43rd GENERALI EUROPEAN BRIDGE CHAMPIONSHIPS DAILY BULLETIN Editor: J.-P. Meyer • Co-Editor: M. Horton • Web Editor: Th. Matziaris No.: 11 • Tuesday, 24 June 1997

Results	Contents
OPEN Round 23, Round 24, Round 25 LADIES Round 14, Round 15, Round 16 SENIORS Round 6, Round 7 BUTLER scoring, Open Round 24 BUTLER scoring, Ladies Round 15	Open, Italy v Lebanon by Henry Francis Smoothly Played, by G. Hermannsson Early morning double by Irena Chodorowska Arriving by transfer by John O' Keeffe The New Laws of Bridge (2) by Ton Koijman

In the Open Series ITALY has found a second 'souffle' and is a solid leader but POLAND has steamed up into second place. NORWAY is just in front of FRANCE, SPAIN, DENMARK, NETHERLANDS and ICELAND.

Everyone was talking about the hand where at one table Germany bid and made 4 doubled. At the other table Germany were also in four spades! Fortunately their opponents doubled, so Germany ran to......7 ......and made it!! The full story will appear on Thursday.

France and Great Britain mano a mano

In the Ladies Series FRANCE still lead, though they might have a hard task today. The gap they have opened up on GREAT BRITAIN and a little further away, ISRAEL, could be decisive with seven matches to play. The battle for the qualifying places for the Venice cup is still open, although GERMANY and AUSTRIA, will be hard to dislodge.

In the Seniors Series, seven rounds have been completed, and the half way mark has been passed. Only five teams appear to be in contention for the title. ITALY C are leading the way 2VP in front of NETHERLANDS A. They head FRANCE by the same short margin of 2 points. ITALY A and POLAND are still in with a chance.

Andrzej Orlow, the President of the Polish Bridge Federation and Dr. Ernst-Otto Renth, the President of the German Bridge Federation are pictured at the signing of the bridge related agreement between the two countries which took place yesterday in the presence of the EBL President, Bill Pencharz. It provides for broad co-operation between the two countries and is the first such agreement to be recognised by the governments of both countries.

Italy drew first blood, earning an overtrick IMP on the first board. This was the last time Italy held the lead in the first half of their match against Lebanon.

Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Game Q 9 2 8 2 K 9 8 10 9 7 6 2 J 7 6 5 K 4 Q 9 A K 7 5 4 J 10 7 6 5 3 A Q 4 Q A 5 3 A 10 8 3 J 10 6 3 2 K J 8 4 Open Room West North East South Duboin Eidi Bocchi Harfouche 2 Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 2(1) Pass 3 (2) Pass 3(3) Pass 3(4) Pass 4(5) All Pass (1) Forcing (2) Asks for heart honors (3) I have a heart honor (4) How many hearts do you have? (5) Two

Closed Room West North East South Hamdam Versace Fahs Lauria 2NT Pass 3 Pass 3 Pass 3NT All Pass

Fahs opened his balanced 20-pointer with 2NT, and Hamdam put him the notrump game after checking out spade possibilities. After the 4 opening lead, Fahs had no trouble racking up 10 tricks.

But Duboin and Bocchi had a much more involved auction, finally settling into their 5-2 heart game. This was not a success Harfouche led a diamond, and the jack won in dummy when Eidi ducked. Bocchi tried a spade to the king, losing to the ace, and Harfouche shifted to a trump, taken with the ace. A second spade went to the jack and queen, and Eidi led a second trump. Now there was no way to avoid losing two club tricks, so declarer suffered a one-trick defeat. This put 10 IMPs on Lebanon's side of the ledger.

The next deal featured a neat defense that led to a push board.

Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Game A 8 K 9 2 A 9 3 J 9 6 5 3 7 5 4 K Q 9 6 2 Q 6 4 3 10 8 7 K Q 5 10 7 2 A Q 10 4 2 J 10 3 A J 5 J 8 6 4 K 8 7 Open Room West North East South Duboin Eidi Bocchi Harfouche Pass 1NT Pass 2 Pass 2 All Pass

Closed Room West North East South Hamdam Versace Fahs Lauria Pass 1 Pass 1 Pass 1NT Pass 2 All Pass

In the Closed Room a diamond opening lead and a diamond back gave declarer a problem. He eventually tried a finesse to the 10 and found himself one down.

Declarer got a break in the Open Room when he got a diamond lead into his tenace. But Duboin correctly switched to a trump, taken by the king. Declarer passed the 7 to the 9, and Bocchi quickly led back a second trump. What had looked like a make suddenly had been transformed into one down. Declarer had to lose three hearts, two diamonds and the ace of trumps for a push. After a series of relatively dull boards, Italy scored their first major gain on this deal.

Board 8. Dealer West. Love All K 7 7 3 K Q 6 5 4 K J 9 4 9 4 10 8 6 A J 9 10 8 4 2 10 9 7 3 A J 8 Q 8 5 2 A 7 6 A Q J 5 3 2 K Q 6 5 2 10 3 Open Room West North East South Duboin Eidi Bocchi Harfouche Pass 1 Pass 1 Pass 1NT Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 4 All Pass

Closed Room West North East South Hamdam Versace Fahs Lauria Pass 1 Pass 1 Pass 2 Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass

Lauria decided on 2NT after hearing his partner bid both majors, and Versace went along with the idea, raising to game. On a club opening lead, Lauria had no problem - it was easy to find three outside tricks to go with his six spade tricks - plus 400.

But at the other table, after an auction that seemed headed for the same 3NT, Harfouche jumped to the spade game. 4 was made at many tables, but the Italian defense here was 100 percent accurate. Harfouche won the opening trump lead with the queen and went after diamonds. The king lost to the ace, and Bocchi shot back another trump to the king. Harfouche sluffed a heart on the Q, then led a heart to the king and ace. But back came the J to the queen, setting up the 10. So when declarer correctly guessed the club suit, Bocchi was able to cash the 10 after winning the A - and that was the fourth trick for the defense. 10 IMPs to Italy.

Lebanon got back on the plus side on Board 10 when they made contracts at both tables.

Board 10. Dealer East. Game All Q 5 2 K Q 9 7 K K 9 8 7 2 K 10 4 3 J 7 6 A 10 6 8 3 A J 7 5 10 9 8 6 4 2 A 3 J 5 A 9 8 J 5 4 2 Q 3 Q 10 6 4 Open Room West North East South Duboin Eidi Bocchi Harfouche Pass Pass 1 1 Pass 3 All Pass

After Duboin opened a forcing club, Eidi decided to overcall in hearts, a four-card suit. That hit his partner, and Harfouche jumped to 3, shutting East-West out of the bidding. Eidi lost one trick in each suit to rack up plus 140.

Hamdam had a natural 1NT in his methods, and no one really had any good reason to disturb this contract. With the help of the excellent diamonds in dummy, he managed to take exactly seven tricks - plus 90 - for a 6-IMP gain.

As usual, the last two boards were played first in the Open Room so that comparisons would be possible later. We watched Italy make 2 with four overtricks in the early going in the Open Room, but we didn't find out about the Closed Room for a long time.

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Game Q 9 2 K Q 8 2 6 4 3 J 6 4 7 5 A 10 8 3 10 9 4 3 6 Q 9 5 A K J 7 2 A Q 10 5 K 9 3 K J 6 4 A J 7 5 10 8 8 7 2

Although many tricks are available in both diamonds and notrump with the East-West cards, the feeling among the commentators was that few pairs would get to game. And sure enough, the Italians didn't. But Hamdam and Fahs had no trouble getting to game - Fahs just bid it after his partner showed some values. The defense quickly took four hearts, but that was all, and another 6 IMPs went to Lebanon. That left the vugraph audience somewhat stunned.

The Italians, who had been winning right down the line, actually were trailing Lebanon, 32-13, at the halfway mark. Italy gained a few IMPs back in the second half, but not nearly enough. The Italians won the half, 14-10, but it was a case of winning the battle but losing the war. Lebanon wound up on top, 42-27, which translated into an 18-12 upset victory for Lebanon over first-place Italy. The Lebanese played strongly from start to finish. Holding a team as strong as Italy to only 27 IMPs over 24 boards is a major achievement.

After a gentle partscore battle Matthias Thorvaldsson surveyed the dummy in 2 in Icelandïc match against Bulgaria in the 20th Round. (the board is rotated for convenience).

J 7 A Q 6 4 J 7 6 3 2 8 2 A 10 6 Q 5 4 2 9 5 3 K 10 8 8 K Q 9 5 J 7 6 5 4 3 K Q K 9 8 3 J 7 2 A 10 4 A 10 9

Thorvaldsson opened a Precision diamond as South. His partner, Adalsteinn Jorgensen, bid 1, Thorvaldsson bid 1 and Jorgensen 1NT which was passed around to West who contested with 2. Jorgensen then bid 2 which became the final contract.

One or two things had to be favorable and the lead was not unhelpful, as West led the 8. Thorvaldsson took East's king with the ace. He led a heart to the queen and East's king, who then played the club king and then the queen of clubs which Thorvaldsson took with the ace.

He then led a heart to the ace and a diamond from dummy. East hopped up with the king for some reason, and got out with a heart to the jack. Now Thorvaldsson played the 10, and threw a spade in dummy when West covered with the jack. West cashed the A and this was the position:

— 6 J 7 — 10 6 Q 5 — — — 9 5 7 6 — K 9 8 — 10 —

West chose to play a club and when Thorvaldsson ruffed with the six East could not ruff without compromising his trump holding. He threw a spade but then Thorvaldsson played the 6 and East was in the same dilemna so the contract was just made.

Even if this is not the classical smother play position it certainly was smoothly played.

It was dawn, because 10 a.m. for a bridge player is just that. On the first board a lady player opened 1. A beautiful Italian lady who was having tremendous problems with making herself fully awake, was staring at her collection:

	8 7 4
	K 10 6 3 2
	Q 9 4 2
	5

Wouldn't it be a good idea to interefere with 1, she thought. She managed however, to catch sight of the vulnerability status and noticed that she was in the red zone so she decided to select a green card from her bidding box. When her opponent was pushing the tray to the other side of the screen she realized that the card she had selected was a red one with letter D on it.

No!!! - she screamed. Alas, it was too late. And after that moment the bidding proceeded smoothly and fast:

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

Her left hand opponent selected the six of diamonds for her opening lead.

After collecting the first trick with A, South played back J and then it was easy.

A heart to the king, a second trump, and in due course a finesse of the queen of spades and we are home for a juicy +790. It's good sometimes, not to be fully awake...

Round 20. Ireland v Russia Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Game 10 8 7 4 7 6 4 Q 3 A K 7 5 J 5 2 K Q 6 2 A K Q J 10 5 3 K 9 8 4 2 A 7 6 Q 10 6 2 — A 9 3 9 8 J 10 5 J 9 8 4 3 West North East South Pass Pass 1 Pass 1 Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 4 Pass 5 Pass 5 Pass 6 Pass 6 All Pass

The Irish Open Team has been enjoying a good run of late after a disappointing start. On the deal shown Donal Garvey found the way to 12 tricks in his heart slam.

South cashed the A, on which Garvey played the Q, and switched to a club. North made a slight error by playing the K instead of the ace which was not wasted on East. After ruffing the K and drawing trumps Donal played K, J and Q forcing the ace and transferring the menace to South. The run of trumps left South in a helpless position and he could not hold onto both the J and three Diamonds.

Six made for a 13 IMP gain. The final result was a 23-7VP win for Ireland.

The board was replayed, when Israel met Denmark in the Ladies series Migri Zur also declared Six Hearts on the lead of the nine of clubs. She played low from dummy and North can scarcely be blamed for playing the king, (see above) which she ruffed. She drew trumps and played the king of spades. South made a serious error by winning and now Migri was able to follow Donal Garvey's winning line.

In this second article about the update of the bridge laws this year, I will concentrate on some technical changes that are important for bridge players. They should know about them for their daily practice. In my country it has always been difficult to get full disclosure of the bidding by one's opponents if one wanted to know more than just the meaning of a bid made.

Let us say that the auction goes 1-1-Dble (negative) and you see on the convention card that in the sequence 1-1-1, the last bid can be made on a four card spade suit. Not everybody was happy when you wanted to know the difference between the two possibilities. From now on Law 20 allows you to ask questions about relevant calls that are not actually made. And players answering questions should be very liberal in their interpretation of the word 'relevant' here.

Law 25 has been changed in three ways. If a player makes a call he did not intend to make (an inadvertent call), he is allowed to change it as long as partner does not make a call thereafter. This is rarely a problem when calls are made vocally, but a regular problem when using bidding boxes. If LHO has made a call already, he may take it back and the information arising from this withdrawn call is not available for the pair causing the irregularity. If a player wants to change a call he has deliberately made, he may call the TD, who allows him to do so. But there is a restriction. Such a pair will not get more than average -minus on this board (40% in pairs, minus three IMPs in teams), and the opponents keep their actual result. So, the score on this board can be 40% for one side and a zero for the other side. (With screens this problem is not treated in the same way.)

You probably remember that an insufficient bid could be changed without penalty if it was meant to have a natural meaning and made sufficient in the same denomination at the lowest level. If the auction went 1NT-1 (natural, not seeing the opening bid), the player was allowed to bid Two Diamonds and to continue normally. From now on both bids, the insufficient and the sufficient, need to have a natural meaning. If in this example Two Diamonds would show, say, a six-card major, you had better not correct One Diamond to Two Diamonds as partner will be obliged to pass for the rest of the auction.

What was common practice in International championships already, but not covered by the laws, is now written down in Law 40. If you are playing against some complicated system, the organising committee may allow you to use a written defence. Put it on a piece of paper and use it at your turn to call. Apart from the ACBL and some neighbours, we are not allowed to ask partner about a possible revoke. If we do and he did revoke, the revoke is considered to be established and the usual penalty applied. From now on, the penalty is even more severe. In such a case partner has to play a legal card (following suit) and the first card becomes a penalty card. And the revoke penalty still applies.

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