Denmark v Canada

Orbis Venice Cup - Round 12

The mouth-watering prospect of seeing an Orbis Venice Cup match on VuGraph was too much to resist. To ensure a balanced commentary, Peter Lund was brought to the commentator's table to balance the contributions of Eric Kokish.

An awkward set of boards proved to be rather testing, especially under the glare of the spotlights.

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

Closed Room West North East South Saltsman Drøgemüller Cimon Steen-Møller   1¨ Dble 1© 1ª 2¨ Pass 3¨ All Pass

Do you think North, having five cards in a suit that her partner had promised some support for, should have doubled one heart. If you don't do that you may fail to expose a baby psyche by West. South led the eight of spades, and North won and switched to her singleton club. The defenders were not hard pressed to take the first six tricks, north getting two club ruffs, to leave declarer two down, -100.

Open Room West North East South Cilleborg Reus Bilde Gordon 1¨ Dble 1© Dble 2¨ Pass 3¨ 4¨ Pass 4ª Pass Pass 5¨ Pass Pass Dble All Pass

With a likely trump trick, how unreasonable was it for East to sacrifice? The answer was -800, as the defence followed an identical path to that in the Closed Room. A fast start for Canada, 12-0.

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

Closed Room West North East South Saltsman Drøgemüller Cimon Steen-Møller Pass Pass Pass 1ª Pass 2§ 2¨ Pass Pass 4ª All Pass

North's Two Clubs was presumably Drury. When South showed a minimum by passing over Two Diamonds, North still had enough to try for a vulnerable game. Ten tricks were easy, +620.

Open Room West North East South Cilleborg Reus Bilde Gordon Pass Pass 1¨ 1ª Dble 2¨ Pass 2ª Dble Rdble 3§ 3ª All Pass

It doesn't look right to rebid Two Spades on the South hand. Why not bid Two Hearts? When North redoubled should South have jumped to game? This was a bad miss by the Canadian pair, and it cost them 10 IMPs. Bobby Wolff brought the house down at the end of this board by asking Peter Lund the following question: 'Peter, how would you bid those North-South hands if you were playing with yourself?'

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

Closed Room West North East South Saltsman Drøgemüller Cimon Steen-Møller Pass Pass 1ª Pass Pass 1NT Dble Pass 2ª Pass Pass Pass 3ª All Pass

West was happy to sit for 1NT doubled, and right she was, as there are only six tricks for the defence. Of course, North was not going to stand it, and she removed to Two Spades. West decided to compete further and now North fell from grace by bidding again. If she had passed and led her doubleton diamond then she would have taken a ruff to defeat Three Clubs. There was nothing to the play in Three Spades, and declarer was two down, -200.

Open Room West North East South Cilleborg Reus Bilde Gordon Pass Pass 1ª Pass 1NT Pass 2NT Pass 3© Pass 3ª All Pass

Once again the bidding was the key feature of the deal. North was able to bid a forcing notrump and then transfer to spades when South showed a strong balanced hand. The same two down meant a flat board.

Should North respond to the opening bid of One Spade? Well, The great Maria Erhart, one of the most aggressive players in the world saw her partner open a Blue Club and rebid One Spade. Maria gave her the dummy, which we think says it all!

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

Closed Room West North East South Saltsman Drøgemüller Cimon Steen-Møller   Pass 2§ Pass 2¨ Pass 2NT Pass 3§ Pass 3ª Pass 3NT Dble All Pass

According to the commentators, East doubled for a spade lead because that was the only suit bid naturally in the auction. Well there must have been some reason. West, clearly not on the same wavelength, led the two of diamonds. On another day North would have had either the ace of hearts, or the queen of diamonds or any other extra value to give an easy nine or more tricks. Not this time, and declarer could only arrive at eight winners, -100.

Open Room West North East South Cilleborg Reus Bilde Gordon   2ª 3NT All Pass

West led a spade, and when East played the jack, South ducked. A heart switch from East would have given South a bloody nose, but there was no way East could know to do that. She played the queen of spades, and South had to take he king. There was nothing to do but run the clubs. West inexplicably released two diamonds, and although declarer had discarded a diamond from the dummy, she still had ten tricks and 11 IMPs.

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

Closed Room West North East South Saltsman Drøgemüller Cimon Steen-Møller   Pass 1¨ Pass 1ª Pass 2¨ Pass 4ª All Pass

East led the six of hearts, and declarer, under no pressure, took eleven tricks, +650. There was much speculation that South should have gone on over Four spades, as you can make a small slam in spades. On a heart or club lead, you go up with the ace, unblock the ace and king of diamonds, and cash the king of spades, followed by a spade to the ace. Now you play the queen of diamonds, getting rid of your loser in the suit that was led at trick one. The other ace remains in dummy as an entry to a winning diamond for a further discard.

Open Room West North East South Cilleborg Reus Bilde Gordon Pass 1¨ 2§ 2ª Pass 2NT Pass 3ª Pass 4§ Pass 4¨ Pass 4© Pass 5¨ Pass 6¨ Pass 6ª All Pass

Canada looked set for another big pick up when they reached the spade slam. East led the seven of clubs, and declarer put up dummy's ace. When the next card she played was the ace of spades she no longer had a winning line, and the swing went the other way. 13 IMPs for Denmark.

Board 11. Dealer South. Love All ª A 7 6 5 4 © K ¨ Q J § Q J 10 5 2 ª Q 8 ª J 2 © A Q 7 6 5 3 © 10 9 2 ¨ 7 5 ¨ A K 10 4 2 § A K 4 § 9 7 3 ª K 10 9 3 © J 8 4 ¨ 9 8 6 3 § 8 6

Closed Room West North East South Saltsman Drøgemüller Cimon Steen-Møller     Pass 1© 2© 3© 3ª 4§ Pass 4¨ Pass 4© All Pass

North's bidding told West something about the distribution, but there was no reason to do anything other than win the opening club lead, cross to dummy with a diamond, and take the losing heart finesse. It looks as if declarer can get out for one down, but declarer only made eight tricks, -100.

Open Room West North East South Cilleborg Reus Bilde Gordon     Pass 1© 1ª 2¨ 3ª 4© 4ª 5© All Pass

Barry Rigal described East's bid of Five Hearts as grotesque. On hearing this one of his colleagues said, 'Say what you think Barry, don't hold back.' The play developed along similar lines to that at the other table, but declarer managed nine tricks, so it was a flat board.

Board 13. Dealer North. Game All ª Q © A K 9 8 4 ¨ 7 5 4 § Q J 7 2 ª A 7 3 ª J 9 6 5 4 © Q J 5 3 © 6 2 ¨ K J ¨ 9 8 2 § 6 5 4 3 § A 10 8 ª K 10 8 2 © 10 7 ¨ A Q 10 6 3 § K 9

Closed Room West North East South Saltsman Drøgemüller Cimon Steen-Møller 1© Pass 1ª Pass 2§ Pass 2NT All Pass

South backed her slightly surprising decision in the bidding by making exactly eight tricks, +120.

Open Room West North East South Cilleborg Reus Bilde Gordon 1© Pass 2¨ Pass 2© Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass

Once again South bid conservatively, but North went on to game. West led the five of clubs for the two, ten and king, and South played back the nine of clubs that was allowed to hold. Her next move was to run the ten of hearts. When that held she played a heart to the jack and king. Things were going well, but communications are a problem. If declarer cashes the clubs she has to make two awkward discards from hand. Declarer decided she could afford to leave her tricks in dummy stranded for the moment, and played a diamond to the ten. West won with the jack and played back a club. It would not have helped to cash the ace of spades first. Declarer won and played the queen of spades. West won and played back a spade, won by declarer's ten. When declarer laid down the ace of diamonds, the appearance of the king meant she had nine tricks and Canada had ten IMPs.

Board 14. Dealer East. Love All ª A Q 10 8 6 4 3 © 7 ¨ 6 4 3 § 8 4 ª — ª K J 7 2 © 9 8 6 4 3 © Q 10 5 ¨ K 7 2 ¨ 10 § A K Q J 3 § 10 7 6 5 2 ª 9 5 © A K J 2 ¨ A Q J 9 8 5 § 9

Closed Room West North East South Saltsman Drøgemüller Cimon Steen-Møller   Pass 1¨ 2NT 3ª 5§ All Pass

South led the nine of clubs, and declarer arrived at ten tricks. Should South have started with a top heart? Should someone have doubled?

Open Room West North East South Cilleborg Reus Bilde Gordon   Pass 1¨ 2§ 4ª Dble All Pass

East must have been tempted to lead her singleton diamond, but dutifully led her partners suit. West won with the jack of clubs and switched to the six of hearts, which ran to dummy's jack. A spade to the ace was followed by a club ruff, and declarer cashed the top hearts to get rid of two diamonds. However, East's ªKJ7 were still good for three tricks, and the contract was one down. -100 and 4 IMPs for Denmark.

Board 16. Dealer West. EW Game ª 10 8 7 2 © 4 2 ¨ Q J 8 3 § 6 5 3 ª Q J 5 4 ª A K 3 © 10 8 6 5 © A Q ¨ A K 7 ¨ 9 6 5 2 § 4 2 § A 9 8 7 ª 9 6 © K J 9 7 3 ¨ 10 4 § K Q J 10

Closed Room West North East South Saltsman Drøgemüller Cimon Steen-Møller Pass Pass 1NT 2© 3© Pass 3NT All Pass

In the good old days, West, facing a strong notrump, would have made a penalty double and collected around +800. Why South should want to bid facing a passed partner is a different question. Still, declarer was given a chance to show off.

South led the king of clubs, and declarer held off until the third round. She cashed the ace and king of diamonds and two top spades before exiting with her remaining club. That forced South to lead into the heart tenace, +600.

Open Room West North East South Cilleborg Reus Bilde Gordon Pass Pass 1§ 1© Dble Pass 1NT Pass 3NT All Pass

The play was identical to that at the other table, so it was a flat board.

Denmark had had just the better of things, winning 16-14VP.

As Eric Kokish was leaving the auditorium someone asked if he was coaching the Canadian team. When he replied in the affirmative, he was advised to work harder!