A good defense in the closed room was beaten by an even better one in the open. It happened when Spain met The Netherlands in Round Three of the open.

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

Closed room
West	North	East	South
Torres	De Wijs	Frances	Muller
		Pass	Pass
1©	2¨	dbl	Pass
2©	3¨	Pass	3NT
Pass	Pass	Pass

José Ignacio Torres led a top spade, saw the dummy and went into the tank. When he finally got out of it, he did the right thing: tabling the §Q. Declarer won the king, played a diamond to the ace and the ©Q. West won the ace and continued in clubs. A smooth down one. Good defense though a diamond switch at trick two and a possible diamond continuation would do also, since declarer is bound for a suicide squeeze. Still, in the open room defense did even better, much better:

West	North	East	South
Jansma	Ventin	Verhees	Lantaron
		2ª *	Pass
Pass	3¨	Pass	Pass
3ª	Pass	Pass	dbl
Pass	3NT	Pass	Pass
Pass

* "Muiderberg": five spades and a minor, 0-7 HCP

With his seven bagger Juan Carl Ventin didn' t want to stand his partner's double, but tried 3NT. The spade lead by East went for the ten and the king. Like in the closed room Jan Jansma switched to §Q. Declarer won the king and, in view of the bidding, not unreasonable played a diamond to the jack. When the smoked cleared 3NT was "five in the mountains" as they say in Holland.

Tough defense

The Netherlands had a great start in this championship. They even took the lead after four rounds. In the fifth round however, due to a 9-21 loss to Scotland, they fall back a little. This is one of the boards on which the Scots did an excellent job by putting the preisure on Jan Jansma who was faced with a tough defensive problem:

Dummy
	ª A 10 6 3 © J 10 7 4 ¨ A 5 3 § 6 4
ª K 7 4 © 9 6 ¨ J 10 9 § A K 10 7 3

Jansma as West heard this bidding:

West	North	East	South
Jansma	Dragic	Verhees	Diamond
			2© *
Pass	4©	All Pass

* 5© and a five card in a minor, 5-10 HCP

Jansma led the §K and saw the nine with his partner and the eight with declarer. East-West play upside down count, so declarer could easily have a stiff club. Moreover, Louk Verhees might not have pitched the §Q from his five card, suggesting a spade shift, in the case that he had nothing useful in spades.

Knowing nothing better, Jansma continued the suit. Wrong:

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

Derek Diamond ruffed and played a heart to the jack. East won the ace, returned a heart and now declarer played ¨A and another diamond. Verhees came in with the ¨K and played a low spade. Diamond guessed that one - Jansma did not switch to a spade at trick two - and made his vulnerable contract, which was 'missed' at the other table.

Afterwards, Jan Jansma, was the first to admit that he should have switched to a diamond at trick two. The best declarer could do then is to raise with the ace and play the ©J, suggesting a finesse in trumps. If East ducks, declarer still makes his contract by ruffing a club and exit with a heart.

Leonid & Louk

Only 5 IMPs at stake at this one, but still:

Open series, Round 5

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

Israel versus England, closed room

West	North	East	South
Kalish	Justin H.	Podgur	Jason H.
		1¨ *	Pass
Pass	Dble (!)	Redble **	Pass
1ª	Pass	2§	All Pass

* Precision, three or more diamonds
** Good hand

Justin Hackett's balancing double would certainly not be anyone's choice, but was quite understandable though. His partner (and brother) Jason easily could have a penalty pass. And in fact he had. It all ended quiet, though the play in 2§ was at some interest. South led a low heart for jack and ace and Leonid Podgur returned the suit immediately. South won the king and another heart was for dummy's queen. Next came a diamond for king and ace. The ¨J was played, taken by South, who continued with ªA and another spade, ruffed by East. Declarer played the ¨10 ruffed by North, who returned a spade, ruffed with the ten and overruffed with the jack. Later declarer did not find the king bare of trumps and went down one.

West	North	East	South
Jansma	Dragric	Verhees	Diamond
		1¨	Pass
1ª	Pass	2§	Pass
All Pass

Derek Diamond led his ªA and played another spade for jack and king. Louk Verhees ruffed and played a low heart. South won and returned the suit. Verhees won the ace, crossed to dummy with the ©Q and played a diamond for king and ace. He then tried the ¨10, ducked by South and ruffed by North, who continued with a spade. Verhees ruffed with the ten, Diamond overruffed with the jack and returned a diamond. Verhees ruffed with the nine in dummy and played a club to his ace, noting the drop of the trump king. Now the contract was made. Verhees ruffed another diamond with the Queen and played a spade, scoring the seven of trumps en passant. Well timed play by Louk Verhees.