Tough start

	Peter Bertheau, Sweden

When things are not going well, it can be difficult to break out of your slump. Through the first 11 rounds of the Bermuda Bowl, Sweden’s team seemed to be experiencing just such a problem. It’s a strong team that was projected to qualify for the knockout phase of the tournament, but halfway through the round-robin they were in serious danger of not making the cut. Their 10th-round match against USA I resulted in another loss.
The trouble started on the first board of the match, when Peter Bertheau and Fredrik Nystrom let through a 3NT contract that should have been defeated while Eric Rodwell was making 10 tricks in diamonds at the other table. That was 11 IMPs for USA I right off the bat.

The Swedes got 5 IMPs back on the second board in unusual fashion.

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	ª 9 8 © 9 2 ¨ A Q 9 8 5 2 § Q 5 2
ª K J 6 © J 10 8 6 ¨ 10 4 3 § K 10 9		ª 7 4 3 2 © K ¨ K J 6 § A J 8 7 4
	ª A Q 10 5 © A Q 7 5 4 3 ¨ 7 § 6 3

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Lindkvist	Meckstroth	Fredin
		1¨	1©
1NT	Pass	Pass	2¨
All Pass

Rather than rebid his heart suit, Peter Fredin made a bid apparently designed to suggest both majors. Magnus Lindkvist, looking at six diamonds, thought that was a good place to stop. The diamond partial had no legitimate play, and it looked like another loss because 2©, although it can be defeated, might well make without perfect defense. Fredin did indeed go one off in 2¨ for minus 100. The Swedes still won the board, however.

West	North	East	South
Bertheau	Hamman	Nystrom	Soloway
		1§	1©
1NT	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

This was not a success as Bertheau easily wrapped up eight tricks for plus 280. That was 5 IMPs to Sweden.

On the following deal, Fredin got off to an unusual lead against a heart game, but the defense survived anyway.

Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	ª K 10 8 3 © A 7 3 ¨ Q 8 7 4 § 10 6
ª A Q 6 © Q 9 6 2 ¨ A 2 § 9 8 7 4		ª 9 7 © K 10 8 5 ¨ K J 10 5 § A J 3
	ª J 5 4 2 © J 4 ¨ 9 6 3 § K Q 5 2

	Fredrik Nystrom, Sweden

The contract in both rooms was 4© after a 1¨ opening by West (strong club systems). In the closed room, Soloway as South started with a low spade, giving Nystrom no chance for 10 tricks, even if he guesses the trump suit, and he finished one down for minus 100.
In the open room, Fredin started with a low club from the South hand, and now Meckstroth had a chance since one of his two inevitable club losers had been eliminated. Declarer played a heart at trick two to the queen and ace, and the §10 was returned to declarer’s ace. Now a spade went to the queen and king and a spade was returned to the 9, jack and ace. At that point, Meckstroth was in a position to make the contract. The only losing play, looking at all the cards, was a low heart from dummy and a finesse. That is what happened, and when Fredin won his ©J, he cashed a club for one down and a push.

On the following deal, Fredin and Lindkvist had to defend well to keep Meckstroth from landing another game contract.

Board 24. Dealer West. None Vul.
	ª 7 4 © K 9 4 2 ¨ 10 6 5 4 3 § J 8
ª Q 10 5 © A Q 8 ¨ 8 7 § A K Q 9 2		ª A 9 3 © 10 7 6 5 3 ¨ A 9 2 § 6 5
	ª K J 8 6 2 © J ¨ K Q J § 10 7 4 3

West	North	East	South
Bertheau	Hamman	Nystrom	Soloway
1§	Pass	1©	1ª
Pass	Pass	Dble	Pass
1NT	Pass	2§	Pass
2¨	Pass	2ª	Pass
2NT	Pass	3NT	All Pass

With bad breaks in two key suits, Bertheau did not come to nine tricks after the lead of the ª7. That was plus 50 for USA I.

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Lindkvist	Meckstroth	Fredin
1§	Pass	1ª	Dble
1NT	Pass	2¨	Pass
2ª	Pass	2NT	Pass
3¨	Pass	4©	All Pass

Meckstroth’s 1ª response to the Precision 1§ showed a positive response with hearts. Fredin could not lead a spade to good effect, and he had a better lead anyway – the ¨K. Meckstroth ducked at trick one, and Fredin continued with the ¨Q. Meckstroth took the ace and played a heart from hand. When Fredin followed with the jack, Meckstroth accurately read it as a singleton and went up with the ace. He then started in on clubs, playing the ace, king and queen, ruffed by North with the 4 and overruffed by declarer.
Meckstroth led a low spade from hand, and Fredin put up the king. Fredin then made the key play – the §10, allowing Lindkvist to discard his remaining spade. Now when Meckstroth ruffed the club and played a heart to the queen and king, Lindkvist could exit with a diamond, forcing Meckstroth to use dummy’s last trump. When the good club was played from dummy, Lindkvist simply discarded a diamond and ruff the next play of a spade for the setting trick. That was a well-earned push for Sweden.

Board 28 was a tough one for Swedish partisans to take.

Board 28. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	ª A 8 © A Q 9 4 ¨ K 10 4 § 10 9 7 2
ª K 3 © J 10 8 6 2 ¨ 8 5 3 2 § 8 6		ª 10 6 5 4 2 © K ¨ A J 9 6 § J 4 3
	ª Q J 9 7 © 7 5 3 ¨ Q 7 § A K Q 5

West	North	East	South
Bertheau	Hamman	Nystrom	Soloway
Pass	1©	1ª	3NT
All Pass

Soloway had no trouble with this contract, coming to 11 tricks for plus 660. In the open room, Meckstroth and Rodwell, with their busy, aggressive style, made life very difficult for Lindkvist and Fredin.

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Lindkvist	Meckstroth	Fredin
Pass	1§	1¨	1©
3¨	Pass	Pass	Dble
Pass	3©	All Pass

It’s hard to blame the Swedes for missing the notrump game. Lindkvist could hardly bid 3NT – his partner’s response did not promise a big hand, only four spades. When the auction came back to Fredin, he was also poorly placed in the bidding. He would look very foolish bidding 3NT and finding partner with some weak holding in diamonds, which would be perfectly logical given the auction. Fredin managed to take nine tricks in hearts despite misguessing in trumps, but it was an 11-IMP loss nonetheless. Suddenly, Sweden was down by 14 IMPs, 24-10. It got worse on the next board.

Board 29. Dealer North. All Vul.
	ª Q 8 © A J 8 4 ¨ K 5 4 § 9 8 5 2
ª 7 5 © K 9 3 ¨ A J 10 8 2 § J 10 6		ª A K 9 6 4 © Q 2 ¨ 9 6 3 § A K 3
	ª J 10 3 2 © 10 7 6 5 ¨ Q 7 § Q 7 4

The contract at both tables was 3NT by East. In the closed room, Soloway and Hamman did not err in the defense, holding declarer to eight tricks for plus 100.
In the open room, Fredin missed the key play at trick two.

Fredin started with the ©6, to the 3, 8 and queen. Meckstroth then played a low diamond from hand and Fredin made the fatal mistake of playing low. Meckstroth put in the jack and Lindkvist ducked, but Meckstroth simply played a low diamond from dummy. Lindkvist won the king and got out with a club, but it was too late for the defenders. Meckstroth had four diamonds, one heart and two tricks in each of the black suits for nine tricks and plus 600.

It’s a different story if Fredin puts in the ¨Q at trick two. If Meckstroth wins the ace and plays the ¨J, Lindkvist simply ducks, holding Meckstroth to two diamond tricks. If Meckstroth ducks the ¨Q, Fredin continues hearts and the defenders take three tricks in that suit with the ¨K still to come. That’s down one and a push instead of a 12-IMP loss. Sweden now trailed 36-10, which turned out to be the final score.