Iceland vs Israel

Open Round 16

On Friday afternoon, the Vugraph match was the encounter between Iceland and Israel, two of the teams in pursuit of the leaders. When the round started, both teams were level in 7th/8th spot, so a good win would suit either team. Israel made a good start, leading 7-0 when board 3 arrived:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Kalish	Jonsson	Podgur	Johannsson
			1NT
Pass	2NT	Pass	3§
Pass	3ª	Pass	4ª
All Pass

Though both the pointed suit fits were discovered in the bidding, neither NS player made any further move. The slam is not so good, as you cannot afford more than one trump loser and the diamonds have to come in without a loser at all. When these conditions were both met with, Iceland had +480 their way without any trouble.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Einarsson	Barel	Ingimarsson	Aviram
			1§
Pass	1¨	Pass	1ª
Pass	4§	Pass	4¨
Pass	4ª	Pass	4NT
Pass	5©	Pass	6ª
All Pass

When North could splinter over 1ª, South was happy to show his diamond fit, and holding two aces himself it was only logical that he would at least make one further move. Had North's diamonds been as good as AQxxx the slam would have been excellent, but as it was, it needed some luck. When this materialised, Israel had +980 and their first substantial swing of 11 IMPs.

With the score at 19-5 to Israel we came to board 7:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Kalish	Jonsson	Podgur	Johannsson
			Pass
1§	1¨	Dble	2¨
3§	Pass	3NT	Pass
4©	All Pass

The double after 1¨ showed points, but West did not have enough room to bid any stronger than he did after opening a Strong Club, whereas East could not evaluate his club and spade honours accurately any more. So declarer was not tested in the play. He drew two rounds of trumps (oops) and conceded a club for 12 tricks and +680. Would this be a swing and if yes, to which side?

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Einarsson	Barel	Ingimarsson	Aviram
			Pass
1§	1¨	Dble	Pass
6©	All Pass

Here, the double was explained as specifically showing hearts, so West could jump to the final contract without further ado. He ruffed the ¨A lead and played the §A and next ran the §J which lost to South's king. Now he was quickly down, as a club return from South promoted the ©Q immediately. So the swing had gone to Israel's favour again, where it might easily have been the other way round. 32-5 now.

Two boards later, Iceland struck back:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Kalish	Jonsson	Podgur	Johannsson
	2¨	Pass	2ª
Dble	Pass	3NT	All Pass

There are many ways to make 6¨ on this hand, but Podgur settled for the sure plus when he lifted the penalty double. As a few declarers went down in a slam, making +660 might well be good enough for another swing.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Einarsson	Barel	Ingimarsson	Aviram
	2¨	Pass	3ª
Pass	Pass	Dble	All Pass

Well, we saw the same multi here, but the difference was that West could not double for penalties. When East for once produced a very sound take-out double Einarsson had little option but to convert it. So the Icemen too had missed the slam, but the penalty of 1100 gave them some comfort, even more so when they learned that it resulted in a 10-IMP swing in their favour. The score was 34-15 at this point.

Then, good tactics did not pay off as intended:

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	ª A J 10 © K 9 6 3 ¨ A Q 8 § J 9 6
ª 9 8 4 © A 8 7 5 2 ¨ 9 6 5 2 § 10		ª Q 3 2 © 10 4 ¨ K § A K Q 5 4 3 2
	ª K 7 6 5 © Q J ¨ J 10 7 4 3 § 8 7

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Kalish	Jonsson	Podgur	Johannsson
Pass	1NT	Pass (!)	Pass
Pass

When East, holding a seven-card suit, did not lead his fourth best (mind you, he should have done so a few matches ago) the defenders could simply cash eight tricks for a score of 200 to Israel.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Einarsson	Barel	Ingimarsson	Aviram
Pass	1NT	Pass(!)	Pass
2¨	Pass	3§	All Pass

Here, West could not resist the temptation to bid something on his nice distrubution, green v. red, but for once he chose the wrong moment. Declarer took the same eight tricks as EW in the Open Room and thus was one down for another +50, 6 IMPs to Israel who led 40-17.

Two boards and two Israeli 1-IMP gains later (42-17) we saw this curious board:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Kalish	Jonsson	Podgur	Johannsson
			Pass
2©	2ª	Dble	3¨
Pass	Pass	4ª	All Pass

On the obvious club lead, declarer seems to have four inescapable losers on the actual trump break: a club, two trumps and the ¨A. But this was one of those cases where one loser disappears without the defence being able to prevent it. After the §A and the ªAK getting the good/bad news it was time to take stock. If North were void of hearts (as his 2ª might well suggest) the contract could be made as South would have to follow suit four times before he would be able to ruff. On the 4th and 5th heart the club losers from hand went, and this way Podgur lost only two trumps and the ¨A. A lucky escape, but well played. Israel +420.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Einarsson	Barel	Ingimarsson	Aviram
			Pass
Pass	5§	Dble	All Pass

After two passes, Barel had an interesting problem. The most effective opening bid mainly depends of the type of hand behind him. In a sense, he was right by choosing 5§ as 4ª could be made, in another sense he was wrong as the contract went two down for +500 to Iceland and 2 IMPs. The score: 42-19.

With the score at 56-21 to Israel we saw the Strong Club in action again on the last board:

Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
	ª J 10 9 6 © - ¨ A 7 § J 10 9 8 6 5 3
ª 7 2 © 9 8 7 4 2 ¨ J 9 6 5 4 § 7		ª K Q 8 4 3 © A Q 3 ¨ K 2 § A K 4
	ª A 5 © K J 10 6 5 ¨ Q 10 8 3 § Q 2

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Kalish	Jonsson	Podgur	Johannsson
Pass	Pass	1§	1©
Pass	Pass	1ª	All Pass

At this early stage in the match (this board was the 2nd board on Vugraph), Jonsson did not bother to disturb his opponents after partner's overcall in his void. So though 2§ would have made East was allowed to play 1ª which was just made. Israel +80 which looked a wonderful score. Would any natural system lead to such a low contract?

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Einarsson	Barel	Ingimarsson	Aviram
Pass	Pass	2NT	Pass
3¨	Pass	3©	Pass
4©	All Pass

No it would not, of course, as East would open 2NT quite naturally. He even raised 3© to Four on the assumed virtue of his five-card spades. Though South was, at this late stage of the match at the other table, kind enough not to double, the final contract was not a success and went two down for another 200 to Israel.

The final score thus became 63-21, a 24-6 win to Israel who thus entered the qualifying zone.