Even an Executive… by Ace Ventura Owing to illness a substitute was needed quickly to play a few boards in the Open Pairs Semifinal A. Unfortunately, not many real ‘bridgeplayers’ were around. However, EBL Executive Micke Melander solved the situation by taking the empty seat. As a Championship Chairman you need to do what ever has to be done! Soon Micke was facing his toughest challenge during these two weeks. ♠ A Q 7 ♥ Q 9 7 4 3 2 ♦ Q 2 ♣ Q 4 ♠ 1 0 9 5 ♥ A K 5 ♦ A 9 8 ♣ K 7 6 3 Without any interventions Micke, sitting West, reached 4♥. North led ♦5 (fourth best). What are your ideas? Dealer East. EW Vul.   ♠ J 3 2 ♥ J 8 ♦ K J 6 5 ♣ J 8 5 2 ♠ A Q 7 ♥ Q 9 7 4 3 2 ♦ Q 2 ♣ Q 4 ♠ 10 9 5 ♥ A K 5 ♦ A 9 8 ♣ K 7 6 3   ♠ K 8 6 4 ♥ 10 6 ♦ 10 7 4 3 ♣ A 10 9 West North East South 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass 1NT Pass 3♥ Pass 4♥ All Pass Micke played low in dummy to South’s ten and the queen. He crossed to dummy to play a club up to the queen, which held the trick. Another cross in trumps to dummy followed, then a club up towards hand. South, who couldn’t read the situation, played the ace then switched to a low spade. Finessing was no option for Micke, so he took the ace then ran trumps. Before the last trump was played, this was the ending:   ♠ - ♥ - ♦ K J ♣ J 8 ♠ Q 7 ♥ 2 ♦ 2 ♣ - ♠ - ♥ - ♦ A 9 ♣ K 7   ♠ K 8 6 ♥ - ♦ - ♣ 10 On the last trump North had to throw in the towel, since he was squeezed in the minors. Well done! It seems that even an Executive can play bridge. (At least some…) Directing the Defence Getting a good score at matchpoints requires that your actions are generally successful. Sometimes things work out, sometimes not. On this deal from the first session of Semifinal B in the Open pairs an aggressive double paid a big dividend: Dealer West.East/West Vul   ♠ K 7 6 5 ♥ 6 3 ♦ 9 3 ♣ K J 8 5 3 ♠ A 10 4 ♥ K 8 5 4 2 ♦ 10 8 6 5 ♣ 6 ♠ J 9 8 3 2 ♥ J 7 ♦ A Q 4 2 ♣ 9 7   ♠ Q ♥ A Q 10 9 ♦ K J 7 ♣ A Q 10 4 2 West North East South Smilgajs Matisons Pass Pass Pass 1♣ 1♥ 1♠ Pass 2NT Pass 3NT Dble All Pass Maris Matisons lead directing double paid a huge dividend when West was able to lead the ace of spades and continue with the ten, ensuring the defeat of the contract. Zia’s Problem If Zia comes into the office you know you are going to get something special. Take a look at this deal, reported in Bulletin 13. Dealer South.All Vul.   ♠ Q ♥ A K 9 3 ♦ Q 5 4 ♣ J 1 0 7 4 3 ♠ A K 9 4 ♥ 8 4 ♦ A J 9 7 6 ♣ A 5   You are East, trying to make Six Diamonds after the following auction: West North East South Robson Kampmann Zia Auken       Pass 1♣ 1♠ 2♦ Pass 3♦ Pass 3♥ Dble Redble Pass 4NT Pass 5♣ Dble Redble Pass 5♥ Pass 6♦ All PasS South leads the eight of clubs. Plan the play. You need to find North with ♦Kx and if you might be tempted to win the first club, cross to dummy with a spade, play a diamond to the jack and cash the ace of diamonds. When the king falls you play a club but North wins and plays a third club to ensure South scores a trick with the ten of diamonds. Zia saw this in a flash and found the only counter. He simply ducked the club lead! Now he could win the club return, cross to the queen of spades, finesse in diamonds, cash the ace, dropping the king, draw the last trump and play a club. That way he has just enough entries to establish the fifth club as a parking place for his losing spade. This was the layout he was playing for:   ♠ J 10 8 6 3 2 ♥ 6 5 ♦ K 3 ♣ K Q 9 2 ♠ Q ♥ A K 9 3 ♦ Q 5 4 ♣ J 10 7 4 3 ♠ A K 9 4 ♥ 8 4 ♦ A J 9 7 6 ♣ A 5   ♠ 7 5 ♥ Q J 10 7 2 ♦ 10 8 2 ♣ 8 6 West North East South Robson Kampmann Zia Auken       Pass 1♣ 1♠ 2♦ Pass 3♦ Pass 3♥ Dble Redble Pass 4NT Pass 5♣ Dble Redble Pass 5♥ Pass 6♦ All Pass Well, did you match the master’s play? A Good Slam? by Jos Jacobs In the final round of Saturday’s Open team qualification this deal came along: Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.   ♠ 4 ♥ A Q J 10 8 7 2 ♦ 8 4 ♣ 10 8 5 ♠ J 7 ♥ - ♦ A 10 7 3 ♣ A Q J 9 7 4 2 ♠ A K 9 5 ♥ 5 4 3 ♦ K Q J 9 5 ♣ K   ♠ Q 10 8 6 3 2 ♥ K 9 6 ♦ 6 2 ♣ 6 3 West North East South Jansma Golebiowski Verhees Kwiecinski       2♦ 3♣ Pass 3♦ Pass 4♥ Pass 4NT Pass 5NT Pass 7♦ All Pass Though many pairs missed the grand, the neat sequence by the Dutch is not the reason to write about this hand. Reaching the grand was made relatively easy for them when North did not join in the interference. Still, it won them 13 IMPs on their way to winning their group and putting their opponents, who were ahead of them before the match, out into the Swiss B. The real story about this hand comes from a table nearby the Dutch. EW managed to reach the dubious contract of 6NT and made it too. South led a heart to North’s ace and North continued a spade, fully trusting his opponents’ bidding…

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