Sweden v
Poland – Girls Round 10
The penultimate round of the Girls series saw a crucial match between
Sweden, lying third and fighting for a medal, and Poland, lying
second and also fighting for a medal but still hoping that it might
be gold if the leaders,
Austria should falter on the run in.
|
Board 3. E/W Vul. Dealer South.
|
| |
ª K 10 4
© 10 7 6 5
¨ 3
§ Q 6 4 3 2 |
ª A J 9 8 7
© J 9 3
¨ Q 9 8 2
§ 9 |
 |
ª 6 2
© A K Q 4 2
¨ K J 7 5
§ K 5 |
| |
ª Q 5 3
© 8
¨ A 10 6 4
§ A J 10 7 6 |
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| S Rimstedt |
Maj |
C Rimstedt |
Zegilewicz |
| - |
- |
- |
1¨ |
| 1ª |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
| 3© |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Krawczyk |
Sjoberg |
Grabowska |
Ryman |
| - |
- |
- |
2§ |
| Pass |
5§ |
All Pass |
|
 | |
| Sandra Rimstedt, Sweden |
|
System decided the first major swing of the match. Katarzyn Zegilewicz
had to open the South hand with 1¨,
playing Polish Club, and Sandra Rimstedt's 1ª
overcall shut Marta Maj out of the auction, leaving Sandra and sister
Cecilia to bid freely to the heart game. Diamond ruffs would defeat
4©, but why should
South find that line of defence? Zegilewicz actually cashed the §A
then switched to a trump and Cecilia had no difficulty in coming to
ten tricks for +620.
Jenny Ryman could open 2§, opening values with either six clubs
or, as here, five clubs and four diamonds. That shut Joanna Krawczyk
out and Emma Sjoberg's pre-emptive raise to 5§ shut out Ewa Grabowska,
who did not want to bid 5© on such a blanced hand nor double with
only two low spades – indeed, a double would surely have seen
Krawczyk respond 5ª. Look at how well the North/South hands fit
together. A couple of black finesses saw Ryman home for +400 and
a huge 14 IMP swing to Sweden.
|
Board 4. All Vul. Dealer West.
|
| |
ª J 2
© J 2
¨ K 7 3 2
§ K J 8 5 2 |
ª K 10 8 7 3
© 8 7 3
¨ 10 8 6
§ Q 7 |
|
ª Q 5 4
© A 10 9 6 5
¨ J 5
§ A 10 9 |
| |
ª A 9 6
© K Q 4
¨ A Q 9 4
§ 6 4 3 |
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| S Rimstedt |
Maj |
C Rimstedt |
Zegilewicz |
| Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
1NT |
| Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Krawczyk |
Sjoberg |
Grabowska |
Ryman |
| Pass |
Pass |
1© |
Dble |
| 2© |
3§ |
All Pass |
|
Where Cecilia passed the East hand in third seat, Zegilewicz/Maj
bid to 3NT in two bids. Getting there is one thing, however, making
it is another matter. Sandra led a spade and Zegilewicz ducked the
queen and the spade return. The spades were cleared and, though
West had no entry to cash them, declarer needed club tricks to make
her contract and had to lose two of those plus the ace of hearts;
down one for –100.
Grabowska opened in third seat and that led to a competitive partscore
auction. Three Clubs was no problem for Sjoberg, who made an overtrick
when the defence failed to lead spades before the hearts could be
established for a spade pitch from declarer's hand; +130 and 6 IMPs
to Sweden.
|
Board 5. N/S Vul. Dealer North.
|
| |
ª 7 6 3
© 7 6 5 4 3
¨ Q
§ K 9 8 5 |
ª K 9 8 2
© 10
¨ A J 10 7 6 4
§ A 7 |
|
ª Q J 4
© A K 8 2
¨ K 8 5
§ Q 10 6 |
| |
ª A 10 5
© Q J 9
¨ 9 3 2
§ J 4 3 2 |
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| S Rimstedt |
Maj |
C Rimstedt |
Zegilewicz |
| - |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
| 2§ |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
| 3¨ |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Krawczyk |
Sjoberg |
Grabowska |
Ryman |
| - |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
| 2§ |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
| 3¨ |
Pass |
3NT |
Pass |
| 4¨ |
Pass |
4© |
Pass |
| 4NT |
Pass |
5© |
Pass |
| 6¨ |
All Pass |
|
|
What a difference a point can make. The Rimstedts play a 14-16
no trump while Krawczyk/Grabowska's 1NT opening starts at 15 and
can be up to a poor 18. After the same start to the two auctions,
sandra gave up at 3NT while Krawczyk went on with a clear slam try
of 4¨. When she caught a heart cuebid, she took control and was
soon in the small slam.
With the ¨Q appearing on the first round and West's club loser
going away on the ©K, 6¨ proved to be no problem for Krawczyk who
chalked up +920. 3NT was no problem either after a club lead and
Cecilia scored 11 tricks, but that was only worth +460 so 10 IMPs
to Poland.
|
Board 6. E/W Vul. Dealer East.
|
| |
ª K 2
© 8 4
¨ A J 9 6 4
§ A K 9 2 |
ª Q 10 8 7 6 4
© A Q J 5
¨ -
§ Q 5 4 |
|
ª A J 5 3
© 2
¨ Q 8 7 5 3 2
§ 8 7 |
| |
ª 9
© K 10 9 7 6 3
¨ K 10
§ J 10 6 3 |
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| S Rimstedt |
Maj |
C Rimstedt |
Zegilewicz |
| - |
- |
Pass |
2¨ |
| 2ª |
3© |
4ª |
Pass |
| Pass |
Dble |
All Pass |
|
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Krawczyk |
Sjoberg |
Grabowska |
Ryman |
| - |
- |
Pass |
2© |
| Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3© |
| Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
|
Ryman's natural weak two bid saw her side have afree run to the
heart game when she showed a maximum at her second turn. Perhaps
Krawczyk might have found a 2ª overcall but she decided to wait
because of her heart holding. Perhaps, having done so, she might
have doubled 4©, which is surely not making overtricks when there
is no slam try and rates to be going down most of the time, perhaps
quite badly. Well, Ryman lost three trump tricks, a spade and a
diamond ruff, so was down two for –100. That proved to be
very cheap because in the other room....
Zegilewicz opened with a multi and Sandra did overcall. Maj competed
with 3© and Cecilia jumped to 4ª, which Maj doubled on power. She
found that her power was not nearly sufficient to defeat 4ª. Maj
cashed a top club then switched to a trump. Sandra finessed the
jack, ruffed a diamond and played a spade to the king and ace. Now
she took the heart finesse, cashe dthe ©A and played to ruff two
hearts in dummy; +790 and 12 IMPs to Sweden.
|
Board 8. None Vul. Dealer West.
|
| |
ª J 6 5
© K 5 3
¨ A Q 5
§ K J 4 2 |
ª Q 10 2
© A 8 6 2
¨ K 3 2
§ 9 6 5 |
|
ª K 8 7
© J 10 9
¨ 10 8 7 6 4
§ 8 7 |
| |
ª A 9 4 3
© Q 7 4
¨ J 9
§ A Q 10 3 |
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| S Rimstedt |
Maj |
C Rimstedt |
Zegilewicz |
| Pass |
1§ |
Pass |
1ª |
| Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
3NT |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Krawczyk |
Sjoberg |
Grabowska |
Ryman |
| Pass |
1¨ |
Pass |
1ª |
| Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
3NT |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
System decided North's opening bid but the two auctions were essentially
identical. After Maj's 1§ opening, Cecilia led a diamond to the
nine, king and ace. Maj was assured of her contract after that start.
Maj led a heart to the queen and ace and a later defensive slip
gave her an overtrick for +430.
After the Precision-style 1¨ opening, Grabowska led the jack of
hearts against Sjoberg. That ran to the king and declarer cashed
some clubs then looked around for her extra tricks. She could not
prevent East from gaining the lead eventually to lead another heart
through and there was no ninth trick; one down for –50 and
10 IMPs to Poland.
|
Board 11. None Vul. Dealer South.
|
| |
ª K Q 6 5 4 2
© J 7 3
¨ 9 7
§ 10 2 |
ª A J 9 3
© -
¨ A Q 5 2
§ Q 7 6 4 3 |
|
ª 8 7
© Q 10 9 5 4
¨ K J 10 4 3
§ 5 |
| |
ª 10
© A K 8 6 2
¨ 8 6
§ A K J 9 8 |
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| S Rimstedt |
Maj |
C Rimstedt |
Zegilewicz |
| - |
- |
- |
1© |
| Dble |
2© |
Pass |
3§ |
| Pass |
3© |
Dble |
All Pass |
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Krawczyk |
Sjoberg |
Grabowska |
Ryman |
| - |
- |
- |
1© |
| Dble |
1ª |
2¨ |
3§ |
| Pass |
3© |
Pass |
Pass |
| 4¨ |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
| |
 |
| |
Joanna Krawczyk, Poland |
Sandra made a normal take-out double of 1©
and now, when North/South bid up to 3©
under their own steam, Cecilia could double because of her heart
stack. Sandra found the best attack of ace and another diamond.
Cecilia won the second diamond and switched to her club and declarer
won in hand and led her spade, Sandra taking the ace and returning
a club for Cecilia to ruff. There was nothing Zegilewicz could do
to prevent Cecilia from coming to two more trump tricks so the contract
was two down for –300.
At the other table Sjoberg preferred to show her spades before
admitting to heart tolerance. Grabowska did the normal thing when
she now competed in diamonds, but she falied to double 3© and now
Krawczyk competed to 4¨, partly on the strength of her heart void.
Ryman greedily doubled 4§ because of her two ace-kings and partner's
having bid the other side-suit. Only one of the four tricks was
standing up, of course but 4¨ still proved to be too much for Grabowska.
Ryman cashed a top club then switched to a trump. Grabowska won
the ace and ruffed a club, then a heart, and so on. She had eight
trump tricks and the ace of spades, but there was no tenth trick
so she was one down for –100 and that was 9 IMPs to Sweden.
|
Board 17. None Vul. Dealer North.
|
| |
ª 10 8
© K J 9 7
¨ J 8 4
§ Q 8 7 4 |
ª J 7 4
© 10 6 5 3
¨ 9 2
§ A J 6 5 |
|
ª A 9 6 3
© Q 2
¨ A Q 10 6 5
§ 9 3 |
| |
ª K Q 5 2
© A 8 4
¨ K 7 3
§ K 10 2 |
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| S Rimstedt |
Maj |
C Rimstedt |
Zegilewicz |
| - |
Pass |
1¨ |
Dble |
| Pass |
1© |
1ª |
Dble |
| 2¨ |
3¨ |
Pass |
3© |
| Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
|
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Krawczyk |
Sjoberg |
Grabowska |
Ryman |
| - |
Pass |
1¨ |
Dble |
| Pass |
1© |
All Pass |
|
The first round of the two auctions was identical. Over North's
1©, Grabowska went quietly with the East cards, having just a minimum
opening. Ryman had n reason to go on and Krawczyk too judged to
go quietly, having no clear action available to her with the balanced
6-count. One Hearts made a lot of tricks, ten in fact, so that was
+170 for Sweden.
In the other room, Cecilia introduced her spades in the hope that
she would be able to effectively compete the partscore when holding
the highest-ranking suit. Zegilewicz took the opportunity to double
again to show a little extra, and that was enough to convince Maj
to drive to game, first cuebidding then raising herself to 4© on
finding heart support. No doubt she imagined that the second double
would deliver somewhat more than a 4-3-3-3 15-count (not unreasonably).
The nine of clubs was led to the ten, jack and queen, and Maj led
a heart to the ace then a heart back to the jack and queen. She
had to lose three aces from here after Cecilia cashed the ªA at
the next trick, and that was one down for –50 and 6 IMPs to
Sweden.
The Swedes won the match by 58-32 IMPs, 21-9 VPs, and had moved
into second place ahead of Poland. This result virtually assured
Austria of the gold medal, and made Sweden hot favourites for the
silver with one match to play.
|
