Greece vs Poland

Open Series - Round 22

After the Monday morning off, this was the first Rama match of the day, and this clash between the nos. 2 and 3 looked a good one too, certainly on paper.

After a quiet start, a Greek indiscretion in the Closed Room allowed Poland to open their account:

Session 22. Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	ª K Q 10 3 2 © 6 4 ¨ A Q 10 7 3 § A
ª A J 5 © 7 ¨ K J 6 § K Q J 7 4 3		ª 9 © K J 9 8 3 2 ¨ 5 4 2 § 10 9 8
	ª 8 7 6 4 © A Q 10 5 ¨ 9 8 § 6 5 2

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Kwiecien	Kapayannides	Pszczola	Liarakos
			Pass
1§	1ª	Pass	2ª
3§	4ª	All Pass

A routine +450 to Greece.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Skoularikis	Lesniewski	Zotos	Martens
			Pass
1§	1ª	Pass	2ª
3§	4ª	5§	Pass
Pass	Dble	All Pass

Well, on a good day you might even make 5§ if opener has something nice in hearts, but this was not such a day. The lead of the ªK was won by declarer, who next played a heart to open a communication line back to his hand. South won the ©Q and led a diamond. North won the ¨Q, cashed the ¨A and the §A (!) before returning a diamond for his partner to ruff. When South next led his last trump, the contract had to go down four, Poland +1100 and 12 IMP´s. Greece were to strike back immediately when they stole a 3NT from the Poles in the Open Room:

Loukas Zotos, Greece

Session 22. Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul.
	ª - © 7 6 2 ¨ A Q 10 9 § A K 10 7 3 2
ª A 8 7 3 © A J 8 4 3 ¨ 6 5 § 9 5		ª K Q 10 6 © Q 9 ¨ J 8 7 3 2 § 8 4
	ª J 9 5 4 2 © K 10 5 ¨ K 4 § Q J 6

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Kwiecien	Kapayannides	Pszczola	Liarakos
Pass	1§	Pass	1ª
Pass	2§	Pass	3§
Pass	3¨	Pass	3NT
All Pass

Would you as West have found the spade lead? If you do, and partner switches to the ©Q, the defence can come to eight tricks. When you are less inspired and lead a straightforward heart, you are presenting declarer with his 10th trick, just as happened on Rama. Greece +630.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Skoularikis	Lesniewski	Zotos	Martens
Pass	2§	Pass	2ª
Pass	3§	All Pass

Jasek Pszcola, Poland

The Polish 2§ opening bid made it almost impossible for the Poles to get anywhere near 3NT. 2ª was not forcing and 3§ denied any spade interest. Holding two weak stoppers only in the red suits, why should South go on from there? Poland +130, but Greece had got 11 IMP´s back. And, two boards later:

Session 22. Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
	ª A 10 4 © K 4 ¨ A J 9 3 § J 9 4 3
ª 9 © A Q 3 ¨ K 7 5 2 § A Q 10 8 2		ª K 7 5 © 10 9 7 6 5 ¨ Q 10 8 6 4 § -
	ª Q J 8 6 3 2 © J 8 2 ¨ - § K 7 6 5

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Kwiecien	Kapayannides	Pszczola	Liarakos
		Pass	Pass
1§	Pass	1¨	1ª
2§	2ª	All Pass

When South judged his hand too good for a spade preempt, a quiet auction developed when West could not support diamonds for systemic reasons. The contract made with an overtrick for +140 to Greece.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Skoularikis	Lesniewski	Zotos	Martens
		Pass	2¨
Pass	2©	Pass	2ª
Dble	Rdbl	3©	3ª
Pass	Pass	4¨	Pass
5¨	Dble	All Pass

Here South did preempt in spades, so for E/W the auction effectively began at the three-level. Obviously, West expected much more from his partner´s 4¨-bid, but the raise to game gave North an easy double for down two, Poland +500 and 8 imps.

After a few more quiet boards, Poland were definitely unlucky to lose the lead on this one:

Session 22. Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.
	ª 10 © K J 8 4 ¨ K 10 9 6 2 § Q 7 6
ª Q 9 6 5 2 © Q 7 5 2 ¨ J § A K J		ª A J 8 7 © 10 ¨ Q 7 5 4 § 10 8 5 2
	ª K 4 3 © A 9 6 3 ¨ A 8 3 § 9 4 3

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Kwiecien	Kapayannides	Pszczola	Liarakos
		Pass	Pass
1ª	Pass	2NT	Pass
3§	Pass	3©	Pass
4ª	All Pass

After the invitational spade raise with 2NT, game was a decent enough proposition, but with both black finesses not working, the contract could not be made. Greece +200 for down two.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Skoularikis	Lesniewski	Zotos	Martens
		Pass	Pass
1ª	Pass	3ª	All Pass

Opposite a weakish raise, Skoularikis had an almost automatic pass. On a diamond lead, he just made his contract on a complete cross-ruff for +140 and 8 IMP´s to Greece.

The difference in approach between the two teams and their respective bidding systems again played its part in what happened on board 13.

Session 22. Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
	ª Q J © 10 7 5 ¨ K Q J 6 3 § 9 8 5
ª 9 6 5 © Q ¨ 10 7 4 2 § A J 7 6 2		ª A 7 4 3 2 © J 8 6 2 ¨ A 8 § 10 4
	ª K 10 8 © A K 9 4 3 ¨ 9 5 § K Q 3

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Kwiecien	Kapayannides	Pszczola	Liarakos
	Pass	Pass	1©
Pass	2©	All Pass

On a spade lead and club continuation, declarer just managed eight tricks when he did not draw one single round of trumps before going after the diamonds and thus incurred a few club ruffs/overruffs. Anyway, Greece +110.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Skoularikis	Lesniewski	Zotos	Martens
	Pass	Pass	1NT
Pass	2§	Pass	2©
Pass	3NT	All Pass

Note the difference in approach. In spite of the five-card major, 1NT was opened, so the Poles found themselves back in 3NT in no time. With all these aces out, this was not a sound proposition. On a club lead to the ten and queen, the contract went two down in no time when declarer started on diamonds at trick two. On board 16, the Poles earned themselves a well-deserved big swing, as well as the lead in the match again, when much more aggressive intervention caused their opponents to misjudge the situation completely:

Spiros Liarakos, Greece

Session 22. Board 16. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
	ª 8 7 6 4 © Q 8 7 2 ¨ 8 3 § J 9 5
ª K Q 9 2 © A ¨ K J 7 § Q 10 6 4 2		ª J 10 5 © 10 5 ¨ A Q 10 5 2 § A K 8
	ª A 3 © K J 9 6 4 3 ¨ 9 6 4 § 7 3

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Kwiecien	Kapayannides	Pszczola	Liarakos
1§	Pass	2¨	2©
2ª	3©	Pass	Pass
4©	Pass	5§	Pass
5¨	Pass	6¨	All Pass

When Pszczola could show a good hand with diamonds at his first turn, half the bidding problems of this hand were solved immediately. East´s Pass on 3© was forcing, and 4© was the cuebid East was waiting for, agreeing diamonds in the process. Holding the §AK himself, East had every reason to go on to the slam level. Well done, Poland +1370.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Skoularikis	Lesniewski	Zotos	Martens
1§	Pass	1¨	2©
Dble	4©	Dble	All Pass

Much more ambiguity in the E/W bidding here, well exploited by the Poles who forced their opponents to guess right at a one higher level. Down only three, +500 to Greece but 13 IMP´s to Poland.

On the last board, the Poles overbid a little to go down in a vulnerable game, whereas Greece stayed in a safe partscore once again, so this swing made it Greece 36, Poland 40 or a 16-14 V.P. win for the Poles in a tight match.