43rd GENERALI EUROPEAN BRIDGE CHAMPIONSHIPS DAILY BULLETIN Editor: J.-P. Meyer • Co-Editor: M. Horton • Web Editor: Th. Matziaris No.: 6 • Thursday, 19 June 1997

Results	Contents
OPEN TEAMS, Round 11 OPEN TEAMS, Round 12 LADIES TEAMS, Round 3 LADIES TEAMS, Round 4 BUTLER scoring, Round 11	Open Teams Round 10 by Brian Senior Prescription for insomniacs The 3NT day by Dani Vikor Watch out for the Belgian Ladies by Herman de Wael In Spectacular Fashion by Jos Jacobs

Italy improved its position with two more good victories. Second placed Norway are now the highest of the Scandinavian countries, while Spain are lying third, just in front of Poland, Denmark, Iceland and Great Britain.

These last five mentioned teams are only separated by 2.5 VP!

The best performance of the day was by the Netherlands, who scored a perfect 50 VP. They are now in 8th place, only 6 points away from the bronze medal position. Of course, there are still 23 matches to go, plenty of time for everything to change. Lebanon broke some sort of record by winning their last match by the remarkable score of 94-0!

SPAIN STILL ON TOP

In the Ladies series, yesterday's leaders, Spain were overtaken by France after the first match, but they bounced back into first place when the French ladies had to bow the knee to the Czech Republic. That dropped France to second, just ahead of Hungary, Great Britain and Belgium.

The first half of the Wednesday evening viewgraph match between Belgium and Italy was mostly about as exciting as watching paint dry, with a series of boards on which there was little scope for swings. Two consecutive boards in the middle of the set woke up the spectators (and commentators), however.

Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Game 10 A K Q 7 6 2 2 Q J 10 9 7 A 7 4 3 9 8 6 2 4 3 J 10 9 8 A K Q J 6 5 7 6 A K 3 2 K Q J 5 5 10 9 8 4 3 8 5 4 Closed Room West North East South Versace Middelem Lauria Labaere 1 Pass 1 2 3 Pass Pass Dble 4 Dble All Pass

Having got a response from partner, it is understandable that North should get pretty excited about his hand as he needs only one trick and a bit of trump support to make game. But perhaps when 3 was doubled he might have passed for now just in case he might be allowed to play there - not that 3 doubled would have made, but it would have been a lot cheaper than 4 doubled. Lauria led three rounds of clubs for Versace to ruff. Versace switched to two rounds of diamonds, ruffed and over-ruffed, and now a spade to the ace and a third diamond promoted a second trump trick for Lauria; four down for -1100.

Open Room West North East South Kaplan Bocchi Deforge Duboin 1 Pass 1 2 4 All Pass

Bocchi was not content with a mere 3 rebid, preferring to jump to 4. This was never going to cost as much as 4, of course, but a double would have at least reduced the Belgian loss. Delforge passed as East and after a bit of thought from Duboin he also passed. The spotlight was on Kaplan but after a serious study he passed also. Three rounds of clubs left declarer in control with just one more trick to lose in each suit; two down for -200 but 14 IMPs to Italy.

Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Game K 10 9 6 3 A Q 10 9 8 6 5 3 J 8 7 4 3 2 A K 10 9 6 2 K 2 7 4 3 4 K J 10 8 7 6 5 2 Q 5 A Q J 8 7 5 4 J A Q 9

Both Souths played 4, Duboin after a 3 opening from Delforge, Labaere after a 3NT (pre-empt in a minor) opening from Lauria. As at many other tables, the opening lead was the 4 to the king and ace.

After the 3 opening, it looks entirely reasonable to try to ruff the 9 in dummy at trick two and that is what Duboin did. Now West usually ruffed in and led a spade to East's ace, no doubt having been given a useful signal on the second club. From there the contract is two down. But Kaplan failed to ruff the club, discarding a spade. Now Duboin could ruff in dummy, play ace and ruff a diamond then ace and queen of trumps. He lost just two trumps and a spade; +420.

West also defeats the contract if he pitches a diamond at trick two as declarer has no way back to hand without allowing the defensive cross-ruff to occur.

After a four-level pre-empt, the probabilities are that clubs are 8-1. Now it is not so clear that the above line is correct, though it was the one chosen in the other room for two down when Versace defended accurately; -100 and 11 IMPs to Italy. The winning line is to simply play ace and queen of trumps at tricks two and three and hope to get rid of the losing club on either spades or diamonds. On the actual lie, either suit would duly oblige.

There was one more swing board in the set and again the swing went to the host nation.

Board 1. Dealer North. Love All K Q 4 8 4 3 J 7 A K Q 9 7 A 8 7 6 10 2 K 6 5 Q 7 K 5 A 10 9 8 6 4 3 8 6 4 2 J 5 J 9 5 3 A J 10 9 2 Q 2 10 3

In the Open Room, the Italians had a free run to 2 by North after Bocchi had opened a strong no trump. Delforge led ace and another diamond and Kaplan found the low spade switch which should hold the contract to eight tricks, setting up the spade ruff. But East played 2, suggesting an odd number, and when Bocchi took the heart finesse Kaplan switched to a club. Declarer could now draw trumps and all his spades went away on the clubs; +170.

In the Closed Room, Lauria came in with 3 over the 1NT opening. Labaere doubled for takeout and Versace tried 3NT. However, when Labaere doubled again, Versace decided that discretion was the better part of valour and ran to 4. Nobody felt like doubling that and after three rounds of clubs, ruffed and over-ruffed, and a spade switch, the contract drifted two off; -100 but 2 IMPs to Italy who led 32-0 at the half.

In the Ladies match between Great Britain and Russia, Sandra Landy bid in typically aggressive fashion to 4 as South with East keeping mysteriously silent despite the opportunity to come in over Michele Handley's 1 opening. You would think that 4 had no real chance of success but the Russian West had had no help in the auction from her partner and with a blind lead eventually selected ace and another spade. It looked to Sandra as though spades were 4-2 and she played for her only chance. She won the second spade in dummy and played three rounds of clubs, hoping to pitch a diamond. East ruffed the third club low and Sandra over-ruffed, cashed A and crossed to dummy in spades to play another winning club on which she threw a diamond. Nicely played and 11 IMPs to Great Britain as the same contract failed by two tricks in the other room after a diamond lead.

Famous Swiss star player Pietro Bernasconi is here as Captain of the Switzerland Ladies team. For those of you who have difficulties in falling asleep here is a problem that should keep you occupied for some time.

	K 10			A 6 3 2
	9 4 3 2			A K Q
	A 9 5			Q 3 2
	9 4 3 2			A K Q

You just have to name all the 26 missing cards so that:

6 NT cannot be beaten on any lead played by West.

6 NT is beatable if played by East.

6 played by West makes only if West is allowed to lead to his own contract at the first trick.

The answer will appear in the Bulletin before the end of the championships.

People who know me, know also that I am a lazy player, which means that I'm almost never declarer.

But yesterday I had to play two difficult 3NT contracts, which were interesting enough to talk about.

Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Game 6 9 5 A K 9 8 2 Q 7 6 4 2 K 8 5 4 A J 7 8 6 A K 7 3 J 10 7 Q 5 4 J 10 8 3 A K 5 Q 10 9 3 2 Q J 10 4 2 6 3 9 West North East South Pass Pass 1 Dble Pass 1 2 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass

The opening lead was the six of diamonds.

I played the jack from dummy, which won the trick. I tried the jack of clubs, small, small, nine. It looked like a singleton, as the opponents were playing inverted count, and the nine might be an important card. However, if North has ten cards in the minors, it is probable that the queen of spades is wrong.

But if I can rectify the count, South can doubtless be squeezed. So I played a diamond and North cashed three tricks in the suit. It wouldn't help him to not take his tricks as I could then endplay South. Even so it was also all over. If North plays the last diamond, I can squeeze South, and if not, South will be endplayed.

Board 4. Dealer West. Game All 10 7 6 5 8 5 10 Q J 9 8 7 4 A Q 4 2 K 9 8 Q 7 6 A K J 10 9 7 5 K 6 3 2 A 6 3 10 2 J 3 9 4 3 2 A Q J 8 4 K 5 West North East South Pass Pass 1 Pass 1 Pass 1NT Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 3NT All Pass

South led a heart and I was a little surprised as it was likely that my opponents had a good idea of my distribution. Why did he not lead a club? The answer is easy, he had few clubs, but a good hand. If it is true, he should have the ace of diamonds. The odds appear simple, spades might be 3-3, or I have to score a trick with the king of diamonds. How should I do that?

I have to cut their communications in clubs, then play spades and hope to endplay South. So I took the queen of hearts, and played a small club from dummy, taken by North's Queen. After some thought North played another heart, so I won, and played another small club, South winning with the king. He played another heart and I was sure, that my plan was going to work!

I cashed my major suit winners, but to my surprise, South was the one who showed out. I seemed to be destroyed, but I played the ace of clubs, and a diamond. When North played the ten I had no choice but to play low, and South was endplayed having been reduced to the AQJ of diamonds by the one suit squeeze.

In reply to all of you who haven't asked yet, I am not the captain of the Belgian Ladies' team this year.

That is because this is not a team of tourists, and they are not in line for any wooden spoons. Tipster beware, they are a real contender for a top ten spot, if not for a place in Tunisia.

For starters, four of our players are members of teams playing in the Belgian Open teams first division. (How many other countries have four Ladies playing in their top division?) This team was first formed for last year-s European Union Championships, where they ended third behind very strong Austrian and French teams.

When they announced they would play again this time, all opposition was silenced and they did not have to play any selection. So they entered the Open teams National selection, and reached the final, where they were only narrowly beaten by the Open team that is here. In the final warm-up, the team beat all comers (including the Open team) to win a team tournament with top Belgian participation.

Star player Valèrie Polet is a regular in the Belgian Open Teams play-offs, winning the teams title once and the national Open Pairs three times. She was a member of the Belgian Mixed Team that won the European Union title in Athens, where they won seven matches in a row by 25, to claim the title with a match to spare. She lost count of the number of her National Ladies' and Mixed titles.

She and her partner Isabelle Dewasme are French nationals, but both have lived in Brussels for many years.

Caroline Vandenbossche has played in the Belgian Ladies' team before (at Killarney in 1991) and has last year impressed everyone in Belgium by taking a new team into the top division and reaching the play-offs. She is also from Brussels, and perfectly bilingual.

Her partner Veronique Driessens is the youngest of the lot. She is married to Frans Jeunen, a member of the Open team here. She is from Antwerp, lives with her husband in Limburg, but plays her bridge in a french speaking team (that also features an Icelander) in Brussels, and also across the border in the Netherlands' team competition, in the third division.

Frans's sister Carine is also here, as a flying reserve. She was a member of the Belgian Ladies' teams of Menton and Villamoura. She is the secretary of the Flemish Bridge League.

Isabelle and Caroline's life partners, Bernard Dehaye and Hervè Huntz feature as co-captain and co-coach. Isabelle and Bernard are expecting their firstborn next November.

Valèrie and Veronique have already proved their capacities in the Ladies' Pairs, where they finished thirteenth. Here is Valerie at work in the first round of the Ladies' Pairs: (This deal was already mentioned by Tony Gordon in an earlier bulletin)

Board 14. Dealer East. Love All Q 6 4 2 K 7 A Q 9 6 4 3 2 K 2 J 10 9 6 3 Q J 9 8 7 5 3 10 8 6 5 3 A J 4 8 10 7 5 A 8 7 5 4 A K 10 Q 9 2 K J West North East South Veronique Valèrie Pass 1NT 2(1) 2NT(2) Pass 3 Pass 4 Pass 4 Pass 4 Pass 4NT Pass 5 Pass 6 All Pass (1) Hearts (2) Lebensohl

The lead was queen of hearts. Valèrie took the heart ace and played spade ace and ruff. Club to the king and another spade ruff. Club to the jack and now the diamond. When the king was overtaken and a heart returned (a diamond would have killed communications), the double squeeze was clear. Another spade ruff and the club ace (heart discard) resulted in the following position:

— 6 6 Q — J J — 10 8 J 4 8 — 8 — Q 9 —

On the club queen, south must hold the spade and north the heart, so Valèrie made her two diamonds. An additional joke : While proofreading this article in the press room today, I was approached by the chairman of the Appeal's Committee who needed a computer for some important official document (or so at least he told me). After giving up my position, he sat down, only to hear an official announcement proclaim : 'will Steen Moeller please come to the systems desk?'. The whole press room was impressed with my connections at the systems desk. In fact, it was indeed my connections, as it was the Belgian captains introducing some last minute changes!

In Wednesday night's match, two successive boards really produced fireworks at many tables. The ladies match between Spain and the host country was no exception. Here are those boards: numbers 5 and 6.

Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Game 10 A K Q 7 6 2 2 Q J 10 9 7 A 7 4 3 9 8 6 2 4 3 J 10 9 8 A K Q J 6 5 7 6 A K 3 2 K Q J 5 5 10 9 8 4 3 8 5 4 West North East South Urruticoechea Gianardi Moratalla Rovera 1 Pass 1 2 3 Pass Pass 3 3 All Pass

East led her diamond. West won the ace and returned her club. East cashed the AK and gave partner a ruff. West then carefully cashed her A first before returning a diamond to promote a further trump trick for her partner. Down three, 300 to Spain. If you think this was a good result, you could not have been more wrong. Even the datum score in the Butler competition was not reached here. In the Closed Room, Italy did much better:

Closed Room West North East South Olivieri Cafranga Golin Frances 1 Pass 1 3 4 Pass 5 Pass Pass Dble All Pass

The more sporting overcall by Gabriella Olivieri put the pressure on North. She could not afford to pass, but it was only too evident that going on bidding carried a certain amount of risk. Anyway, all might have gone well had South left her in peace in 4, but when she did not, Golin expressed her views on the proceedings by a rather one-sided double. When her partner produced two tricks as well, the contract was down three: 800 for Italy and 11 imps.

As it happened, this was the only swing to the hosts in a very one-sided match. On the very next board, the Spaniards returned the compliment with interest:

Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Game K 10 9 6 3 A Q 10 9 8 6 5 3 J 8 7 4 3 2 9 8 6 2 K 10 9 6 J 10 9 8 K 2 7 4 A K 3 2 Q 5 A Q J 8 7 5 4 J A Q 9

Believe it or not, the contract in the Open Room was the same as on the previous deal. This was the auction:

West North East South Urruticoechea Gianardi Moratalla Rovera Pass 1 Pass 1 3 3 All Pass

On a club lead, declarer somehow managed to go one down, 50 to Spain.

This certainly was not a good result for Italy, as can be deduced from the Butler score once again. In the Closed Room, the Spanish ladies had a simple, but quite dramatic view on the NS hands:

West North East South Olivieri Cafranga Golin Frances 5 5 Dble 6 All Pass

Showing no inhibitions at all, the Spanish ladies bid in their usual uncomplicated style to hit a very big jackpot on this one. The contract was guaranteed by the pre-war Bank of England as soon as the K was doubleton onside. Spain thus chalked up 1090 for their courage (or experience in Rubber Bridge) which gave them a fully deserved 15 IMP swing on their way to an 81-31 or 24-6 victory. When you look at the way they are handling freaks like this one, it's only too likely that they will figure at the top of the standings (or thereabout) for a long time to come here in Montecatini!

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