It’s important to have good judgment in bridge. It’s equally important to be in the right place at the right time. The Netherlands Red Team was reminded of the latter principle in their unsuccessful match against the Italian Miroglio team which fielded four Polish players.

Time and again, the Dutch found themselves in a spot that was “wrong” because the cards didn’t cooperate. On another day, the same contracts might have resulted in a completely different outcome.
It started with the second board.

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

West	North	East	South
Kowalski	De Wijs	Tuszynski	Muller
		1©	Pass
1ª	Pass	2NT*	Pass
3§	Pass	3¨	Pass
4©	All Pass

2NT was explained as showing 17-18 high-card points with six hearts possible. Bauke Muller led the §J, which rode to Piotr Tuszynski’s singleton king. Looking at all the cards, it’s easy to see that declarer can unblock the ªK and lead a low heart toward dummy. He will get over there sooner or later and use dummy’s top clubs and ªA to throw his three losing diamonds. Tuszynski thought it best not to think of overtricks, so he played the ©10 from hand. Muller played low smoothly, so declarer let it ride. When North discarded, the ©J lost its status as a possible entry and the limit was 11 tricks for plus 450.

West	North	East	South
Schollaardt	Szymanowski	Drijver	Romanski
		1©	Pass
1ª	Pass	4©	Pass
4NT	Pass	5ª	Pass
6©	All Pass

Any red-suit lead save the ©K will scuttle the contract – a diamond by setting up a winner right away, and a heart by taking out dummy’s entry to the three black winners declarer needs for disposal of his diamond losers.
In fact, Jacek Romanski got off to the lead of the ¨3. Bas Drijver won the ace and had no choice but to cash the §K, over take the ªK with the ace, take two diamond pitches on the clubs and depend on the heart finesse. It was not to be on this day, and it was one down and 11 IMPs to Miroglio.

The Dutch got their 11 IMPs back on the next deal, as Maarten Schollaardt and Drijver drove to a vulnerable 4© that could not be defeated while at the other table Muller and Simon De Wijs played in 5¨ undoubled, going down two tricks for minus 100.

The bad luck for the Dutch regarding slams continued on Board 4, but for once they did not lose IMPs even though no slam was bid at the other table.

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

West	North	East	South
Schollaardt	Szymanowski	Drijver	Romanski
Pass	Pass	2¨	Pass
2©	2ª	3§	3ª
Dble	Pass	5§	Pass
6¨	All Pass

2© was a relay and 3§ showed the minor suits. The double of 3ª was clearly meant as penalty – and it was booked for two down on routine defense. Drijver needed better breaks in the key suits to land 6¨. He didn’t get them and the result was two down for minus 200.

The end result was a 5-IMP gain, however, because of what happened at the other table.

West	North	East	South
Kowalski	De Wijs	Tuszynski	Muller
Pass	2ª	Dble	Pass
2NT*	Pass	3¨	Pass
3NT	Pass	4§	Pass
4¨	Pass	4©	Pass
Pass (!)	Pass

Tuszynski was aghast to see the tray slide back to his side with a pass of his cuebid. He did his best in the 3-2 trump fit, but the 6-2 split was more than he could handle and he was four down for minus 400.
Another 10 IMPs went to Miroglio when Muller and De Wijs missed a vulnerable game that was bid at the other table.

The IMPs were piling up for the Italian team, and more came their way on Board 11.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª A J © Q 10 ¨ Q 9 8 6 § K 9 6 3 2
ª K 10 9 7 6 2 © A 8 4 ¨ 10 § A 10 8		ª 5 3 © J 6 5 2 ¨ J 7 5 4 § J 5 4
	ª Q 8 4 © K 9 7 3 ¨ A K 3 2 § Q 7

West	North	East	South
Kowalski	De Wijs	Tuszynski	Muller
			1¨
1ª	2ª	Pass	2NT
Pass	3NT	All Pass

Apolinaire Kowalski led the ª10 and Muller took a very long time before playing the jack. He then went into a study that lasted more than 10 minutes. Even after a director was summoned, it took some time for play to resume. Finally, he played a diamond to the ace in his hand and played a heart. Kowalski did not err – he rose with the ©A and cleared the spade suit. There was nothing Muller could do from that point. When the ©J did not fall, he was down one.

West	North	East	South
Schollaardt	Szymanowski	Drijver	Romanski
			1§
1ª	3NT	All Pass

The ª5 went to the 4, 9 and jack, and Marek Szymanowski played flawlessly. He entered dummy with a diamond to the ace and played a low club. West ducked and declarer played the king. He then put the ©Q on the table. West won the ace and cleared the spade suit, but Szymanowski continued to play practically double dummy. He ran the ©10, cashed the ¨Q, took the marked finesse in diamonds and cashed the ©K for nine tricks and a score of 400. That was another 10 IMPs to Miroglio.

This was the final deal of the first half.

Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
	ª K 8 © 9 8 6 4 ¨ Q 2 § J 8 6 5 4
ª A J 5 3 © 7 ¨ K 10 8 5 4 § K Q 2		ª Q 10 9 4 2 © A K 3 ¨ J 9 3 § A 3
	ª 7 6 © Q J 10 5 2 ¨ A 7 6 § 10 9 7

West	North	East	South
Kowalski	De Wijs	Tuszynski	Muller
		1ª	Pass
3©*	Pass	3ª	Pass
4§	Pass	4©	Pass
4ª	All Pass

Kowalski’s 3© was a splinter, and the auction seemed to be going somewhere but abruptly stopped, much to the delight of the Poles.

Muller led a trump, ducked to North’s king. A trump was returned, and Tuszynski won in hand to play the ¨9, running it to North’s queen. The ¨A was still to be lost, but declarer had his plus 420.

West	North	East	South
Schollaardt	Szymanowski	Drijver	Romanski
		1NT	Pass
2§	Pass	2ª	Pass
3§	Pass	3¨	Pass
4©	Pass	5§	Pass
6§	Pass	6ª	All Pass

The question was whether the Dutch, bidding a slam for the third time in the set, would finally have some luck and bring it home. The answer was no. Drijver won the opening lead of the ©Q with his ace and ran the ªQ. Another slam down the drain and a 62-16 lead for Miroglio. Netherlands Red made a comeback in the second half, winning 49-15, but it was not enough as Miroglio advanced with a 77-65 victory.