Pasman v. Tokcan An Amusing Match In Round 4 of Saturday’s qualification, The Dutch team Pasman, consisting of internationals only, among them a number of former World Champions, had to face a far less reputed team from Turkey. So many may have feared a one-sided,dull match, but this was not really the case at the two tables. The Turks started off with a miserable misunderstanding on board 1 which cost them a non-vulnerable game swing straight away: Open Room West North East South Bertens Demirbai Van Zwol Tokcan   1NT Pass 4♣ Pass 4NT Pass 5♣ Pass 5♦ Pass 5♥ Pass 5NT All Pass   4} was intended to show a weakish hand with both majors, but North was not on the same wavelength. He took it as Gerber and started showing his three aces. Over 5}, again North was quite unsure what it might mean, as it took him a lot of time to produce 5{. When Tokcan next bid 5], Demirbai was completely lost. After another very long thought, he gave up and signed off in 5NT, which Bertens was kind enough not to double. As it went down three this friendly gesture only cost his side 3 IMP’s when his team-mates duly reached game in the replay: Closed Room West North East South Uysal Verhees Babac Simons   1NT Pass 2♣ 2♦ Dble Pass 2♥ Pass 3♠ Pass 4♠ All Pass       Babac led the }K rather than her blank {K in partner’s suit. Verhees won the }A and next played the [Q. When East followed suit low, seemingly showing no interest, he almost effortlessly called for dummy’s ace and thus brought down the singleton [K to secure his contract. His next move was sort of an anticlimax, however: he led a low diamond to the queen, this time losing to yet another blank king. With a club and a heart as his other losers, ten tricks were his at the end for a score of 420 and a swing of 11 IMPs. Six IMPs more went Dutch on the next board: Open Room West North East South Bertens Demirbai Van Zwol Tokcan     1♦ Pass 3♦ 3♠ All Pass   The 7-9 hcp raise in diamonds worked well for EW. The contract will make, and NS cannot make more than 2[ against accurate defence. When North overcalled, this defence was needed but it looked easy enough: ]K and a club switch to the ace, followed by two more rounds of hearts. The [A then settled the issue. One down. Closed Room West North East South Uysal Verhees Babac Simons     1NT Pass Pass 2♠ All Pass   The 12-14 NT-opening did not work so well for EW, as the diamond fit got lost in the process. Who can blame West for not competing any further over 2[? On the {K lead, North emerged with an overtrick for another +140 and 6 more IMPs to the Dutch. The next board was mainly a matter of judgement. Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.   ♠ 9 ♥ K J 9 7 6 5 2 ♦ Q 7 3 ♣ 6 2 ♠ A Q 10 3 2 ♥ - ♦ 10 9 8 5 2 ♣ K 5 3 ♠ K 8 6 5 ♥ 8 4 ♦ K 4 ♣ A J 10 9 7   ♠ J 7 4 ♥ A Q 10 3 ♦ A J 6 ♣ Q 8 4 Open Room West North East South Bertens Demirbai Van Zwol Tokcan       1♣ 1♠ 3♥ 4♣ 4♥ Pass Pass 4♠ 5♥ 5♠   All Pass   By overcalling 1[ Huub Bertens made life easy for his partner. She could first make a fitbid with 4} and next go on to 4[ when given room to do so. As it happened, 4} had clarified the position for West so he at his turn was able to go on even to 5[ which he duly made by finessing the }Q through South, the 1} opener. Pasman +650. Closed Room West North East South Uysal Verhees Babac Simons       1♣ 2♦ 2♥ 4♠ 5♥ All Pass       Uysal, on the other hand, treated his hand as a twosuiter. Babac could easily jump to 4[ but was in trouble when 5] came back to her as the EW club fit had remained secret. She therefore had no reason to double and no reason to bid on, so she just passed, collecting a meagre 50 for a loss of another 12 IMPs. The score stood at 29-0 now, but on the next board, the Tokcan team missed a very good chance to hit back: Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul.   ♠ 5 ♥ Q 10 8 7 6 3 ♦ 10 5 4 2 ♣ 9 2 ♠ K 7 6 3 ♥ J 4 ♦ A 9 8 ♣ 10 8 5 3 ♠ A Q J 10 9 8 ♥ 9 5 ♦ J ♣ K Q 7 6   ♠ 4 2 ♥ A K 2 ♦ K Q 7 6 3 ♣ A J 4 Open Room West North East South Bertens Demirbai Van Zwol Tokcan Pass Pass 1♠ 2♦ 2♠ 4♦ 4♠ 5♦ Dble All Pass     Of course it’s unlucky for EW that 4[ goes down: hearts are 2-2 and the }AJx are over the }KQxx. The Turkish NS found their proper save, however, as 5{ will go down only one for 200 to Pasman. Closed Room West North East South Uysal Verhees Babac Simons Pass Pass 1♠ Dble 2♥ Pass 4♠ Pass Pass 5♥ Dble All Pass When Simons more logically in my opinion doubled 1[ rather than overcall 2{, Verhees took a delayed save in hearts against which Babac led her singleton {J. Uysal won the king with his ace but, instead of returning the {9 immediately and hoping for the best, he first cashed the [K. When Babac followed with the queen, Uysal did return the {9 for his partner to ruff, but as he had no other entry the second diamond ruff never came. Flat board instead of a 7-IMP gain for Tokcan. On the next board, for a change, we saw a Dutch misunderstanding: Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.   ♠ J 10 8 3 ♥ K 3 2 ♦ A Q 9 8 ♣ 10 2 ♠ 6 5 2 ♥ Q 10 7 6 ♦ J 10 7 6 ♣ A J ♠ K Q 9 7 ♥ A J 8 5 ♦ 5 4 3 ♣ Q 9   ♠ A 4 ♥ 9 4 ♦ K 2 ♣ K 8 7 6 5 4 3 Open Room West North East South Bertens Demirbai Van Zwol Tokcan   Pass 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass 2♥ All Pass   This was a decent enough contract, but the defence started off quite effectively. [J to the king and ace, {K and a diamond to the queen. {A on which South’s remaining spade went away, and the last diamond which was ruffed by declarer with the ]J. The ]A and another followed, so North was on lead again with the ]K. Whatever he played, declarer could sooner or later finesse the [10 for her contract. Pasman +110. Closed Room West North East South Uysal Verhees Babac Simons   Pass 1NT 3♣ Pass 3NT Pass Pass Dble All Pass     Undoubtedly, Verhees expected a much stronger hand when his partner made a vulnerable 3} overcall after the weak NT opening bid. This time, it was Uysal who showed his disbelief in what was happening, and right he was. The lead was the [Q won by dummy’s ace. A diamond went to the ace and a club was led to the king. After some thought, West took his ace but returned a spade rather than the ]Q or ]10. This way, an undertrick or two disappeared, but declarer still had only seven tricks and thus lost 500. Tokcan 9 IMPs. On the next board, an instance of non-concentration by Demirbai hit the jackpot: Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.   ♠ K 5 ♥ 10 7 2 ♦ A K 4 2 ♣ A 9 8 4 ♠ 7 6 3 ♥ Q 4 ♦ Q J 8 ♣ J 10 7 5 3 ♠ A 10 4 2 ♥ A 9 8 6 ♦ 9 7 5 3 ♣ 6   ♠ Q J 9 8 ♥ K J 5 3 ♦ 10 6 ♣ K Q 2 Open Room West North East South Bertens Demirbai Van Zwol Tokcan     Pass 1♣ Pass 1♦ Pass 1NT All Pass       During the play of this hand, Demirbai never stopped saying sorry to his opponents, but it was in fact his partner who exploited the situation. With not quite perfect defence Tokcan made nine tricks for +150 to her side. Closed Room West North East South Uysal Verhees Babac Simons     Pass 1♣ Pass 2♣ Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass   On a diamond lead, declarer was never in with a serious chance to make her contract. It seems as if she would have needed to guess correctly in both majors. When she did not, one down was the result and Tokcan chalked up another 5 IMPs to halve the earlier deficit. A defensive mistake of which Van Zwol took full advantage led to another swing to the Dutch: Board 8. Dealer West. None Vul.   ♠ Q 10 5 4 3 ♥ K J 6 5 ♦ 9 3 ♣ 10 2 ♠ K 9 8 ♥ 10 8 ♦ J 10 8 6 2 ♣ Q J 4 ♠ J ♥ Q 9 7 4 2 ♦ A K Q 4 ♣ A 9 5   ♠ A 7 6 2 ♥ A 3 ♦ 7 5 ♣ K 8 7 6 3 Open Room West North East South Bertens Demirbai Van Zwol Tokcan Pass Pass 1♥ Pass 1NT Pass 2♦ Pass 3♦ Pass 5♦ All Pass As NS had not entered the auction, it was far more difficult for them to find the proper defence as they had no clues whatsoever. South started well by leading a trump which ran to declarer’s queen. Next, Van Zwol presented the [J and put up dummy’s king when South played low. Next, she played a heart from dummy. Now North has to rise with his king and play a club through to beat the contract. Wen he did not, South won her ]A, but could not effectively attack clubs. In the end, dummy’s clubs went on the two top hearts and that was a juicy 400 more for Pasman’s team. Closed Room West North East South Uysal Verhees Babac Simons Pass Pass 1♥ Pass 1NT Pass 2♦ Pass Pass 2♠ 3♣ 3♠ 4♦ All Pass     When West showed less aggression here at his second turn, Verhees balanced with 2[ to liven things up. Simons raised to 3[ when East introduced her third suit. Finally, West came to life again and thus 4{ became the final contract. This looks like sort of absolute par, as 3[ is likely to make. The defence against 4{ was correct: South led a trump and next hopped up with her [A, whereas North, realising the danger and helped by South’s spade raise, could find the good play of jumping up with his ]K to lead a club through. Well done, 50 more for Pasman and another 10 IMPs. The final nail in the coffin for the Tokcan team was a co-production of both Dutch pairs: Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.   ♠ A K Q 9 7 5 ♥ K J ♦ J 2 ♣ 10 6 3 ♠ 10 4 3 ♥ 5 2 ♦ A K Q 8 5 4 ♣ Q J ♠ J 6 ♥ A Q 6 4 ♦ 10 9 7 ♣ A K 9 4   ♠ 8 2 ♥ 10 9 8 7 3 ♦ 6 3 ♣ 8 7 5 2 Open Room West North East South Bertens Demirbai Van Zwol Tokcan     1♣ Pass 2♦ 2♠ 3♦ Pass 3♠ Dble 4♣ Pass 5♦ All Pass     Very nicely bid by the EW pair. During the play, West needed a little bit of luck as the spades were 6-2, but when South could not overruff dummy the contract was safe. Pasman +600. Closed Room West North East South Uysal Verhees Babac Simons     1NT Pass 3NT Dble All Pass   Once again, the weak NT was not the ideal way to tackle the problems of this hand. North’s double was a sort of a gamble, of course, asking partner to find the doubler’s solid or semi-solid suit. Simons simply led the [9 for a quick two down. The strange thing is that the West hand looks quite unsuitable to run to 5{ after the double, but it would have been a nice climax to this amusing bridge match had West in fact run on the very last board. As it was, this board settled the blitz result. We may well hear more from the Pasman team as the event goes on.

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