Played Alright


In Round 7 of the Schools between The Netherlands and Hungary it was almost a family affair. In the Closed Room the brothers Drijver played against the brother and sister Minarik. At the Open table the brothers Brink were playing against Peter Marjai, whose brother Gabor is also on the team, but Peter was partnering Csaba Szabo.

Tom Drijver found a good line in this borderline Six Heart contract. His captain had a small criticism, but it missed a point:

Board 2. Dealer East. NS Game
ª K Q 10 5 2
© J
¨ Q 8 6 3
§ K 8 4
ª A J 8 ª 9 7 6 4
© A K Q 7 5 2 © 9 6 3
¨ 4 ¨ A K J 10
§ A J 3 § 9 2
ª 3
© 10 8 4
¨ 9 7 5 2
§ Q 10 7 6 5

Closed Room
West North East South
Tom
Drijver
G. Minarik Bas
Drijver
A. Minarik

Pass Pass
2§ Pass 2¨ Pass
2© Pass 3© Pass
3ª Pass 4¨ Pass
4NT Pass 5§ Pass
6© All Pass

Open Room
West North East South
Szabo Sjoert
Brink
Marjai Niek
Brink

Pass Pass
1© 1ª 2© Pass
4© All Pass

Drijver showed an eight trick hand in hearts and when East cue-bid diamonds and showed one ace in response to Blackwood, Drijver drove to slam.

North led ªK.

At the Schools table where Richard Probst was declarer for Britain in Six Hearts, he ducked the lead, and was a little lucky that North did not continue the suit for South to ruff, or switch to a diamond. North actually made the friendliest switch of a club to the queen and ace. When Probst cashed six hearts North was squeezed in three suits and had to give in.

Drijver did better by winning the first spade, drawing two rounds of trumps, and then taking the diamond finesse. On the two top diamonds he discarded his losing spades. The queen did not fall, but now Drijver followed with a club from dummy. When South played low, he put in the jack, ducking the trick to the player who had no trump to play. In this way he was able to ruff his third club as the slam-going trick. It would not have helped South to put up the queen on the first club. Declarer had planned to win and follow with the JACK of clubs. Again it is North who wins the club and he cannot clear the trump. Well done!

This was 11 IMPs to The Netherlands, but their captain was not completely happy. "I think it is better to draw only one trump, before taking the diamond finesse. Then even if the club has to be lost to the defender with three trumps they can do no damage."

There is some truth in that, but there is another way to make 12 tricks. Suppose when Drijver drew the second trump, it was North who turned up with three trumps. He is known to have ªQ, and you are playing for him to have ¨Q. Then you can make the slam by simply cashing all your trumps. Six cards are left. Dummy has four diamonds, a club and a spade. North must keep four diamonds and a spade, so he has only room for one club. You cash the ace of clubs, take the diamond finesse, cash only one top diamond, and then exit with a spade to North to receive two more diamonds at the end! This requires reading the ending, but as the cards lie North is actually squeezed on the fifth trump. If he throws ª10 you can set up a spade trick in dummy. If he keeps two spades and four diamonds, he has to throw all his clubs and you also have the option of a club finesse as the extra trick!

Results Contents
Juniors Round 18, Round 19, Round 20
Schools Round 10, Round 11, Round 12
Match of the Day Poland v Netherlands
Charlie strikes again
Crucial Win for Israel
Concentration
Played Alright



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