43rd GENERALI EUROPEAN BRIDGE CHAMPIONSHIPS DAILY BULLETIN Editor: J.-P. Meyer • Co-Editor: M. Horton • Web Editor: Th. Matziaris No.: 7 • Friday, 20 June 1997

Results	Contents
OPEN TEAMS, Round 13 OPEN TEAMS, Round 14 LADIES TEAMS, Round 5 LADIES TEAMS, Round 6 BUTLER scoring, Round 13	Ladies Teams Round 5 by Brian Senior To Err is Human (Part 2) by Heinz Guthwert Nice lead, partner! by Micke Melander Match of the Day I am sorry, I had no lower card by Patrick Jourdain

Italy, in the Open Series, continue to march on, piling up another maximum of 50 VP in their two matches, giving them a massive 31 VP lead over second placed Spain. Iceland is third, while Great Britain and Norway share the two remaining places, which will provide a qualifying spot for the Bermuda Bowl.

It was also a very fine day for France. The Open squad, though lying only sixth, got the optimum score for the day, while the French ladies total for the day was 'only' 49 VP. So the French teams got a grand total of 99 out of possible 100 for the day, not too bad three weeks before the 14th of July.)

As a result, the French ladies have a respectable advantage of 10 VP over Great Britain and 12 VP over third placed Belgium. The titleholders are fielding a team with four newcomers to the European Championship.

Spain and Israel are occupying the other two positions, which will provide a place in the Venice Cup in Hammamet next October.

Matches between the Austrian and British women are always played in good spirit but fiercely contested. In the last two Olympiads, the Austrians have ended the British challenge, in the 1992 final and the 1996 quarter-final. Britain hoped for a little revenge on Friday morning, having their strongest team here while Austria are missing the redoubtable Maria Erhart and Terri Weigkricht. Britain started quickly:

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

Fischer and Bamberger, for Austria, bid: 1 (strong) - 1 (negative) - 2 (natural , non-forcing) - Pass. The lead was a diamond to the king and ace and Fischer crossed to Q to play a spade to the king. When that held she exited with a low spade to West's ten. Dhondy continued with J and after winning and ruffing a spade, declarer had to lose a trick in each suit; +140.

Closed Room West North East South Gyimesi Smith Terraneo Davies 1 Pass Pass Dble 2 2 3 Pass 4 All Pass

This time the lead was a low spade to the ace and a second spade to declarer's king. Smith crossed to dummy's Q to take the diamond finesse and when that won could draw a second round of trumps, pitch a diamond on the Q and play ace and ruff a diamond, needing only that one of the red suits break evenly; +420 and 7 IMPs to Great Britain.

Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Game KQ 8 7 3 10 7 6 5 3 Q K 8 A J 9 5 10 2 — J 2 A 10 9 8 5 4 3 J 7 6 2 7 2 Q 9 5 4 3 6 4 A K Q 9 8 4 K A J 10 6 Closed Room West North East South Gyimesi Smith Terraneo Davies Pass 1 2 4 Pass 5 Pass 6 All Pass

Nicola Smith splintered then, when Pat Davies cuebid 5, felt that her two black second-round controls and potential source of side-tricks obliged her to bid the slam. Herta Gyimesi quickly showed her that she was in error by cashing her two aces; -100.

That looked pretty awful for the British pair but they actually gained 9 IMPs on the board! In the other room Gabi Bamberger opened a strong club on the South cards and Heather Dhondy overcalled 4. Doris Fischer doubled to show her values and Liz McGowan did the right thing by not raising the pre-empt further. Bamberger bid 4, of course, and now Fischer bid 4NT. Obviously, she intended this as Blackwood but it was not so clear from Bamberger's side of the table. After considerable thought, she passed. Seven diamonds and the A later that was 500 to Great Britain.

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

In the Closed Room, Gyimesi, playing strong club, opened the West hand with 1 then bid and rebid the clubs, ending up in 3. She won the club lead and ran 8 to the queen then repeated the finesse on winning the club continuation. But she had to lose two diamonds and a heart also for one down; -100.

In the Open Room, Dhondy could open 1 and Fischer overcalled 1. McGowan passed that and also passed Dhondy's reopening double. McGowan cashed her top clubs and switched to 10, which ran to the queen. Fischer played a heart to the king then the J, Dhondy rising with the ace. Next came Q and Fischer ruffed with the 6. McGowan misjudged the situation now, pitching a spade instead of over-ruffing. That was all the help Fischer needed. She cashed the A and K and exited with a third diamond. Dhondy played the K and McGowan had to ruff and lead Q, but Fischer could just duck that and McGowan had to concede the last two tricks; +160 and 2 IMPs to Austria.

What is your style when partner opens a strong no trump and you hold a few bits and pieces in a balanced hand with a weak five-card major; do you pass or convert to two of the major? On Board 6, Smith and Fischer held:

	K 7 4
	7 6 5 4 3
	10 8
	Q 9 4

Fischer passed while Smith transferred to hearts. This time it was right to transfer. Partner held:

	J 8 3
	A Q 8
	10 8
	Q 9 4

Hearts were 3-2 onside and 2 made while declarer did not have the entries to dummy to make 1NT; -50 and 4 IMPs to Great Britain.

And on Board 10 it was the turn of Davies and Bamberger to pick up:

	J 8 5 4 2
	K 6 3
	7 2
	J 8 5

Again partner opened 1NT and again the British player transferred while the Austrian passed. This was opener's hand:

	Q 10 9 7
	Q 7 4
	A K J 6
	A 4

Though Smith broke the transfer and jumped to 3, that rolled in after a diamond lead away from the queen for +140. 1NT might have made with a little bit of inspiration but was actually two off for a further 200 to Great Britain and 8 IMPs.

Board 11. Dealer South. Love All 6 6 2 A K J 10 7 6 5 A Q 3 K Q 10 5 3 2 J 9 8 K 10 8 5 4 A 4 9 3 2 K 10 9 8 7 6 4 A 7 4 Q J 9 7 3 Q 8 2 J 5 Closed Room West North East South Gyimesi Smith Terraneo Davies Pass 2 3 3 3NT 4 4NT All Pass

This was the one major Austrian gain of the set with excellent results in both rooms. 2 was 8-16 with at least five spades and four hearts and 3 natural. Sylvia Terraneo competed with 3 and Davies tried 3NT. With her extra playing strength, Gyimesi bid 4 and now Smith went on to 4NT. The fate of 4NT all hung on the club finesse and, of course, declarer could not cash all the diamonds before taking it. When it failed, Davies was five down; -250.

Closed Room West North East South Dhondy Fischer McGowan Bamberger 1 3 4 4 Pass Pass 5 All Pass

Bamberger's thin opening bid led to a quite different auction in the Open Room. 5 looks fated to go one down but it is not clear to East that declarer cannot establish the hearts for enough club discards. McGowan cashed A and switched to a low club, playing Dhondy for either a void or queen doubleton, rather than having hearts completely sewn up. That gave the contract and Austria had another 400 for a 12 IMP swing.

At the half, Great Britain led by 37-16 IMPs but the second half went better for Austria, including:

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

1 was natural or balanced outside the 14-16 opening no trump range. Over the double, Dhondy started showing her suits and 1NT showed 11-13 balanced. Dhondy bid her other suit and McGowan gave false preference and Dhondy didn't think she was worth a game try of 3 facing at best a 13-count. 2 is, of course, the wrong partscore, and it proved to be very much the wrong spot when Dhondy won the club lead and cashed two top diamonds to get rid of her losing club. She turned her attention to hearts now but had to concede a ruff and lost control on repeated minor-suit leads, ending up one down for -50.

In the other room, Bamberger had a toy for the South hand, a 2 opening to show 8-16 HCP with at least five spades and four hearts. Fischer enquired with 2NT and Bamberger rebid 3, showing 5-5 but a minimum. Fischer raised to 4, ending the auction. A trump lead would have beaten the contract but not surprisingly the chosen lead was a club. Bamberger won and cashed two diamonds to throw her club loser then gave up a spade. The defense was powerless. If the defenders played a forcing game declarer could make on a cross-ruff, while if they played two rounds of trumps to reduce her to only one spade ruff they would get a second spade trick but that would be all as declarer would retain trump control; +420 and 10 IMPs to Austria. The final score was 56-45 to Great Britain, or 17-13 in Victory Points.

Sitting in Vugraph for Italy v Austria we saw Board 21 on the screen and heard that the Austrian's had arrived in 7. With trumps not breaking, declarer was helpless, and, after a spade lead, didn't find the line to make 12 tricks. It was, however, much more exciting to watch the play in Three Notrumps after the Rama bidding.

Board 21. Dealer North. N/S Game Q J 10 6 2 K J 9 6 2 10 10 8 A 7 9 8 5 8 5 A Q 4 3 A K Q 8 7 4 2 5 K 6 A J 7 4 2 K 4 3 10 7 J 9 6 3 Q 9 5 3 Open Room West North East South Lanzarotti Buratti Davies Pass Pass Pass 1 1 Dble 2 3NT

Massimo Lanzarotti received a spade lead which he won in hand. Naturally he cashed AK, and could no longer find a way to make the contract. He actually took the heart finesse and tried to exit with a spade. This was good play because he succeeds if the defence cash their spades. However, South won the spade king and continued hearts, killing declarer's chances.

You should think about the possibility of diamonds breaking 4-1. The first spade went queen, small, small, so there was good reason to believe the suit could not be worse than 5-3. If so, good technique suggests you should win the first spade and at once return the suit.

If the defence cash their four spades, then when the diamonds fail to break declarer can fall back on the heart finesse and a squeeze on South who guards both the minors. If the defence only cash three spades then South can be thrown in with the fourth diamond to lead a club.

Editor: True, but if the defence cash four spades and then North switches to a heart, declarer will have to decide about the hearts BEFORE he knows the whether the diamonds are breaking. Surely he will refuse the heart finesse.

A deal from the match between Sweden and Liechtenstein. Round 12, board 9. (The deal is rotated.)

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

Mats Nilsland led the five of diamonds. The declarer, from Liechtenstein, thought for a few seconds and then played low. Fallenius in the East seat was probably surprised when he realized that he had won the trick with his jack. He switched to the spade four, jack, ace and three from the table. Nilsland continued his plan by underleading the diamond ace, this time by playing the diamond three. Declarer finessed again - this time with the nine and the queen from Fallenius won the trick.

Now he returned the diamond six, and I wish that I had been on the other side of the screen - just to watch him at that moment - declarer was probably really surprised when Nilsland won the trick with the diamond ace. Nilsland now attacked the heart suit and declarer was helpless, he had to loose at least a heart and one more spade for 1 down.

Lars Andersson played Two Spades for the Swedish team at the other table and got home with the contract after a club lead!

Our first visit to the ladies series features the reigning Venice Cup Champions, Germany, and the always-powerful Netherlands.

Board 1. Dealer North. Love All 4 3 Q 10 6 4 A 7 3 Q 8 3 2 A J 9 8 6 2 8 3 J 10 9 8 9 8 4 7 K J 9 7 6 4 A K 3 2 K 10 6 5 2 K J 9 7 10 6 5 10 Open Room West North East South Nehmert Vriend Caesar van der Pas Pass 1 1 2 Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass

Both teams reached the thin 3NT which clearly needs a little bit of luck, not least in the club suit.

In the Closed Room South led a spade, and as you would expect, the contact failed by one trick. While the commentators on Bridgerama were waiting for South to lead, they speculated on how the play might go.

Win the spade lead and play the nine of diamonds, trying to steal a trick before tackling the clubs. That works, but as Sam Leckie points out, not in the real world. If, as is likely on the bidding South has the ace of diamonds, she will win and play another spade, killing the club suit, and no North worth her salt would fail to rise with the ace of diamonds to do the same thing. In the event, South led the seven of hearts and declarer naturally played on clubs, going the same one down.

You can make the contract on a heart lead by winning, playing on diamonds, and subsequently taking a sensational view in clubs. Not quite as double dummy as it seems, as you will almost certainly know South is 5-4-3-1, but its hardly a natural line of play.

Board 2. Dealer East. East-West Game Q 8 A 9 5 4 J 10 8 8 7 6 2 9 7 3 K J 5 8 6 K J 7 3 A Q 6 K 9 7 3 2 Q J 10 5 3 A A 10 6 4 2 Q 10 2 5 4 K 9 4 Open Room West North East South Nehmert Vriend Caesar van der Pas 1 1 2 Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 3NT All Pass

Closed Room West North East South van Zwol Auken Gielkins von Arnim 1 1 2 All Pass

In the Closed Room, South led the four of diamonds against the modest contract of Two Diamonds. One line which suggests itself is to win in hand, cash the ace of clubs and return to dummy with a trump to run the queen of clubs. That will produce nine or ten tricks. Somewhat mysteriously, the contract failed by a trick, -50.

In the replay, the German pair reached a game that would fail if South led the suit she had bid. However, for the second time in a row, South preferred the other major, selecting the two of hearts. North won with the ace and returned the suit. Karin Caesar went up with the king and unblocked the ace of clubs. She crossed to dummy with a diamond and played the queen of clubs. The defence could only take one spade, two hearts and a club. +400 to give Germany the lead, 10-0.

That lead did not survive the next board, when the Germain pair in the Open Room got caught in Two Hearts doubled, and conceded -1100. After that the Netherlands mostly had the better of some dull boards and had a useful half time lead of 19 IMPs.

Germany immediately made inroads into the defecit.

Board 13. Dealer North. Game All Q 9 7 8 6 A 7 6 Q J 10 4 3 10 5 3 A J 8 6 Q 7 5 4 3 2 J 10 9 K J Q 9 4 K 6 9 5 2 K 4 2 A K 10 8 5 3 2 A 8 7 Open Room West North East South von Arnim Vriend Auken van der Pas Pass Pass 1 1 Dble 2 All Pass

Closed Room West North East South Simon Rauscheid Pasman Schreckenberger Pass Pass 1NT 2 3 3 All Pass

Germany won the bidding battle on this board. Bep Vriend's negative double was right on values but wrong on shape and she decided to sell out to Two Hearts, which made on the nose. +110.

In the other room, South's 1NT was weak and West showed a heart suit. Three Clubs would probably have made so going on to the doomed Three Hearts made no real difference. 5 IMPs for Germany.

Board 14. Dealer East. Love All K 7 3 2 9 7 5 4 2 K 10 7 4 A Q J 10 4 9 8 6 2 Q 9 K J 10 8 4 3 A 10 6 3 8 3 2 A6 5 A 7 6 5 K Q J 8 Q J 9 5 Open Room West North East South von Arnim Vriend Auken van der Pas 1 Pass 1 Pass 2 Pass 4 All Pass

Closed Room West North East South Simon Rauscheid Pasman Schreckenberger Pass 1 1 3 4 Pass 4

Both teams reached a normal game, but by contrasting routes. For Auken, the East hand was a routine opening bid, whilst Pasman preferred to pass, hoping to be able to describe her hand later. Both approaches will have their supporters, but we recall the old adage, 'Twice armed is she who's cause is just, but three times armed is she who gets her blow in first.' Whatever, both West's had to declare Four Spades.

In the Open Room, Bep Vriend started with the four of clubs, which was taken by dummy's ace. Declarer took the spade finesse and North won and continued with the seven of clubs. South took the trick with the king of clubs and the moment of truth had arrived. Do you blame her for playing the king of diamonds? von Arnim won and was soon able to claim. +420 looked promising but would the game be defeated at the other table?

This time North started with her singleton heart. South won with the ace and returned the seven of hearts for North to ruff, a play that was criticised by the Bridgerama commentators. When North switched to a diamond they doubtless thought their case was proved. Once again they were guilty of forgetting that they could see all four hands. From South's point of view, North might have started with something like Qxx and the ace of diamonds. Then the winning defence is for North to underlead her ace and for South to play another heart.

So her signal was correct. North had forgotten a 'Bols Bridge Tip' entitled 'Don't follow your Partner's Signals Blindly.' Although there is a lie of the cards where the hypothetical ace of diamonds in the South hand might run away it is clearly correct to return a club.

Daniel Gulyas of Hungary was one of very few declarers to make a game on this deal from their Round 11 match against the Czech Republic:

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

Five Diamonds is missing three aces, 3NT by North stands no chance on a club lead. (Or East may lead a spade which West wins to switch to a club.) So Four Hearts stands the best chance, though it can be defeated by a diamond ruff.

West led A, on which East played the two. West played another club. Gulyas won, throwing a spade from hand, but he could still not afford to draw trumps, as he still had two aces to knock out. So at trick three, he led a spade to the queen and ace. West returned a spade. Now declarer drew trumps and knocked out the ace of diamonds to make his game.

The position was not easy for West, but it reminded me of a hand where Jan Fucik and the unforgettable Rixi Markus were defending against my heart contract in London. Fucik, as on this deal, needed a diamond ruff, and, in a similar McKenney position at trick one, dropped the TWO of clubs on Rixi's lead. She promptly switched to a spade. At the end of the hand Fucik was ready with his apology: "I am sorry, partner, I did not have a lower club to play!"

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