Open Teams - Russia v Norway (Round 2)

by Mark Horton

This had to be one of the matches of the round, featuring Norway – a shoe – in on everyone’s list for one of the Bermuda Bowl berths – and one of the strong contenders Russia.

Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	♠ Q 5 4 3 ♥ A Q ♦ 3 2 ♣ Q 10 4 3 2
♠ K 9 8 2 ♥ J 6 5 ♦ A Q 10 5 4 ♣ 7		♠ A 7 ♥ 10 9 7 3 2 ♦ K J 9 8 7 6 ♣ -
	♠ J 10 6 ♥ K 8 4 ♦ - ♣ A K J 9 8 6 5

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Helness	Matushko	Helgemo	Khokhlov
		Pass	2♣
2♦	Dble	5♦	Pass
Pass	Dble	All Pass

In theory it is possible to defeat Five Diamonds but it is asking a lot of North to start with the ace of hearts. On the lead of the two of clubs declarer ruffed in dummy, played a diamond to the ace and then eliminated spades, drawing the last trump in the process. Now a low heart left the defenders without recourse and declarer racked up +550.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Dubinin	Ekren	Gromov	Tundal
		2♥*	3♣
3♥	3NT	4♦	6♣
6♦	Dble	All Pass

East had a gadget and when West supported his first suit he was not afraid to show the second. When South speculated on the possibility that his side might be able to make a slam – clearly taking his partner’s bid very seriously – West entered the phantom zone, -100 and 12 IMPs for Norway. There followed a series of boards where, as Tacchi would put it, ‘suddenly nothing happened.’ During this period the most interesting deal was this one:

Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.
	♠ K 8 6 5 ♥ K Q 7 2 ♦ K ♣ Q 7 6 5
♠ A Q J 9 4 2 ♥ A 10 3 ♦ 3		♠ 10 7 3 ♥ 9 ♦ Q 10 6 5 4 2
	♠ - ♥ J 8 6 5 4 ♦ A J 9 8 7 ♣ A K 10

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Helness	Matushko	Helgemo	Khokhlov
		Pass	1♥
1♠	4♥	All Pass

To my untrained eye Four Hearts looks a bit heavy – but you can understand why North rejected any idea of a splinter in diamonds without a single first round control. Still, that would have been one way to get South interested. Alternatively one might start with a simple Two Spades and see how things developed.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Dubinin	Ekren	Gromov	Tundal
		Pass	1♥
1♠	4♥	All Pass

Oh well, another push. The score had advanced to 16-4 when this deal settled on the table:

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	♠ 9 7 5 4 ♥ K J 9 2 ♦ A Q 8 4 ♣ 7
♠ - ♥ Q 8 5 3 ♦ J 9 7 6 3 2 ♣ J 6 3		♠ A J 10 8 2 ♥ 7 6 ♦ K ♣ K Q 8 4 2
	♠ K Q 6 3 ♥ A 10 4 ♦ 10 5 ♣ A 10 9 5

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Helness	Matushko	Helgemo	Khokhlov
Pass	Pass	1♠	Pass
1NT	Pass	2♣	Pass
Pass	Dble	All Pass

When North doubled it was pretty clear to convert that with the South hand. South led the ten of diamonds and North won and accurately switched to a trump. South took the ace and continued with the ten. Barring a mistake declarer was booked for two down, and he was soon conceding –300.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Dubinin	Ekren	Gromov	Tundal
Pass	Pass	1♠	Pass
1NT*	Pass	2♣*	Pass
Pass	Dble	4♣	Dble
All Pass

East picked a very bad moment to raise the ante. Being two levels higher than his counterpart he was two tricks worse off, -800 and those 11 IMPs meant Norway now led 27-4 IMPs.

Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul
	♠ Q J 10 8 4 ♥ 10 4 ♦ Q 5 ♣ 9 8 6 2
♠ 3 ♥ Q 9 8 ♦ A 8 7 4 3 ♣ A K 5 4		♠ K 9 6 ♥ K J 2 ♦ J 10 6 2 ♣ J 10 7
	♠ A 7 5 2 ♥ A 7 6 5 3 ♦ K 9 ♣ Q 3

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Helness	Matushko	Helgemo	Khokhlov
	Pass	Pass	1♥
Pass	Pass	1NT	Pass
2NT	All Pass

No doubt I am in a minority of one, but I would respond to an opening bid with the North hand. When East protected West made an invitation that was politely declined. South led the six of hearts and declarer won in hand with the king and played a diamond to the ace and a diamond. South won and continued with the three of hearts. Declarer took that with the jack and advanced the jack of clubs. South covered – not that it mattered – and declarer had nine tricks, +150.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Dubinin	Ekren	Gromov	Tundal
	Pass	Pass	1♥
All Pass

Personally I would not want to travel all the way from Moscow to Warsaw to defend One Heart, but there you are. West led the ace of clubs for the two, jack and three, but then switched – fatally – to his singleton spade. That was covered by the queen, king and ace and declarer ducked a heart to East, who gave West a spade ruff. He continued with the ace of diamonds and a diamond but declarer won in hand, cashed the ace of hearts and conceded a heart – now assured of the seven tricks he needed for his contract, +80 and another 6 IMPs for Norway.

Board 17. Dealer North. None Vul.
	♠ K J 9 8 3 ♥ A K ♦ A 8 6 ♣ K 9 3
♠ 10 2 ♥ J 6 4 ♦ K Q 5 3 ♣ Q J 10 5		♠ A Q 5 ♥ 10 8 7 3 2 ♦ 10 7 2 ♣ 4 2
	♠ 7 6 4 ♥ Q 9 5 ♦ J 9 4 ♣ A 8 7 6

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Helness	Matushko	Helgemo	Khokhlov
	1♣*	Pass	1♦*
Pass	1♠	Pass	1NT
Pass	2♠	Pass	3NT
All Pass

West led the queen of clubs and declarer won with dummy’s king and tried a low spade. That ran to West’s ten, and he continued with the ten of clubs. When declarer ducked West switched to the king of diamonds, setting up a fifth trick for the defenders, who in due course were +100.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Dubinin	Ekren	Gromov	Tundal
	1♣*	Dble*	Pass
1♥	1NT	Pass	2♣
Pass	2♠	Pass	2NT
Pass	3NT	All Pass

I would like to explain the meaning of East’s double, but the convention card is silent.

East led the three of hearts and declarer won and played the king of spades. East won and continued with a heart, declarer winning and playing the jack of spades. The appearance of West’s ten was what declarer was hoping to see and he was +400, giving Norway 11 IMPs and leaving them well ahead at 46-9 IMPs.

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul
	♠ A K 9 4 3 ♥ K Q J 10 6 ♦ A 6 ♣ 9
♠ 7 ♥ 9 7 4 ♦ J 10 9 7 5 3 ♣ K 7 6		♠ J 6 5 2 ♥ 8 2 ♦ 4 2 ♣ A Q 8 5 4
	♠ Q 10 8 ♥ A 5 3 ♦ K Q 8 ♣ J 10 3 2

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Helness	Matushko	Helgemo	Khokhlov
		Pass	1♣
3♦	3♠	Pass	3NT
Pass	6♥	Pass	6♠
All Pass

East led the ace of clubs and continued with the four, declarer ruffing West’s king. He cashed the ace of spades and played a spade to the ten. That’s the down side of West’s action, but on balance I believe such bids bring in far more points than they lose. A well played +1430.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Dubinin	Ekren	Gromov	Tundal
		Pass	1♦*
Pass	1♥	Pass	1NT
Pass	2♣*	Pass	2♠*
Pass	3♣*	Pass	3♦*
Pass	4NT*	Pass	5♦*
Pass	5♥*	Pass	5NT*
Pass	6♠	All Pass

West led the six of clubs and East won and returned the suit. Declarer ruffed and with nothing to guide him played the ace of spades and a spade to the queen, one down, -100 and 17 badly needed IMPs for Russia, reducing Norway’ s winning margin to 46-26 IMPs, 19-11 VP.