Spain vs Bulgaria

Open Round 32

When Spain played against Bulgaria on VuGraph the teams were 2nd and 3rd in the rankings with a gap of 14,5 V.P. between them, so Bulgaria needed a big win to stay in the race for the silver.

Already on Board 2, Bulgaria got exactly what it was hoping for:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Mihov	Ventin	Nanev	Lantaron
		1ª	2ª
3ª	4§	4ª	Pass
Pass	Dble	All Pass

In the Open Room Lantaron entered the auction with a Michaels cuebid. Though Ventin's card looked promising opposite long hearts and one of the minors, he did well not to go all the way to the five-level. Instead, he doubled 4ª where the defenders can cash four tricks. Still, South had to find the lead of a red suit. He didn't and after the club lead, declarer was happy to make ten tricks. In fact he even could produce a doubled overtrick due to the favourable position in hearts: win the first club, draw the trumps, pitch your stiff diamond on the last club, ruff a diamond, cross to dummy with the ªJ, ruff the last diamond in hand and exit with a heart.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Lanzarotti	Stamatov	Buratti	Karaivanov
		1ª	2¨
2ª	2NT	4ª	Pass
Pass	5¨	Pass	Pass
Dble	All Pass

In the Closed Room North never had the intention to defend a spade contract and finally got doubled in 5¨. In this contract, South lost the obvious three tricks. The swing was 12 IMPs to Bulgaria.

Board 4 again was big for Bulgaria where their light 1¨ opening bid paid off in both rooms:

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

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Lanzarotti	Stamatov	Buratti	Karaivanov
Pass	1¨	Pass	2ª
Pass	3ª	All Pass

Closed Stamatov-Karaivanov stole the part score in 3ª for exactly nine tricks.

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Mihov	Ventin	Nanev	Lantaron
1¨	Pass	1©	Pass
1NT	Pass	3NT	All Pass

In the Open Room Nanev-Mihov bid 3NT as EW. A spade lead would have led to two undertricks, but of course North led his longest suit. Declarer inserted the queen in dummy and played all the clubs. He then played a spade to South's Ace. South, who already had discarded some spades, switched to a heart. Declarer, who read the position perfectly, rose with the ace, first played another spade and then a low heart from dummy to North, who was endplayed in diamonds. Another 12 IMPs to Bulgaria.

In many Club systems the 2§ opening is natural. Both Lanzarotti-Buratti and Mihov-Nanev use it , though their style is different as shown on board 7:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Mihov	Ventin	Nanev	Lantaron
			Pass
2§	Pass	2©	Pass
3§	All Pass

In spite of their aggressive bidding approach so far on VuGraph Mihov-Nanev decided to stop in 3§.
Bulgaria +170.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Lanzarotti	Stamatov	Buratti	Karaivanov
			Pass
2§	Pass	2©	Pass
2NT	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Lanzarotti-Buratti however bid the excellent 3NT. There was nothing to the play and Spain gained 10 IMP's.
The score stood at 21-14 to Bulgaria.

With the score at 34-19, board 17 arrived:

Board 17. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª 6 5 © K Q 10 9 4 3 ¨ J 9 8 6 § 5
ª A 7 4 © - ¨ A Q 10 5 4 3 § 9 8 7 4		ª J 3 © J 8 7 ¨ K 7 § A K J 10 6 3
	ª K Q 10 9 8 2 © A 6 5 2 ¨ 2 § Q 2

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Lanzarotti	Stamatov	Buratti	Karaivanov
	2¨	3§	Dble
6§	All Pass

In the Closed Room Buratti-Lanzarotti were allowed to play in 6§ and made it with an overtrick. Opf course, the grand is cold. Spain +940.

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Mihov	Ventin	Nanev	Lantaron
	2¨	3§	4©
6§	Pass	Pass	6©
Pass	Pass	7§	7©
Dble	All Pass

MIHOV Vladimir, Bulgaria

On VuGraph we saw good bidding by both pairs. Like at the other table, 2¨ was Multi. South did well to save in 6© when the tray came back to him with 6§ on it. When Mihov invited for seven with his pass over 6©, Nanev did the right thing by indeed bidding the grand. And again Lantaron showed fine judgement by saving once more. Very well done by all players, but only +500 to Bulgaria so 10 IMPs back to Spain. Right on the next board Ivan Nanev was in the spotlight again:

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

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Lanzarotti	Stamatov	Buratti	Karaivanov
		1©	Pass
4©	All Pass

In the Closed Room East declared 4©. Against this contract, South found the good lead of a heart. North won the ace and returned the suit to declarer's king. A club was ruffed in dummy, followed by a low spade from dummy to queen and king. At this point the contract could not be made any more and in fact declarer went two down. Bulgaria +100.

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Mihov	Ventin	Nanev	Lantaron
		1§	Pass
1¨	Dble	1©	Dble
4©	All Pass

In the Open Room South made the same lead against the same contract. Declarer won the heart return and ruffed a club in dummy, just as in the Closed Room. Quite unexpectedly Ivan Nanev then asked for a diamond, North rose with the ace and played another diamond, ruffed by declarer. Another club was ruffed in dummy and the third diamond in hand, stripping South of the suit. Nanev completed his masterpiece by playing §A and§Q to endplay South in spades. Brilliant, possibly the best hand played during these Championships so far. Bulgaria +420 here and 11 IMPs more.

The final score: 54-29 to Bulgaria, 20-10 V.P. Both teams are beginning to look more and more certain of qualification.