45th GENERALI European Bridge Championships, Arona, Tenerife, Canary Islands Friday, 22 June 2001

Greece v Russia

Ladies Series - Round 3

Greece had made a useful start to the Ladies Championship and were lying fifth at the end of the first day. In Round 3 they met mid-table Russia in a match full of lively deals.

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

West North East South
Khonicheva Ekonomou Gromova Kanellopoulou
      Pass
2§ Pass 3§ All Pass

West North East South
Kaliakmani Romanowska Mamidaki Volina
      Pass
1§ Pass 1ª Pass
3§ Pass 3NT All Pass

When Victoria Gromova made a pre-emptive raise of her Precision 2§ opening, Elena Khonicheva made the winning decision by passing and chalking up +110. In the other room, Anna Kaliakmani and Lina Mamidaki bid up to 3NT after a natural 1§ opening. A heart lead from Victoria Volina meant that the contract hinged on the club finesse. When that failed the contract was down three for -300 and 9 IMPs to Russia.
On another day, of course, with the clubs coming in, the swing would have been 11 IMPs to Greece.

Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.

  ª 5 4
© K 7 6 4 3 2
¨ Q J 9
§ A 9
ª K Q 3
© A Q 10 8
¨ -
§ K J 6 5 4 2
Bridge deal ª A J 9 8 2
© J 9 5
¨ A 7
§ 10 8 7
  ª 10 7 6
© -
¨ K 10 8 6 5 4 3 2
§ Q 3

West North East South
Khonicheva Ekonomou Gromova Kanellopoulou
    Pass 3¨
Dble 5¨ Dble Pass
6§ All Pass    

West North East South
Kaliakmani Romanowska Mamidaki Volina
    Pass 4¨
Dble Pass 4ª Pass
Pass 5¨ 5ª All Pass

Where Liana Ekonomou was willing to raise the 4¨ opening to game, Maia Romanowska preferred to go quietly when her partner opened a level higher - or at least at her first turn. Romanowska waited for her opponents to choose their game then saved in 5¨. Mamidaki took the push to 5ª, which she made exactly for +650.
Ekonomou's immediate jump to 5¨ put extra momentum into the auction and when Gromova made a responsive double Khonicheva judged to bid the club slam. Looking at the ace of clubs, there must have been some temptation for Ekonomou to lead a heart, hoping to give her partner a ruff either now or when in with the trump. However, she preferred to lead a diamond. Khonicheva won the ace of diamonds, throwing a heart from hand, then led a low club for the jack and ace. A heart looks right now but, after much thought, Ekonomou played a second diamond and declarer was home; +1370 and 12 IMPs to Russia. In Ekonomou's defence, Kanellopoulou had played an unhelpful five of diamonds at trick one, when the two might have suggested interest in hearts.
 

Liana Ekonomou, Greece

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

West North East South
Khonicheva Ekonomou Gromova Kanellopoulou
  1¨ Pass 1©
Pass 3¨ Pass 4¨
Pass 5¨ All Pass  

West North East South
Kaliakmani Romanowska Mamidaki Volina
  1¨ Pass 1©
Pass 3¨ Pass 4¨
Pass 4ª Pass 6¨
All Pass      

After two identical auctions as far as 4¨, Romanowska judged to show her spade control while Ekonomou did not. That allowed Romanowska, who was looking at controls in both clubs and hearts as well as four-card diamond support, to jump to slam, whereas Kanellopoulou could do no more and the slam was missed; 11 IMPs to Russia.

At this point in the match Russia led by 44-6 IMPs and seemed to be heading for a substantial win, however, they were to score only one more IMP, while Greece picked up a series of swings, including:

Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.

  ª A Q 9 8 5 4 3
© -
¨ J 8 5
§ 9 7 6
ª 6
© A K Q 9
¨ Q 6
§ Q J 10 8 5 4
Bridge deal ª K 10 7
© 8 7 5 4 3
¨ 4 2
§ A 3 2
  ª J 2
© J 10 6 2
¨ A K 10 9 7 3
§ K

West North East South
Khonicheva Ekonomou Gromova Kanellopoulou
    Pass 1¨
2§ 2ª 3§ Pass
3© 3ª 4© 4ª
Pass Pass Dble All Pass

West North East South
Kaliakmani Romanowska Mamidaki Volina
    Pass 1¨
2§ 2ª 3§ Pass
Pass 4ª Pass Pass
5§ Pass Pass Dble
All Pass      

Doubling on potential double-fit auctions is a dangerous action as Gromova found out to her cost on this deal. Against 4ª doubled she led a heart and must have been a little concerned when this got ruffed. Declarer led a club and Gromova won and switched to a trump, which ran to the eight. Ekonomou ruffed a club, ruffed a heart back to hand and cashed the ace of trumps. When West turned up with a singleton spade, there was no reason to take the diamond finesse, playing her to hold eleven cards in hearts and clubs. When Ekonomou dropped the queen she had ten tricks for +790.

Hearts were never mentioned in the other room and Romanowska's more confident jump to game dissuaded Mamidaki from doubling 4ª. Kaliakmani saved in 5§ and managed to get out for two down; -500 but 7 IMPs to Greece.

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.

  ª A K J 5 4 2
© 8
¨ Q J 7 5 3
§ 4
ª -
© A Q 10 7 6 3 2
¨ K 10 8
§ K J 2
Bridge deal ª Q 10 6 3
© 4
¨ 9 6
§ A 10 8 6 5 3
  ª 9 8 7
© K J 9 5
¨ A 4 2
§ Q 9 7

West North East South
Khonicheva Ekonomou Gromova Kanellopoulou
1© 3§ Pass 3©
4© 4ª All Pass  

West North East South
Kaliakmani Romanowska Mamidaki Volina
1© 1ª Pass 1NT
2© 3¨ Pass 3NT
Pass 4ª Dble All Pass


Anna Kaliakmani, Greece
 

Ekonomou made an exclusion two-suited overcall then bid her spades at the game level in response to her partner's cuebid. Looking at an ace and Q10xx trumps, Gromova did not choose to double this time - some might think that this was a better opportunity than the previous one, but she perhaps feared that the ªJ would be on her left. She led her singleton heart and Khonicheva won and returned a low heart for her partner to ruff. Unfortunately for the defence, that allowed declarer to pitch her club loser, telescoping two of the defensive tricks into one. There was still a diamond and a spade to come so the contract was still defeated, but only for -100.

Romanowska went more slowly, overcalling 1ª then showing her diamonds on the next round. She insisted in playing in one of her suits in the face of repeated no trump bids from her partner, and here it was clear to Mamidaki that there would not be an embarrassing spade holding on her left. She doubled and cashed the ace of clubs, ensuring that the contract would be down two for -500 and 9 IMPs to Greece.

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

West North East South
Khonicheva Ekonomou Gromova Kanellopoulou
      1¨
Pass 1ª 3© Pass
Pass Dble Pass 5¨
All Pass      

West North East South
Kaliakmani Romanowska Mamidaki Volina
      1¨
Pass 1ª 3© 4¨
5© 5ª Pass 6ª
All Pass      

Kanellopoulou showed restraint in not repeating her diamonds until hearing Ekonomou's competitive double. That worked very well, as 5¨ was unbeatable. Khonicheva cashed the ace of hearts and switched hopefully to ace and another club. The clubs were going away on the spades anyway so that was the best that Khonicheva could do; +600.

Volina could not resist bidding 4¨ on her own, and one has to have sympathy with her. Looking at two top diamonds. Romanowska strongly suspected that her partner would have a spade fit and competed to 5ª over 5©. She was quite correct, as 5© is only on a winning trump view. The Russians were fated to go minus now and Volina's pushy raise to six cost only 1 IMP. After a heart lead to the ace, Kalikmani cashed the ace of clubs then switched to a diamond; two down for -200 and 13 IMPs to Greece.

Board 16. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
  ª 3
© A K 6
¨ K 9 6 4
§ K Q 5 4 3
ª Q J 9 8 2
© 4 3 2
¨ J 3 2
§ 10 2
Bridge deal ª K 10 6 4
© 10 8 5
¨ 8 5
§ J 9 8 7
  ª A 7 5
© Q J 9 7
¨ A Q 10 7
§ A 6

West North East South
Khonicheva Ekonomou Gromova Kanellopoulou
Pass 1§ Pass 1¨
Pass 3¨ Pass 3ª
Pass 3NT Pass 4§
Pass 4© Pass 4NT
Pass 5© Pass 6NT
All Pass      

West North East South
Kaliakmani Romanowska Mamidaki Volina
Pass 1¨ Pass 1©
Pass 2§ Pass 2ª
Pass 4© Pass 6¨
All Pass      

Both teams missed a chance when they could not get to the excellent grand slam. In both auctions, it seems that South still had room for further exploration at the point where she jumped to the small slam; 2 IMPs to Greece for +990 against +940.

Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.

  ª K J 9 7 5 4
© -
¨ A K Q 10 4 3
§ 9
ª 6
© A K J 7 2
¨ J 7 5
§ J 10 5 4
Bridge deal ª -
© 9 8 5 4 3
¨ 9 8 6
§ A K Q 8 6
  ª A Q 10 8 3 2
© Q 10 6
¨ 2
§ 7 3 2

West North East South
Khonicheva Ekonomou Gromova Kanellopoulou
Pass 1ª Pass 4ª
Pass 5ª Pass 6ª
Pass Pass Dble All Pass

West North East South
Kaliakmani Romanowska Mamidaki Volina
Pass 1ª Pass 4ª
Pass 4NT Pass 5§
Pass 5¨ Pass 5ª
Pass 6ª All Pass  

What is the best way forward after the raise to 4ª? Ekonomou decided to ask for good trumps by raising to 5ª and that convinced Gromova that it would be worth making a speculative double on the basis of a possible bad trump break. Well, I suppose 1-0 is as bad as it gets, but not quite what Victoria had in mind; +1660 after a club lead.

Romanowska preferred to check on key cards - which would keep her out of slam off two aces. When she found that her partner held one key card, she took the slightly cautious view to ask for the queen of trumps and only bid slam on hearing that it was present. There was no reason to consider a double here; +1430 but 6 IMPs to Greece.

And that last deal decided the match, Greece coming through to snatch a 51-46 IMP victory, 16-14 VPs.


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