2nd European Open Bridge Championships Page 4 Bulletin 8 - Saturday, 25 June 2005

Sandbin for Sandqvist

by Ace Ventura

This nicely played hand comes from the second session of the Mixed-Pairs Semifinal A.
North opens 1 and South shows support in spades later in the auction.
How many tricks as East would you make in 4 when South leads the ace of spades then switches to the nine of diamonds?

3
K J 7
5 3 2
1 0 9 8 6
Bridge deal K 8 7
Q 1 0 5 4
Q 1 0
5 4 2

Well, one can hope the diamond honours will be well-placed in North’s hand. In that case a second finesse in diamonds provides the tenth trick. Shall we agree on ten tricks?
Nicklas Sandqvist, the Swede who, for a quite number of years now, flew from all the Swedish good-looking girls to a better weather climate (?) in England, was the only one in the field to make eleven tricks. This was the full layout:

Dealer North, All vul
Board 13
  Q J 10 6 5 4
2
K J 8 6
K Q
3
A K J 7
5 3 2
A 10 9 8 6
Bridge deal K 8 7
Q 10 5 4
A Q 10
5 4 2
  A 9 2
9 8 6 3
9 7 4
J 7 3

West North East South
Dhondy Sandqvist 1 Pass Pass
Dble Pass 2* Dble
3 Pass 3 Pass
4 All Pass    

At some tables North/South judged correctly and took a sacrifice in 4, for a maximum of –500. However, back to Nicklas. When South switched to the nine of diamond at trick two, North played the jack and Nicklas won the queen. Next came a club to the ace and a successful diamond-finesse. Ace and king of trumps exposed the bad trump-break. Nicklas changed tactics and continued with a diamond to the ace then the king of spades and a spade ruff. This was the ending:

  Q J 10
-
-
K
-
J
-
10 9 8
Bridge deal -
Q 10
-
5 4
  -
9 8
-
J 7

A club followed – and North was thrown in. He had only spades left to play for a ruff and a discard. This brilliant performance contributed to a sixth place for Dhondy/Sandqvist at the end of the Semi-Finals.



Page 4


 
<<Previous Next>>