Louis Vuitton McConnell Cup
Final


Auken v Erhart

A lively set of deals saw a lot of swings in the first session of the Louis Vuitton McConnell Cup final, but at the end of the 14 boards there was only 1 IMP between the teams.

First blood went to the Germans.

Board 1. Dealer North. Love All
ª A 6 3 2
© A 8 7 5
¨ A 8 4 3
§ 5
ª K Q J 10 7 5 ª 8 4
© 10 3 © K 9 4
¨ 10 9 5 ¨ Q J 6 2
§ J 8 § K 10 9 3
ª 9
© Q J 6 2
¨ K 7
§ A Q 7 6 4 2

Open Room
West North East South
Weigkricht Auken Fischer von Armin

1© Pass 2¨
2ª Pass Pass 4©
All Pass

The 2¨ response was at least invitational in hearts and Sabine Auken's pass over 2ª said that she did not hold a minimum hand. Daniela von Arnim closed proceedings with a jump to 4©.

Doris Fischer led a spade and Auken won the ace and played a club to the ace then ruffed a club. She cashed the king and ace of diamonds then ruffed a spade. Now a third club was ruffed by Terry Weigkricht with the ©10, forcing Auken to over-ruff with the ace. Declarer was in control, however. She ruffed a diamond then another club followed by a spade, and still had to make another trump in dummy for +420.

Closed Room
West North East South
Farwig Erhart Stawowy Terraneo

1© Pass 2NT
Pass 4© All Pass

The 2NT forcing heart raise shut Katrin Farwig's spades out of the auction and this was to have an important bearing on the play as Maria Erhart had less information to go on than her opposite number. Barbara Stawowy led the ¨Q and Erhart won the king and played a diamond to her ace then played ace of spades and a spade ruff. Next came ace of clubs and a club ruff then another spade, ruffed in dummy as East pitched a diamond. The next club was ruffed with the ten and over-ruffed with the ace. Now Erhart ruffed another spade in dummy and Stawowy threw her §K. When Erhart now played a winning club, Stawowy ruffed and could draw trumps and cash her ¨J to defeat the contract by one trick; -50 and 10 IMPs to AUKEN.

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

Open Room
West North East South
Weigkricht Auken Fischer von Armin

Pass Pass
1¨ Dble 3¨ 3©
Pass 3NT Pass 4¨
Pass 6§ All Pass

It seems to me that von Arnim might have been better advised to bid 3ª rather than 3© over the pre-emptive diamond raise. Had Auken's majors been reversed and she had again bid 3NT, that would have allowed a comfortable 4© continuation. As it was, 4¨ was an intelligent shot, attempting to show a secondary spade suit. Unfortunately, Auken could not imagine that her partner had five spades and imagined that she was facing a three-suited hand. 6§ was not what von Arnim wanted to see, but her disappointment was nothing compared to Auken's when dummy went down. A spade lead to the ace saw the ªK ruffed out at trick two and the slam eventually drifted four down; -400.

Closed Room
West North East South
Farwig Erhart Stawowy Terraneo

Pass Pass
1NT Dble 2¨ Pass
2© Dble Pass 4ª
All Pass

The auction went much better for the Austrians in the Closed Room. Erhart was able to double the no trump opening then make a takeout double of 2© on the next round. Sylvia Terraneo now jumped to 4ª and that contract lost just two trump tricks; +650 and 14 IMPs to Austria, putting them into the lead.

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

Open Room
West North East South
Weigkricht Auken Fischer von Armin

Pass
Pass 1§ 2¨ Pass
2© 3§ Pass 3¨
Pass 3NT All Pass

1§ was strong and the 2¨ overcall was weak in an unspecified major. When Auken freely rebid 3§, von Arnim felt she had to show her diamonds and the almost hopeless 3NT was reached.

Fischer led the ©10 to Weigkricht's bare king. Weigkricht switched to a spade and Auken put in the queen then played out three rounds of clubs, Fischer throwing a heart. Back came another spade and Auken won and ran the clubs.

It seems that the defence should be virtually double dummy now, as declarer's shape is known and her singleton diamond has to be the king to justify her bidding. East has, therefore, to come down to ªJ, ©A, ¨QJ and West must keep at least one other spade with the king. Inexplicably, Fischer, who had been discarding smoothly with the air of someone who knew exactly what was going on, threw the ¨Q on the last club. Auken could now overtake the ¨K and made an overtrick; +430.

Closed Room
West North East South
Farwig Erhart Stawowy Terraneo

Pass
Pass 1§ 1© Pass
Pass Dble Pass 3¨
Pass 3NT All Pass

This time the overcall of the strong club was only at the one-level and Erhart reopened with a double when 1© came back to her. When Terraneo jumped to 3¨, the 3NT continuation was inevitable.

Again the lead was a heart to the bare king. Here, declarer had not disclosed her clubs in the auction, except perhaps by implication. Farwig switched to the queen of clubs and Erhart ducked. She won the club continuation and rattled off the clubs. It seems that she was in a worse position than Auken in that she had not even had the spade finesse taken for her. However, on the run of the clubs, Stawowy was throwing hearts away. By the time the clubs were exhausted, she had come down to only two hearts. Erhart could lead a heart, win the spade return, and play a second heart to establish her queen. That was nine tricks for +400 but 1 IMP to AUKEN.

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

Open Room
West North East South
Weigkricht Auken Fischer von Armin

2¨ Pass 2© All Pass

Would you open a vulnerable multi on that emaciated suit? Well, the Austrian style is to open whenever possible and worry about it later. Von Arnim led the §J against 2© and Fischer won the queen, cashed the ace of clubs and ruffed a club. On that trick von Arnim pitched a spade. Now Fischer led the ªQ and ran it to the king. Von Arnim returned a spade and Fischer tried to cash her other spade winner. When that got ruffed she had no way to recover and finished down one; -100.

Better might have been for declarer to play a diamond to the queen at trick three. Now she takes the spade finesse and the defence has to be very careful to prevent her from being able to cash two spade tricks. Still. It looks as though the timing may not be quite right to allow declarer to scramble eight tricks.

Closed Room
West North East South
Farwig Erhart Stawowy Terraneo

Pass Pass 1§ Dble
2© 2ª All Pass

Farwig did not open the West hand but made a weak jump response over the takeout double of 1§. Now Erhart bid her spades, a dubious decision on such a weak suit vulnerable with a badly placed §K. 2ª went two down for -200 and 7 IMPs to AUKEN, back in the lead.

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

Open Room
West North East South
Weigkricht Auken Fischer von Armin

1© Pass 1NT
Pass 2§ Pass Pass
Dble Pass 2ª All Pass

North's auction would usually be canape so it was normal for von Arnim to pass 2§. That meant that West had the right shortage to make a normal balancing double and Fischer responded 2ª.

Von Arnim led the ©Q against 2ª. Fischer won in hand and played the ªJ, running it to the ace. Auken cashed the ¨A and underled the §A to put von Arnim in to give her a diamond ruff. That went to the queen and king. Though von Arnim led a high diamond back, suggesting no second club entry, Auken underled again in the vain hope of defeating the contract. That got Fischer back up to nine tricks; +140.

Closed Room
West North East South
Farwig Erhart Stawowy Terraneo

1© Pass 1NT
Pass 2§ Pass 2©
All Pass

I would have thought that North's sequence would again have been canape in the Austrian style, but perhaps I am mistaken.

Anyway, Terraneo gave preference to hearts and now it was less obvious for East/West to protect. 2© was a fairly straightforward make; +110 and 6 IMPs to ERHART, back in front at 20-18.

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

Open Room
West North East South
Weigkricht Auken Fischer von Armin

1© 4¨
4© Dble All Pass

The 4§ overcall was perfectly timed, giving Weigkricht little option but to bid 4©. When Auken doubled that the Austrians were in trouble.

Von Arnim led the ¨K and switched to the §J. At this early stage in the play, Fischer knew very little about the opposing hands and thought it possible that the switch was from §Jx. Accordingly, she covered with dummy's queen, losing to the bare ace. Auken returned a low trump which Fischer won on table to play a club. Auken discarded a spade so the king won. The ¨Q was covered and ruffed with the ©J and now declarer played the third club. Von Arnim won and played a spade through and now there were various possible routes, all leading to three down; -800.

Closed Room
West North East South
Farwig Erhart Stawowy Terraneo

1NT 5¨
Dble All Pass

Terraneo's full-blooded jump to 5¨ left Farwig with what looked to be an obvious double. If so, she was swiftly disillusioned. After a spade lead, Terraneo could play to ruff two clubs in the dummy and just concede one club and one diamond; +550. Terraneo was probably mildly disappointed with the comparison on this deal; 6 IMPs to AUKEN who was back in the lead.

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

Open Room
West North East South
Weigkricht Auken Fischer von Armin

1ª
Pass 2¨ Pass 3¨
Pass 3© Pass 4©
Pass 4NT Pass 5§
Pass 5¨ Pass 5ª
Pass 6© All Pass

2¨ was a transfer to hearts and 3¨ showed a decent five-five. When von Arnim next admitted to heart tolerance, Auken used RKCB then bid the fair slam. This time, the slam had to fail by a trick due to the bad heart break; -100.

Closed Room
West North East South
Farwig Auken Stawowy von Armin

1ª
Pass 2§ Pass 2¨
Pass 2© Pass 2ª
Pass 4© All Pass

Erhart strted with 2§ to set up a canape sequence then bid her hearts and stressed them at her third bid with a jump to 4©. Terraneo had no reason to move on and 4© made eleven tricks for +650 and 13 IMPs to Austria. Once again the lead had changed hands.

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

Open Room
West North East South
Weigkricht Auken Fischer von Armin

1¨ 1© 2§
3§ 3¨ Pass Pass
3ª All Pass

Terry Weigkricht did not look very impressed when her partner passed what was surely a forcing sequence, and she didn't look any happier when the dummy went down.

Auken led the §K and von Arnim overtook to switch to her singleton diamond. Weigkricht put in the ¨8and Auken won the ten and switched back to clubs, the ten being covered by the jack and ruffed. Weigkricht finessed the ©J next, losing to the queen. Von Arnim played a low club and Weigkricht threw a diamond as Auken ruffed. Now came the ace of diamonds and another diamond for von Arnim to ruff. When she returned the §Q, ruffing with the eight would have got Weigkricht out for down two, but she not unreasonably ruffed high and that meant down three; -300.

Closed Room
West North East South
Farwig Erhart Stawowy Terraneo

3¨ Pass Pass
3ª All Pass

Maria Erhart picked a good time to open with a chunky pre-empt. Katrin Farwig overcalled 3ª and played there. After a heart lead, Farwig did well to make eight tricks for just one down and 5 IMPs to AUKEN.

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

Open Room
West North East South
Weigkricht Auken Fischer von Armin

1ª Pass
1NT All Pass

The defence began with five rounds of hearts, on the fifth of which von Arnim threw a discouraging ª9 while Weigkricht came down to a bare ¨J.

Auken cashed one top club then switched to a diamond. Declarer thought for a while then played low. The queen won and von Arnim could exit with a spade and wait to be given two more diamond tricks in the ending; -300.

Had Auken cashed the second top club, dummy would have been squeezed. Had declarer thrown a diamond, banking on their being guessable to keep her four spade tricks intact, a diamond switch now would have led to six down.

Closed Room
West North East South
Farwig Erhart Stawowy Terraneo

1NT Pass
Pass 2© Pass 4©
All Pass

The auction panned out much better for North/South in the Closed Room. When Erhart balanced with 2©, Terraneo had sufficient trump support and distribution to justify a raise to game. Game is poor but successful. In practice, Erhart made twelve tricks on a low club lead for +680 and 9 IMPs to ERHART.

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

Erhart/Terraneo bid quickly to the normal 4ª in the Closed Room; +480. The Germans were more adventurous in the Open Room.

Open Room
West North East South
Weigkricht Auken Fischer von Armin

Pass 1NT
Pass 2© Pass 2ª
Pass 4¨ Pass 4©
Pass 4NT Pass 5©
Pass 6ª All Pass

1NT was a mini and 2© a transfer. 2ª showed a minimum for spades and now 4¨ was a self-agreeing splinter. With two key cards, von Arnim wanted to show some suitability for slam without going past game. When partner is not prepared to make a more positive acceptance of the slam try, it looks a little over-aggressive for North to drive to slam, but that is what Auken did, and she got very lucky. The lead was a heart to the ace. Auken drew three rounds of trumps then played a diamond to the ace and ruffed a diamond, heart to the queen and ruffed another diamond. When she next played a club to the ace, she had a complete count on the hand and knew that the §Q had to be singleton rather than from §KQ so there was no guess; +980 and 11 not unfortunate IMPs to AUKEN.

At the end of an action packed first set ERHART led by 44-43 IMPs.


Results Contents
Rosenblum Cup SF
McConnell Cup F
Open Pairs SF1, SF2, Z1, Z2
Ladies Pairs SF1, SF2
Senior Pairs Q1, Q2
Continuous Pairs
Louis Vuitton McConnell Cup Final I
Louis Vuitton McConnell Cup Final II
Mellow Mexican Music
Master Bidders Club
Seventh Heaven


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