By Patrick Jourdain (Wales)

Glenn Grotheim, of the Norwegian team, is inventor of the Viking Club. It has a sophisticated relay method. On the deal below from their Round Robin match against Brazil it got as far as locating which jack partner held.

"Have you ever found about tens?", I enquired, attempting a put-down. "No," replied a crestfallen Glenn, but he had a thoughtful look, so the next version of the system may well remedy that defect.

"What was the swing on the board?" "They didn't know about the jack of clubs," he replied, "so had to settle for Seven Diamonds. We were able to bid Seven Notrumps with confidence. Still it was a lot of hard work for 2 IMPs."

Bermuda Bowl Round robin Round 10

Norway vs Brazil

Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
	ª A Q 7 4 © A Q 3 ¨ K Q J 8 § A 8
ª 9 3 © J 10 9 8 4 ¨ 5 4 § 10 9 7 3		ª J 6 5 2 © K 7 6 5 ¨ 7 6 3 § 5 4
	ª K 10 8 © 2 ¨ A 10 9 2 § K Q J 6 2

South	North
Glenn Grotheim	Terje Aa
1¨ (11-15 HCP, 1+ ¨s)	1© (Nat or any Game force)
2§ (both minors, at least 9 cards)	2¨ (game-forcing relay)
2© (4¨ - 5§)	2ª (relay for exact shape)
3© (3-1-4-5 shape)	3ª (relay for aces)
3NT (one ace)	4§ (relay for number of kings)
4ª (2 kings of the same colour)	4NT (relay for queens)
5¨ (1 queen)	5© (relay for which queen)
5ª (§Q)	5NT (relay for jacks)
6¨ (1 jack)	6© (relay for which jack)
6ª (§J)	7NT (we forgot to cover tens)
Pass

If this has inspired you to investigate further, check the website showing the full system:

www.vikingclub.net

Polish Power Play

Poland is in ominously good form. Here are two examples of how they score points.

In Round 6 they faced Egypt the surprise team that so nearly qualified.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	ª 10 8 6 © A Q 10 7 2 ¨ A Q 10 5 § 10
ª 7 © J 5 4 3 ¨ J 6 2 § K Q J 8 2		ª Q 5 4 3 2 © K 8 ¨ K 7 4 § 9 5 3
	ª A K J 9 © 9 6 ¨ 9 8 3 § A 7 6 4

West	North	East	South
Zmudzinski		Balicki
			1§
Pass	1©	Pass	1ª
Pass	2¨	Pass	2NT
Pass	3NT	All Pass

Adam Zmudzinski led the king of clubs.
Looking at the array of points in his own hand, Balicki realised that his partner could hardly have an entry outside the club suit. Setting a trap, Balicki played the nine. In order of priority, that was discouraging, suit preference or from an odd number. Declarer, believing that with the singleton ten visible in dummy East would encourage with three clubs to the nine, was taken in and fatally won the second club.

In Round 16 Poland faced Brazil.

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

West	North	East	South
Zmudzinski	Chagas	Balicki	Brenner
		Pass	Pass
1NT	Pass	2§	Pass
2¨	Pass	3§	Pass
3¨	Pass	3©	Pass
3NT	All Pass

North led a low spade for the nine and declarer's jack. Declarer ducked a heart to South and the club switch went to the king and ace. A diamond to the nine was followed by the ace of diamonds and the queen, North pitching a spade. The spade return went to dummy's king and declarer came back to hand with the ace of hearts. After cashing the ace of spades, these cards remained:

	ª Q © Q 9 ¨ - § 5
ª - © 4 ¨ J 6 § 9		ª - © J 7 ¨ - § J 7
	ª - © - ¨ 10 5 § Q 10

Now declarer could choose how to endplay South.

The Seniors Were Right

By Christian Farwig Germany

While some of the German ladies were waiting for the Metro to take them away from the Stade de France last Saturday, members of a Seniors team approached them and stated that the combination of beauty and wit as displayed by the German ladies team is very dangerous. Unfortunately, no more pleasantries were exchanged since the conversation was cut short by two of the husbands showing up. But being married to one of the ladies, I can confirm that they were right. At least in the domestic area.

But they also show their ferocity at the table, as proved by this masterpiece of Sabine Auken against the USA I team in the Venice Cup quarterfinal.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª A Q 6 © J 6 3 ¨ J 9 8 3 § A K 7
ª K J 8 7 3 © A K 8 2 ¨ Q 7 § 5 3		ª 9 5 4 2 © Q 9 7 5 4 ¨ K § Q 6 4
	ª 10 © 10 ¨ A 10 6 5 4 2 § J 10 9 8 2

The bidding went:

West	North	East	South
Van Zwol	Dhondy	Hoogweg	Smith
			2ª1
Dble2	2NT	3©	3NT3
Dble	4¨	Dble	4©
Dble	Pass	Pass	4ª
Pass	5¨	All Pass

(1) Two-suiter in either minors or majors
(2) Majors
(3) Minors and maximum

After coming close to bidding a slam, v. Arnim - Auken ventured for the Diamond-game. The opening lead of a small heart was won by West who returned a spade.
Sabine Auken now reasoned that the spade-finesse was sure to win - something, which could not be said about the club-finesse. So, as a precaution, she made the finesse and discarded a club on the spade ace. Now she ruffed a heart, lead a club to the ace, ruffed another heart and cashed the ace of diamonds to reach this position:

	ª - © 6 ¨ J 9 8 § K 7
ª K J 8 © A ¨ Q § 5		ª 4 2 © Q 9 ¨ - § Q 6
	ª - © - ¨ 10 6 5 § J 10 9

The fall of the king of diamonds from East confirmed her suspicion about the overall distribution and judging West to have a 5-4-2-2-hand, she rejected the club finesse and instead played club to the king to ruff her last spade. Now the second round of trumps brought West in to an unavoidable endplay and netted well deserved +600, a feat not duplicated by any other declarer on this hand.

The Labours of Hercules

By Barry Rigal USA

A spectacular hand at the end of the fourth session of the quarterfinals saw the West players at various tables struggle mightily.

Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
	ª 8 © Q 9 7 6 ¨ K 6 § K Q J 8 6 3
ª A K 6 5 4 © A K 8 4 ¨ 4 3 2 § A		ª Q J 9 2 © 10 ¨ A J 8 7 5 § 9 7 4
	ª 10 7 3 © J 5 3 2 ¨ Q 10 9 § 10 5 2

Both tables reached Six Spades by West in USA I - Italy. How should you play on a club lead?
After winning the club lead both Hamman & Versace played a low diamond. When North mistakenly played low there was a glimmer of hope. The ace of diamonds was followed by the ace and king of hearts and a heart ruff. Then came a club ruff, heart ruff, one round of trumps and then a diamond, hoping North was 1-4-2-6.
This was the ending:

	ª - © - ¨ - § Q J 8 6
ª A K 6 © - ¨ 4 § -		ª Q © - ¨ J 8 7 § -
	ª 10 7 © - ¨ Q § 10

North was helpless. He had to lead a club and let declarer ruff in dummy and pitch his losing diamond. A diamond ruff to hand enabled declarer to claim tricks 12 & 13 with the ªAK.
Flat Board!