Netherlands vs Czech Republic

Open Round 8

The evening match on Vugraph was a remarkable choice to a certain extent. The Czech Republic has not been participating in these Championships for very many years yet and to our best memories has rarely figured as high in the table as we have seen them so far. One would thus think that good bridge is gradually spreading in the country - a very positive development.

They were to play a tough opponent in the shape of The Netherlands, who had just emerged winners against the all-time leaders, Italy. The match was very quiet, all swings coming from hands on which the Dutch constructive bidding led to considerably less high contracts than those, reached by the Czechs.

After a quick goal by the Dutch on board 1 this was board 2:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Zadrazil	Verhees	Vozabal	Jansma
		Pass	1§
1ª	Pass	2ª	Pass
2NT	Pass	3ª	All Pass

To make a further move with 2NT would not be everybody's choice, but 3ª was not desperately high. On a club lead, you can lose two clubs, a spade, a heart and a heart ruff if the defenders play well. Jansma-Verhees made it look very easy: a club to the king and ace, §9 and the ©3 ducked to dummy's queen. Jansma hopped up with his ªA at the first attempt and led the ©2 to secure his ruff. The Netherlands +50.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Westra	Kurka	Van Eijck	Mraz
		Pass	1§
1ª	Pass	2ª	All Pass

Westra would have nothing of making another move and quickly passed 2ª. As happens so often, he duly made the overtrick when South played ªA and another after winning his first club. Another +140 meant The Netherlands led 6-0.

But not for long…

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Zadrazil	Verhees	Vozabal	Jansma
			Pass
Pass	1NT	Dble	2¨
All Pass

What would you open in 3rd position holding the North hand? The answer is that is mainly depends on what sort of hand partner has. Verhees clearly hoped for a weak hand opposite when he started off with a semi-psychic 1NT. Everybody nodded in consent when he next passed Jansma's 2¨ Staymanlike response. A nice action at the wrong moment with 3NT cold. Eleven tricks, 150 to The Netherlands.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Westra	Kurka	Van Eijck	Mraz
			Pass
Pass	3NT	4©	Dble
All Pass

VOZABAL David Czech Republic

Of course, the Czechs would easily bid them up a little bit higher on this deal, so it was no surprise to see Kurka open the bidding with 3NT. Van Eijck had to do something now, but his normal enough 4©-overcall came at the wrong moment too. The penalty was 800, so the Czechs had taken the lead: 12-6. A few boards later:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Zadrazil	Verhees	Vozabal	Jansma
		Pass	2¨
Pass	2©	Pass	3NT
All Pass

6ª by North is the slam contract one would like to be in, but when Jansma rebid 3NT the chance of reaching the slam had gone. With the lucky breaks 12 tricks were easy enough.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Westra	Kurka	Van Eijck	Mraz
		Pass	2§
Pass	2ª	Pass	3¨
Pass	3ª	Pass	4ª
Pass	5ª	Pass	6¨
All Pass

Well, the Czechs did very well until 5ª. Had Mraz raised this to six they would have been in a good contract, but he instead gave his partner a choice of slams by bidding 6¨ first. This message was lost on North who passed with his singleton instead of going on in spades once more. When West led a club, declarer had to take the finesse and then find the trumps 3-3 as well. A lucky 920 and 10 IMPs to the Czechs to lead by 22-6 now. On the next board, they increased their lead to 27-6 when for once the Dutch bid higher than their opponents. Then came a long series of pushes until the match reached its closing stages.

VERHEES Louk, Netherlands

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Zadrazil	Verhees	Vozabal	Jansma
Pass	Pass	1ª	Pass
1NT	Pass	3©	Pass
4©	All Pass

This definitely was too high again, but the friendly breaks enabled declarer to come to 9 tricks. One down only.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Westra	Kurka	Van Eijck	Mraz
Pass	Pass	1ª	Pass
1NT	Pass	2©	All Pass

When Van Eijck chose a more quiet approach, Westra was happy to pass in what turned out to be a very playable contract. One overtrick, 6 IMPs to The Netherlands.

And:

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	ª K J 8 6 © Q J 10 9 6 5 ¨ 2 § Q 7
ª A 10 9 4 © K 2 ¨ J 10 9 4 3 § 4 3		ª Q 7 3 © 8 7 ¨ Q 8 6 5 § A K J 10
	ª 5 2 © A 4 3 ¨ A K 7 § 9 8 6 5 2

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Zadrazil	Verhees	Vozabal	Jansma
		1§	Pass
1ª	Pass	1NT	Pass
Pass	2©	2ª	3¨
Pass	3©	All Pass

Though Jansma had a nice hand, he took into account that Verhees had made no more than a balancing overcall. So it rested at 3© which led to the Netherlands scoring another quiet +140.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Westra	Kurka	Van Eijck	Mraz
		1§	Pass
1¨	1©	2¨	3§
3¨	4©	All Pass

When Westra responded 1¨ over his partner's 1§ opening bid, Kurka had the chance to overcall 1©. Mraz had to show his good hand now at the three-level, so after yet another diamond raise Kurka was in a little bid of trouble. On a very good day, 4© might make (heart finesse right and the right view in spades) but that was not the case this time. Two off, vulnerable, gave The Netherlands another 8 IMPs to bring the final score to 28-21 or 16-14 V.P. to the Czech Republic. Both teams had once again consolidated their position in the upper regions of the table.