Scandinavian Slaughter

Mark Horton

	Geir Helgemo, Norway

Next year, not so far away now, the European Championships will be staged alongside a huge bridge festival in Malmö, Sweden. Here in Monaco, the second round of the Bermuda Bowl featured an all Scandinavian encounter between the country that will host the Championships and their neighbours, Norway, runners up in this event last time. I happen to know that a lot of the smart money is on Norway going one better this time, and as you will see from this report they were in no mood to take prisoners.

The first board gave a subtle hint of what was to follow:

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

West	North	East	South
Gustawsson	Saelensminde	Morath	Brogeland
	Pass	1¨	1©
2©*	3©	4§	Pass
5¨	All Pass

Not a great slam, but one that makes. +420

West	North	East	South
Helgemo	Lindkvist	Helness	Fredin
	Pass	1¨	1©
1ª	1NT	2§	2©
3©	Pass	4§	Pass
5¨	All Pass

A flat board – as it was in the Venice Cup match between Germany and South Africa – but there both teams bid Six Diamonds!

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	ª K 9 6 3 © 5 3 ¨ 8 § Q J 8 7 5 3
ª 8 5 © J 8 6 ¨ A Q 10 7 4 2 § 6 4		ª A 10 4 2 © K Q 10 2 ¨ K 9 § K 9 2
	ª Q J 7 © A 9 7 4 ¨ J 6 5 3 § A 10

West	North	East	South
Gustawsson	Saelensminde	Morath	Brogeland
		1NT	Pass
3¨	Pass	3NT	All Pass

South led the queen of spades and declarer failed to divine the diamond position, finishing one down, -50.

West	North	East	South
Helgemo	Lindkvist	Helness	Fredin
		1NT	Pass
3NT	All Pass

Same contract, same lead. Helness ducked the first spade, won the second, and played a heart to the jack. When that held he played a second heart and South thought for a very long time before ducking. In isolation that is a mistake, as declarer can now arrive at nine tricks by picking up the diamonds. Of course, he was not going to do so, but imagine East had been holding ¨K98. So, another flat board, but the flood gates were about to open.

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

West	North	East	South
Gustawsson	Saelensminde	Morath	Brogeland
1NT	Pass	2¨*	Pass
2©	Pass	3©	Pass
3ª	Pass	4¨*	Dble
Pass	Pass	Redble	Pass
4ª	Pass	4NT*	Pass
5©*	Pass	6©	All Pass

The duplication of values in diamonds was annoying, but on this auction West knew all about it, and one might question his decision to bid Four Spades. Slam was tolerable, without being great, but to have any chance declarer had to take an unlikely view in hearts, and of course he did not, -100.

West	North	East	South
Helgemo	Lindkvist	Helness	Fredin
1NT	Pass	2¨*	Pass
2©	Pass	4¨*	Dble
4©	All Pass

Declarer was soon claiming eleven tricks and 13 IMPs.

It was not long before the Norwegians added a second slam swing:

Board 22. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
	ª A K 3 © A K 7 4 ¨ J 9 6 § A 10 2
ª 10 8 © Q J 3 2 ¨ K 8 3 2 § K 8 3		ª J 9 7 4 2 © 9 8 ¨ 10 7 5 4 § 9 4
	ª Q 6 5 © 10 6 5 ¨ A Q § Q J 7 6 5

West	North	East	South
Gustawsson	S?lensminde	Morath	Brogeland
		Pass	1§
Pass	1©	Pass	1NT
Pass	6NT	All Pass

With the clubs behaving declarer did not need any red suit miracles, +990.

West	North	East	South
Helgemo	Lindkvist	Helness	Fredin
		Pass	1§*
Pass	1©	Pass	1NT
Pass	3NT	All Pass

Facing a nebulous club and a limited rebid it was not unreasonable for North to simply bid game but it cost 11 IMPs.

The next deal saw a sensational swing:

Board 23. Dealer South. All Vul.
	ª K 4 © Q 10 9 8 4 2 ¨ J 3 § 9 5 4
ª A J 10 9 8 6 5 © A ¨ - § K Q 10 7 6		ª Q 7 3 2 © K J 3 ¨ Q 8 5 § A J 2
	ª - © 7 6 5 ¨ A K 10 9 7 6 4 2 § 8 3

West	North	East	South
Gustawsson	Saelensminde	Morath	Brogeland
			3NT*
5ª	Pass	7ª	All Pass

South’s preemptive effort reached a reward beyond expectations when East/West, deprived of bidding space went overboard.

West	North	East	South
Helgemo	Lindkvist	Helness	Fredin
			3NT*
4ª	All Pass

Peter Fredin, Sweden

Helness gave it a long look, but eventually took the conservative view – and racked up another double figure swing.

This was quite a tough match for the commentators, as apart from having to contend with a number of tough deals they also had to cope with a scenario where one room raced ahead of the other, which meant there were no comparisons available.

On Board 26, holding ª1084 ©KJ32 ¨KJ6 §J83 Peter Fredin, after the auction 1¨-1ª-1NT-3NT led the §3 against 3NT, prompting Barry Rigal to remark that ‘When I see Peter’s leads I realise that we think differently about the game.’ I may have imagined it but I thought I detected a murmur of assent from the Swedish members of the audience.

Things were already going badly for Sweden and matters were not improved by this deal:

Board 28. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	ª 5 4 © J 10 8 7 4 ¨ Q J 9 7 § 4 2
ª 8 7 3 © 2 ¨ 8 6 5 4 3 2 § J 7 5		ª Q J 10 9 2 © A Q 9 5 ¨ K 10 § A 6
	ª A K 6 © K 6 3 ¨ A § K Q 10 9 8 3

West	North	East	South
Gustawsson	Saelensminde	Morath	Brogeland
3¨!	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

I have seen this kind of bidding in Junior events, but this gentle readers is the Bermuda Bowl, where such frivolity is surely out of place?

North led the jack of hearts and declarer won with dummy’s ace and played a high spade. South won and switched to the king of clubs. Declarer won with the ace and played back a club. South won and played a third round of the suit, on which North discarded his remaining spade. Declarer played a diamond and when North produced the queen he naturally played the king and was three down, -500.

West	North	East	South
Helgemo	Lindkvist	Helness	Fredin
Pass	Pass	1ª	Dble
Pass	1NT	Pass	3§
Pass	3©	Pass	4©
All Pass

If Lindkvist could make his contract then Sweden would avoid another disaster – but the odds were stacked against him. He took the opening lead of the queen of spades in dummy and played a top club. East won and played a second spade. Declarer won, cashed the master club and played a third club, ruffing with the ten of hearts when West produced the jack. The simple defence is for East to discard a spade, after which he is in complete control whatever declarer tries. However, Helness overuffed, and now made a potentially fatal error by playing a third spade. If declarer ruffs this with the eight or seven of hearts and then plays East for the nine of hearts he can make the contract, but he ruffed with the four. Now he played the eight of hearts and East can again ensure a one trick defeat by covering with the nine of hearts as that blocks the trump suit.

However, he followed with the five and declarer missed his last chance by going up with the king. The game of ping pong was over, and when declarer carelessly played another heart he was three down, -300.

Norway had dominated the match, and won 58-4 IMPs, 25-3 VP to go to the top of the table with maximum points.