Here and There We present a short look at some of the action from the quarter and semi finals. Jacobs was expected to beat Hecht and took a handy lead into the second half, but the Danish players had not read the script. Board 17. Dealer North. None Vul.   ♠ 8 6 3 ♥ K 10 8 3 ♦ J 10 4 ♣ A 9 4 ♠ K J 10 4 ♥ 9 5 ♦ A 9 8 6 ♣ J 7 2 ♠ A Q 9 ♥ Q 7 6 2 ♦ K Q 3 ♣ K Q 3   ♠ 7 5 2 ♥ A J 4 ♦ 7 5 2 ♣ 10 8 6 5 West North East South Versace Bilde Lauria Hansen   Pass 2♦* Pass 3♣* Pass 3♦ Pass 3♥ Pass 3NT All Pass 3NT had made an overtrick at the other table when South led the ♣8. Declarer had been allowed to win with dumm’y jack, had returned the suit to North’s ace and then won a third club and cashed winners, +430. By the way, East had opened 1♥, but North’s failure to switch when in with the club ace was still slightly strange. Here South led the seven of diamonds for the eight, ten and king and declarer played the three of clubs to the jack and ace. North found the threatening switch to the ten of hearts and when declarer covered with the queen the contract was one down. If North had held ♥A/K108 alone covering would be correct. When the Jacobs team bid these North/South cards to 6♦   ♠ A 4 ♥ A 1 0 6 ♦ K J 1 0 ♣ 9 8 5 4 2       ♠ K Q 1 0 8 2 ♥ J 2 ♦ Q 7 6 5 4 ♣ A a contract that failed by one trick the match was level, and the Danes produced three rock crushing results on the last three deals to clinch the match. This was one of them, a worthy candidate for the best bid hand of the year: Board 27. Dealer South. None Vul.   ♠ A J ♥ A Q 7 6 5 ♦ 3 2 ♣ 10 8 5 4 ♠ K 8 6 3 ♥ 8 ♦ Q 9 7 6 ♣ A Q 6 3 ♠ 10 9 7 5 4 2 ♥ J 3 ♦ 5 4 ♣ J 9 7   ♠ Q ♥ K 10 9 4 2 ♦ A K J 10 8 ♣ K 2 West North East South Versace Bilde Lauria Hansen       1♥ Dble 2NT* Pass 3♥* Pass 3♠* Pass 3NT* Pass 4♠* Pass 4NT* Pass 5♠* Pass 6♥ All Pass       West led his trump and declarer won, drew a second round and ran the queen of spades. When it held he had a parking place for a losing club and could claim. Team Orange1 appeared to be cruising to a place in the final against Ozdil but in the second half their opponents came roaring back, and when they bid a slam on the penultimate board to reduce the margin to just 1 IMP Dutch supporters were biting their fingernails. Board 27. Dealer South. None Vul.   ♠ A Q 9 8 7 2 ♥ 10 ♦ J 9 ♣ K J 6 3 ♠ K 10 6 ♥ A ♦ K 10 8 7 5 ♣ 10 9 7 2 ♠ 5 4 ♥ 7 6 4 3 2 ♦ 6 4 3 2 ♣ Q 8   ♠ J 3 ♥ K Q J 9 8 5 ♦ A Q ♣ A 5 4 West North East South Holland Muller Bakshi De Wijs       1♣* 1NT 2♠ Pass 3♥ Pass 3♠ Pass 4♥ All Pass       A sound auction, easily dealing with West’s intervention. West North East South Jansma Ginossar Verhees Ozdil       1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass 3♥ Pass 4♣ Pass 4♦ Pass 4♥ Pass 4NT Pass 5♦ Pass 6♥ All Pass       In the Women’s event Sally Brock and Margaret James followed a similar sequence to the slam. Of course, 6♥ is a poor contract, but as a general point notice how important it was that South’s hearts were so good. With the same values but a worse suit it would probably be better to look for an alternative rebid. The 5-1 trump break was awkward, but the spade finesse was right and declarer was not tested in our main match as West led a diamond. In the Senior event this deal also played a big part and it was tough on the Rand team, who lost by their semi final by 4 IMPs that this hand cost them a bundle when their opponents played in 6NT from the South side.

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