come any further than nine tricks and therefore the save by Magnus Lindkvist in the Open Room in 4ª doubled down two cost him money.

Back to the 'impossible' 4©. Impossible ? Perhaps not. With all cards open one might find the solution. Let's say East leads a spade to the ace of his partner who returns the suit. Declarer ruffs, cashes the ©10 and notices the unfavourable trump split. He plays a club to the king, and plays another three rounds of trumps. This is the position:

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

VERHEES Louk, Netherlands

Remember, declarer lost one trick so far. He plays a second club and East has to duck again. Now the last spade is ruffed, declarer exits with the third club and East is caught in a standard Bath coup. Is this a double dummy analysis with the help of the beautiful bridge programme DeepFinesse? By all means, no. It was Dutch star Louk Verhees, who in his match against Ireland, displayed this great play! Sweden was unlucky on this one:

Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
	ª J © K J 3 2 ¨ K 9 6 5 § J 8 5 4
ª 10 9 7 5 4 © 8 7 4 ¨ 10 7 4 2 § 6		ª A K 6 3 © Q 10 9 5 ¨ J 3 § Q 3 2
	ª Q 8 2 © A 6 ¨ A Q 8 § A K 10 9 7

In the Closed Room, PO played in 3NT. West led a spade, East cashed his two top spades and played another one for Sundelin's queen. Declarer cashed first all his high cards in the minor suits and nothing favourable happened to him. He now relied on the heart finesse, alas, down two.

In the open room Kemény had a clue which Sundelin lacked: East had opened the bidding. So here declarer had every reason to finesse the §Q 11 IMPs to Hungary.

Board 14 was interesting in relation to slam bidding.

Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
	ª 5 4 2 © 7 5 4 ¨ 10 4 3 2 § K 9 7
ª K 8 7 6 3 © J 9 6 ¨ A § J 10 4 2		ª A 9 © A K Q 10 ¨ K Q J 9 8 6 § 5
	ª Q J 10 © 8 3 2 ¨ 7 5 § A Q 8 6 3

When you are playing a natural system it seems to be very difficult, perhaps impossible, to reach 6¨. Though it is very understandable that the Hungarians bid 6© it is not the right contract. On a club lead and the trumps 4-2 or worse, you go down.

Playing a strong club system makes life sometimes easier. Jovi Smederevac and Sascha Wernle playing for Austria against Switzerland for example had a characteristic Blue Club sequence:

West	East
Wernle	Smederevac
	1§ (strong)
1ª (3 controls)	2¨
2ª	3¨
3NT (minimum)	4¨
4ª (cuebid)	6¨*
Pass

* knows that §A or ¨A will do

Another interesting point is that 6¨ is even a better contract than 3NT. In one of the women's matches declarer went down in 3NT after a club lead by South for jack and king, a club to the queen and the eight of clubs, ducked in dummy.