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Austria vs Germany
Venice Cup SemiFinal
4
At the half-way point in their semi-final match, Germany led their
long-time rivals Austria by 128-108 IMPs. Set four saw plenty of
action on vugraph. Germany had added an IMP to their lead when Board
3 hit the table.
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Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
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| |
ª Q 7 4 3
© A J 4 3
¨ K 9 8 4
§ 3 |
ª A 10 6 5
© 2
¨ A Q J 10 2
§ Q 5 2 |
 |
ª 9 8
© K 9 7
¨ 6 3
§ K J 9 7 6 4 |
| |
ª K J 2
© Q 10 8 6 5
¨ 7 5
§ A 10 8 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| V Arnim |
Erhart |
Auken |
Smederevac |
| |
|
|
Pass |
| 1¨ |
Dble |
2§ |
3© |
| 4§ |
All Pass |
|
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Weigkricht |
Nehmert |
Fischer |
Rauscheid |
| |
|
|
Pass |
| 1ª |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
| 2¨ |
All Pass |
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Erhart Maria, Austria |
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Maria Erhart did something very good for her side when she
found an off-centre take-out double that, I confess, would
not have occurred to me. That allowed Jovanka Smederevac to
jump in hearts and force her opponents to an uncomfortable
level. The lead against 4§
was a heart to Erhart's ace. She switched accurately to a
low spade, the key to the defence, and that went to the jack
and ace. Smederevac won the first club lead and played king
and another spade. Sabine Auken ruffed and drew trumps before
taking the diamond finesse; down one for -100.
In the other room, Terry Weigkricht and Doris Fischer were
allowed a free run and settled in the safer looking spot of
2¨. Pony Nehmert
led her singleton club to the jack and ace but Andrea Rauscheid
did not give her a ruff, switching instead to a trump. Weigkricht
finessed and Nehmert took her king and switched to ace and
another heart. Weigkricht had the rest now for +130 and 6
IMPs to Austria.
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Note that a club ruff at trick and a spade switch could have netted
six tricks for the defence.
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Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
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| |
ª Q 8 7
© A 6 2
¨ 9 5 3
§ 7 6 3 2 |
ª 10 4 2
© K 9
¨ A 10 4
§ A 9 8 5 4 |
|
ª A K J
© Q J 10 8 7 5 4
¨ K Q J
§ - |
| |
ª 9 6 5 3
© 3
¨ 8 7 6 2
§ K Q J 10 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| V Arnim |
Erhart |
Auken |
Smederevac |
| |
Pass |
1§ |
Pass |
| 2ª |
Pass |
3© |
Pass |
| 3ª |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Weigkricht |
Nehmert |
Fischer |
Rauscheid |
| |
Pass |
1§ |
Pass |
| 2§ |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
| 3§ |
Pass |
3© |
Pass |
| 4© |
All Pass |
|
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Neither pairs' strong club methods coped well with this deal -
and indeed, it caused plenty of problems in other matches also.
Von Arnim showed a positive with one minor in a balanced hand then
set hearts as trumps, but Auken expected club wastage and made a
rather cautious sign-off in 4©. Weigkricht showed five controls
then showed her clubs. She had no clear cuebid available at her
third turn so simply raised to 4© and Fischer too took the cautious
view, fearing too much wastage; no swing.
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Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul.
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| |
ª A J 7 6 5
© J 4 3
¨ K Q 8 2
§ A |
ª Q 4 3
© A Q 8 2
¨ 10 9 6
§ 9 4 3 |
|
ª 8 2
© K 9 6
¨ J 7 5 3
§ 8 7 6 5 |
| |
ª K 10 9
© 10 7 5
¨ A 4
© K Q J 10 2 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| V Arnim |
Erhart |
Auken |
Smederevac |
| |
|
|
1¨ |
| Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
3§ |
| Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
4ª |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Weigkricht |
Nehmert |
Fischer |
Rauscheid |
| |
|
|
1NT |
| Pass |
2© |
Pass |
2ª |
| Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
3ª |
| Pass |
4§ |
Pass |
4¨ |
| Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
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Nehmert Pony, Germany |
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The Austrian canapé auction rather pinpointed the
heart weakness and Auken had a fairly easy time in finding
the best opening lead. The ©9
went to the ace and Von Arnim returned a low heart to the
king. A third heart to the queen was followed by a passive
diamond exit, leaving Erhart with the queen of trumps to find.
She won the ace and tried the king of clubs, in the hope of
getting an honest count signal from Von Arnim. Whatever she
saw didn't help because she continued with ace and another
spade and was one down; -100.
I would have thought that the cuebidding sequence in the
other room had also indicated that a heart lead would be the
most effective one, but it was a little more difficult from
the west hand and Weigkricht actually chose a club. Rauscheid
won the ¨A,
crossed to the ªK
and took heart discards on the clubs, picking up the trumps
along the way as Weigkricht ruffed in on the fourth round;
+710 and 13 IMPs to Germany.
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Board 8. Dealer West. None Vul.
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| |
ª 9 8 4 3
© A Q 6
¨ K 9 7 4
§ 10 7 |
ª Q 10 7
© 8 3 2
¨ 10 8 6
§ A K 9 3 |
|
ª A K J 5 2
© K J 10 5 4
¨ 5
§ 6 2 |
| |
ª 6
© 9 7
¨ A Q J 3 2
§ Q J 8 5 4 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| V Arnim |
Erhart |
Auken |
Smederevac |
| Pass |
Pass |
1ª |
2NT |
| Dble |
4¨ |
4© |
Pass |
| 4ª |
5¨ |
Dble |
All Pass |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Weigkricht |
Nehmert |
Fischer |
Rauscheid |
| Pass |
Pass |
1ª |
2NT |
| Dble |
4¨ |
Pass |
Pass |
| Dble |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
Smederevac Jovanka, Austria |
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The two auctions were identical as far as 4¨
but then Auken judged to show her second suit immediately
while Fischer preferred to wait until her partner doubled.
I doubt that these choices affected the outcome significantly,
rather, it was another case of Erhart taking a solo action
that was not found at the other table when she went on to
5¨.
Auken led a top spade against 5¨
doubled but could not read her partner's play of the seven
and switched to a heart, losing the defensive trick in that
suit. Erhart won and crossed to dummy with a trump to play
a club up. Daniela Von Arnim won and Erhart soon claimed one
down; -100. Where 4ª
might have proved to be hard work due to the 4-1 trump split,
4© posed no
major difficulty for Fischer. She won the spade lead in dummy
and played a heart up. Nehmert took the ace to deal her partner
a spade ruff, but with the heart finesse marked on the auction
there was only one diamond to come from here; +420 and 8 IMPs
to Austria.
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Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
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| |
ª Q 8 6
© J 8 7 3
¨ Q 9 8 5
§ K J |
ª A J 9 3
© A
¨ K 7 2
§ Q 10 7 5 4 |
|
ª K 10
© 10 5 4
¨ A J 10 4
§ A 9 8 3 |
| |
ª 7 5 4 2
© K Q 9 6 2
¨ 6 3
§ 6 2 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| V Arnim |
Erhart |
Auken |
Smederevac |
| |
Pass |
1¨ |
1© |
| Dble |
1NT |
Pass |
Pass |
| Dble |
Pass |
Pass |
2© |
| 3§ |
Pass |
3© |
Pass |
| 3ª |
Pass |
4§ |
Pass |
| 5§ |
All Pass |
|
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Weigkricht |
Nehmert |
Fischer |
Rauscheid |
| |
Pass |
1¨ |
2© |
| Dble |
4© |
Pass |
Pass |
| 5§ |
Pass |
6§ |
All Pass |
Again Erhart found a combination of calls that would not have occurred
to many of us, creating difficulties for her opponents. In the circumstances,
Auken/Von Arnim did very well to get to the club game. But bidding
to game proved not to be good enough. In the other room, Weigkricht
doubled the weak jump overcall then, rather than make a second double
at her next turn, bravely bid her clubs at the five level. Fischer
may have been looking at a weak no trump, but all her cards looked
to be working and she added the sixth club. Weigkricht won the heart
lead and played the §Q to the king and ace. A second club lost to
the jack and Nehmert's spade switch saved Weigkricht the worry of
finding the queen of diamonds - which you was heavy favourite to
do anyway. That was +1370 for Austria and +620 for Germany; 11 IMPs
to Austria.
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Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.
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| |
ª 9
© 7 2
¨ A J 8 7 6 3 2
§ 7 5 3 |
ª Q 4 3
© J 10 6 5
¨ -
§ K Q J 9 6 2 |
|
ª K J 5 2
© Q 8 3
¨ K 10 9
§ A 10 4 |
| |
ª A 10 8 7 6
© A K 9 4
¨ Q 5 4
§ 8 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| V Arnim |
Erhart |
Auken |
Smederevac |
| |
|
1ª |
Pass |
| 2© |
3¨ |
Pass |
5¨ |
| Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
All Pass |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Weigkricht |
Nehmert |
Fischer |
Rauscheid |
| |
|
1¨ |
1ª |
| 2§ |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
| 3NT |
All Pass |
|
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The Austrian run continued with another double-figure swing. Fischer's
1¨ opening silenced Nehmert and the Austrians overbid to the bad
no trump game. Rauscheid led the ace of hearts to take a look at
dummy then switched to a low diamond. Nehmert won the ace and returned
a diamond, ducked. Now Rauscheid just cashed out for down one; -100.
Erhart found the courage (it is called something else when the
result is -1100) to overcall 3¨ and Smederevac raised to game. You
or I might have been tempted to redouble with the South hand when
Auken doubled, but then we are not as used to playing with Maria
and Smederevac was happy to put down a rather suitable dummy in
5¨ doubled. Auken led a spade and Erhart won the ace and gave up
a club. Unable to attack trumps to good effect, the defence was
powerless to prevent Erhart from ruffing two clubs in dummy for
+750 and 12 IMPs to Austria, who had moved into the lead by a single
IMP.
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Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
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| |
ª A J 8 4
© A J 9 7 5
¨ K 3
§ K 5 |
ª Q 10
© 8 3
¨ J 6 5 2
§ Q J 10 9 7 |
|
ª K 9 7 3 2
© -
¨ Q 10 9 8
§ 6 4 3 2 |
| |
ª 6 5
© K Q 10 6 4 2
¨ A 7 4
§ A 8 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| V Arnim |
Erhart |
Auken |
Smederevac |
| |
|
|
1© |
| Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3§ |
| Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
3© |
| Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
4¨ |
| Pass |
4NT |
Pass |
5ª |
| Pass |
5NT |
Pass |
7© |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Weigkricht |
Nehmert |
Fischer |
Rauscheid |
| |
|
|
1© |
| Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3© |
| Pass |
3ª |
Dble |
Pass |
| Pass |
Rdbl |
Pass |
4§ |
| Pass |
4¨ |
Pass |
4© |
| Pass |
4NT |
Pass |
5¨ |
| Pass |
6© |
All Pass |
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The Austrian lead did not survive the next deal as Erhart/Smederevac
bid to the hopeless grand slam. Two No Trump was a forcing heart
raise and 3§/¨ showed values in the bid suits. After an exchange
of cuebids, Erhart took control, asking for aces then inviting seven
by bidding 5NT. Smederevac decided that her sixth trump was an extra
trick and bid the grand - down one for -50.
Nehmert also began with a forcing heart raise and Rauscheid showed
a decent hand with no particular distributional feature to show.
A series of cuebids again led to North asking for key cards but
she then settled for the small slam, having been warned that the
second round of spades would be a problem; +980 and 14 IMPs to Germany.
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Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
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| |
ª 10 8 7
© A J 9 3
¨ 10
§ Q 6 4 3 2 |
ª Q 6
© 6
¨ K Q 7 6 5 3
§ K 10 9 8 |
|
ª K 9 5 3
© Q 10 8 5 4
¨ A J 8
§ A |
| |
ª A J 4 2
© K 7 2
¨ 9 4 2
§ J 7 5 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| V Arnim |
Erhart |
Auken |
Smederevac |
| |
|
1© |
Pass |
| 1NT |
All Pass |
|
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Weigkricht |
Nehmert |
Fischer |
Rauscheid |
| |
|
1ª |
Pass |
| 2¨ |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
| 3¨ |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
The West hand was a bad one for the German methods and semi-forcing
1NT response was the best solution that Von Arnim could find. With
no attractive rebid, Auken passed, only to find that the combined
24-count was delivering a cold game, duly bid by Austria in the
other room. Both declarers took nine safe tricks for 6 IMPs to Austria.
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Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
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| |
ª A 7
© 4 2
¨ K 9 5 3
§ K 8 7 4 2 |
ª K 8 2
© A 9 7
¨ Q 8 7 4
§ Q J 6 |
|
ª Q 4 3
© J 8 6 3
¨ A J 6
§ A 10 5 |
| |
ª J 10 9 6 5
© K Q 10 5
¨ 10 2
§ 9 3 |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| V Arnim |
Erhart |
Auken |
Smederevac |
| |
|
|
Pass |
| 1NT |
Pass |
Pass |
2§ |
| Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
2ª |
| Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
All Pass |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Weigkricht |
Nehmert |
Fischer |
Rauscheid |
| |
|
|
Pass |
| 1¨ |
Pass |
1© |
Pass |
| 1NT |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
The two flat 12-counts do not fit well together and it was no surprise
that Weigkricht could not find a way to come to nine tricks; down
one for -50 after a club lead.
Von Arnim's mini no trump kept her side at a safe level and Germany
was already booked for a modest gain when Smederevac came in with
an overaggressive 2§ overcall to show both majors. Two Diamonds
asked for the overcaller's longer major and when Smederevac showed
this Auken doubled. Von Arnim gave that a long look but eventually
did the right thing by passing.
It looks as though the contract can go for 800 if the defence is
accurate, but the actual 500 was still quite enough for the Germans.
Von Arnim led the jack of clubs, Rusinow, and Smederevac did well
to cover. Now Auekn was on lead and wasn't sure that it was a good
idea to play another club. She switched to a spade and Smederevac
put in the jack. Von Arnim thought for some time before, surprisingly,
playing the king. Smederevac won the ªA and played a heart to the
ten and ace. Von Arnim played a trump and Auken won the queen and
returned her low club. That was an important play and there was
another important play to come as Von Arnim switched to the queen
of diamonds. The defence had their seven tricks now for +500 and
11 IMPs to Germany.
Note that without the diamond play from West there is a danger
that declarer can draw trumps and play three rounds of hearts to
endplay East and force her to lead up to the king of diamonds.
Austria gained just 1 IMP on the set and trailed
by 156-175 with 32 boards to play the next day.
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