Germany v Gt. Britain

by Tony Gordon (GBR)

Neither side had been impressive in their last four matches, but while Germany were well-placed in fifth position, Great Britain had seen the gap between themselves and the crucial eighth place widen to 28.5 VPs and needed some good results to keep their chances of qualifying alive. However, the match did not start well for Great Britain.

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

Closed Room West North East South Rauscheid Smith Nehmert Davies Pass Pass 1¨ 1ª 1NT All Pass

Pony Nehmert lead the ª7 against Nicola Smith's 1NT contract and Andrea Rauscheid let dummy's eight hold the first trick. If Rauscheid had used her diamond entries to establish and cash her long spade, declarer would have been held to eight tricks; however, she ducked the diamond continuation from dummy and Smith emerged with two overtricks.

The stakes were higher in the other room.

Open Room West North East South Dhondy Auken McGowan von Arnim   2NT 3§ Pass 3NT Pass Pass Dble All Pass

Liz McGowan's 2NT opening showed a weak hand with either clubs and hearts or diamonds and spades and Daniela von Arnim's 3§ overcall was a takeout of spades.

Sabine Auken took a shot at 3NT and Heather Dhondy expressed her opinion about this contract in the usual way.

As previously noted, a spade lead can hold declarer to eight tricks, however, McGowan led her diamond and that was +750 and 12 IMPs to Germany.

However, Great Britain recovered these IMPs when Pat Davies made 3© on an endplay on board 5 and Germany missed the non-vulnerable 5¨ on board 6, and three boards later they gained revenge for the events of board 2.

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

Closed Room West North East South Rauscheid Smith Nehmert Davies 1© Pass 1ª Pass 2§ All Pass

Nehmert's silence during the auction was puzzling and Smith was left to play in a comfortable contract that she duly made with two overtricks.

Once again the stakes were higher in the other room.

Open Room West North East South Dhondy Auken McGowan von Arnim 1© 2¨ Pass 2NT 3§ Pass Pass 3NT Pass Pass Dble All Pass

At this table McGowan did overcall in diamonds and when Dhondy first bid 2NT and then tried 3NT over Auken's 3§ it was Germany's turn to express their opinion about this contract. The right lead would have beaten this contract as well, but Auken led the §6 and this time it was Great Britain who scored +750 for a 13-IMP gain.

However, Britain's joy was short-lived.

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

Closed Room West North East South Rauscheid Smith Nehmert Davies   1© Pass 1ª Pass 2NT All Pass

Smith had no convenient bid over Rauscheid's 1ª, so she passed and Nehmert became declarer in an ugly 2NT contract. Her cause was helped when Davies chose the ©J as her opening lead, but she was still short of tricks and careful defending by Smith ensured that she went two down.

Open Room West North East South Dhondy Auken McGowan von Arnim   1© Pass 1ª 2ª Dble All Pass

At this table Auken was able to bid a natural 2ª over Dhondy's 1ª, McGowan showed her extra values by doubling and that ended the auction. Declarer can always make her contract if she holds her trump losers to one by pinning the ªJ, but that problem was solved for her when McGowan switched to the ªJ after starting with the ©K. Less than optimum defence subsequently presented Auken with an overtrick for +870 and 12 IMPs to Germany.

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

Neither East/West pair won any prizes for their bidding on this board as Germany reached 4© (!) and Great Britain finished in 3NT. However, with hearts 4-3 and diamonds 2-2 Nehmert had no problems in 4© and she made ten tricks on a club lead losing a diamond, a club and a trump. The cards were also well-placed for McGowan in her 3NT contract although it was not immediately obvious when she won the first trick with dummy's §A where her ninth trick was coming from. However, she followed the usual practice in these situations by running her long suit - and the last spade squeezed von Arnim in the other three suits. Unable to keep four winning clubs, a heart guard and the ¨A, she reluctantly released a club and McGowan now had time to establish a diamond trick for her ninth trick.

Board 20. Dealer West. Game All ª Q 6 4 © K Q J 8 ¨ K 5 § J 10 9 5 ª J 9 8 ª K 10 5 2 © 10 4 3 2 © 9 ¨ 10 6 3 ¨ J 9 8 7 4 2 § A 8 4 § K 7 ª A 7 3 © A 7 6 5 ¨ A Q § Q 6 3 2

Both North/South pairs bid unopposed to 4© on this hand, Germany with North as the declarer and Great Britain with South as the declarer. The British South received the ominous lead of the 9ª which she won in hand with the Ace. Two rounds of trumps revealed the 4-1 break and she had no way of avoiding two down at this point. If she drew all the trumps, she would lose three spades and two clubs, whereas if she left a trump outstanding, as she did, she would lose a club ruff instead of the long spade. +200 to Germany.

At the other table, McGowan led an aggressive low spade from the East hand and Auken was in with a chance of making her 4© contract when she successfully ran it round to her Queen. When the bad trump break was revealed, Auken drew all the trumps finishing in dummy and then led a low club. To beat the contract, Dhondy had to rise with the §A and continue spades thereby allowing McGowan to cash the long spade for the setting trick when she subsequently won her §K. However, this was far from obvious and when Dhondy ducked the club, the hand was over. +620 and 13 IMPs to Germany.

When the smoke had cleared, Germany had won by 49-31 IMPs (19-11 VPs), but dropped two places to seventh while Great Britain had fallen further behind the qualifying group.