GERMANY vs ENGLAND

Ladies Series - Round 11 - By Tony Gordon

When these two teams met, England were 24 VPs clear at the top of the table and Germany were down in eighth place after unconvincing performances in their recent matches; however, England knew they could expect a tough match.

After nine boards Germany led 17-11.

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

West	North	East	South
Brunner	Nehmert	Goldenfield	Rauscheid
		1§	Pass
1¨	Pass	3§	Pass
3NT	All Pass

Pony Nehmert led the ª3 against Michelle Brunner´s 3NT and Andrea Rauscheid took her ace and returned the ten to declarer's king. Brunner tried the top clubs, but there was no joy there. She then finessed the ¨Q, but there was no joy there either, and she was soon two down, losing four spades, a club and a diamond, for +200 to Germany.

West	North	East	South
von Arnim	Smith	Auken	Dhondy
		2§	Pass
2NT	Pass	3ª	Pass
4§	Pass	4©	All Pass

Sabine Auken´s 2C was 10-15 with 6+ clubs, and in response to the invitational 2NT she showed a maximum with a spade shortage. On the next round she decided to show her chunky heart fragment, but Daniela von Arnim thought her partner had a four-card suit, so 4© became the final contract. Heather Dhondy led a diamond and declarer finessed. When Nicola Smith won her king, she shifted to a spade and Dhondy took the ace and returned the suit. Declarer now finessed the ©Q, cashed the ©A and tried the top clubs. If clubs had broken 2-2, Auken could have used the rest of the suit to neutralise South´s trump holding, but Dhondy ruffed the second club and still had a trump trick to come, so Auken was one down. -100 and 3 IMPs to Germany. On the next board, North held a balanced 15 count and South held a flat 10 count. Germany played in 3NT whereas England stopped in 2NT. The cards were very friendly and 3NT could not be defeated, so Germany gained 7 IMPs. However, on board 12 Nehmert made an injudicious bid that cost her side a vulnerable game and reduced the German lead to 3 IMPs, 27-24.

Daniela von Arnim, Germany

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

West	North	East	South
von Arnim	Smith	Auken	Dhondy
		1ª	2¨
Pass	2NT	Pass	3NT
All Pass

Auken led a heart against Smith´s 3NT and declarer won in dummy, perforce, as von Arnim followed with the ©7, and played a diamond won by Auken. To defeat the contract, Auken needed to switch to a spade at trick three, but how could she tell which major offered the best chance of success? When she continued hearts, declarer had her ninth trick and England scored +400.

West	North	East	South
Brunner	Nehmert	Goldenfield	Rauscheid
		1ª	2¨
Pass	2ª	3©	4§
Pass	5§	All Pass

A low trump will defeat 5§, but Brunner naturally led the ªJ. Rauscheid won dummy's king and played a diamond and Rhona Goldenfield played a second spade to dummy's ace. Declarer now cashed the §A, discovering the bad break. She continued with a second diamond and ruffed Goldenfield´s spade exit with the §2. Now Rauscheid erred by cashing the ©A, but when Brunner failed to ruff the next diamond high she could ruff with dummy´s §6, cash the ©K and cross-ruff the last four tricks for +400 to Germany and a flat board. Declarer should have played a third diamond instead of the ©A. If West ruffs with a high trump, dummy over-ruffs and the South hand is re-entered with the ©A to play a winning diamond. Now whenever West ruffs, dummy over-ruffs again, trumps are drawn and the South hand is high.

. Board 17. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª A 9 © J 6 4 2 ¨ Q 3 2 § A 9 8 5
ª Q 10 6 © Q 9 5 ¨ J 10 9 8 7 § Q 7		ª J 8 5 4 3 © 8 ¨ K 4 § K J 6 3 2
	ª K 7 2 © A K 10 7 3 ¨ A 6 5 § 10 4

West	North	East	South
von Arnim	Smith	Auken	Dhondy
	Pass	2¨ (1)	2©
Pass	4©	All Pass
(1) Weak two in hearts or a weak hand with spades and a minor.

The opening bid did not inconvenience the English pair and they were soon in 4©. With certain losers in hearts and clubs, the fate of the contract depends on declarer avoiding two diamond losers. Von Arnim led the ¨10, and Dhondy´s fate was quickly sealed when she covered with the queen. +50 to Germany.

West	North	East	South
Brunner	Nehmert	Goldenfield	Rauscheid
	1NT	Pass	2¨
Pass	3©	Pass	4©
All Pass

Nehmert´s 1NT was 11-13 and her jump to 3© in response to the 2¨ transfer showed four hearts and a minimum. Goldenfield led a spade and Nehmert won the ace and cashed the top trumps getting the bad news. She now ducked a club to East and won the club return with the ace. When she continued by ruffing a club in dummy, Brunner discarded the ¨J. It seemed to Nehmert that if Brunner held the ¨K, she might have over-ruffed and exited with a spade to avoid a future endplay, so she decided to play East for the ¨K. She consequently cashed the ªK and ruffed a spade in hand. When she now exited with a club and discarded a diamond from dummy, Goldenfield was endplayed. She tried the ¨4, but Nehmert ran it to her queen. +420 and 10 IMPs to Germany.

Rhona Goldenfield, England

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

West	North	East	South
Brunner	Nehmert	Goldenfield	Rauscheid
Pass	1¨	1©	1ª
3ª	Dble	4©	All Pass

Rauscheid probably considered bidding 4ª, but she was right to defend as the cards lay. However, she did not find her club ruff, so Goldenfield was only one down in 4© for +100 to Germany.

West	North	East	South
von Arnim	Smith	Auken	Dhondy
2© (1)	Dble	3ª (2)	4ª
Pass	Pass	Dble	All Pass
(1) Weak two in spades or a weak hand with hearts and a minor.
(2) Pass or correct

The bidding was more aggressive at this table, but the outcome was disappointing for England when the spade layout meant that there were two unavoidable trump losers to go with the two diamond losers. +200 and 7 IMPs to Germany who won the match 45-28 IMPs, 19-11 VPs, to keep their qualifying hopes alive.