By Peter Lund

This is the first European Championship for the young Danish women’s pair Marlene Kirstan & Camilla Krefeld. In order to qualify for the knock out phase they needed a good result in their last match, which was one of the ones that had to be replayed. Would their nerves hold?

Marlene picked up this hand:

The auction went like this:

West	North	East	South
	Kirstan		Krefeld
		2¨*	Pass
2NT*	Pass	3¨*	Pass
3ª	?

Now North pulled a rabbit out of the hat when she bid 4©!!?? 4§ (or 3NT) should show this type of hand – but perhaps with a few more values! – but when you have the courage and conviction of youth are more concerned with the theoretical than the practical. After East and West pass, you are not surprised to see West produce a red card. East leads the two of spades and you apprehensively await the appearance of dummy.

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

When the queen of spades held declarer could cash the ace discarding a diamond and was content to take ten tricks, +590.