England vs Germany

Women Round 14

By Tony Gordon

This potentially crucial match between the teams lying first and joint second, was effectively decided in the bidding, with England coming out on top 22-8, a result that reduced Germany's lead to 3 VPs over the Netherlands and 4 VPs over England.

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

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Brunner	Auken	Goldenfield	von Arnim
		Pass	1ª
Pass	2©	Pass	2NT
Pass	4¨	Pass	4NT
Pass	5©	Pass	6ª
All Pass

Sabine Auken showed at least an invitational spade raise with her 2© bid and then a good hand with short diamonds with her 4¨ bid. Daniela von Arnim's 2NT had been a game try with an unspecified shortage, and she then asked about keycards. The 5© response indicated that one keycard and the ªQ were missing, but she judged to bid the spade slam.
With the black suits behaving, there were no problems in the play as dummy's club suit provided discards for her losing hearts. +1430 to Germany.

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Rauscheid	Smith	Nehmert	Dhondy
		Pass	1ª
Pass	2NT	Pass	3©
Pass	4¨	Passs	4©
Pass	4NT	Pass	5©
Pass	5ª	All Pass

The same situation arose in the other room where Nicola Smith began with a game-forcing fit-showing 2NT. She also discovered that the trump queen and a keycard were missing, but she settled for 5ª. +680 to England, but 13 IMPs to Germany.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Rauscheid	Smith	Nehmert	Dhondy
			1NT
2¨	2NT	Dble	3§
4©	5§	Dble	All Pass

Andrea Rauscheid decided to treat her hand as one-suited with hearts, so she overcalled 2¨ to show a single-suited hand. After Smith's Lebensohl 2NT, Pony Nehmert doubled to show values and this encouraged Rauscheid to jump to 4©, but, after considerable thought, Smith sacrificed in 5§. The defence took two spades and a spade ruff, and the ¨A and a diamond ruff, so Heather Dhondy was three down for +500 to Germany.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Brunner	Auken	Goldenfield	von Arnim
			1ª
2©	2NT	4©	Dble
All Pass

Von Arnim knew that Auken had a competitive hand with clubs, but she decided to double 4©. This proved expensive when Auken, not unreasonably, led a spade. Michelle Brunner won in hand and ruffed out the ¨K. She then crossed to the ªQ and played the ¨J. Von Arnim ruffed with the ©10, but Brunner over-ruffed, went back to dummy with a spade ruff and continued with the ¨10 on which she discarded her club as Von Arnim ruffed in with the ©K. There was only a further trump trick to lose, so Brunner scored +990 for a 10-IMP gain to England.

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

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Brunner	Auken	Goldenfield	von Arnim
			1§
Pass	2ª*	Pass	2NT
Pass	3§**	Pass	3ª
Pass	4ª	All Pass

* A balanced hand with a minor. ** Showing diamonds.

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Rauscheid	Smith	Nehmert	Dhondy
			1ª
Pass	2ª	Pass	3§
Pass	4ª	Pass	5§
Pass	5ª	Pass	6ª
All Pass

This board was the reverse of board 2. This time it was England who pushed on to the making slam while Germany settled for game. 13 IMPs to England, who led 28-18 at this point.

There were two big swings to come, and they both went England's way. The first came on board 13 when Germany played in the wrong game and lost 13 IMPs, and the other came on board 15.

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

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Brunner	Auken	Goldenfield	von Arnim
			Pass
1©	Pass	1ª	Pass
1NT	Pass	3NT	All Pass

It didn't seem unreasonable for Auken to lead a diamond on the auction, but it gave Brunner her contract. Declarer won the ¨J at trick one and cashed the ¨A. She then played a club, and was no doubt grateful to see the appearance of the ten. Von Arnim won the trick and switched to a low heart and Auken took her ace and continued the suit, but the defence could come to only two clubs and two hearts, so England scored +400.

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Rauscheid	Smith	Nehmert	Dhondy
			Pass
1©	Pass	1ª	Pass
2§	Pass	2NT	Pass
3NT	All Pass

The pushy 3NT contract was reached at the other table as well, but with East as the declarer. Dhondy naturally led a low club, and there was no way for Nehmert to get home as the cards lay, so England scored +50 and gained a further 10 IMPs.

England eventually won the match by 62-26 IMPs (22-8 VPs).