Nordic Contests (cont.)

By Jos Jacobs

The major Nordic contest took place last night, as we all should know by now. Those who were not aware of it before this soccer match started, certainly were brought back to reality by the tremendous noises produced on either side of the Öresund, as well as in all local hotels.

	Magnus Magnusson, Iceland

On Monday afternoon we had a small Nordic contest: tiny Denmark playing little Iceland. On the bridge scene, however, these two countries have been considered major contestants over the last decade. Iceland won a Bermuda Bowl back in 1991 when everybody wanted to play them. This time, two of the then successful players are here again and were in fact playing in this match in the Open Room. The Danes are no mean performers either. They have been among the contenders for the top spots in many European Championships over recent decades, be it successfully or not. In Olympiads they have had their greatest successes: their Women’s team brought home a gold medal from Venice and, but for the extra time, their Open team would have made it to the final in Rhodes!

Though neither team had a really good start, their records looked convincing enough to me to pick them as the teams to follow during Round 5. This proved a good idea right on the first board when I saw this happen:

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª K J 6 2 © K 7 ¨ Q 10 6 3 § K 9 4
ª - © A J 10 8 2 ¨ K J 5 4 § Q 10 3 2		ª 9 4 © 9 5 4 3 ¨ 9 7 2 § J 8 6 5
	ª A Q 10 8 7 5 3 © Q 6 ¨ A 8 § A 7

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Thorvaldsson	D. Schaltz	Magnusson	P. Schaltz
	1NT	Pass	3ª
Pass	3NT	Pass	4©
Pass	4NT	Pass	6ª
All Pass

Dorthe Schaltz, Denmark

To me, bidding a risky slam on the first board always gives an indication about the direction the wind will be blowing from during the match. South was definitely unlucky that partner’s extra values were all in spades and that there was not even an outside jack available to create the odd extra menace. If West does not lead the ©A all is still well for the defence, as the only thing he has to do later is to hop up with his ace once declarer leads a heart. Rumours are that at one or two tables, West players forgot to rise with the ©A only to fall victims to a simple throw-in later for -980.

As it was, Thorvaldsson quickly solved any problem by leading his ace; Iceland +50.

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
L. L. Madsen	Baldursson	M. L. Madsen	Jonsson
	1¦	Pass	1ª
2©	2ª	Pass	3©
Pass	4ª	Pass	5ª
All Pass

As you can imagine, Jon Baldursson could not find anything near the extra values required from him when Jònsson made one further move. Five Spades was of course never in danger, so Iceland chalked up another +450 to take an 11-0 lead.

Almost half of it went away again on the next board:

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

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Thorvaldsson	D. Schaltz	Magnusson	P. Schaltz
		1§	Pass
1©	Pass	1NT	Pass
Pass	2¨	All Pass

Though the 1NT rebid showed 15-17 HCP, Dorthe Schaltz had no problems in balancing with 2¨, a contract she made in some comfort as East had to lead away from vulnerable holdings on too many occasions; Denmark +90.

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
L. L. Madsen	Baldursson	M. L. Madsen	Jonsson
		1NT	All Pass

Here, one would expect Baldursson to make the same 2¨ bid in fourth position but due to systemic reasons this was not possible. So he had to pass only to see Morten Lund Madsen run home with an overtrick; Denmark another +120 and 5 IMPs back.

After two flat boards, it was a matter of bridge judgement on Board 5:

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

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Thorvaldsson	D. Schaltz	Magnusson	P. Schaltz
	1ª	2©	3©
4©	4ª	Pass	Pass
5©	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

Please note the very light overcall by Magnusson. From South’s point of view it is difficult to imagine that 5© will make, but that’s life. Iceland scored +650, declarer just losing a trick in each of the black suits.

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
L. L. Madsen	Baldursson	M. L. Madsen	Jonsson
	1ª	2©	2ª
3ª	4ª	Pass	Pass
5©	Pass	Pass	5ª
Dble	All Pass

	Morten Lund Madsen, Denmark

Morten Lund Madsen made the same light overcall but, in the end, Jònsson judged the situation slightly better than his Danish counterpart. The save in 5ª, vulnerable against not, should go two off for an expensive 500, but with 650 in the bank, this would still have netted a profit of 4 IMPs. When East, understandably, led the ©A, the contract was defeated by just one trick for a mere +200 to Denmark, another big swing of 10 IMPs to Iceland who now led 21-5.

There was more to come for them:

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

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Thorvaldsson	D. Schaltz	Magnusson	P. Schaltz
		1©	2ª
Pass	3ª	All Pass

A fully respectable auction to a fully respectable contract. With everything working well for declarer, ten tricks were easy enough; Denmark +170.

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
L. L. Madsen	Baldursson	M. L. Madsen	Jonsson
		1©	2ª
Pass	4ª	All Pass

A bold jump to a dangerous level paid off when, at this table too, all the cards were right for declarer.

West led the ©J, solving declarer’s first problem. East won and played the §K and another, ruffed in hand. Though Jònsson had his anxious moments about how to play the trump suit after leading low from hand to the king (it was unclear from this defence how the adverse distribution would be), he finally played the ace on the second round of trumps to pick up the queen and make this ambitious contract. Well done and 6 more IMPs to Iceland who at this stage led 27-5.

Apart from one IMP on an overtrick, these were to be the last IMPs Iceland would score in the match, believe it or not! Here is one rather quiet example of what happened from this point onwards:

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

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Thorvaldsson	D. Schaltz	Magnusson	P. Schaltz
1©	Dble	3©	Dble
4©	Dble	All Pass

The commentators on BBO described the 4© bid as unnecessary, as there seems to be little to gain. On this layout, they were certainly right, as the Schaltzes were quick to prove. Dorthe doubled again and Peter saw no reason to go anywhere, holding only two spades himself. On a spade lead and continuation, the defenders got their ruff and thus collected three undertricks; Denmark +500.

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
L. L. Madsen	Baldursson	M. L. Madsen	Jonsson
1©	Dble	3©	Dble
4©	Dble	Pass	4NT
Pass	5§	All Pass

It was the same start to the auction here but, for once, Jònsson did not take the winning decision. No real harm done, however, as Baldursson guessed well in trumps; Iceland +400 but 3 IMPs to Denmark to trail by 8-27.

The Icelanders did themselves more serious damage two boards later:

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

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Thorvaldsson	D. Schaltz	Magnusson	P. Schaltz
		1¨	Pass
1©	Pass	1ª	Pass
2§	Pass	3¨	Pass
5§	Pass	5ª	Pass
5NT	Pass	6§	Pass
7¨	All Pass

5§ was Exclusion Blackwood, it was explained, but the meaning of 5NT and 6§ were far less clear. It looks as if there was no suitable way to check on the presence of the ªQ. Had she made her appearance on time, however, this would have been a different story – Denmark +100.

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
L. L. Madsen	Baldursson	M. L. Madsen	Jonsson
		1¨	Pass
1©	3§	3ª	5§
6¨	All Pass

This auction looks rather one-sided, but effective it was. Denmark scored +1370 and a swing of exactly 16 IMPs to erase the complete deficit and tie the match at 27-27.

On the next board, Denmark went into the lead on an extra undertrick and then, with six boards to play afterwards, Denmark sealed the outcome of the match:

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

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Thorvaldsson	D. Schaltz	Magnusson	P. Schaltz
		Pass	1©
2©	3§	Pass	4©
Pass	Pass	Dble	All Pass

Peter Schaltz’ very light 1© opening was very well-timed as Dorthe could show a modest heart fit after the two-suited overcall. East doubled the final contract, but declarer was not to be led astray. He won the diamond lead in dummy and immediately passed the ¨Q, throwing a spade from hand. The ¨10 was covered and ruffed, and next came the §J. West covered this, a move he was to regret, so dummy’s ace won and a fourth diamond was played, declarer throwing another spade. When West did not ruff, the last diamond was ruffed by East with the ©8, but declarer simply threw his last spade. The rest was easy now. A spade was returned and ruffed, a club was ruffed by East and another spade was ruffed by declarer. With the clubs all good, Schaltz simply drew two rounds of trumps now and played on clubs, conceding only a third trump trick to the defence. Nicely done, exploiting the chance offered to him when the defenders did not first cash their spades; Denmark +590.

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
L. L. Madsen	Baldursson	M. L. Madsen	Jonsson
		Pass	Pass
1ª	2¨	3¨	Pass
4ª	All Pass

The lead of the ©10 was covered by the queen and king, declarer ruffing. South was given a club trick next, and at this point a shift to the ¨J will ensure declarer’s downfall as the ¨K will be ruffed away. The trump return made by Jònsson was equally effective, as declarer would never be able to stay in control of the hand. He needs ruffs to return to his hand when ruffing out the clubs, so he duly went down one on this more passive defence as well. Iceland scored +50, but the swing went to Denmark;11 IMPs more.

As almost no IMPs exchanged hands on the final six boards, this match report may as well come to its end here. The final score was a steady 41-28 win to Denmark, 18-12 in VPs.