3rd European Champions' Cup Page 2 Bulletin 1- Friday, 8 October  2004


Sweden v Denmark - Round 1

Sweden’s BK Herkules, with PO Sundelin, Johan Sylvan, Peter Bertheau and Fredrik Nyström, won its group in the Round Robin last year in Rome, but was beaten badly in the final by the Italian team Angelini. In Malmö all four Swedes were in the team which collected the silver medals for Sweden. Now they have come to Barcelona for a revenge!

Since Norway performed poorly in Malmö there are only two Scandinavian countries here, Denmark and Sweden. They met in the first match in the battle of Scandinavia.

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

Open Room:
West North East South
Koch-Palmlund Bertheau Adamsen Nystrom
Pass Pass 1ª Dble
Pass 2¨ 2ª 5¨
All Pass      

Closed Room
West North East South
Sylvan Aagaard Sundelin Nicolajsen
Pass Pass 1ª Dble
Pass 1NT 2ª All Pass

The young Swedish pair Bertheau-Nyström is too old to play in the Juniors, but on this board they showed some Junior manners. 2¨ was 8-11 HCP’s with diamonds and when Nyström jumped to 5¨ they were far too high. The contract was doomed to go down; -300 to Denmark.

In the other room the Danes had a completely different view, as they let their opponents buy 2ª. PO Sundelin finessed in clubs, pitched a diamond on §A and 2ª was just made; -110 but that was 5 IMPs to Denmark.

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

Open Room
West North East South
Koch-Palmlund Bertheau Adamsen Nystrom
Pass Pass 1© Pass
2¨ Pass 3© Pass
3ª Pass 4¨ Pass
4ª Pass 4NT Pass
5§ Pass 6¨ All Pass

Closed Room
West North East South
Sylvan Aagaard Sundelin Nicolajsen
Pass Pass 1§ Pass
1ª Pass 2© Pass
3¨ Pass 3© Pass
3ª Pass 4¨ Pass
4ª Pass 4NT Pass
5¨ All Pass    

6¨ is the spot to be. Declarer can throw a club on a high heart then play spades towards the hand. Two spades can then be ruffed in dummy. On a trump lead 6¨ is still a nice small slam, since the hearts can be established.
Koch-Palmlund/Adamsen found the slam relatively easy after a natural auction. Koch-Palmlund showed one ace and Adamsen hoped for the best, +920. Well done!

On a strong club opening Sylvan showed 8+ HCPs and 5-4 in diamonds and spades. 4NT did not ask for aces, but showed three. When Sylvan stopped in game Sweden had to lose 11 IMPs.

Board 13. Dealer North, All Vul.
  ª K J 10 6
© A J 4
¨ K 8
§ K 9 4 2
ª A Q 8 7 3 2
© 9 5 2
¨ Q 5
§ 7 5
Bridge deal ª 5
© Q 10 7 6
¨ 10 9 7 6 4 2
§ 8 3
  ª 9 4
© K 8 3
¨ A J 3
§ A Q J 10 6

Open Room
West North East South
Koch-Palmlund Bertheau Adamsen Nystrom
  1NT Pass 2§
Pass 2ª Pass 2NT
Pass 3§ Pass 3NT
Pass 4§ Pass 4©
Pass 4ª Pass 6§
All Pass      

Closed Room
West North East South
Sylvan Aagaard Sundelin Nicolajsen
  1§ Pass 2§
Pass 2NT Pass 3NT
All Pass      

 
The Open room players  
Nyström mildly invited a club slam and it was accepted by Bertheau. Koch-Palmlund did not have to think long considering what to lead. As N/S together had promised at least six spades ªA hit the table in less than a second. Adamsen got his ruff and it was all over. What a pity on a quite decent small slam.

The Danes at the other table were not even close to slam, reaching 3NT. 1§ was either clubs or, as it was this time, a balanced hand with 15-17 HCPs. As the slam was beaten at the other table the Danes this time were the lucky ones as they won 13 IMPs. It could have been the other way round easily enough.

On the next board there were some fireworks at both tables.

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

Open Room
West North East South
Koch-Palmlund Bertheau Adamsen Nystrom
      1§
2NT Pass 3§ 4ª
Pass Pass 5§ Dble
All Pass      

Closed Room
West North East South
Sylvan Aagaard Sundelin Nicolajsen
      1ª
2NT Pass 5¨ 5ª
Pass Pass Dble All Pass

In the Open Room South opened a strong club. West’s 2NT was for the minors and now started the fight for the contract. When East ‘sacrificed’ in clubs, Nyström was hoping for a nice reward and doubled. But there were only two black tricks to win for the defence – 550 to Denmark. The Danes gained just 2 IMPs on the board, though, since Nicolajsen as South in the Closed Room tried to play 5ª. Sundelin did not believe 5ª had any chance and doubled – two down and 500 to Sweden.

Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
  ª K 9 6 4
© A Q 9 8 5
¨ A 6 4
§ 2
ª 10 7 3
© 2
¨ J 10 8 3
§ A K 6 5 3
Bridge deal ª Q J 5
© 7 6
¨ Q 9 7 5 2
§ J 8 4
  ª A 8 2
© K J 10 4 3
¨ K
§ Q 10 9 7

Open Room
West North East South
Koch-Palmlund Bertheau Adamsen Nystrom
Pass 1© Pass 2§
Pass 3NT Pass 4§
Pass 4© Pass 4ª
Pass 4NT Pass 6©
All Pass      

Closed Room
West North East South
Sylvan Aagaard Sundelin Nicolajsen
Pass 1© Pass 2NT
Pass 3§ Pass 4©
All Pass      

This board is in a way similar to board 13, when Bertheau/Nystr?m played in 6§ whereas Aagaard/Nicolajsen stopped in game. The Danes had the luck on their side before, but on this board the Swedes scored +1430 when they found 6© with only 26 HCPs. The key to the success for them was a complicated relay system. 2§ was asking and 3NT showed exactly the distribution 4-5-3-1 and 8-10 points according to the scale A=3, K=2, Q=1 and singleton=1. 4© was exactly 9 points and 4ª zero or two aces. A spade loser could go on ¨A and the rest of the play was dull. Aagaard/Nicolajsen had no visions as they simply reached game after a Jacoby sequence, where 3§ was a minimum hand - 680 and a very well deserved 13 IMPs to Sweden.

The battle of Scandinavia thus ended up almost even, 50-47 IMPs to Denmark which was translated to 16-14 in VPs.



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