Denmark vs Poland

Semi-final Segment 3 (Boards 33-48)

Denmark was ahead by only 7 IMPs when this very exciting set of boards started.

Board 35. E/W Vul. Dealer South.
	ª 9 3 2 © J 10 7 6 ¨ J 6 § Q 6 5 2
ª 10 6 © K 9 2 ¨ 10 9 3 2 § A 10 9 4		ª J 8 7 5 4 © Q 5 ¨ A Q § K 8 7 3
	ª A K Q © A 8 4 3 ¨ K 8 7 5 4 § J

West	North	East	South
Gjaldbaek	J. Kotorowicz	Schaltz	K. Kotorowicz
			1¨
Pass	Pass	1ª	1NT
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Lutostanski	Henriksen	Buras	Marquardsen
			1¨
Pass	1©	Pass	3§
Pass	3©	Pass	4©
All Pass

Marquardsen bid game anyway, even though Henriksen suggested an end to the auction. Why didn’t he simply bid 4© at his second turn? Marquardsen should have listened to his partner because 3© was the spot to be as 4© went one off; -100 to East/West.

In the Open Room the Kotorowicz brothers stopped at a more moderate level. Gjaldbaek led ª10 which declarer won to continue with a diamond to the jack and East’s queen. Schaltz knew that the declarer had 9 HCP in spades and probably ¨K. There was space for a high card in either hearts or clubs and Schaltz now attacked the club suit. West won the ace and the defence took another three club tricks, which did nasty things to declarer’s hand. Schaltz cashed ¨A and put declarer in with a spade. The hearts now had to be played from the declarer’s hand; very nicely defended by East/West who equalized the result from the Closed Room.

In the other semi-final USA2 managed to play in 1NT both directions, making +120 East/West and +90 North/South.

North/South vulnerable what’s your bid sitting East?

ª J 10 5 © Q J 9 4 2 ¨ Q J 9 6 2 § -

West	North	East	South
	Pass	Pass	3ª
Pass	4ª	?

Martin Schaltz doubled for take-out.

Board 37. N/S Vul. Dealer North.
	ª Q © 10 8 7 5 3 ¨ A K 8 § J 9 8 3
ª K 4 © K ¨ 10 7 5 4 § A Q 7 6 5 2		ª J 10 5 © Q J 9 4 2 ¨ Q J 9 6 2 § -
	ª A 9 8 7 6 3 2 © A 6 ¨ 3 § K 10 4

West	North	East	South
Gjaldbaek	J. Kotorowicz	Schaltz	K. Kotorowicz
	Pass	Pass	3ª
Pass	4ª	Dble	Pass
5§	Dble	5¨	Dble
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Lutostanski	Henriksen	Buras	Marquardsen
	Pass	2©	2ª
4§	Dble	4¨	4ª
Dble	All Pass

Two spades can go from hand if dummy plays the queen then the ace on Krzysztof Kotorowicz’s club lead. Since South had opened pre-emptively it is more sensible for North to have the king so declarer ruffed in hand; down three for –500 and a good result for Poland – we thought. From the Closed Room Henriksen/Marquardsen showed up with en even better result; +790 in 4ª doubled. West led §A and gave East a ruff. Next came a heart, won by declarer who cashed ace and king in diamonds for a heart discard. The defence had to win a trump trick but that was all.

Board 38. E/W Vul. Dealer East.
	ª J 4 2 © A Q 8 6 5 4 ¨ Q 6 4 § 7
ª K 5 © J 7 2 ¨ 10 5 3 2 § Q 10 4 3		ª A © K ¨ K 9 7 § A K J 9 8 6 5 2
	ª Q 10 9 8 7 6 3 © 10 9 3 ¨ A J 8 § -

West	North	East	South
Gjaldbaek	J. Kotorowicz	Schaltz	K. Kotorowicz
		1§	3ª
Pass	4ª	5§	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Lutostanski	Henriksen	Buras	Marquardsen
		1§	4ª
Pass	Pass	5§	Pass
Pass	5ª	Pass	Pass
Dble	All Pass

Krzysztof led a spade but even though declarer pitched ©K on ªK he couldn’t avoid losing three diamond tricks as the cards lay. There are not enough entries to dummy after eliminating hearts to play a diamond up. Schaltz ruffed all three hearts but was in hand to play diamonds. A bit surprisingly, declarer didn’t try the only chance to make the contract: to play South to have only two hearts. If so, South would come in and have to give declarer a diamond trick (or play a spade).

Marquardsen had a lot to do in his 5ª doubled. A diamond lead from Lutostanski was a good start for declarer who took the trick in hand with ¨J. East won the trump continuation and tried §A which was ruffed by declarer. Marquardsen now played ©10 and put up the ace – and the bare king dropped! 5ª doubled just made and 11 IMPs to Denmark.

In the other semi-final the Americans amazed and amused us all (well, not everybody…) when they tried to play 3© on the East/West’s cards on the following deal:

Board 39. All Vul. Dealer South.
	ª A Q J 6 © Q 10 7 6 3 ¨ A J § 10 9
ª 10 9 5 4 © J 9 4 ¨ 5 2 § 8 7 6 4		ª - © K 5 2 ¨ K Q 10 4 3 § A Q J 5 2
	ª K 8 7 3 2 © A 8 ¨ 9 8 7 6 § K 3

West	North	East	South
Gjaldbaek	J. Kotorowicz	Schaltz	K. Kotorowicz
			Pass
Pass	1©	2¨	Dble
Pass	2ª	3§	3¨
Pass	4ª	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Lutostanski	Henriksen	Buras	Marquardsen
			Pass
Pass	1©	2¨	2ª
Pass	4ª	Dble	All Pass

We spare you the American’s bidding, but can tell that 3© went six down for –1700.
3¨ by Krzystzof was a high-card raise in spades. Schaltz led ¨K and Jakub won the ace then had an unpleasant surprise when the trump suit proved to be four-nil. He switched to a club, Schaltz rose with the ace and played a club to dummy’s king. A diamond to jack and queen endplayed East. Schaltz tried a low diamond but there was no defence. Jakub had to win a diamond trick and get a diamond ruff in hand; +620 for North/South. At the other table Marquardsen won the diamond lead with the ace and led a club up at trick two. Buras won the ace, cashed a diamond trick and exited with a club. Declarer took one round of trumps then led the ©Q to king and ace. A heart up established the hearts; +790 and 5 IMPs to Denmark.

Denmark had a good period in the middle of this segment and won another 11 IMPs on the following board.

Board 40. All Vul. Dealer South.
	ª A Q 9 8 7 6 © J 10 6 3 ¨ 8 2 § 7
ª 5 4 3 © 4 ¨ 6 5 3 § K 10 8 5 4 2		ª K J © A K Q 7 5 ¨ J 10 7 § A 9 6
	ª 10 2 © 9 8 2 ¨ A K Q 9 4 § Q J 3

West	North	East	South
Gjaldbaek	J. Kotorowicz	Schaltz	K. Kotorowicz
3§	Pass	3NT	Pass
Pass	4ª	Dble	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Lutostanski	Henriksen	Buras	Marquardsen
Pass	Pass	1©	2¨
Pass	2ª	Dble	Pass
3§	All Pass

After three spade contracts doubled and made, Lutostanski certainly didn’t want to see a fourth succeed and flew to 3§; one off and –50. In the Open Room Jakub didn’t want to bid over 3§ but all of a sudden he made an attempt for game! Schaltz defeated this very nicely starting with three top hearts and switching to a diamond. Gjaldbaek discarded two diamonds on the top hearts and declarer couldn’t prevent a diamond ruff; -500 and another 11 IMP swing to Denmark.

Board 43. None Vul. Dealer South.
	ª K J 10 9 5 © 9 ¨ 8 7 6 3 § 10 9 7
ª 4 © A Q ¨ A K Q 9 4 § Q J 8 6 5		ª A Q 8 7 2 © K 8 7 ¨ J 5 § K 4 3
	ª 6 3 © J 10 6 5 4 3 2 ¨ 10 2 § A 2

West	North	East	South
Gjaldbaek	J. Kotorowicz	Schaltz	K. Kotorowicz
			3©
4NT	Pass	5§	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Lutostanski	Henriksen	Buras	Marquardsen
			3©
3NT	Pass	4NT	Pass
5©	Pass	6NT	All Pass

Very nicely bid by Lutostanski/Buras in the Closed Room to reach 6NT. North led a heart but the play was straightforward, of course. Schaltz wasn’t sure what his major-suit tops would be worth and stopped safely in 5§; Poland gained 11 IMPs .

Board 46. None Vul. Dealer East.
	ª A 4 3 © J ¨ J 9 7 5 4 § 10 5 3 2
ª J 9 6 2 © 9 8 5 4 ¨ A K 8 3 § 7		ª 10 7 © K 3 2 ¨ Q 10 6 2 § K J 9 6
	ª K Q 8 5 © A Q 10 7 6 ¨ - § A Q 8 4

West	North	East	South
Gjaldbaek	J. Kotorowicz	Schaltz	K. Kotorowicz
		1NT	2§
Pass	2ª	Pass	3§
Pass	3ª	Pass	Pass
Dble	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Lutostanski	Henriksen	Buras	Marquardsen
		Pass	1©
Pass	1NT	Pass	2§
All Pass

When Schaltz opened 1NT (9-12 HCP), Gjaldbaek doubled 3ª to acknowledge that the opponents only had seven spades. A diamond lead would have worked better but Schaltz led ª10 to reduce declarer’s possibilities to ruff. Declarer won the ace then let ©J run. A club to the queen was followed by ©A and a heart ruff. Now Jakub simply ruffed a diamond and cashed two top spades and ©Q to make his contract; +530 and that was 9 IMPs to Poland when North/South scored +130 in the Closed Room.

With only 16 boards to play Denmark was in a confident lead by 146 IMPs to 119.