Austria v Canada (Venice Cup)

With two days to go in the qualifying stage, Canada lay in seventh place with a bit of a cushion to ninth, while tenth-placed Austria needed some solid results to lift them into the top eight. It proved to be a match of generally scrappy little boards, but the first significant swing was to be a huge one.

Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	♠ 10 9 7 5 ♥ 10 ♦ A Q 7 ♣ J 10 8 5 3
♠ 6 ♥ A K J 8 ♦ J 10 8 6 4 ♣ A K 6		♠ A Q 2 ♥ Q 9 7 4 2 ♦ K 9 5 3 ♣ Q
	♠ K J 8 4 3 ♥ 6 5 3 ♦ 2 ♣ 9 7 4 2

West	North	East	South
Kriftner	Cimon	Terraneo	Lee
			Pass
1♥	Pass	2NT	Pass
3♣	Pass	3♦	Pass
4♣	Pass	4NT	Pass
5♣	Pass	6♥	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Eaton	Grumm	Clinton	Weigkricht
			Pass
1♦	Pass	1♥	Pass
3♥	Pass	3♠	Pass
4♣	Pass	4♦	Pass
4♠	Pass	4NT	Pass
5♦	Pass	6♥	All Pass

It was almost impossible for Francine Cimon to find the killing start of ace and another diamond at the first table. On her actual club lead Suzanne Kriftner could win, draw trumps and play for the ♦Q to be onside; +1430.

At our second table, the singleton diamond was on lead and Terri Weigkricht duly led it. Iris Grumm won and returned the suit for a quick one down; -100 and 17 IMPs to Austria.

Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul.
	♠ A J 5 4 3 ♥ 9 7 ♦ 9 5 2 ♣ A K 8
♠ 6 ♥ Q J 5 2 ♦ A J 10 7 6 ♣ Q J 7		♠ Q 9 8 7 ♥ A K 8 ♦ Q 8 ♣ 5 4 3 2
	♠ K 10 2 ♥ 10 6 4 3 ♦ K 4 3 ♣ 10 9 6

West	North	East	South
Kriftner	Cimon	Terraneo	Lee
Pass	1♠	Pass	1NT
Dble	Pass	Pass	2♠
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Eaton	Grumm	Clinton	Weigkricht
1♦	1♠	2NT	All Pass

Joan Eaton opened the West hand and Barbara Clinton jumped to 2NT, natural and invitational, over Grumm’s 1♠ overcall. Weigkricht led the ♠2 to the ace and a spade came back to the eight and ten. Weigkricht cashed the king of spades, then switched to the six of clubs for the queen and king. Grumm cleared the spades now. 2NT can be made by relying on the diamond finesse, but Clinton had convinced herself that the king would be offside, in which case she risked going more down by trying to make her contract. She threw three diamonds on the spades and just cashed out at the end, keeping open the option of exiting with a club to force a diamond lead into the tenace if that looked appropriate, which it did not, as Grumm threw diamonds when the hearts were cashed; down two for -200.

Kriftner did not open the West hand but made a take-out double at her next turn. When Sylvia Terraneo converted that to penalties, Linda Lee went back to the safety of the known spade fit. Though Cimon could pick up the clubs without loss, she had to lose a trump trick as well as two hearts and three diamonds; down one for -100 and 7 IMPs to Austria, ahead by 24-1. Canada nibbled away at the Austrian lead over the next few deals, closing to 6-24, but then Austria struck again.

Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	♠ Q 5 4 2 ♥ A J 7 ♦ 5 ♣ A K 7 5 4
♠ J 10 7 6 ♥ 10 9 6 ♦ A 7 4 2 ♣ 9 3		♠ A K 9 3 ♥ 5 3 ♦ K Q ♣ Q J 10 8 2
	♠ 8 ♥ K Q 8 4 2 ♦ J 10 9 8 6 3 ♣ 6

West	North	East	South
Kriftner	Cimon	Terraneo	Lee
	1♣	1♠	Dble
2♠	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Eaton	Grumm	Clinton	Weigkricht
	1♠	1NT	2♦
All Pass

Terraneo could not bear to pass over the 1♣ opening when holding 15 HCP but her hand did not quite suit any action. She chose the four-card 1♠ overcall and that worked very nicely as Kriftner could raise in competition to reach an excellent spot. (What would you do in the pass-out deal with that South hand?) Despite the bad breaks, Terraneo’s contract had too much going for it and she made eight tricks for +110.

The Blue Club canapé opening style struck gold on this deal as Grumm’s opening bid stole her opponents’ trump suit. Clinton overcalled 1NT and Weigkricht competed in her longer suit. Eaton could hardly do anything in this scenario, so 2♦ was the final contract. Eaton led the ten of hearts. Weigkricht won with the jack and cashed the top clubs for a spade pitch, then played a trump to Clinton’s queen. She ruffed the next lead of the ♣Q with the six and was overruffed, but from here there were just two top diamonds to be lost; +110 and 6 IMPs to Austria.

Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.
	♠ J 9 ♥ A 10 7 3 ♦ A Q J 10 3 ♣ K 2
♠ K 10 7 ♥ J 9 5 2 ♦ 5 4 ♣ J 9 8 6		♠ A 6 4 3 2 ♥ 8 6 4 ♦ K 9 6 ♣ A Q
	♠ Q 8 5 ♥ K Q ♦ 8 7 2 ♣ 10 7 5 4 3

West	North	East	South
Kriftner	Cimon	Terraneo	Lee
		1♠	Pass
Pass	Dble	Pass	1NT
Pass	2NT	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Eaton	Grumm	Clinton	Weigkricht
		1NT	Pass
Pass	Dble	Pass	2♣
Pass	2♦	All Pass

When Terraneo’s 1♠ opening came around to her, Cimon doubled, then raised the 1NT response to 2NT. Lee was very minimum for a 1NT response to a balancing double - indeed, some would play this sequence as promising more than a poor seven-count and therefore respond 2♣ with the South cards. She quickly passed 2NT, but that was already too high. Kriftner led a club to the king and ace, and Terraneo switched to spades. When the diamond finesse failed, the defence had spades to cash for down two; -200.

Clinton opened an 11-14 no trump, doubled by Grumm. Weigkricht took a cautious run-out to 2♣, converted to 2♦ by Grumm. She won the heart lead in dummy and led a spade to the nine and ace. Clinton returned a spade to the king and Eaton switched to a club. After the two club tricks, thedefence had only a diamond to come; +90 and 7 IMPs to Austria. The lead was up to 37-6. Canada gained an overtrick IMP on Board 12, then Austria struck another big blow.

Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
	♠ A 5 2 ♥ 7 6 4 3 ♦ Q 6 ♣ Q 9 7 6
♠ K Q 8 6 ♥ A K 10 ♦ K J 2 ♣ J 10 8		♠ 10 9 7 4 ♥ J 9 8 5 ♦ A 9 5 3 ♣ K
	♠ J 3 ♥ Q 2 ♦ 10 8 7 4 ♣ A 5 4 3 2

West	North	East	South
Kriftner	Cimon	Terraneo	Lee
	Pass	Pass	Pass
1NT	Pass	2♣	Pass
2♠	Pass	3♠	Pass
3NT	Pass	4♠	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Eaton	Grumm	Clinton	Weigkricht
	Pass	Pass	Pass
1♣	Pass	1♥	Pass
1NT	All Pass

Kriftner opened 1NT and it was natural for Terraneo toenquire then to raise the 2♠ response to invite game. Kriftner, with a 4-3-3-3 maximum, offered the option of playing the no trump game but, of course, Terraneo went back to 4♠. With both major suits behaving very nicely for declarer, Kriftner made an overtrick for +650.

Eaton opened 1♣ and rebid 1NT, as per her system. There was no reason for Clinton to move over that. A spade lead did nothing to challenge declarer. She returned the suit and now the defence played three rounds of clubs, after which Eaton had the rest; +180 but 10 IMPs to Austria. Three quiet boards completed the set, leaving Austria with a 47-8 IMP, 24-6 VP win, as they took a big bite out of the gap between them and the top eight.