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OPEN TEAMS ROUND OF 8 - 3RD England v Romania
by Phillip Alder
One of the Cinderella stories at these championships has been the Romania Open team. They have no sponsors or coach and had no training camps before coming to Beijing. But playing four-handed they have made it to the quarterfinals, where they have given England a run for its pounds.
After half the match, England led by 44 IMP, a lot for Romania to make up. To see if the East Europeans could make any headway against their western rivals, I went into the closed room to watch Marius Briciu and Ovidiu Ghigheci play East-West against David Gold and Tom Townsend.
At the other table, Ionut Coldea and Marius Ionita, playing a strong-club system, took on Artur Malinowski and Nicklas Sandqvist, using Polish Club.
The session featured only three flat boards, and most of the swings were created in the bidding. Try a few of the problems for yourself.
| 1. Dealer West. Both vul. |
| | ♠ K 8 4
♥ 9
♦ K 9 6
♣ A K 10 9 7 5 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| 1♥ | Pass | 3♥(a) | ?
|
(a) Pre-emptive.
What would you do?
| 2. Dealer West. None vul. |
| | ♠ J 6
♥ J 10 9 8 7 5 3 2
♦ K
♣ A Q |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Pass | 1♦ | ?
| |
Your bid?
| 3. Dealer West. North-South vul. |
| | ♠ A Q
♥ A K 7 6 4 2
♦ Q 10 8 7
♣ 6 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| 1♥ | Pass | 1NT(a) | Dble
|
| ?
| | | |
(a) Forcing for one round.
What would you do?
| 4. Dealer North. Both vul. |
| | ♠ A 10 9 2
♥ K 10 9
♦ 3 2
♣ J 9 6 4 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| | Pass | 1♠ | Dble
|
| ?
| | | |
What is your choice?
Going back to the third problem, if you bid two hearts, it goes pass - three clubs - pass. What now? If you redouble, it goes two spades - three clubs - pass. What would you do?
| 5. Dealer South. North-South vul. |
| | ♠ 8
♥ K Q 7 5
♦ A Q J 3
♣ K J 8 3 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| | | | 1♣(a)
|
| 1♠ | Dble | Pass | ?
|
(a) Natural or any balanced 18-20.
What is your rebid?
Would you do something different if you had opened one diamond, lefty had overcalled two clubs, and partner had made a negative double?
The swing on the first board was created because Coldea overbid.
| Board 17. Dealer North. None vul. |
| | ♠ Q 10 8 7 5
♥ 3 2
♦ A Q 8 4 3
♣ Q |
♠ 9 6
♥ A 8 4
♦ J 9 6
♣ A J 9 6 3 |  |
♠ A K 4 3
♥ J 10 7 6 5
♦ K 10 5
♣ 8 | | | ♠ J 2
♥ K Q 9
♦ 7 2
♣ K 10 7 5 4 2 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Malinowski | Coldea | Sandqvist | Ionita
|
| | 1♠ | Pass | 1NT(a)
|
| Pass | 2♦ | 2♥ | Pass
|
| Pass | 3♦ | Pass | 3♠
|
| Pass | Pass | Dble | All Pass
|
(a) Forcing for one round.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Briciu | Gold | Ghigheci | Townsend
|
| | 2♠(a) | All Pass
| |
(a) Five-plus spades and a five-plus minor.
Gold and Townsend had a sensible sequence. Then the defense was double-dummy accurate. East led the heart ten (Rusinow). West took dummy's king with his ace and shifted to a trump, which East correctly ducked. Declarer tried the diamond finesse, but East won and switched to his singleton club. Again West played perfectly, winning with his ace and returning his second trump. Now the defenders had to get two spades, one heart, two diamonds and one club for down one. All that to save 1 IMP!
The Romanians could have duplicated this result because their two-spade opening bid is identical, but Coldea called his hand 11-15 and opened one spade. Once he had done that, though, he should have passed out two hearts, especially because that delayed entry into the auction implied spade values.
When North did bid a third time and South gave preference to spades, Sandqvist was happy to double.
East did well, leading the heart six, not the heart jack. Now, when declarer failed to put in dummy's nine and the defense was similarly accurate, North was doomed to go down four.
Minus 50 and plus 800 gave England 13 IMPs.
After each team gained an overtrick IMP, there came:
| Board 20. Dealer West. Both vul. |
| | ♠ A 9 5
♥ A J 4
♦ J 8 5 4 3
♣ J 4 |
♠ J 2
♥ K Q 10 8 7
♦ A 10 7
♣ Q 6 2 | |
♠ Q 10 7 6 3
♥ 6 5 3 2
♦ Q 2
♣ 8 3 | | | ♠ K 8 4
♥ 9
♦ K 9 6
♣ A K 10 9 7 5 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Malinowski | Coldea | Sandqvist | Ionita
|
| 1♥ | Pass | 2♥ | 3♣
|
| Pass | 3NT | All Pass
| |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Briciu | Gold | Ghigheci | Townsend
|
| 1♥ | Pass | 3♥ | All Pass
|
Ghigheci's pre-emptive three-heart response worked well when Townsend was unwilling to risk a takeout double. (A four-club overcall would probably have been met by a raise to five clubs, which would have been one too high.)
Against three hearts, North led the diamond four. When declarer made the normal misguess of calling for dummy's queen, he was destined to finish down three, losing two spades, two hearts, one diamond and two clubs.
When Sandqvist had to content himself with two hearts, it was easy for Ionita to overcall three clubs, and for Coldea to advance with three notrump, a contract that was unbeatable.
Minus 300 and plus 600 gave Romania 7 IMPs.
The next deal was similar to this one, except the gain was on the other side of the scoresheet.
| Board 21. Dealer North. North-South vul. |
| | ♠ J 8 2
♥ J 6
♦ A K 7 2
♣ A K Q 3 |
♠ 6 5
♥ K Q 8 4
♦ Q J 8 3
♣ 9 4 2 | |
♠ A 10 9
♥ A 9 5 2
♦ 9 5
♣ J 10 8 7 | | | ♠ K Q 7 4 3
♥ 10 7 3
♦ 10 6 4
♣ 6 5 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Malinowski | Coldea | Sandqvist | Ionita
|
| | 1NT(a) | Pass | 2♥
|
| Pass | 2♠ | All Pass
| |
(a) 15-17 points.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Briciu | Gold | Ghigheci | Townsend
|
| | 1♣(a) | Pass | 1♥(b)
|
| Pass | 1NT(c) | Pass | 2♥(b)
|
| Pass | 2♠ | Pass | 2NT(c)
|
| Pass | 4♠ | All Pass
| |
(a) Natural or any balanced 18-20.
(b) Transfer.
(c) 18-20 balanced.
(d) Game-invitational with five spades.
It isn't clear why Coldea downgraded his hand to 17 points. Perhaps once he had done that, he should have made a superaccept over two hearts.
Note that in contrast Gold jumped to game despite having a minimum 18 points.
Of course, at double-dummy, the Romanians were right, but Briciu and Ghigheci lost their way. East led the club ten, declarer winning with his ace and playing a heart. Now West, on winning with his queen, surely should have shifted to a trump. Then the defenders could have collected one spade and three red-suit tricks. But West switched to the diamond queen. Declarer won with his ace and played a second heart, East rising with his ace and returning his remaining diamond. North took that and cashed his other top clubs, discarding dummy's remaining diamond. A diamond ruff and overruff, a heart ruff, and a trump left the defenders helpless.
At the other table the play followed almost the same path.
Minus 170 and plus 620 gave England 10 IMPs and a match lead of 60.
Two boards later England gained another 4 IMPs when Coldea doubled a cold (sorry!) four spades, his ace and king of hearts being worth only one trick when declarer had a singleton.
This was the next deal:
| Board 24. Dealer West. None vul. |
| | ♠ A K Q 5
♥ 6
♦ 9 8 7 6 3
♣ K 10 5 |
♠ 9 4 3 2
♥ 4
♦ A Q 5
♣ J 6 4 3 2 | |
♠ J 6
♥ J 10 9 8 7 5 3 2
♦ K
♣ A Q | | | ♠ 10 8 7
♥ A K Q
♦ J 10 4 2
♣ 9 8 7 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Malinowski | Coldea | Sandqvist | Ionita
|
| Pass | 1♦ | 3♥ | Pass
|
| Pass | Dble | All Pass
| |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Briciu | Gold | Ghigheci | Townsend
|
| Pass | 1♦ | 1♥ | 1NT
|
| Pass | Pass | 2♥ | Pass
|
| Pass | 2♠ | 3♥ | All Pass
|
I think most players would overcall one heart (or four hearts!), thinking that game was still possible even opposite a passed partner. But three hearts worked well. North made a balancing takeout double, and South passed.
South led a trump, but then failed to find a spade shift. Instead, understandably, he tried the diamond jack. Declarer put up dummy's ace to swallow his king, discarded a spade on the diamond queen, and took the club finesse. Now East lost only one spade and three hearts.
At the other table, Townsend easily found the right trick-two shift given his partner's two-spade bid.
Plus 530 and plus 50 gave England 11 IMPs.
The one-way traffic continued ...
| Board 25. Dealer North. East-West vul. |
| | ♠ 3 2
♥ K 10 9 8 4
♦ 4
♣ Q 10 7 6 3 |
♠ 5 4
♥ A 2
♦ A J 10 7 3 2
♣ 9 8 2 | |
♠ A J 9 7 6
♥ 7 6 5
♦ Q 9 5
♣ K 5 | | | ♠ K Q 10 8
♥ Q J 3
♦ K 8 6
♣ A J 4 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Malinowski | Coldea | Sandqvist | Ionita
|
| | 2♥(a) | Pass | 3NT
|
| Pass | Pass | Pass
| |
(a) Five-plus hearts and five-plus minor.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Briciu | Gold | Ghigheci | Townsend
|
| | 2♦(a) | Pass | 2NT(b)
|
| Pass | 3♥(c) | All Pass
| |
(a) Weak two in either major or a balanced 23-24.
(b) Inquiry.
(c) Minimum weak two in hearts.
Three notrump was no fun after West led the diamond jack. When the smoke cleared, South had lost one spade, one heart and five diamonds for down three.
Gold could not open two hearts, because that would have been Flannery. And they play an aggressive style of weak twos at favorable vulnerability. The way the cards lay, four hearts was laydown.
Plus 150 and plus 170 gave England another 8 IMPs.
The match was getting away from Romania, but they recovered 26 IMPs over the last seven boards. On Board 26 Briciu held:
| | ♠ K Q 10 5 3
♥ A J 2
♦ 9 4 3
♣ K 9 |
At both tables the bidding started:
| West | North | East | South
|
| | | Pass | Pass
|
| 1♠ | 2♣ | Pass | Pass
|
| ?
| | | |
It looked clear-cut to pass to me, but Briciu doubled. Partner converted to two diamonds and made it when Gold did not find the killing defense. Malinowski did pass out two clubs, which was laydown. Plus 90 at both tables gave Romania 5 IMPs. And:
| Board 27. Dealer South. None vul. |
| | ♠ Q J 10 9 2
♥ A Q 8 6
♦ A 4
♣ K 2 |
♠ A 8 7 5 3
♥ A Q 8 6
♦ A 4
♣ K 2 | |
♠ K 6 4
♥ 4 2
♦ Q 10 5 3
♣ J 9 8 6 | | | ♠
♥ 9 5 3
♦ J 8 6 2
♣ A 10 7 5 4 3 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Malinowski | Coldea | Sandqvist | Ionita
|
| | | | Pass
|
| 1♠ | Pass | 2♠ | Pass
|
| 4♠ | Dble | All Pass
| |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Briciu | Gold | Ghigheci | Townsend
|
| | | | Pass
|
| 1♠ | Pass | 2♠ | Pass
|
| 3♥ | Pass | 3♠ | All Pass
|
Briciu bid in disciplined style, and Gold failed to pull the double trigger.
It was, of course, easier for Coldea at the other table when Malinowski took a punt at game.
Both contracts went down three, giving Romania 8 IMPs.
England benefited from too much bidding by Briciu on this deal:
| Board 28. Dealer West. North-South vul. |
| | ♠ 9 6 5 2
♥ Q J 10 5
♦ J 9 3
♣ 10 3 |
♠ A Q
♥ A K 7 6 4 2
♦ Q 10 8 7
♣ 6 | |
♠ 8 7 3
♥ 8 3
♦ 2
♣ A Q 9 8 7 5 4 | | | ♠ K J 10 4
♥ 9
♦ A K 6 5 4
♣ K J 2 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Malinowski | Coldea | Sandqvist | Ionita
|
| 1♥ | Pass | 3♣(a) | Dble
|
| Pass | 3♠ | All Pass
| |
(a) Natural, nonforcing.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Briciu | Gold | Ghigheci | Townsend
|
| 1♥ | Pass | 1NT(a) | Dble
|
| Redble | 2♠ | 3♣ | Pass
|
| 3♥ | Pass | 4♥ | Pass
|
| Pass | Dble | 5♣ | Dble
|
| Pass | Pass | Pass
| |
(a) Forcing for one round.
I think Malinowski was correct to pass over South's double. When each partner has a long suit facing shortage, it is usually better to play with the weaker hand's suit as trumps.
Three spades went down two.
Briciu overbid with his redouble, then should have passed out three clubs. Of course, East did not have to raise to four hearts, but he expected his partner to have a stronger hand.
Five clubs went down one, of course, so England gained 7 IMPs.
Those points went straight back:
| Board 29. Dealer North. Both vul. |
| | ♠ 8 5
♥ J 5 4
♦ Q 10 8 7
♣ K Q 7 5 |
♠ A 10 9 2
♥ K 10 9
♦ 3 2
♣ J 9 6 4 | |
♠ K Q 6 4 3
♥ Q 7 6
♦ K J 6 4
♣ 8 | | | ♠ J 7
♥ A 8 3 2
♦ A 9 5
♣ A 10 3 2 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Malinowski | Coldea | Sandqvist | Ionita
|
| | Pass | 1♠ | Dble
|
| 2NT(a) | 3♣ | 3♦ | Pass
|
| 4♠ | Pass | Pass | Pass
|
(a) Game-invitational or stronger.
| West | North | East | South
|
| Briciu | Gold | Ghigheci | Townsend
|
| | Pass | 1♠ | Dble
|
| 3♠(a) | Pass | Pass | Pass
|
(a) Pre-emptive.
That West hand is a textbook mixed raise, but neither pair had a bid for that hand. It is too good for a pre-emptive jump, but not good enough for a game invitation.
Four spades went down one when declarer misguessed hearts, and three spades came home with an overtrick when South shifted to a heart early in the play.
Plus 100 and plus 170 gave Romania 7 IMPs.
The final swing came on this deal:
| Board 31. Dealer South. North-South vul. |
| | ♠ A 10 9 3 2
♥ A 10 8 6
♦ K 10 2
♣ 10 |
♠ K Q J 6
♥ J
♦ 8 6
♣ A Q 9 7 6 2 | |
♠ 7 5 4
♥ 9 4 3 2
♦ 9 7 5 4
♣ 5 4 | | | ♠ 8
♥ K Q 7 5
♦ A Q J 3
♣ K J 8 3 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Malinowski | Coldea | Sandqvist | Ionita
|
| | | | 1♦
|
| 2♣ | Dble | Pass | 4♥
|
| Pass | 6♥ | All Pass
| |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Briciu | Gold | Ghigheci | Townsend
|
| | | | 1♣
|
| 1♠ | Dble | Pass | 3♥
|
| Pass | 4♥ | All Pass
| |
Six hearts was laydown, giving Romania 13 IMPs. But England had won the set 54-41, extending the lead to 57 with only 32 boards to be played.
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