Indonesia v Denmark (Seniors Bowl)

At the midpoint in their Seniors Bowl semi-final, Denmark led Indonesia by 96-74.5 IMPs. The Wednesday morning set was one of the quietest of the championships, with not a single double-figure swing in this match.

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

West	North	East	South
Moller	Lasut	Lund	Manoppo
			1♠
Dble	2♥(i)	Dble	2♠
Pass	3♣	3♥	3♠
All Pass

(i) Sound spade raise.

West	North	East	South
Sacul	S-Moller	Sawiruddin	Auken
			1♠
2♥	2♠	3♥	Pass
Pass	3♠	All Pass

As the cards lie, 3♥ is cold for E/W, so both N/S pairs did their job when they competed to 3♠. Both Wests led a top diamond and both Easts followed with the four. Steen Moller continued with two more rounds, so Eddy Manoppo won, crossed to a top club and took the spade finesse. The favourable spade position gave him nine tricks for +140. Not a good deal for reverse signals, as East had a choice of losing options at trick one, an encouraging four, or the jack which would cost a trick by force.

Denny Sacul switched to the king of hearts at trick two and Munawar Sawiruddin overtook to revert to diamonds from the right side. The defenders took two more diamonds and the later trump trick meant down one for -50 and 5 IMPs to Indonesia.

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

West	North	East	South
Moller	Lasut	Lund	Manoppo
1♠	Pass	2♣	Pass
2♠	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Sacul	S-Moller	Sawiruddin	Auken
1♠	Pass	2♣	Pass
2♠	Pass	3♥	Pass
4♣	Pass	4♠	All Pass

These days, nobody downgrades a hand any more, and so both Wests opened the 12-count including a doubleton queen-jack. Peter Lund gave his partner plenty of leeway in case he stretched to open the bidding, and passed the 2♠ rebid. At the other table, Sawiruddin drove to game, which appears to be very aggressive. Perhaps a raise to 3♠ is best if East judges to go on?

Even on a good day, 4♠ should always be defeated. Kirsten Steen-Moller led ace and another diamond. Jens Auken won with the ♦K and switched to a heart to the ace and a heart back. Sacul won with the jack with the queen and played three rounds of trumps. His club loser went away on the long heart, but that was still down one for -100. Against 2♠, Henky Lasut led his singleton club. Moller won with dummy’s ace and played a diamond. The defence took its two winners there then switched to a trump, ducked, and a second trump. Moller drew the remaining trumps, then took a club finesse. When that lost he just had to concede a heart; +110 and 5 IMPs to Denmark.

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

West	North	East	South
Moller	Lasut	Lund	Manoppo
	Pass	Pass	1♦
Pass	1♠	Pass	1NT
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Sacul	S-Moller	Sawiruddin	Auken
	Pass	Pass	1♣
Pass	1♠	All Pass

It says something about modern opening-bid style that Auken was willing to pass the 1♠ response with a sound 14-count. Sawiruddin led a low heart to the ace and won the heart return, switching to a club. Steen-Moller won in dummy and played a spade to the eight and ten. Sawiruddin switched to a diamond to the ten and ace. Declarer ruffed a heart with the jack then played a spade to the queen, king and ace. She ruffed the heart return, drew trumps and had the remainder for +140.

We can all see that Manoppo could have made his 1NT contract at the other table, courtesy of the kindly diamond layout. But is it correct to bank everything on diamonds? Moller led a high club spot to the ten, jack and king. Manoppo did not want to commit himself to diamonds so tried a spade to the eight and ten. Lund returned a club. Manoppo won and played a second spade to the queen, king and ace, and now Lund found the heart switch. Five heart tricks put the contract down one for -100 and 6 IMPs to Denmark.

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

West	North	East	South
Moller	Lasut	Lund	Manoppo
			1♠
2♦	2♠	3♥	3♠
4♥	4♠	5♥	Dble
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Sacul	S-Moller	Sawiruddin	Auken
			1♠
3♦	3♠	5♦	All Pass

This was the big potential swing deal of the set. In another match, 5♦ for +600 by East/West gained no less than 16 IMPs as it was compared with 4♠ doubled at the other table and the defence did not find its club ruff. Here, +600 proved to mean a loss of 6 IMPs.

The Indonesian E/W pair bid quickly to 5♦ and were left to play there. There was nothing to be done against that contract, a painless +600. The Danes bid more slowly and found the inferior heart fit - imagine that 5♦ might well have been making when there were two trump losers in 5♥ on a different layout. Manoppo had quite a bit of potential defence to 5♥ so doubled, but then found that he could do nothing to defeat the contract. He actually cashed a top spade then switched to his singleton diamond. Lund won in hand, cashed the ace of clubs, and used the two spade ruffs to hand to firstly ruff his club loser then play two rounds of trumps; +850 and 6 IMPs to Denmark. And that was it for the set; Denmark won it by 24-7 and had increased their lead to 120-81.5 with 32 deals to play.