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2nd Session Results after 2 Sessions 3rd Session Results after 3 Sessions	Reaching the Mid Point Narrow escapes by Kees Tammens Far from blank Czech by Kees Tammens

Today we are delighted to welcome two very important international Bridge personalities, who are honouring our championships with their presence. The president of the World Bridge Federation José Damiani, and second vice president of the European Bridge League, Anna Maria Torlontano, are due to arrive at Sportilia in order to see at first hand how well we are running our competition, and to be with us for a short while. Both dignitaries will of course attend the closing Ceremony and will hand out the prizes to the winners.

In his long Bridge career as President of the French Bridge Federation, then of the European Bridge League and now of the World Bridge Federation, Mr Damiani has always been a keen supporter of Junior Bridge. This is because he believes that young people can benefit tremendously from our game, which cultivates Team Spirit and adds a strong social element to today's world where isolation tends to be the order of the day. It can truly be said that together with the WBF President Emeritus Jaime Ortiz-Patiño, and the late EBL President André Boekhorst, he completes the Triumvirate from whom Junior Bridge has derived most of its support.

Mrs. Anna Maria Torlontano is better known for her sterling work in setting up Women's Bridge and ensuring that it is a discipline to be taken seriously. However, in the long years of her service to International Bridge she has always recognised the importance of Bridge among young people, and supported all positive moves in this direction. Mrs. Torlontano is a European delegate to the WBF, and a member of the WBF Youth Committee.

Panos Gerontopoulos

Chairman, WBF Youth Committee

The overnight leaders, Geitner and Rombaut, seemed the obvious pair to watch. However they suffered a disappointing reversal on the initial board, when they overreached to a poor but playable slam, and found a distinctly unfavourable lie of the cards.

Board 1. Dealer North. Love All A K 8 5 4 A A Q 6 4 3 A 2 9 3 Q 6 2 K Q 10 8 6 5 2 9 K J 10 7 5 J 10 9 8 4 3 7 5 J 10 7 J 9 7 4 3 8 2 K Q 5 West North East South 2 Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 4 Pass 5 Pass 6 All Pass

The problem in the French sequence seems to be centred on the bid of 4. There is a good case, it seems to me, for the old-fashioned Acol style of using 4 as a help-suit, trial bid (or perhaps of using 3NT as a serious slam try, in which case the hand is not really worth such an effort.)

As it was, Rombaut seemed to feel obliged to make an effort with his second round club control, and Geitner now simply bid the slam. That was not unreasonable, since if partner had no heart control he figured to come through with something useful in spades or diamonds. As it was, on a club lead Geitner won in dummy and took a diamond finesse, then won the heart return and laid down the A. When this was ruffed, he was two down for sure, and in fact finished up losing 150.

Not all the North-South pairs did so poorly though. When Christina Klemensen and Jacob Søegaard started a cue-bidding sequence they were fortunate enough to encounter an East player whose bidding-box had run out of green cards. As a result he felt obliged to double 5, and Christina came to rest in 5. On the club lead she carefully took this in dummy to play a diamond to the ace, and then exited with a low diamond. If the defence go passive now, Christina could simply ruff two diamonds high in dummy and finish up throwing her fifth diamond on the top club in dummy.

However East found the fine play of a low trump. If Christina had put up the 10 she would have gone down, and indeed that play looks natural. But she kept her wits about her and played low, and now could proceed with her plan. On winning the K she unblocked the clubs, ruffed a diamond, played a heart to hand and ruffed another diamond. Now she cashed the third round of clubs, pitching her diamond loser. East could ruff, but North had the rest.

Board 3 was an interesting example of being in the right place at the right time. Different North-South pairs had vastly different results, depending on their methods. The worst possible North-South result would come from the pairs defending to 3NT on an unopposed auction. It looks natural to lead your six-card suit does it not, and concede 660 or the like for very few match-points.

Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Game 10 7 6 4 2 K 10 8 6 2 7 4 3 — J 9 A K 3 5 4 3 A 7 K 9 6 2 A Q J 10 8 Q 8 3 2 A J 9 Q 8 5 Q J 9 5 K 10 7 6 5 4 West North East South Pitt Reim Sarten Drøgemuller Pass Pass 2 Dble Redble Pass 2 Dble Pass 3 Pass 3NT All Pass

If you are playing a variety of Scandinavian germ-warfare, as were Mette Drøgemuller and Sebastian Reim, then you were in a position to interfere in your opponents, bidding. up to a point. Reim opened 2 to show both majors and a weak hand, the problem was that it could have been a 4-4 three count. Even at the vulnerability Mette did not feel inclined to get too much in her opponents' way, and they sold out to 3NT.

Drøgemuller led a heart, and that held declarer to 600, but that was only about an average for North-South. Best of all for North-South was to be playing the 2 (or 2) opening as at least 5-4 in the two suits. Now South can bounce to at least 3 in response. Indeed. Both 4 and 4 cannot be taken for more than 500, and some pairs bought the hand lower, and escaped for much less significant penalties.

Geitner and Rombaut have the reputation for being disciplined players, but you have to know when to loosen the reins a little, and this tournament they are playing a Multi and various destructive two-level gadgets. Pierrre Albarran would doubtless be turning in his grave as we speak. Geitner opened the North hand with 2 in third chair, to show both majors and a weak hand, and now Rombaut had to decide whether to sacrifice over 3NT, with the knowledge that he could set up the hearts in defence at once. He got it wrong, and conceded 600.

Board 6 was a hand where it was almost impossible for North-South to go plus. Indeed the vast majority of pairs attempted something way too ambitious, and 4 doubled was a frequent resting spot. On the normal heart or club lead the defence could cash their three plain suit winners and exit with a low trump, leaving declarer to try and scramble out for two down from there.

Of course not every defender managed to start that successfully. One must have a little sympathy for the unnamed Irish defender in the East seat who read his partner's double as Lightner and led a diamond, fortunately it was against 5! Declarer shook his heart losers first then played a trump rather than a small club so the defence could collect 300 easily enough.

By contrast, this hand saw a fine example of judgement from Geitner and Rombaut, against one of the leading Italian pairs.

Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Game A K 10 8 5 4 10 4 — Q J 9 7 4 Q J 3 2 9 A K 8 7 Q 6 5 2 9 6 3 10 8 4 A 2 K 10 8 6 5 7 6 J 9 3 A K Q J 7 5 2 3 West North East South Pagani Geitner Marino Rombaut Pass 3NT Dble 4 4 Pass Pass Dble All Pass

Rombaut opened a gambling 3NT in second seat and Pagani stretched to double this. Geitner removed to 4, and Marino tried 4. When this came back to him Geitner doubled, and the defence collected a painless 500 for nearly all the matchpoints.

Board 9 looks to be a good board for the overbidders. North-South are quite likely to be able to steal the auction one way or another, in either 3 or 4. In fact even collecting +300 on the East-West cards would not be at all bad, despite the fact that 5 is quite a decent spot on the East-West cards, and 12 tricks are makable if you guess well. Geitner and Rombaut were allowed to buy the hand in 4 after a multi 2.

When this escaped undoubled, it left North-South with the better share of the matchpoints. I was watching at a table where one of the early leaders in the second set, Carmichael and Wooldridge, had less fearsome obstructions put in their way.

Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Game A 8 5 2 Q J 6 5 7 3 2 Q J — J 7 3 K 8 3 2 10 4 K Q 9 6 5 A 10 8 K 8 6 2 A 10 9 7 3 K Q 10 9 6 4 A 9 7 J 4 5 4 West North East South Wooldridge Sala Carmichael Sulak Pass Pass 1 Dble 3 Dble Pass Pass 3 Pass Pass 4 Pass 5 All Pass

The 3 bid gave South some memory problems, but eventually he explained it as a sort of Bergen raise in spades. When Carmichael took the opportunity to double to show cards it let Wooldridge recompete. Now at his final turn it looks clear for Carmichael to bid 5.

The ruffs should come in the short hand, and this sequence (by a passed hand who has 4NT available as a slam-try) can hardly be construed as anything but natural. 5 looks a lot more tricky than 5 on a spade lead, but Wooldridge ruffed and crossed to the A to play a heart to the K and then led a second heart.

A trump shift left Wooldridge with the same 12 tricks that he would have obtained in clubs, and an excellent result.

Board 18. Dealer East. Love All A 10 9 6 2 A 7 A 9 6 4 2 10 5 Q 8 3 9 6 5 K Q 8 4 3 K J 10 8 7 3 5 9 7 4 8 5 3 2 K J 7 4 J 10 2 Q A K Q J 6 West North East South Rosta Geitner Hegedus Rombaut Pass 1 3 3 Pass 4 Pass 5 Pass 5 Pass 5 Pass 6 All Pass

The overnight leaders had recovered well from their poor start to the session and were now scoring heavily. They had a controlled auction to six spades, and guided by the bidding declarer got the trumps right to collect all thirteen tricks and a healthy number of matchpoints. The Hungarians were not put off by this and had a huge result on the next deal they played.

Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Game K Q J 5 4 2 7 6 5 2 Q 5 3 10 J 9 8 7 6 2 A K 9 7 Q 6 A K J 9 3 8 4 J 8 7 K 10 4 A 5 4 3 10 8 3 Q 10 A 9 6 2 West North East South Rosta Krause Hegedus Craige 1 Pass 1 Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 3 Pass 3NT All Pass

West should have passed Two Spades, but as you can see, the cards were lying very kindly for declarer and when North led the three of clubs she was soon claiming ten tricks. Let's go back to the leader's table.

Board 21. Dealer North. N/S Game A 10 A K 7 6 4 3 2 A Q 9 8 K 6 3 Q J 7 J 5 Q 8 J 7 4 3 K 10 6 5 A 10 3 2 J 7 6 4 9 8 5 4 2 10 9 8 2 K Q 9 5 West North East South Spanou Geitner Manousakakis Rombaut 1 Pass 1 Pass 3 Pass 3 Pass 4 Pass 4 All Pass

East found the safe lead of the queen of spades, and North took the trick with the ace. The obvious move now is to duck a diamond (or perhaps a flashy queen of diamonds - you never know!) hoping everything is breaking. Declarer was worried about a possible promotion so he tried a club to the king and ace. Of course this wouldn't have stopped the defenders from securing any promotion that was going, but here Spanou simply switched to a trump.

It appears declarer is going down now, but when he started to play off his trumps East came down to K10.

Now declarer was able to play ace and another diamond and claim the last two tricks with the queen of diamonds and a trump. Confronted by a similar problem, Boye Brogeland and Trond Hantveit simply threw away all their clubs, and declarer cashed five of his trumps before playing on spades and finished up with only 9 tricks.

However, as Kees Tammens pointed out 4 is actually cold on the club lead. West does best to win the A and return a trump, but declarer simply runs all his 7 trumps, keeping 3 spades in dummy. East has to retain 3 diamonds (or declarer simply ducks a diamond) so can only keep 2 spades. When declarer exits with the A and the 10 the defense are helpless. The Frenchmen came unstuck on this deal:

Board 25. Dealer North. E/W Game A K 5 4 A Q J 9 4 3 6 4 3 — Q J 10 8 6 3 K 7 6 8 K 2 A Q 10 8 5 J 5 4 K Q 10 8 7 2 9 7 2 10 5 2 J 9 7 A 9 6 3 West North East South Tichy Geitner Talyigas Rombaut 1 2NT Pass 3 Dble Redble 3 Pass Pass 4 Dble All Pass

How would you approach the East hand? 2NT is the knee jerk reaction, but it might be better to simply overcall Two Clubs and then judge later if the diamonds should be introduced. North's double showed cards and East's redouble showed he was confident, although he could easily have been going down quite badly if the J and K had been elsewhere.

He continued to overbid his hand on the next round, but his partner had just what the doctor ordered and ten tricks were cold. Notice that North will probably make Four Hearts as East will surely lead the king of clubs. Now a diamond goes away and when the ten of hearts collects the eight from East declarer can simply play ace, king and another spade. He will then be able to ruff a spade and collect West's heart king via the finesse.

Right at the end of the set came a hand where virtually the entire field was in the same contract - this being a junior event there have not been many of them - and the whole point of the play was about whether declarer could find a legitimate or illegitimate way to steal an overtrick.

Board 26. Dealer East. Game All K Q 10 9 7 5 A 5 A 6 5 5 4 J 4 6 J 8 6 2 Q 9 7 4 3 10 8 2 Q J 4 3 A Q J 7 9 3 2 A 8 3 2 K 10 K 9 7 K 10 8 6

There were 11 aberrations as pairs missed game or went down in slam, but the vast majority of the field made either ten or eleven tricks in 4. Yes, someone came home with 12 tricks but I do not think we wish to find out how. More typical as to play 4 on a heart lead.

Assuming you win in dummy and draw trumps ending in hand. You should next play on clubs, and it looks right to play a club to either the eight or the ten. You can always play a club to the king on the next round after all. I think a club to the eight is right, but please do not tell me if I am wrong!

Skoglund and Kvangraven of Norway managed to read the position to make 11 tricks. When Skoglund drew trumps and played a club to the king and ace,West incautiously cashed the queen of clubs before exiting with a red suit. Reading the position accurately, Tore took the switch in dummy and played the 10, pinning the 9. West ducked smoothly, but Tore ran the 10 and got his discard.

The second set saw two of the more fancied players get away with murder while I was watching. What do you think? First of all let us see Julius Linde, from the German under-20 Gold medallists at Cardiff, at work. And if ever there was a hand that embodied the principle of "If you are going to duck, duck with the largest card you can afford" this is it.

Board 10. Dealer East. Game All 5 4 A 7 6 5 3 9 5 4 7 6 3 6 3 2 A Q J 8 K J 9 8 4 — J 8 6 2 K 10 7 3 Q K J 8 5 4 K 10 9 7 Q 10 2 A Q A 10 9 2 West North East South X Linde Y Balshun 1 1NT Dble 2 2 Dble All Pass

At least two of the players at this table seem to have been bidding under the impression that they had an extra ace in their hands, but the final contract was a very interesting one. On the opening lead of the 10 declarer took his J (the queen might have been better) and played a club. Balshun took the A and played a low heart to the jack and ace, ruffed by declarer. Now East cashed two top clubs, throwing diamonds from dummy, then followed up with a low diamond. South cashed the Q and A, then exited with the 10.

Declarer ruffed with… the 3 and Julius could score his 5, and return a diamond, allowing South to collect two trump tricks in the ending, for one down. If East had ruffed with the 6 instead, then he could have cashed the K and ruffed a heart, and that would have been eight tricks. Not many pairs managed to achieve par on board 15, which involves E/W competing to 4 over their opponents' contract of 3. But Brogeland and Hantveit beat par, in rather fortunate fashion.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Game K 9 5 3 10 8 5 J 6 3 A 10 5 J 8 A 6 4 A 2 7 4 A K 9 5 2 Q 10 8 7 4 Q J 9 8 K 6 2 Q 10 7 2 K Q J 9 6 3 — 7 4 3 West North East South Pass 1NT Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass

Whether you agree with South's initial pass is a matter of personal philosophy I suppose. It certainly did not work particularly well here, since he was frozen out of the auction by his opponents' barrage in no-trumps. Of course Brogeland could only make seven tricks in a no-trump contract, but he has never met an invitation that he could not accept, so he raised to game, and naturally North led the 3. That brought Brogeland back up to nine tricks, but he could not see through the backs of the cards. How was he to know that spades were not 5-3 with North having both spade honours? And if South won the first spade trick he would continue the suit - wouldn't he?

So Boye played low from dummy at trick one, and South meanly scored his Q and switched to the K, putting declarer back to the seven tricks he started out with.

All he could do was take the first heart and cash five rounds of diamonds, and see what happened. Naturally South kept all his hearts, and Brogeland led a club to the Q and A. If North took this and played a heart, declarer would be reduced to 6 tricks only. North took his A and exited with a club… and now Brogeland had TEN tricks. Hantveit can be reached at 797610.

The International Festival of Youth Bridge was held in s-Hertogenbosch in January 1997, and the hand reprinted below comes from the event. Our hero was a participant in that tournament, and is also here at the championships.

A 5 4 9 2 K J 7 4 J 10 7 4 K Q 10 2 J 9 8 7 J 10 5 4 7 6 A 2 10 9 5 K Q 3 8 6 5 2 6 3 A K Q 8 3 Q 8 6 3 A 9

South was declarer in 3NT, and West, Michael Zadrazil, led the K, requesting the unblock of the J. East, Petrova, duly obliged, when declarer ducked in dummy. Zadrazil continued with the Q, and a third spade. South won this with the A, pitching a diamond from hand, and led a diamond to the queen and ace. How many players would now automatically cash their spade winner?

Not Michal, who realized that if he did so, he would later be squeezed in hearts and clubs. Instead he exited at once with the K. Declarer took this and played three further rounds of diamonds, pitching a club from hand but now his entries to dummy had gone. Zadrazil could pitch his spade winner, and collect the Q and a heart trick at the end, for one down.

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