Norway v Indonesia

Orbis Bermuda Bowl - Quarterfinal

Opening shots

Being able to choose one's opponent -- as the conditions of contest dictate for the Orbis Bermuda Bowl and Orbis Venice Cup in the quarterfinal rounds -- can have plus and minus aspects. An obvious plus is that you can select a team on which you have a carryover advantage. A minus is that you might get their dander up if they think you consider them easy marks.

In the opening set of their match versus Norway, leaders of the round-robin qualifying stages, Indonesia performed as though they were out to prove a point. In the opening set, they erased Norway's advantage to go ahead in the match.

Norway, with a 5.5-IMP carryover lead, started strongly, expanding their lead by right-siding a notrump contract (a 2-IMP gain) on Board 1 and then earning a double-digit swing on the next deal.

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

West North East South Tobing Austberg Panelewen Helgemo   1© Pass 2¨ Pass 2NT Pass 3© Pass 4NT Pass 5ª Pass 6© All Pass

Geir Helgemo led the §10 to his partner's ace and awaited the inevitable trick with his ¨K for down one. Plus 50 to Norway.

West North East South Furunes Lasut Helness Manoppo   1© Pass 2¨ Pass 3NT Pass 4© Pass 4ª Pass 5© All Pass

Tor Helness thought for a long time before making a stab at slam with the 4ª bid, but Jon-Egil Furunes declined. Helness took the same 11 tricks as declarer in the other room, gaining 11 IMPs in the process.

Indonesia struck back for a 9-IMP gain when Norway bought the contract at both tables -- to their regret.

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

West North East South Tobing Austberg Panelewen Helgemo Pass Pass 1¨ 1ª Dble Rdble 2§ Pass 2¨ 2© 3§ 3© All Pass

Considering the horrible trump split, Erik Austberg was lucky not to be doubled. He managed only six tricks for minus 300.

West North East South Furunes Lasut Helness Manoppo Pass Pass 1§ 1ª Dble Pass 2§ Pass 3§ All Pass

Helness and effectively shut the Indonesians out of the auction -- Lasut was not tempted to bid his anemic heart suit -- but the bad club split doomed Helness to down one for minus 100. That was 9 IMPs to Indonesia. Lasut and Manoppo earned a push on the following deal with excellent defense.

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

West North East South Tobing Austberg Panelewen Helgemo   Pass Pass 1¨ Pass 1© Pass Pass 2§ All Pass

With the ªQ lying right and clubs divided favorably, Austberg managed eight tricks for plus 90.

West North East South Furunes Lasut Helness Manoppo   Pass Pass 1¨ Pass 1© Pass 1NT All Pass

Against West's 1NT, Lasut started predictably with a low club, which Furunes ran to his 9.

Next came the ©K, and Lasut won the ace.

He switched accurately to the ª6, and Furunes ducked when Eddy Manoppo inserted the 10.

Manoppo switched to the ¨J, making sure Lasut didn't continue that suit, and Lasut covered West's ¨K with the ace.

Lasut persisted in spades, and Furunes played low on the ªJ, winning the next round perforce.

Furunes could only continue hearts, and Manoppo was waiting with the ©Q, ªK and ¨Q for the setting trick.

The Norwegians' aggressive style often pays dividends. On the following deal, a super-light opening bid served mainly to keep the Indonesians out of a no-play game.

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

West North East South Tobing Austberg Panelewen Helgemo     Pass Pass 1¨ 1© 1ª 1NT Pass 3© All Pass

With such poor spots in trumps, Santje Panelewen needed luck in the trump suit. He didn't get it, losing three trump tricks to go with one loser each in the minors. Down one and 50 to Norway.

West North East South Furunes Lasut Helness Manoppo     Pass Pass Pass 1© Pass 1NT Pass 3© Pass 4© All Pass

After partner opened and made a jump rebid, Furunes was bidding game. The only question was which game. He chose 4©, which went two off, but 3NT is also down on the normal lead of a low diamond (although 3NT might be down only one if North hops up with the ©A on the first lead of the suit to assure down one). Anyway, that was another 2 IMPs to Indonesia.

Norway had a chance for a double-digit gain on this deal, but they ended up with a 2-IMP loss.

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

West North East South Tobing Austberg Panelewen Helgemo 1ª Dble Pass 3NT All Pass

Although he might not have liked his chances on seeing dummy, Robert Tobing was in a cold contract, even on the lead of the §K. He ducked two rounds of the suit, winning the third and playing a heart off dummy. Helgemo ducked and the ©K won. Tobing now inexplicably played the ¨Q and a diamond to dummy for another heart play. Helgemo went up with the ©A and returned a diamond, killing the contract. The heart suit was blocked, and Tobing had no way to get to it after unblocking. Down one looked very bad for Indonesia.

West North East South Furunes Lasut Helness Manoppo 1ª Dble All Pass

It looks as though Henky Lasut should be held to six tricks for minus 200, but he managed to bring home his contract.

Helness led the ¨A, switching to the ª9 a trick two. Furunes ducked this to Lasut's ªJ, and Lasut continued with the §K.

Helness ducked and Furunes gave count with the 10.

Lasut then played a low club, ducked by Helness. In dummy with the §9, Lasut took full advantage of the situation.

He ruffed a diamond, played a heart to the ace and ruffed another diamond. He had six tricks in with the ªK 5 left in his hand. All he had to do was exit with the §K.

He could not be prevented from scoring his ªK for plus 160. The final swing for Indonesia involves another of the super-light Norwegian openings.

Board 15. Dealer South. NS Game ª K 9 4 © 7 4 ¨ K J 2 § K Q J 3 2 ª Q J 10 7 6 2 ª 5 3 © A Q 5 3 © K 9 6 ¨ 10 ¨ A Q 7 § 10 6 § A 9 8 7 4 ª A 8 © J 10 8 2 ¨ 9 8 6 5 4 3 § 5

West North East South Furunes Lasut Helness Manoppo     Pass 1ª Pass 2§ Pass 2© Pass 3NT Pass 4ª All Pass

Lasut led the §K to dummy's ace. Furunes played a low spade to the 8, jack and king. Lasut cashed the §Q and put maximum pressure on declarer by getting out with the ¨2. Furunes could have made the contract by inserting dummy's queen, but there were other chances at that point, so he went up with the ace and played another spade. Manoppo won the ªA and got out with a diamond, ruffed. Furunes pulled trumps and ran spades, but no squeeze was operating so he had to go down one.

West North East South Tobing Austberg Panelewen Helgemo Pass Pass 1§ Pass 1¨ 1ª 2¨ Pass Pass 2ª Pass Pass 3¨ All Pass

With the diamond honors sitting wrong for him, Helgemo had to go down one for minus 100 and another 4 IMPs to Indonesia.