Milan is not an Italian City

by Patrick Jourdain

Ine Gielkens, the former Dutch international player who is in Jesolo as npc of the Czech Republic Junior team, reported this deal from their Round 12 match against Russia.

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

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Macura	Osipov	Kopecky	Dobrin
		1NT*	Dble
2♠	Pass	Pass	3♥
4♣	4♥	4♠	Pass
Pass	Dble	All Pass

* 11-14

Michal Kopecky opened a weak no trump, doubled by South, and eventually Milan Macura found himself in Four Spades doubled.

North led a heart, taken by the ace as declarer threw a club. Next came the jack of diamonds covered by the queen and ace. Declarer returned to dummy with a trump to the king felling South’s queen. Next came a diamond taken by South’s king. A second heart was ruffed by declarer. Macura cashed the ♦10 all following, and then played a small club to the queen which held. This was followed by a third heart ruffed in hand. The last diamond was ruffed by North and over-ruffed in dummy. A spade to the jack was followed by the last trump, endplaying North into leading a club up to declarer’s king. Plus 590 was worth 10 IMPs to the Czech Republic when at the other table Russia made nine tricks in a spade partscore.

A couple of boards earlier Macura and Kopecky had shown their bidding skills:

Board 16. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
	♠ J 10 7 6 ♥ A 7 6 2 ♦ – ♣ J 7 6 5 4
♠ Q ♥ J 9 3 ♦ J 10 9 6 4 3 ♣ A K Q		♠ A K 9 8 5 3 ♥ – ♦ A K Q 8 ♣ 10 9 2
	♠ 4 2 ♥ K Q 10 8 5 4 ♦ 7 5 2 ♣ 8 3

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Macura		Kopecky
1NT(i)	Pass	2♥(ii)	Dble
Pass(iii)	3♥	4♦	4♥
5♦	Pass	5♥	Pass
7♦	All Pass

(i) 11-14 (1♦ is prepared in ‘Chinese’ Club!)
(ii) Transfer
(iii) Pass = less than three spades

The Grand slam earned the Czech Republic 16 IMPs (against Six Hearts doubled down four), for a match win of 18-12 VPs.