Sweden v Israel – Juniors Round 15

After 14 rounds of the Juniors Championship, Sweden and Israel lay fifth and sixth respectively, right on the age of the qualification zone and well in touch with the medal positions. Their meeting in Round 15 could have a big effect on the fortunes of the two teams.

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

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Reshef	Salomonsson	Ginossar	Malmstrom
-	-	Pass	Pass
Pass	1NT	All Pass

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Ericsson	Hoffman	Sivelind	Ofir
-	-	Pass	Pass
Pass	1NT	Pass	2§
Pass	2©	Pass	3©
Pass	4©	All Pass

A slight diefference in no trump range decided this deal, as Salomonsson/Malmstrom play 14-16 and Hoffman/Ofir 15-17. That made it safer for Gilad Ofir to make a move than for Per-Erik Malmstrom, and Ofir duly did so while Malmstron passed – two normal decisions, I would think.

After a spade lead, Daniel Salomonsson had eight tricks in 1NT for +120.

Daniel Sivelind led a trump against Ron Hoffman's heart game. Hoffman won the jack in hand and played the §8, losing to the jack. He won the heart continuation and gave up a second club, this time to Sivelind's ace, and back came a third trump. The ruffing club finesse succeeded and now Hoffman played a spade towards his hand. If this is ducked and goes to queen and king, the ace can be ruffed out as Kjell Ericsson had to throw a spade on the third round of trumps. In practice he took the ªA and now the ruffing finesse produced Hoffman's tenth trick for +620 and 11 IMPs to Israel.

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

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Reshef	Salomonsson	Ginossar	Malmstrom
-	-	-	Pass
2NT	Pass	3§	Dble
Pass	Pass	Rdbl	Pass
3¨	Pass	3ª	Pass
4¨	Pass	4©	All Pass

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Ericsson	Hoffman	Sivelind	Ofir
-	-	-	Pass
1¨	Pass	1©	1NT
4©	All Pass

Two different opening bids led to two quite different auctions, though the final contracts were identical. Both South players had got involved, with Malmstrom having shown clubs and Ofir both black suits.

Against Ginossar, Malmstrom led the §K, which declarer won with the ace. Ginossar took the heart finesse and Salomonsson won and returned a club to the queen, taking his ruff a moment later. There was a spade to come for down one; 100.

Ofir led his singleton diamond against Sivelind and declarer won and played ace and another heart. He lost to the ©K but could win the return, draw the last trump and discard a club on the fourth diamond, so then had just one club and one spade to lose; +620 and 12 IMPs to Sweden.

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

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Reshef	Salomonsson	Ginossar	Malmstrom
Pass	Pass	2¨	Dble
3©	Pass	Pass	Dble
Pass	4§	All Pass

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Ericsson	Hoffman	Sivelind	Ofir
Pass	Pass	2©	Dble
4©	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

The double-figure swings were coming thick and fast as a third one came along on successive deals.

Ginossar opened a multi in third seat while Sivelind's methods dictated a natural weak two bid (given that he chose to open pre-emptively). Malmstrom doubled the multi and Ophir Reshef jumped to 3©, pass or correct. When Malmstrom doubled again, Salomonsson toom out to 4§, where he played. There were two spades and a heart to be lost; +130.

Ofir doubled the weak 2© opening and doubled again when Ericsson raised to 4©. Should Hoffman have converted to 5§? Well, that contract would have failed by a trick, and there was a defence to defeat 4©. That defence was found in another match when Harold Bergson for Scotland cashed the ¨A then underled his clubs to put partner, David McCrossan in to give him a diamond ruff for down one in the Scots' match against Russia. Well done to them. But it was not found in this match, where Ofir started with a top club and no longer had any way to get to his partner's hand; +790 for Sivelind and 14 IMPs to Sweden, who led by 26-11.

Things calmed down for a while and the score had only moved on to 35-19 in Sweden's favour after twelve deals, then:

Board 13. All Vul. Dealer North.
	ª A 4 © K J 10 7 4 ¨ A K § 9 8 7 2
ª K J 2 © Q 9 ¨ Q J 10 9 7 3 § K 5		ª Q 9 7 6 3 © 5 2 ¨ 8 6 5 2 § 10 3
	ª 10 8 5 © A 8 6 3 ¨ 4 § A Q J 6 4

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Reshef	Salomonsson	Ginossar	Malmstrom
-	1©	Pass	2NT
Pass	3¨	Pass	4¨
Pass	4©	Pass	5§
Pass	6©	All Pass

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Ericsson	Hoffman	Sivelind	Ofir
-	1©	Pass	2NT
Pass	3©	Pass	4§
Pass	4¨	Pass	4ª
Pass	5¨	Pass	6§
All Pass

Both Souths showed a forcing heart raise but later Ofir suggested clubs as an alternative trump suit while the Swedes stayed in hearts. It is not that there is anything inherently superior about the club slam as opposed to playing in hearts, just that a different defender was on lead and chose to lead a different suit. Against 6©, Ginossar led a spade from queen to five and that beat the contract, despite declarer's successful trump view, as he had to lose a spade when the club finesse failed; down one for –100. Ericsson had been dealt a diamond sequence amd led that against 6§. This time declarer needed only to pick up the hearts, which Ofir duly did, and the spade loser went away on the fifth heart and ¨K; +1370 and 16 IMPs to Israel to tie the match at 35-35.

Board 15. N/S Vul. Dealer South.
	ª J 8 7 5 4 © J 6 2 ¨ Q J 2 § 10 3
ª A 9 3 2 © 10 9 8 7 ¨ - § K 8 7 6 4		ª K 6 © A K 3 ¨ A 8 7 6 § Q J 5 2
	ª Q 10 © Q 5 4 ¨ K 10 9 5 4 3 § A 9

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Reshef	Salomonsson	Ginossar	Malmstrom
-	-	-	1¨
Pass	Pass	Dble	Pass
1ª	Pass	1NT	Pass
2¨	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Ericsson	Hoffman	Sivelind	Ofir
-	-	-	1¨
Pass	1ª	1NT	Pass
2§	Pass	2¨	Pass
2NT	Pass	3NT	All Pass

North's decision to pass or respond made no difference to the final contract, though you might think that the Israeli East/West had it slightly easier after Salomonsson's pass. Malmstrom led a low diamond against Ginossar and declarer ducked the jack. Now Salomonsson decided to get cute and returned the ¨2 instead of the queen. It is not obvious why this seemed a good idea to him and it set up a misdefence that gave the contract. Malmstrom won the ¨9 and, not thinking it mattered, returned a low diamond to the queen. When Ginossar ducked again the diamonds were dead. Salomonsson switched to a heart but Ginossar won and knocked out the §A to establish nine tricks for +400. Of course, Malmstrom could have save dthe day, had it occurred to him that he needed to do so. He could have led the ¨K to the third trick, pinning his partner's queen and retaining the lead, but why should he have to think of that?

At the other table the defence led a diamond to the jack, ¨Q and a third diamond; two down for 100 and 11 IMPs to Israel.

Board 16. E/W Vul. Dealer West.
	ª 5 3 © Q 7 4 2 ¨ 8 6 2 § Q 9 8 4
ª A Q 10 9 © J 9 8 6 3 ¨ J § K J 2		ª K J 7 2 © K ¨ A Q 9 7 3 § 7 6 3
	ª 8 6 4 © A 10 5 ¨ K 10 5 4 § A 10 5

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Reshef	Salomonsson	Ginossar	Malmstrom
1©	Pass	2¨	Pass
2©	Pass	2ª	Pass
3ª	Pass	3NT	Pass
4ª	All Pass

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Ericsson	Hoffman	Sivelind	Ofir
1©	Pass	2¨	Pass
2ª	Pass	4ª	All Pass

Ericsson could reverse into spades without showing extra values while Reshef could not. What that did was to make different players declarer in the eventual contract of 4ª.

Hoffman led a club against Ericsson and Ofir won the ace and returned the suit. Ericsson went up with the §K and led diamond to teh ace then a heart to king and ace. The defence cashed the club winner and switched to a trump. Ericsson was a ruff short now whichever red suit he tried to establish. He was down one for 100.

Malmstrom led ace and another club against Ginossar, who also went up with the king at trick two, but played a heart immediately. The defence took its club trick but failed to find a trump switch declarer could crossruff his way to ten tricks for +620 and another 12 IMPs to Israel.

Their strong second-half performance resulted in Israel winning the match by 74-41 IMPs, converting to a very useful 22-8 VPs against a major rival.