After three matches, the favourites have started pulling away from the pack. Three teams are currently tied on 49 points, but the Netherlands, Denmark, Estonia and Germany have moved clear from those.
Hello. Just a quick introduction to the Great Britain team because we want to get back outside and enjoy the wonderful weather - makes us Brits feel very much at home. As in the past the British team all come from Oxford University.
Wanted by the police in over 100 countries worldwide, Nigel Cundy (25, although he won't tell us when his birthday is in case we celebrate it) never travels under his real name, having previously travelled under the guise of Mr Gandy and Mr Dunty. For this trip he has assumed the identity of Monsieur Cunon and the Gallic flair necessary to pull off such a persona has come easily to him. Nigel (if that is his real name) is a physics student doing work he reveals little about - perhaps it is part of his plan for world domination.
Greggg Moss (12) is the lightest member of the team, weighing only 32 kilograms, though he has mentioned trying to put on weight and pursue a boxing career. Having seen him efficiently deal with mosquitoes, redecorating his bedroom in the process, this could be a good decision. One of the weaknesses in Greggg´s bridge game is his tendency to underbid his hand, failing to make a game try far too often.
Tim Prior (age unknown - we are awaiting the results of the carbon dating) has recently been offered a lucrative contract to advertise shampoo, although we believe the figure offered is significantly less than some of the numbers he offered to the opposition yesterday. Tim may, however, be forced to curtail his bridge career as he faces a charge of grievous bodily harm against a playing card which felt the full force of his rage when partner failed to respond to requests for a club switch.
Susan Stockdale ("old enough" - wink wink) is probably well known by now, due to her mingling with the other teams. She claims she is just sociable - we think she simply doesn't like us. However, anyone who talks to her should beware as her moodswings and bitchiness are legendary. Susan has been a kind blood donor on this trip - although only to the local mosquito population as her arms and nose will show. I should perhaps also say something positive about her - she has a great brother.
Peter Stockdale (older than Susan - that's all that matters) is the aforementioned brother. A constant fiddler, this has been shown on this trip by his desire to peel the labels off all beer bottles. He claims it is an obsessive compulsive disorder - we think it is down to sexual frustration. Or is it just intense discombobulation - you decide?
Our NPC is Brian Callaghan (in his prime) who after years at Cambridge is finally involved with Britain's best university. His inability to count any higher than 5 may yet prove to be a hindrance, but as he points out it could be worse - "you could have got Barry Rigal".
is not clear enough on the team picture.
Just in case you haven't read it,
it says:
I can only please one person each day.
Today is not your day.
Tomorrow
does not look good either
You've been warned.
You're sitting West and are looking at a nice collection:
| Deal 6 E/EW |
 10 9 7
6 5 K 10 2 10 9 8 6 10 | |
| K J
Q J 8 7 A Q 5 K Q 6 2 |
 |
A Q 3
2 A 6 4 3 -A 9 7 4 3 |
| 8 4 9
5 K J 7 4 3
2 J 8
5 | ||
Your partner tells you he has 4 Spades, 4 Hearts, 5 Clubs, a maximum (15 count) with three Aces and no Kings.
And then you bid 7NT.
And you fail, having to lose a heart trick.
And then the editor is mad at you because he cannot publish your name and write about your superior bidding.
But worse is to come.
Your opponent at the other table also bids 7NT - juniors! (*).
And your team-mate leads diamonds.
So you lose 20 IMPs.
So now at least your editor is happy, because he can give a piece of advice:
When you are playing a superior system, use it!
Don't rely on opponents to lead a suit you've just told them to be void in dummy.
(*) even worse: Students!
 |
Match of the DayDenmark - Poland |
 |
If the pre-form guide was anything to go by, this match of round three would prove close. And so it was.
The first half had ended with a Danish lead of 15 IMPs, this despite a small disaster that we promised we would not reveal (promises are not always kept).
For the second half, the line-up was:
Open Room
N: Michael Askgaard
S: Gregers Bjarnarson
E: Piotr Lutostanski
W:
Grzegorz Narkiewicz
Closed Room
N: Krzysztof Buras
S: Wojciech Strzemecki
E: Kasper Konow
W: Anders
Hagen
We shall call them by their first names from now on.
Denmark started the second half strong.
| Deal 13 N/= |
J 6
3 9 7 3 K Q 10 8 9 4 2 | |
| A K
10 8 A J 9 3 2 J 10 6 5 |
|
10 9 5
4 2 K 4 2 4 A K 8 3 |
| Q 8 7 A
Q J 6 5 7 6
5 Q
7 | ||
| West | North | East | South |
| Grzegorz | Michael | Piotr | Gregers |
| Pass | 1 |
Pass | |
| 2 |
Pass | 2 |
Pass |
| 2NT | Pass | 3NT | All Pass |
Piotr tabled and said "Good Luck Partner". Grzegorz did have some luck in spades, but the Danes kept them to four tricks anyway. +500 to Denmark (1).
In the closed room the Danes made a more modest 3, 12 IMPs to Denmark.
| Deal 16 W/EW |
Q J 8 7
6 5 Q 6 3 - K J 6 5 | |
| 10 4
10 9 7 J 6 3 2 10 8 4 2 |
|
9
3 A J 5 2 K 8 5 4 A Q 3 |
| A K 2 K
8 4 A Q T 9
7 9
7 | ||
| West | North | East | South |
| Grzegorz | Michael | Piotr | Gregers |
| Pass | Pass | 1NT | Dble |
| Pass(1) | Pass | Redble | Pass |
| 2(2) |
Pass | Pass | Dble |
(1) asking to redouble
(2) showing 4 clubs and another 4-card
| West | North | East | South |
| Anders | Krzyszt. | Kasper | Wojciech |
| Pass | 1 |
Dble | 2 |
| Pass | 2 |
Pass | 2NT |
| All Pass |
In the Open room, Grzegorz scrambled to 2 and went two down (+500 (2)). 2NT in the closed
room was forcing for more in spades, but also just made.
On board 17, the Poles went for 500 (3), but it cost only 1IMP, but Poland then started a comeback.
| Deal 18 E/NS |
J 9
2 A 6 3 J 9 8 5 8 7 2 | |
| 7 5 4
Q 10 5 4 A 10 A K 9 6 |
|
8 K J 8 7
2 7 6 2 Q J 10 4 |
| A K Q 10 6 3 9 K Q 4
3 5
3 | ||
| West | North | East | South |
| Grzegorz | Michael | Piotr | Gregers |
| 2 |
2 | ||
| 4 |
All Pass |
| West | North | East | South |
| Anders | Krzyszt. | Kasper | Wojciech |
| Pass | 1 | ||
| Pass | 1NT | Pass | 3 |
| All Pass |
Both Polish declarers score up 10 tricks and 11 IMPs.
| Deal 19 N/NS |
Q
9 9 8 7 3
2 10 8 4 A J 4 | |
| A K 3
J 10 4 K Q J 6 3 2 10 |
|
10 4
2 K 5 A 5 K 8 7 6 5 3 |
| J 8 7 6 5 A Q 6 9
7 Q 9
2 | ||
| West | North | East | South |
| Anders | Krzyszt. | Kasper | Wojciech |
| Pass | Pass | Pass | |
| 1 |
Pass | 2 |
Pass |
| 3 |
Pass | 3NT | All Pass |
Wojciech led a small spade and the declarer has 8 tricks and several ways to
make his 9th, depending on the position of the aces of hearts and spades and the
Q.
After ducking the first spade to Q, with East returning spades, the declarer played 6 times diamonds to
discover more of the position of the cards. Even he knows then that the A is well placed (the winning
play in the third trick) it is too late now to play clubs to the ace, east
taking A and returning 9 to Q, playing spades to make his last 2 spades after
the A.
In the Open Room, Piotr tried hearts in the third trick to no avail. Two off and 3 IMPs for Denmark, who are now 72-40 up.
In board 20, one has to bid what one thinks one can make.
| Deal 20 W/= |
A J 9 8
7 5 4 7 7 3 10 6 5 | |
| 10 6
K Q 5 3 K 10 6 5 4 2 4 |
|
Q
3 A 10 8 6 4
2 A 9 Q 7 2 |
| K 2 J
9 Q J 8 A K J 9 8
3 | ||
In the open room, 3 was
just made for 140.
The bidding in the closed room:
| West | North | East | South |
| Anders | Krzyszt. | Kasper | Wojciech |
| Pass | 3 |
Pass | 4 |
| All Pass |
East leads 7 for 8 in dummy. Two rounds of trumps
with the K followed by 2 for the A. The declarer now plays 6 to the 9 making the finesse for 710.
A nice swing of 11 IMPs for Poland.
| Deal 21 N/NS |
10 A 10 8
7 A J 9 A K 7 6 2 | |
| Q 7 4
3 J 9 3 K 8 4 T 8 4 |
|
8
6 K Q 6 5 4
2 6 2 Q 9 5 |
| A K J 9 5 2 - Q T 7
5 3 J
3 | ||
The bidding in the closed room reached 6 for just made after a diamond lead by West.
The contract in the open room was more unusual. After a weak intervention of
East, North had to play 6.
| West | North | East | South |
| Grzegorz | Michael | Piotr | Gregers |
| 1(1) |
2(2) |
2 | |
| Pass | 3 |
Pass | 3 |
| Pass | 3NT | Pass | 4 |
| Pass | 4 |
Pass | 4 |
| Pass | 4NT | Pass | 6 |
| All Pass |
(1) strong
(2) weeak in hearts or weak in spades and a minor
East leads 6 for the ace
in dummy. Q is covered by
the king for the ace of declarer. This covering will be important for later
communication. Michael continues with clubs to the Q of East who plays clubs to J in dummy. The declarer can now cross to his hand
with diamonds to play trumps and ace of hearts, and afterwards cross to dummy's
T to play the diamonds and
K.
Only 2 IMPs for Poland on this board.
On board 22 (see below) Grzegorz insists on overcalling 1, yet again going for 500 (4).
This would not matter if team-mates had made the 3NT contract in the closed room. One player who did make that contract was Marc Glickman of the U.S.A. in his match against France.
| Deal 22 E/EW |
10 8
6 Q 6 5 K Q A 9 8 7 5 | |
| Q 9 5
2 7 4 10 8 7 5 3 Q 2 |
|
7 4
3 A J 10 8
3 J K 10 6 4 |
| A K J K
9 2 A 9 6 4
2 J
3 | ||
Marc in South had to play 3NT on the lead of 2.
On K and Q, East discarded a spade. Declarer crosses
from dummy to hand with A
playing J for the Q and the ace. On 7, East brings in hearts for the queen in
dummy. The declarer plays 5
to the K, making A, and 9 tricks.
Back to our match.
On board 23, Krzysztof made 4 on a cross-ruff, something Michael was unable to duplicate, and then
came board 24:
| Deal 24 W/- |
J 9 8
7 Q J 10 8 8 4 K J 4 | |
| K
3 6 5 9 6 5 A 10 6 5 3 2 |
|
5 4
2 A K 9 7
4 A K Q 2 7 |
| A Q 10 6
3 2 J 10 7
3 Q 9
8 | ||
The Poles demonstrate another advantage of transfer bidding:
| West | North | East | South |
| Anders | Krzyszt. | Kasper | Wojciech |
| Pass | Pass | 1 |
Pass |
| 1NT | Pass | 2(1) |
Pass |
| Pass(!) | Pass |
(1) 5 hearts and 4 diamonds
This was a better contract (+2) than the 3NT at the other table (-2).
All this meant that the Poles won the half time by a single IMP, and that they only lost the match by 17-13
(1) If you're looking for the footnotes, we're just counting the -500's
