Getting off to a good start does not guarantee success, but it’s much better than facing the pressure of making up for a poor start.

In the opening round of the Mixed Teams, the Schaltz squad (Denmark) took advantage of several slips by their opponents to forge a good beginning with a 41-26 win (22-8 in Victory Points) over the Carmil squad (Italy-Venezuela).

The first three boards represented small swings for each side. There were fireworks on board 4 – in the open room, anyway.

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

West	North	East	South
Jens A.	Hamouie	Sabine A.	Ziguelboim
Pass	Pass	1§	Dble
Redbl	Pass	Pass	2§

It was quiet enough in the closed room, as Jens Auken played carefully for eight tricks. He won the opening lead of the ¨10 with dummy’s ace, followed by a low spade from dummy. Jens ducked when Ziguelboim played the 10, but Hamouie overtook with the jack to play his second diamond. Jens won with the ¨Q, played a spade to his ace then played on clubs, discarding a heart on the third round when South ruffed in with the ªK. He lost three spades and two hearts for plus 110.

At the other table, there was a bidding misunderstanding by the unfamiliar partnership of Lars Blakset and Dorthe Schaltz that worked out very much in their favor.

Gusso	Blakset	Pacheco	Schaltz
Pass	Pass	1§	Dble
Redbl	All Pass

This is a good sequence for discussion between partners. Does North’s pass mean he is happy with the contract – or simply at a loss for a bid? When 1§ redoubled came back to Schaltz, she apparently believed North’s pass indicated that he liked the spot.

Seven tricks are not available to East-West on proper defense, and Blakset-Schaltz did not go wrong. She started with the ªQ, to dummy’s ace. Declarer then cashed the §K and played a club to her queen, following with the top two diamonds in her hand. She exited with the ª5, overtaken by North with the jack. North played the §9 to force out the queen, declarer’s last trick. When she played a diamond to dummy’s king, North ruffed and picked up declarer’s last trump. It was down one and plus 400 for North-South, an 11-IMP gain.

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

This deal, good for 12 tricks in clubs, was played in a part score at both tables.

Open room
West	North	East	South
Gusso	Blakset	Pacheco	Schaltz
			1©
Pass	1ª	Pass	2§
All Pass

Closed room
West	North	East	South
Jens A.	Hamouie	Sabine A.	Ziguelboim
			1©
Pass	1ª	Pass	2§
Pass	Pass	Dble	Redbl
2ª	3§	All Pass

The North-South hands would be good ones for a bidding contest – and 5§ certainly looks like a good contract.
There was nothing to the play, with trumps 2-2, hearts 3-3 and the ©A onside.

There was more trouble with doubles on board 8, and Jens made the opponents pay for their error.

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

West	North	East	South
Gusso	Blakset	Pacheco	Schaltz
Pass	1NT	Pass	2¨
Pass	2©	Pass	Pass
2ª	3©	All Pass

The 1NT opener and transfer allowed North-South to uncover the eight-card heart fit, making it easier for Blakset to take the push when West balanced with 2ª. Blakset won the opening lead of the ª10 with dummy’s ace and took a trump finesse at trick two. East won and switched to the ¨J, taken in dummy by the king. Blakset played a heart to his ace, cashed the ¨A and ¨Q, pitching dummy’s losing spade, and ruffed a diamond. From there, it was an easy route to 10 tricks and plus 170.
At the other table:

West	North	East	South
Jens A.	Hamouie	Sabine A.	Ziguelboim
Pass	1¨	Pass	1©
1ª	Pass	2ª	Pass
Pass	Dble	All Pass

Hamouie’s double of 2ª was described by him to his screenmate as takeout. Obviously, South did not see it that way. Jens still had to make it, however.

The trump lead went to South’s ace, and she continued the suit to West’s king. He played a diamond from hand, to North’s queen. Next came the ©A and the ©Q, taken by dummy’s king. A diamond from dummy produced the king from South, and Jens ruffed the heart return with the ªJ. The ªQ picked up the last trump, and Jens played the §Q for a finesse. South won and knocked out declarer’s last trump with a fourth round of hearts.

Jens had an accurate inferential count on the opponents’ hands, however, so he did not misfire in the end, playing a club to dummy’s ace and a low club to the 9 in his hand to record plus 470 and a 12-IMP gain.

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

The Carmil squad was in a position to gain IMPs on board 9, but the defense slipped and they ended with a 9-IMP loss.

West	North	East	South
Gusso	Blakset	Pacheco	Schaltz
	1NT	2¨	2NT
3©	All Pass

The so-called weak 1NT opening (12-14) can make it tough to reach the best spot, as it did on this deal. What should West do when his partner overcalls a natural 2¨? Does the fact that everyone is bidding (2NT was a relay) make a difference? A contract of 5¨ seems a long shot, but is a free bid forcing? Obviously, to East it was not, and East-West had the dubious pleasure of writing in plus 200 for 3© making five. South won the opening club lead with ace and switched to a heart, picking up the suit for declarer and making 11 tricks easy.

At the other table, the Sabine Auken needed that same number of tricks to avoid a minus score.

West	North	East	South
Jens A.	Hamouie	Sabine A.	Ziguelboim
	1§	1¨	3§
Dble	Pass	3¨	Pass
5¨	All Pass

South started with the §A and could have made short work of the contract with a switch to a spade. Instead, she played a diamond at trick two. Sabine considered her prospects at length before playing low from dummy, winning the ¨9 in hand when North played low. Sabine ruffed a club with dummy’s ¨Q, then played a heart to her jack, followed by the ©K and a second club ruff with dummy’s ¨K. When both opponents followed on the ©A (Sabine pitched a spade), she was home. On a fourth round of hearts, North discarded and Sabine pitched her other spade. She gave up a diamond trick at the end for plus 600 and a 9-IMP gain.

The Schaltz team lost a 13-IMP swing on the final board when the Aukens missed a vulnerable grand slam that was bid at the other table, but their opening charge in the Mixed Teams was a success.