Austria v Russia – Girls Round 2 Champions Austria had started the championship with a bang, defeating Netherlands, one of the other well-fancied teams, 25-4 in the first round. Russia had begun with a solid 21-9 victory against Denmark and could show themselves to be genuine contenders if they could hold the Austrians in their Round 2 clash. Russia struck first with a big swing on the first deal. Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.   ♠ Q 7 6 4 ♥ A 9 ♦ A Q 10 8 5 4 ♣ 5 ♠ 10 9 ♥ K 10 8 4 3 ♦ 9 ♣ 10 9 8 4 2 ♠ 8 5 3 ♥ 2 ♦ K J 7 2 ♣ A Q 7 6 3   ♠ A K J 2 ♥ Q J 7 6 5 ♦ 6 3 ♣ K J West North East South Ad Gogoman Nekrasova Grumm Kornilova   1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass 4♠ All Pass       West North East South Kychanova An Gogoman Mochalova Assman   1♦ 2♣ 2♥ 5♣ 5♥ All Pass   On vugraph, Iris Grumm did not get involved with the East cards, a decision with which I heartily agree, whatever the actual result. Natalia Kornilova went through fourth suit to show a hand too good for a direct raise to 4♠ and, though her hand had definite potential, Ksenia Nekrasova judged to settle for game, partly no doubt due to the weakness of her trump holding. Grumm led a trump and Nekrasova won in dummy, cashed a second trump then finessed the queen of diamonds. That lost and Grumm returned her remaining trump. Nekrasova won in dummy and played a diamond to the ace then the ♦10, covered and ruffed. A successful heart finesse meant eleven tricks for +450. Julia Mochalova overcalled 2♣ in the Closed Room, and this worked beautifully for her side. Ursula Assman bid 2♥ because to start with a negative double risked losing the fifth heart, and Elena Kychanova was able to bounce all the way to 5♣, putting big pressure on Anna Gogoman. Well, whatever pressure North may have been under, I don’t think that 5♥ was the correct solution to her problem. This ugly contract drifted three off for –150 and 12 IMPs to Russia – the perfect start to what rated to be a tough match. The score had moved on to 17-6 in favour of Russia when the next major swing came along. Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.   ♠ A 6 2 ♥ A 10 5 ♦ 8 4 ♣ J 10 8 7 6 ♠ J 9 8 4 ♥ 6 4 3 2 ♦ Q J 10 5 ♣ Q ♠ K 10 5 3 ♥ 9 8 7 ♦ 9 6 3 2 ♣ 4 2   ♠ Q 7 ♥ K Q J ♦ A K 7 ♣ A K 9 5 3 West North East South Ad Gogoman Nekrasova Grumm Kornilova     Pass 2♦ Pass 3♥ Pass 3NT Pass 4♣ Pass 4♦ Pass 4♥ Pass 5♣ Pass 6♣ All Pass   West North East South Kychanova An Gogoman Mochalova Assman     Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass   The Austrian North/South pair had the auction that many of us would have duplicated, having no good way to explore a club slam without overstating North’s club holding. With the ♠K onside there were twelve tricks to be had in 3NT; +490. The Russian auction began badly when Nekrasova pre-empted in her partner’s major, assuming that the multi opening would be based on a weak hand in one of the majors and forcing Kornilova to rebid 3NT to show her actual 22-24 balanced handtype. Many pairs would have been unable to show clubs at all from this point, using 4♣ as a major-suit enquiry or perhaps Baron, but Nekrasova could bid 4♣ as a natural slam try and, after an exchange of cuebids, raised to the cold club slam; +920 and a deserved 10 IMPs to Russia. Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul.   ♠ A K 6 ♥ K 9 5 4 2 ♦ 5 4 ♣ J 4 3 ♠ Q J 9 8 7 3 2 ♥ 8 ♦ K 10 6 ♣ 10 9 ♠ 10 4 ♥ A Q J 10 ♦ A Q J 9 ♣ 8 6 5   ♠ 5 ♥ 7 6 3 ♦ 8 7 3 2 ♣ A K Q 7 2 West North East South Ad Gogoman Nekrasova Grumm Kornilova       Pass 2♦ 2♥ Dble 3♥ Pass Pass Dble All Pass West North East South Kychanova An Gogoman Mochalova Assman       Pass 3♠ All Pass     What would be your poison with the West hand, vulnerable in second seat? Kychanova’s full-blooded 3♠ opening ended the auction, clearly being consistent with partnership style as many Easts would have raised to game, I think. Double dummy, North might manage a diamond ruff to defeat 3♠, but in real life that is pretty tough to achieve and indeed Kychanova soon brought home nine tricks for +140. Adele Gogoman preferred a multi 2♦ opening, as would I, and Nekrasova made a truly nauseating overcall. Grumm’s first double was pass or correct but, when Kornilova raised to 3♥, her second double was for blood, as she could have simply bid 3♠ to play in her partner’s suit. Gogoman thought about her seventh spade, facing a partner who had been willing to compete I that suit, but made the winning decision when she passed the double. Grumm led the ♠10 to the jack and king and Nekrasova played two more spades, intending to ruff the third round in dummy had not Grumm ruffed in with the ten. Gogoman followed with the nine on the second round suit preference for diamonds, making it easy for Grumm to switch to ace and another of that suit; down two for –500 and 8 IMPs to Austria. Neither E/W pair had the methods to get to the excellent 6♥/NT by West on Board 8 so it was flat at +480. Then a more interesting push: Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.   ♠ J 9 6 ♥ K J 8 4 3 ♦ K Q J 5 ♣ K ♠ A 4 3 2 ♥ - ♦ 10 8 6 3 ♣ J 8 7 3 2 ♠ K Q 10 8 7 ♥ A Q ♦ 7 2 ♣ A 10 9 6   ♠ 5 ♥ 10 9 7 6 5 2 ♦ A 9 4 ♣ Q 5 4 West North East South Ad Gogoman Nekrasova Grumm Kornilova     1♠ Pass 2♠ 3♥ 4♠ 5♥ Pass Pass Dble All Pass West North East South Kychanova An Gogoman Mochalova Assman     1♠ Pass 3♠ 4♥ Pass Pass 4♠ Pass Pass 5♥ Pass Pass Dble All Pass Gogoman made a quiet single raise – in her partnership’s Blue Club style, Grumm could have had a good hand with four spades and longer hearts, among other possibilities, and that left room for Nekrasova to make a comfortable 3♥ overcall. Grumm made her favourite game try – bid game then try to make it – and Kornilova had an automatic 5♥ bid with such huge support for partner. Grumm doubled and too the obvious +500 after a spade lead. Kychanova, facing a known five-card suit, made a pre-emptive raise to 3♠, which would have shut many Norths out of the auction. Not Gogoman, who made the brave (or wild – this is entirely decided by the result, of course) decision to overcall 4♥ on her aceless hand and moderate suit. That was the winning decision, because Mocholova was surely going to bid 4♠ anyway and this allowed Assman to save in 5♥ doubled for a flat board. Halfway through the match it was 27-8 in favour of Russia. Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.   ♠ A K 9 4 3 ♥ J 9 2 ♦ A 8 5 3 ♣ K ♠ 5 2 ♥ 10 8 6 4 ♦ K 9 6 4 ♣ Q J 8 ♠ Q 10 7 ♥ A K Q 7 5 3 ♦ Q 7 ♣ A 5   ♠ J 8 6 ♥ - ♦ J 10 2 ♣ 10 9 7 6 4 3 2 West North East South Ad Gogoman Nekrasova Grumm Kornilova       Pass Pass 1♠ Dble 2♠ Dble Pass 4♥ All Pass West North East South Kychanova An Gogoman Mochalova Assman       Pass Pass 1♠ Dble 3♠ Pass 4♠ All Pass   Both east players began with a double. Kornilova’s normal raise to 2♠ caught a thin responsive double from Adele Gogoman and Grumm had an easy 4♥ bid, ending the auction. She had ten tricks for a quick and painless +420. At the other table, Assman made a brave (or wild – but this time I think we all know which it was, irrespective of the outcome) pre-emptive raise to 3♠ and, when Anna Gogoman went on to 4♠, Mocholova was fixed and chose to stay so. Four Spades was down one; -50 but 9 IMPs to Austria. Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.   ♠ K 8 ♥ Q J ♦ Q 3 ♣ J 10 7 6 5 4 3 ♠ A J 2 ♥ K 10 4 ♦ 6 4 ♣ A K Q 9 8 ♠ 10 6 3 ♥ 7 5 3 ♦ A J 9 8 7 2 ♣ 2   ♠ Q 9 7 5 4 ♥ A 9 8 6 2 ♦ K 10 5 ♣ - West North East South Ad Gogoman Nekrasova Grumm Kornilova     Pass Pass 1♣ 2♣ Pass 4♥ Pass Pass 5♦ All Pass West North East South Kychanova An Gogoman Mochalova Assman     Pass Pass 1♣ Pass 1♦ 1♠ 1NT 2♣ 3♦ Pass 3NT All Pass     Russia had a huge result in the Closed Room when Kychanova, with a little help from her friends, managed to bring home 3NT. Gogoman cleared the first hurdle when she led the ♣J rather than a small one. Kychanova won and played a diamond, ducking when the queen appeared. Now Gogoman switched to the king of spades and, when that was ducked, a second spade to the jack. Declarer ducked a club to the ten and all that was required was passive defence from here. No, Gogoman switched to the ♥Q and Assman overtook to play a third spade to the ace. When Kychanova now cashed the clubs, Assman was squeezed in the red suits and declarer read the ending correctly to drop the ♥J for her contract - a tremendous +400. In the other room, the Russian N/S had a misunderstanding in defending against the Austrian strong club opening. Nekrasova overcalled 2♣ which, by my reading of their card, was natural. Kornilova, however, jumped to 4♥, clearly expecting some kind of two-suiter. When that reached Grumm she was not sure who could make what and tried 5♦, where she drifted two off for –100 and 11 IMPs to Russia. That was not the end of the story, of course, because the director was called. You might argue that the jump to 4♥, by a passed hand, was a very strange action, and that both East and West might have smelled a rat. Clearly East was not damaged as she had the correct explanation from her screenmate, but the director was prepared to believe that West might have suffered damage and the ruling was that she would sometimes have doubled 4♥ so the +11 IMPs became just 5 IMPs to Russia. Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.   ♠ K Q 8 6 5 ♥ 10 7 4 ♦ 6 4 ♣ A 7 3 ♠ J 4 2 ♥ 6 5 3 ♦ Q 8 7 5 ♣ 9 8 4 ♠ A 10 9 7 ♥ A Q 9 ♦ A K 9 2 ♣ J 5   ♠ 3 ♥ K J 8 2 ♦ J 10 3 ♣ K Q 10 6 2 West North East South Ad Gogoman Nekrasova Grumm Kornilova       Pass Pass 1♠ Dble 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass 2NT Pass 3♠ Dble All Pass West North East South Kychanova An Gogoman Mochalova Assman       1♦ Pass 1♠ 1NT 2♣ All Pass       Assman opened a Precision-style 1♦ and was then prepared to see it through and show her long clubs at her second turn even though she had the option of passing. Two Clubs looks comfortable enough due to the friendly lie of the hearts, but there is only one entry to dummy to lead up to the heart holding and declarer lost her way, losing three diamonds, two hearts and a spade after repeated trump leads – establishing a spade trick early for a diamond discard appears to leave declarer in control; -50. The fate of 2♣ did not matter so much because of events at the vugraph table. Nekrasova opened light in third seat – fair enough – and Grumm doubled. Now, I would have thought that redouble was the mainstream action on the South cards. Kornilova’s preference of 2♣ might have been OK, but it was read as Drury, despite the double. Who was right, I cannot say, but the outcome was the rather unattractive contract of 3♠ doubled by North ( not so unattractive if you were Iris Grumm, of course). Grumm led three rounds of diamonds for declarer to ruff. Nekrasova did well from here, leading the ♥10 to the ace – Grumm could have covered with the queen instead but declarer just crosses to the ♣A to lead a second heart up. Grumm switched to her low club which ran to the ace and now Nekrasova led to the ♥J, cashed the ♥K, and led two rounds of clubs. Grumm could ruff but there were just two more trumps to come for the defence; down two for –300 and 6 IMPs to Austria Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.   ♠ A K 7 6 ♥ A ♦ Q 10 4 ♣ A K 9 4 2 ♠ - ♥ Q J 9 7 5 4 3 ♦ K J 9 ♣ J 7 3 ♠ Q J 9 5 4 3 ♥ 10 8 ♦ A 8 6 ♣ 8 6   ♠ 10 8 2 ♥ K 6 2 ♦ 7 5 3 2 ♣ Q 10 5 West North East South Ad Gogoman Nekrasova Grumm Kornilova 3♥ Dble Pass 3♠ Pass 4♠ All Pass   West North East South Kychanova An Gogoman Mochalova Assman 3♥ Dble Pass 3NT All Pass       Both Wests felt that their all-round playing potential justified a 3♥ opening despite the moderate suit and North had an automatic double. Now the Austrian N/S walked on water. The combination of responding 3NT with 5 HCP and a flat hand and then passing with 20 HCP and some distributional strength cannot have been duplicated very often but it worked like a charm, there being precisely nine sure tricks for declarer; +600. Kornilove did not find the 3NT response, preferring to try her three-card spade suit, and Nekrasova had an obvious raise. That suited Grumm very nicely indeed and, imagining that her opponents might have a better spot in one of the minors, she passed with an air of great contentment. Nekrasova won the heart lead and crossed to the queen of clubs to pitch a diamond on the ♥K. Next she led a spade and was unimpressed with the news when West showed out. She won the ace and played two top clubs, Grumm ruffing and returning the ♠Q. Nekrasova could win and make the ♠10 en passant but that was that; down three for –300 and 14 IMPs to Austria. What would I have done with the South hand? I am betting that the long-term winner is to pass the double and hope 3♥ goes off, but it is a bit scary in the short term, I confess. After a rough start, Austria had come through to win by 58-40 IMPs; 18-12 VPs.

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