Making a comeback

In the Swiss segment of the Mixed Teams, Schaltz was in a bit of trouble in the early going, losing the first match and winning by a small margin in the second match. That was not going to do if Jens and Sabine Auken, Dorthe Schaltz and Lars Blakset were to qualify for the knockout phase of the event.

They began their comeback by winning the third match 23-7 (20-10 in Victory Points), but they faced a strong squad in round four – Roni Barr, Ilan Herbst, Jan Jansma and Elizabeth Van Ettinger.

Schaltz gained 6 IMPs on the first deal when Herbst-Barr overreached to 4©, doing down two, while Van Ettinger and Jansma stopped in 3© and brought it home.

The Dutch-Israeli team struck back on board 2, however, as Herbst used clues from the bidding to land a close game.

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

West	North	East	South
Blakset	Jansma	Schaltz	Van Ettinger
		1NT	Pass
2©	Pass	3ª	Pass
4ª	All Pass

Van Ettinger led the ©A, switching to the ¨J at trick two. Schaltz won the ¨A and ruffed the ©Q in dummy, following with the ªK and a low spade from dummy. When North discarded, Schaltz had to concede defeat. There was no way to avoid losing a spade, a heart and two diamonds.

At the other table, Herbst had a clue from the auction and the play.

West	North	East	South
Herbst	J. Auken	Barr	S. Auken
		1¨	1©
1ª	4©	4ª	All Pass

Jens started with a heart to Sabine’s king and she took her time before switching to the ¨J. When Herbst played low, Sabine continued with the ©A, ruffed. Herbst then played a low spade to the ace and a second spade from dummy. There was a strong inference that Sabine had a singleton diamond, so she was more likely to have length in spades – and Jens had jumped to 4© at unfavorable vulnerability, and he surely was bidding on a shapely hand. After considering his play for a moment, Herbst played the ª10 – and 4ª was home for a 10-IMP gain.

Board 6 put Schaltz back into the lead.

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

West	North	East	South
Blakset	Jansma	Schaltz	Van Ettinger
		Pass	3ª
Pass	3NT	Pass	4ª
All Pass

West led the ¨2, taken by the ace in dummy. Van Ettinger cashed dummy’s top clubs, pitching a diamond, and ruffed a club. The ª8 floated around to East’s queen, and West ruffed the diamond return, exiting with the §Q, ruffed. Declarer still had to lose to the ªA J and the ©A, finishing two off for minus 100.

West	North	East	South
Herbst	J. Auken	Barr	S. Auken
		Pass	3ª
Pass	3NT	All Pass

The contract was doomed on any lead but a diamond, but it’s hard to fault Barr for her choice of the ¨Q. Jens won the ace and fired back a low diamond, taken by Barr with the jack. She switched to a low club to the jack, queen and ace, but Jens was in control. He played a diamond to dummy’s 10 and the ©8 to his king and Barr’s ace. She switched to the ªQ, but Jens covered with the king and that was it for the defense. Herbst could cash the ªJ, but then dummy would be all good spades. He chose to return a club, but Jens had four heart winners to go with his minor-suit aces and kings. That was nine tricks, plus 400, and an 11-IMP swing.

Board 9 also produced a swing for Schaltz in an unlikely way.

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

West	North	East	South
Herbst	J. Auken	Barr	S. Auken
	1§	Pass	1©
3ª	Pass	Pass	Dble
Pass	4©	All Pass

Jens did well to bid 4© – if he makes the normal lead of a low heart, the contract will be made (a club goes away on the ©A). Even on perfect defense, the result for North-South is only plus 200 – not enough to compensate for their game.

Against Sabine’s heart game, Herbst started with a low spade to the queen and ace. Sabine ruffed a spade in dummy and returned to her hand with the §K. She ruffed her last spade with the ©Q, overruffed by Barr, who returned a diamond. Sabine won in hand and cashed the ©K, getting the news of the 5-0 trump split.

Sabine then played a club to the queen and ace, and she pitched her low diamond on the §J. When Sabine played a fourth round of clubs, Barr erred by ruffing. Sabine overruffed, returned to dummy with the ¨K and played another club. Again, Barr ruffed and was overruffed, and Sabine finished the deal with 12 tricks for plus 480.
At the other table, Schaltz took a position that many players would not.

West	North	East	South
Blakset	Jansma	Schaltz	Van Ettinger
	1§	Pass	1©
3ª	Pass	Pass	3NT
Pass	Pass	4ª	Dble
All Pass

The 4ª save at unfavorable vulnerability would not be everyone’s choice, but it worked out well as North made the normal lead of a low heart, allowing Blakset to get rid of a losing club on the ©A. From there, his losers were one club, the ªA and two diamonds for a profitable minus 200. That was 7 IMPs to Schaltz, 25-10 winners on their way to qualifying for the knockout round of the event.