Scandinavian Slaughter
Mark Horton
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Geir Helgemo,
Norway |
Next year, not so far away now, the European Championships will
be staged alongside a huge bridge festival in Malmö, Sweden.
Here in Monaco, the second round of the Bermuda Bowl featured an
all Scandinavian encounter between the country that will host the
Championships and their neighbours, Norway, runners up in this event
last time. I happen to know that a lot of the smart money is on
Norway going one better this time, and as you will see from this
report they were in no mood to take prisoners.
The first board gave a subtle hint of what was to follow:
Board 17. Dealer North. None Vul. |
|
ª K 10 9 6
© Q 10 9 4
¨ 10 7
§ K 8 7 |
ª Q 8 7 5
© K 5
¨ A K 8 6 4
§ J 3 |
|
ª A 2
© 8
¨ Q 9 5 3 2
§ A Q 10 9 4 |
|
ª J 4 3
© A J 7 6 3 2
¨ J
§ 6 5 2 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Gustawsson |
Saelensminde |
Morath |
Brogeland |
|
Pass |
1¨ |
1© |
2©* |
3© |
4§ |
Pass |
5¨ |
All Pass |
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|
Not a great slam, but one that makes. +420
West |
North |
East |
South |
Helgemo |
Lindkvist |
Helness |
Fredin |
|
Pass |
1¨ |
1© |
1ª |
1NT |
2§ |
2© |
3© |
Pass |
4§ |
Pass |
5¨ |
All Pass |
|
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A flat board – as it was in the Venice Cup match between
Germany and South Africa – but there both teams bid Six Diamonds!
Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul. |
|
ª K 9 6 3
© 5 3
¨ 8
§ Q J 8 7 5 3 |
ª 8 5
© J 8 6
¨ A Q 10 7 4 2
§ 6 4 |
|
ª A 10 4 2
© K Q 10 2
¨ K 9
§ K 9 2 |
|
ª Q J 7
© A 9 7 4
¨ J 6 5 3
§ A 10 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Gustawsson |
Saelensminde |
Morath |
Brogeland |
|
|
1NT |
Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
South led the queen of spades and declarer failed to divine the
diamond position, finishing one down, -50.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Helgemo |
Lindkvist |
Helness |
Fredin |
|
|
1NT |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
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Same contract, same lead. Helness ducked the first spade, won the
second, and played a heart to the jack. When that held he played
a second heart and South thought for a very long time before ducking.
In isolation that is a mistake, as declarer can now arrive at nine
tricks by picking up the diamonds. Of course, he was not going to
do so, but imagine East had been holding ¨K98. So, another flat
board, but the flood gates were about to open.
Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul. |
|
ª J 8 7 6
© 7
¨ 9 5 3 2
§ A J 5 3 |
ª A Q 9
© A 3
¨ K Q J 7 4
§ 6 4 2 |
|
ª K 10 5
© K J 10 9 8 6 4
¨ -
§ K Q 7 |
|
ª 4 3 2
© Q 5 2
¨ A 10 8 6
§ 10 9 8 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Gustawsson |
Saelensminde |
Morath |
Brogeland |
1NT |
Pass |
2¨* |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
3© |
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
4¨* |
Dble |
Pass |
Pass |
Redble |
Pass |
4ª |
Pass |
4NT* |
Pass |
5©* |
Pass |
6© |
All Pass |
The duplication of values in diamonds was annoying, but on this
auction West knew all about it, and one might question his decision
to bid Four Spades. Slam was tolerable, without being great, but
to have any chance declarer had to take an unlikely view in hearts,
and of course he did not, -100.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Helgemo |
Lindkvist |
Helness |
Fredin |
1NT |
Pass |
2¨* |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
4¨* |
Dble |
4© |
All Pass |
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Declarer was soon claiming eleven tricks and 13 IMPs.
It was not long before the Norwegians added a second slam swing:
Board 22. Dealer East. E/W Vul. |
|
ª A K 3
© A K 7 4
¨ J 9 6
§ A 10 2 |
ª 10 8
© Q J 3 2
¨ K 8 3 2
§ K 8 3 |
|
ª J 9 7 4 2
© 9 8
¨ 10 7 5 4
§ 9 4 |
|
ª Q 6 5
© 10 6 5
¨ A Q
§ Q J 7 6 5 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Gustawsson |
S?lensminde |
Morath |
Brogeland |
|
|
Pass |
1§ |
Pass |
1© |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
6NT |
All Pass |
|
With the clubs behaving declarer did not need any red suit miracles,
+990.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Helgemo |
Lindkvist |
Helness |
Fredin |
|
|
Pass |
1§* |
Pass |
1© |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
Facing a nebulous club and a limited rebid it was not unreasonable
for North to simply bid game but it cost 11 IMPs.
The next deal saw a sensational swing:
Board 23. Dealer South. All Vul. |
|
ª K 4
© Q 10 9 8 4 2
¨ J 3
§ 9 5 4 |
ª A J 10 9 8 6 5
© A
¨ -
§ K Q 10 7 6 |
|
ª Q 7 3 2
© K J 3
¨ Q 8 5
§ A J 2 |
|
ª -
© 7 6 5
¨ A K 10 9 7 6 4 2
§ 8 3 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Gustawsson |
Saelensminde |
Morath |
Brogeland |
|
|
|
3NT* |
5ª |
Pass |
7ª |
All Pass |
South’s preemptive effort reached a reward beyond expectations
when East/West, deprived of bidding space went overboard.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Helgemo |
Lindkvist |
Helness |
Fredin |
|
|
|
3NT* |
4ª |
All Pass |
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Peter Fredin,
Sweden |
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Helness gave it a long look, but eventually took the conservative
view – and racked up another double figure swing.
This was quite a tough match for the commentators, as apart from
having to contend with a number of tough deals they also had to
cope with a scenario where one room raced ahead of the other, which
meant there were no comparisons available.
On Board 26, holding ª1084 ©KJ32 ¨KJ6 §J83 Peter Fredin, after
the auction 1¨-1ª-1NT-3NT led the §3 against 3NT, prompting Barry
Rigal to remark that ‘When I see Peter’s leads I realise
that we think differently about the game.’ I may have imagined
it but I thought I detected a murmur of assent from the Swedish
members of the audience.
Things were already going badly for Sweden and matters were not
improved by this deal:
Board 28. Dealer West. N/S
Vul. |
|
ª 5 4
© J 10 8 7 4
¨ Q J 9 7
§ 4 2 |
ª 8 7 3
© 2
¨ 8 6 5 4 3 2
§ J 7 5 |
|
ª Q J 10 9 2
© A Q 9 5
¨ K 10
§ A 6 |
|
ª A K 6
© K 6 3
¨ A
§ K Q 10 9 8 3 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Gustawsson |
Saelensminde |
Morath |
Brogeland |
3¨! |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
All Pass |
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I have seen this kind of bidding in Junior events, but this gentle
readers is the Bermuda Bowl, where such frivolity is surely out
of place?
North led the jack of hearts and declarer won with dummy’s
ace and played a high spade. South won and switched to the king
of clubs. Declarer won with the ace and played back a club. South
won and played a third round of the suit, on which North discarded
his remaining spade. Declarer played a diamond and when North produced
the queen he naturally played the king and was three down, -500.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Helgemo |
Lindkvist |
Helness |
Fredin |
Pass |
Pass |
1ª |
Dble |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
3§ |
Pass |
3© |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
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If Lindkvist could make his contract then Sweden would avoid another
disaster – but the odds were stacked against him. He took
the opening lead of the queen of spades in dummy and played a top
club. East won and played a second spade. Declarer won, cashed the
master club and played a third club, ruffing with the ten of hearts
when West produced the jack. The simple defence is for East to discard
a spade, after which he is in complete control whatever declarer
tries. However, Helness overuffed, and now made a potentially fatal
error by playing a third spade. If declarer ruffs this with the
eight or seven of hearts and then plays East for the nine of hearts
he can make the contract, but he ruffed with the four. Now he played
the eight of hearts and East can again ensure a one trick defeat
by covering with the nine of hearts as that blocks the trump suit.
However, he followed with the five and declarer missed his last
chance by going up with the king. The game of ping pong was over,
and when declarer carelessly played another heart he was three down,
-300.
Norway had dominated the match, and won 58-4 IMPs, 25-3 VP to go
to the top of the table with maximum points.
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