Hungary
v Norway – Juniors Round 6
It seemed that it was time to look in on our leaders, Norway,
who have made an impressive start to the tournament. In Round 6
they faced Hungary, who were at that time lying in mid-table.
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Board 3. E/W Vul. Dealer South.
|
| |
ª K Q
© A K 8 7
¨ A J 9 7 5
§ 6 5 |
ª A 8 7
© Q 5 4 3
¨ 8 3
§ Q 10 9 7 |
 |
ª 10 4 3
© J 10 6 2
¨ Q 10 6 2
§ A 8 |
| |
ª J 9 6 5 2
© 9
¨ K 4
§ K J 4 3 2 |
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Marjai |
Kippe |
Minarik |
Ringseth |
| - |
- |
- |
Pass |
| Pass |
1¨ |
Pass |
1ª |
| Pass |
2© |
Pass |
3NT |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| P Eide |
Mraz |
Livgard |
Szegedi |
| - |
- |
- |
Pass |
| Pass |
1¨ |
Pass |
1ª |
| Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
4§ |
| Pass |
4NT |
All Pass |
|
For Norway, Hakon Kippe chose to bid out his pattern with a 2©
reverse, while at the other table Mate Mraz preferred to describe
the general nature and strength of his hand with a jump to 2NT.
The reverse made it easy for Jorn Ringseth to choose to play in
no trump and he jumped to 3NT where he played. Facing a strong balance
dhand, Balasz Szegedi thought the hand belonged in one of his five-card
suits so jumped to 4§. Mraz converted to no trump, but at a dangerously
high level.
Peter Marjai led the §10 against 3NT and Gabor Minarik won the
ace and returned the suit for the jack and queen. A third club went
to declarer's king and Ringseth led a spade towards the dummy. Ducking
twice causes declarer big problems but Marjai won the ªA immediately
and now Ringseth had nine tricks; +400.
Against 4NT by North, Allan Livgard led the ©J to declarer's ace.
Mraz played the king then queen of spades and both were ducked.
Now he tried a club to the king, a good view in that suit, and tried
toi bring in the diamonds. When that suit did not behave as hoped,
Mraz drifted three off for –150 and 11 IMPs to Norway.
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Board 6. E/W Vul. Dealer East.
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| |
ª J 8 6
© K Q 10
¨ 10 8 7 3
§ Q 7 6 |
ª 4
© 8 7 3
¨ A K 9
§ A K 5 4 3 2 |
|
ª K Q 9 7 5 3
© A J 9 5
¨ J 5 2
§ - |
| |
ª A 10 2
© 6 4 2
¨ Q 6 4
§ J 10 9 8 |
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Marjai |
Kippe |
Minarik |
Ringseth |
| - |
- |
1ª |
Pass |
| 2§ |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
| 3§ |
Pass |
3© |
Pass |
| 3NT |
All Pass |
|
|
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| P Eide |
Mraz |
Livgard |
Szegedi |
| - |
- |
1ª |
Pass |
| 2§ |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
| 2NT |
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
| 3NT |
All Pass |
|
|
It is a matter of systemic style whether to bid spades, spades,
hearts, as did Minarik, or spades, hearts, spades, as did Livgard.
It mattered not as both found themselves dummy in 3NT.
Against Marjai, Kippe led the ¨7, which ran to declarer's nine.
Marjai ducked a club to South and back came a spade to the jack
and queen. However, Marjai could come to hand with a diamond and
play three rounds of clubs, South winning again, to establish the
suit, and the defence could not hurt him; nine tricks for +600.
Mraz also led a diamond, the eight, but Petter Eide did not guess
as well, putting up the jack, covered by queen and ace. He too ducked
a club to South but the diamond return for the nine and ten followed
by another diamond to the king left him with no chance. The contract
was down two for –200 and 13 IMPs to Hungary, giving them
the lead at 20-11.
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Board 7. All Vul. Dealer South.
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| |
ª A K Q 7 5
© A 9 4
¨ 8 3
§ A 8 2 |
ª J 9
© K Q 10 7 3
¨ 10 2
§ 9 6 5 3 |
|
ª 10 8 6 2
© 8 5 2
¨ J 9 5 4
§ Q 4 |
| |
ª 4 3
© J 6
¨ A K Q 7 6
§ K J 10 7 |
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Marjai |
Kippe |
Minarik |
Ringseth |
| - |
- |
- |
1NT |
| Pass |
2§ |
Pass |
2¨ |
| Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
2NT |
| Pass |
3§ |
Pass |
3¨ |
| Pass |
3© |
Pass |
3NT |
| Pass |
6ª |
All Pass |
|
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| P Eide |
Mraz |
Livgard |
Szegedi |
| - |
- |
- |
1¨ |
| Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
1NT |
| Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
3§ |
| Pass |
6NT |
All Pass |
|
Ringseth's off-centre 1NT opening saw Kippe explore for a while
then jump to the spade slam when he didn't find anything out anything
to tempt him to go further. The lead was a heart to declarer's ace.
Kippe cashed the top spades then played three top diamonds, pitching
a heart, ruffed a diamond and crossed to the §K to pitch his last
heart on the stablished diamond; +1430.
Szegedi opened 1¨ and rebid 1NT, then admitted to a club suit.
Mraz blasted the no trump slam. The lead was the ©K and Szegedi
correctly ducked then won the spade switch. A club to the jack saw
him well on the way home and now he needed either an even split
in spades or diamonds or a squeeze. With East holding the length
in both key suits, there was no defence; +1440 and a push board.
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Board 10. All Vul. Dealer East.
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| |
ª 7 6 5 3
© K 8 7 6 5 3
¨ 3
§ Q 10 |
ª K J 10 2
© 9 4
¨ A Q 9 8 5 2
§ A |
|
ª 9
© Q 10 2
¨ J 7 6
§ 8 7 6 5 4 3 |
| |
ª A Q 8 4
© A J
¨ K 10 4
§ K J 9 2 |
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Marjai |
Kippe |
Minarik |
Ringseth |
| - |
- |
Pass |
1§ |
| 1¨ |
1ª |
Pass |
2NT |
| Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
3ª |
| Pass |
4© |
Pass |
4ª |
| Dble |
All Pass |
|
|
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| P Eide |
Mraz |
Livgard |
Szegedi |
| - |
- |
Pass |
1§ |
| 1¨ |
1© |
Pass |
2NT |
| Pass |
3§ |
Pass |
3¨ |
| Pass |
3© |
All Pass |
|
Kippe's 1ª response showed four or more hearts and he cuebid at
his next turn to find the spade fit but still suggested 4© on the
way to 4ª. Marjai liked his spades and two aces and doubled the
final contract. There was little to the play with Marjai coming
to all the five tricks that were his due so the contract was down
two for –500.
Mraz could respond naturally and, when Szegeni simply showed his
balanced hand and range, ignoring the spades, eventually settled
in 3©. A diamond was led to the queen and Eide cashed the §A before
trying to cash the ¨A. That was ruffed and Mraz cashed the top hearts,
just conceding a heart as all his spade losers went away on the
establ;ished minor-suit winners; +170 and 12 IMPs to Hungary.
At the half-way point in the match Hungary led by 39-11 IMPs.
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Board 12. N/S Vul. Dealer West.
|
| |
ª K 5
© J 9 6 5 3
¨ A Q 8 5
§ 9 7 |
ª A 10 7 6 3
© Q 7 4 2
¨ J 10
§ 10 6 |
|
ª Q 9 8 4 2
© 10
¨ K 9 4
§ K J 5 3 |
| |
ª J
© A K 8
¨ 7 6 3 2
§ A Q 8 4 2 |
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Marjai |
Kippe |
Minarik |
Ringseth |
| Pass |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
| Pass |
Dble |
Pass |
3§ |
| Pass |
3© |
All Pass |
|
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| P Eide |
Mraz |
Livgard |
Szegedi |
| 2© |
Pass |
3ª |
Dble |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
Eide could open 2© to show a weak hand with some length in both
majors and Livgard had sufficient spade support to jump pre-emptively
to 3ª, doubled by Szegedi. Mraz had only a doubleton spade but such
heart length as to see little prospect in declaring the contract
his way so passed.
Three Spades doubled is easy enough to beat as there are two clubs
and a trick in each of the other suits to be had. However, after
Szegedi led his spade to dummy's ace and Livgard ran the §10 to
him, he played a diamond to his partner's ace and the ªK was cashed.
A diamond continuation allowed Livgard to run it to dummy's jack,
cross to hand with a spade and pitch the club losers on the ¨K,
after which he just had to lose a heart; +530.
At the other table it was East who opened with a weak two-suited
2ª bid. When that ran around to North, West going very quietly,
Kippe doubled then converted the 3§ response to 3©, where he played.
That was delicate judgement from Marjai who might have been tempted
to compete to 3ª. The defence led a spade to the ace and a spade
back and Kippe won and led a heart to the ace then a low heart to
Marjai's queen. That enabled him to keep control as a third spade
could have been ruffed in the short hand. With both minor-suit finesses
working there was just a diamond to be lost from here; +170 and
12 IMPs to Norway.
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Board 15. N/S Vul. Dealer South.
|
| |
ª A K 10 9 7 6
© 8
¨ K 6 5
§ A 5 2 |
ª 8
© 10 9 4 2
¨ A 8 7 4 3 2
§ K Q |
|
ª 5 2
© K 7 5
¨ 9
§ 10 9 8 7 6 4 3 |
| |
ª Q J 4 3
© A Q J 6 3
¨ Q J 10
§ J |
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Marjai |
Kippe |
Minarik |
Ringseth |
| - |
- |
- |
1© |
| Pass |
1ª |
4§ |
Pass |
| 5§ |
5ª |
Pass |
6ª |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| P Eide |
Mraz |
Livgard |
Szegedi |
| - |
- |
- |
1© |
| 3¨ |
3ª |
Pass |
4¨ |
| Pass |
6ª |
All Pass |
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Both North/South pairs did well to overcome the intervention to
bid to the good but unlucky small slam. Both Easts led the ¨9 to
partner's ace. Mraz dropped the king but Eide duly gave Livgard
his ruff for down one; –100. Kippe did not drop the king but
Marjai switched to the §K. Oops! It was easy to make the slam from
here; +1430 and 17 IMPs to Norway, who had closed right up to trail
by just a single IMP at 44-45.
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Board 18. N/S Vul. Dealer East.
|
| |
ª -
© A K Q
¨ A K Q 6
§ A Q J 10 7 4 |
ª A 10 8 7 6
© J 5 2
¨ 10
§ K 9 5 3 |
|
ª J 9 5 4 3
© 6 3
¨ J 9 7 4
§ 6 2 |
| |
ª K Q 2
© 10 9 8 7 4
¨ 8 5 3 2
§ 8 |
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Marjai |
Kippe |
Minarik |
Ringseth |
| - |
- |
Pass |
Pass |
| 2ª |
6§ |
Pass |
Pass |
| Dble |
All Pass |
|
|
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| P Eide |
Mraz |
Livgard |
Szegedi |
| - |
- |
2¨ |
Pass |
| 3¨ |
6§ |
Pass |
Pass |
| Dble |
Pass |
Pass |
6¨ |
| Pass |
7¨ |
All Pass |
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What a hand North has here – surely the strongest hand anyone
will see at these championships!
We do not have the Norwegian systems to hand so i am guessing that
Livgard's 2¨ was a multi and 3¨ a raise in either major. Mraz blasted
6§ but, when Eide doubled that, Szegedi made the remarkable decision
in my view to run to 6¨, and who can blame Mraz for raising to seven?
Actually, I would want to drug test any player who pulled to 6¨
with that hand on this auction. A truly terrifying bid. After Eide
led his singleton diamond, Szegedi won, played ace then ruffed a
club, crossed to the ace of hearts and ruffed another club, and
would appear to be able to get out for one down by repeating the
exercise of crossing with a heart to ruff another club, then playing
a third heart. But he hoped to mkae his contract and that line did
not offer such a possibility. His actual more optimistic line of
drawing trumps and hoping for good breaks saw him fail by three
tricks; –300.
After a normal pass from East, Marjai could open 2ª in third seat
and Kippe just overcalled 6§, knowing that he would never be able
to find out what he needed for any other contract. That was doubled
by Marjai and really Kippe was very unlucky as it is only East's
diamond trick that prevents 6§ from making. Kippe was just one down,
losing atrick in each minor, for –200 but 3 IMPs to Norway.
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Board 20. All Vul. Dealer West.
|
| |
ª -
© A Q J 9 3 2
¨ Q 5 4
§ Q 9 7 3 |
ª J 10 8 6 3 2
© 4
¨ A 3 2
§ A K 5 |
|
ª A 5
© 7
¨ 10 9 8 7 6
§ 10 8 6 4 2 |
| |
ª K Q 9 7 4
© K 10 8 6 5
¨ K J
§ J |
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Marjai |
Kippe |
Minarik |
Ringseth |
| 1ª |
2© |
Pass |
2ª |
| Pass |
4ª |
Pass |
6© |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| P Eide |
Mraz |
Livgard |
Szegedi |
| 1ª |
2© |
Pass |
4§ |
| Dble |
4© |
All Pass |
|
Szegedi splintered in support of Mraz's overcall but that did not
excire mraz, who signed off in 4©. He ruffed the lead of the ªA
and just lost two aces; +650.
Ringseth cuebid opposite his partner's overcall and that excited
Kippe enormously for som ereason that is unclear to me. The leap
to 4ª showed a void, of course, and Ringseth thought that he held
enough trumps and minor-suit controls to bid the slam. Who can blame
him, as it is hard to imagine a partner with only one key card driving
to the five level opposite what was presumably only a game try initially.
After a club lead, Marjai took a club and a diamond for down one;
–100 and 13 IMPs to Hungary.
That last board decided the match in favour of the Hungarians,
who ran out winners by 59-50 IMPs, 17-13 VPs.
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