CHAPTER ♣9

BC The Sugar Beet had been challenged by BC The Seed Potato to play a 48-board teams of four match for the unofficial Ommelanden Championship. The selection of the six participating pairs caused some excitement. It had been agreed that both teams would in any case field a junior pair (younger than 30), a senior pair (older than 60) and a beginners pair (fewer than 3 years experience). Diederik Jan, Daphne Jolijn, Constance, Mathilde, Ko and Jo were therefore certain to play.

The club chairman had subsequently decided that the three strongest pairs in the running club competition would complete the team. The mayor, having a less fortunate run with the councillor, had applied all his political influence to change this policy. But the chairman, who was director of local primary school The Tenth Commandment, had not given in. The tension had mounted to maximum heights when the great day arrived.

In the first round Joep and Joeri, on behalf of BC The Sugar Beet, faced the fierce looking sheriff and prosecutor. The young internet entrepreneurs were not impressed in the least and sorted their cards in careless fashion. The sheriff peered at his opponents with ill disguised irritation, and opened 1♥ with tight lips.

A few moments later he was at the helm of a promising 4♥ contract. Joep led ♠Q, taken in dummy with ♠A. The sheriff played three rounds of trumps and cashed ♠K. He had nine tricks on top, and there were no fewer than five possibilities for a tenth. One of the four missing minor suit honours could be right, or diamonds could split 3-3.

S/-	♠ A 2 ♥ K 7 4 3 ♦ A J 10 4 ♣ J 9 2
♠ Q J 10 4 ♥ 10 9 5 ♦ 9 3 ♣ K Q 7 5	N W         E S	♠ 9 8 6 5 3   ♥ J   ♦ K Q 8 5   ♣ 8 6 3
	♠ K 7 ♥ A Q 8 6 2 ♦ 7 6 2 ♣ A 10 4
West Joep -   pass   pass   pass	North prosecutor -   3 NT *   4 ♦   pass	East Joeri -   pass   pass   pass	South sheriff 1 ♥   4 ♣   4 ♥
* No-splinter: Heart fit, 12+ points, balanced hand

At trick six the sheriff played a diamond to dummy's ♦J. Joeri won and returned a club. The sheriff played low and Joep took ♣K. He led a diamond, the sheriff tried ♦10, and Joeri won again. Another club came back, and the sheriff by now felt some beads of perspiration on his forehead.

>>>

Z/-	♠ - ♥ 7 ♦ A 4 ♣ J 9
♠ J 10 ♥ - ♦ - ♣ Q 7 5	N W         O Z	♠ 8   ♥ -   ♦ 8 5   ♣ 8 3
	♠ - ♥ 8 6 ♦ 6 ♣ A 10

Three of his five possibilities had vanished, and he now had to make a premature choice between the fourth and the fifth. If diamonds broke 3-3 he should rise with ♣A, and if ♣Q was right he should finesse.
He opted for the latter (best chance), but it made no difference. None of his five possibilities materialized, and he conceded 1 down angrily.

“Ridiculously bad luck! Couldn't you bid 2♦ instead of 3NT, we have a chance then to end in 3NT. Nine tricks are cold!”, he snapped at the prosecutor.
His partner did not reply, smiling inwardly at this stunning piece of misplaced arrogance. The sheriff apparently acted the same way in his free time as he did at work: Always blaming someone else for his own mistakes. She cast her mind over the deal. It seemed to her that the bad result had nothing to do with bad luck, and that the sheriff could have made 4♥ with certainty...

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The board soon came to Leo and Linda, who were in battle against the top pair of BC The Seed Potato.

S/-	♠ A 2 ♥ K 7 4 3 ♦ A J 10 4 ♣ J 9 2
♠ Q J 10 4 ♥ 10 9 5 ♦ 9 3 ♣ K Q 7 5	N W         E S	♠ 9 8 6 5 3   ♥ J   ♦ K Q 8 5   ♣ 8 6 3
	♠ K 7 ♥ A Q 8 6 2 ♦ 7 6 2 ♣ A 10 4
West Dick van de Toren -   pass   pass   pass	North Linda -   3 NT *   4 ♦   pass	East Rick van de Schans -   pass   pass   pass	South Leo 1 ♥   4 ♣   4 ♥
* No-splinter: Heart fit, 12+ points, balanced hand

>>>

S/-	♠ A 2 ♥ K 7 4 3 ♦ A J 10 4 ♣ J 9 2
♠ Q J 10 4 ♥ 10 9 5 ♦ 9 3 ♣ K Q 7 5	N W         E S	♠ 9 8 6 5 3   ♥ J   ♦ K Q 8 5   ♣ 8 6 3
	♠ K 7 ♥ A Q 8 6 2 ♦ 7 6 2 ♣ A 10 4

Leo arrived in 4♥ via an identical auction, and the tall arrogant west player also led ♠Q. Leo won in dummy with ♠A, drew three rounds of trumps and cashed ♠K.
He could see that the contract was almost certain to succeed, but since this was teams of four he wondered whether there was a 100% play available.

He remembered Jack's beautiful 6♣ contract the other day, and suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He played a diamond from his hand at trick six and said with a determined expression:
"Ace please, Linda. And the diamond jack, please!"
Rick van de Schans won with ♦K and had to continue with a club. Leo confidently played low from his hand and Dick van de Toren took the trick with ♣K. He was subsequently forced to concede a ruff and discard or lead a club into Leo's tenace. He opted for the latter, and played a small club hoping that his partner possessed ♣10 and declarer would take the wrong view. But Leo won in hand with ♣10 and faced his cards claiming the contract.

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"What infernal luck that I didn't have a third diamond", scoffed Dick van de Toren equally pedantic as thoughtless.
"On the contrary, if you could have played another diamond it would have secured my tenth trick in that suit.", snapped Leo fiercely. "My..."
"Indeed", intervened Rick van de Schans sharply. "First cashing ♦A locks up that suit completely and secures the contract. None of us can play a third round of diamonds without giving away a trick, and we subsequently get stuck automatically in the club suit. Well played!"

Dick van de Toren eyed his partner blackly and snarled: "We are going to table four."

>>>

At another table the two junior pairs opposed each other. Ute and Uwe had driven from their villa just across the German border in their new Lamborghini, and sported very expensive Italian shoes. Daphne-Jolijn en Diederik-Jan, who as usual were wearing expensive clothes, sorted their cards with a jealous look.

W/NS	♠ 6 5 2 ♥ J 10 5 ♦ A J 10 9 8 ♣ 4 3
♠ J 8 ♥ K 9 8 4 2 ♦ Q 6 5 2 ♣ A K	N W         E S	♠ 10 9 7 3   ♥ 7 6 3   ♦ 7 4 3   ♣ 8 6 2
	♠ A K Q 4 ♥ A Q ♦ K ♣ Q J 10 9 7 5
West Diederik-Jan 1 ♥   pass   pass	North Ute pass   2 ♦   pass	East Daphne-Jolijn pass   pass   pass	South Uwe double   3 NT

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Diederik-Jan began with 1♥ first in hand, and the flamboyant Ute passed reluctantly. Daphne-Jolijn stared disbelievingly at her zero-count, and Uwe doubled with his powerhouse. A few moments later he was declarer in 3NT, and Diederik-Jan led ♥2 (3rd or 5th highest).
Uwe won with ♥Q and pondered. He had seen Jack's masterly 6♣ contract as well, and wondered whether there was a certain route to nine tricks. He had no time to develop his clubs, so he had to make something of dummy's diamonds. Was this possible, without any entries...?

Suddenly Uwe had a flash of inspiration. At trick two he played ♦K, and overtook with ♦A. He continued with ♦J from dummy, and discarded ♥A from his hand! Diederik-Jan won with ♦Q, and Uwe faced his cards with a flourish.

"Nine tricks", he said buoyantly.
The intelligent twins stared at Uwe's cards uncomprehendingly.
"If you continue hearts you give me access to the dummy and I will make two hearts, four diamonds and three spades. And if you don't continue hearts I have time to set up my clubs, and I will make four clubs, one heart, one diamond and three spades. Either way you will come to no more than ♦Q, ♥K and ♣AK."

As happens so often, Uwe would have saved time by playing on, but Diederik-Jan en Daphne-Jolijn eventually agreed with his claim...

>>>

Meanwhile Ko and Jo had picked up a slam deal. They knew the vicar and the priest from the charity work, and smiled politely at their opponents.
"How nice to meet you at a bridge match!", the priest said jovially. "Are you two doing well?"
"Oh yes, but Ko should make fewer mistakes in his cardplay", Jo answered bluntly.
"Ah, the familiar direct communication style", grinned the vicar. "I pass."

E/all	♠ A J ♥ 10 ♦ A Q 6 5 2 ♣ 9 7 6 4 2
♠ K Q 10 8 3 ♥ 8 6 2 ♦ 9 3 ♣ K J 3	N W         E S	♠ 7 6 2   ♥ 7 5 3   ♦ J 10 7 4   ♣ 10 8 5
	♠ 9 5 4 ♥ A K Q J 9 4 ♦ K 8 ♣ A Q
West priest -   1 ♠   pass   pass	North Ko -   2 ♦   5 ♥   pass	East vicar pass   pass   pass   pass	South Jo 1 ♥   4 NT   6 ♥

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Jo ended in 6♥ after a blunt auction, and the priest led ♠K. Jo won with dummy's ♠A and returned ♠J. If the priest, in a flash of charity, would not play back a trump she could ruff a spade in dummy. Her two other options, a 3-3 diamond split or ♣K with East, would meanwhile stay intact.
But the priest won with ♠Q en returned a trump. Jo took the trick in her hand with ♥A and also cashed ♥K, smartly discarding a diamond from dummy as if that suit did not interest her. She played three more rounds of trumps, throwing clubs from dummy. She then continued with three rounds of diamonds, discarding the last spade from her hand. When the priest also discarded a spade she was forced to take the improbable club finesse. This failed as expected, and she dejectedly entered 1 down on her score sheet.

Ko opened his mouth with a fierce expression, but the vicar caught his eye and said authoritatively:
"Come on, next board, we are running behind."

>>>

Soon after Black and Jack played this board on behalf of BC De Pootaardappel, against Dr. Snijder and Mr. Pleiter. Dr. Snijder glanced at Black's ultra short black skirt and red panties with obvious distaste. Mr. Pleiter on the other hand watched Jack's dark grey tie covered with little spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs in amusement.

E/all	♠ A J ♥ 10 ♦ A Q 6 5 2 ♣ 9 7 6 4 2
♠ K Q 10 8 3 ♥ 8 6 2 ♦ 9 3 ♣ K J 3	N W         E S	♠ 7 6 2   ♥ 7 5 3   ♦ J 10 7 4   ♣ 10 8 5
	♠ 9 5 4 ♥ A K Q J 9 4 ♦ K 8 ♣ A Q
West Dr. Snijder -   1 ♠   pass   pass   pass	North Jack -   2 ♦   2 NT   5 ♥   pass	East Mr. Pleiter pass   pass   pass   pass   pass	South Black 1 ♥   2 ♠   4 NT   6 ♥

<<<

After a somewhat more scientific auction Black also became declarer in 6♥. Dr. Snijder led ♠K just like the priest, and Black, contrary to Jo, paused to take stock of the hand. Dr. Snijder looked at Black impatiently and started to drum her fingers on the table. Black, who had noticed her oppenent's earlier looks of distaste, waited another 10 seconds. She finally said briskly "Small spade please."

It was now Dr. Snijder's turn to contemplate. She considered her options with tight lips, and eventually continued with a trump. Black won in hand, drew two more rounds of trumps (clubs away in dummy) and cashed three top diamonds throwing a spade. When diamonds broke 4-2 she ruffed a diamond, crossed to dummy's ♠A and claimed.

"My ♣Q disappears on dummy's last diamond", she said disdainfully to her left.
"Yes, good duck at trick one", replied Mr. Pleiter in incantatory tones. "If my partner continues spades instead of hearts at trick two, you can ruff a spade in dummy and also come to twelve tricks."
"Shall we speed up a little", snapped Dr. Snijder. "This board took ages..."

>>>

At the same time the two senior pairs were locked in battle. The baron and baroness van Bedum tot Baflo, being landowners, had at some time established BC The Seed Potato, to spread the noble game of bridge and with it civilisation among the local peasants. They had been keen players ever since, but sadly watched the once chivalrous courtesy at the table slowly change into present day unmannerly conduct.

S/EW	♠ 10 7 2 ♥ - ♦ A 7 4 3 ♣ 9 8 6 4 3 2
	N W         E S
	♠ A K J 9 8 6 ♥ 9 4 3 ♦ 8 5 2 ♣ A
West baron -   2 ♥   pass   pass	North Mathilde -   2 ♠   pass   pass	East baroness -   4 ♥   double	South Constance 1 ♠   4 ♠   pass

<<<

Constance and Mathilde, founders of BC The Sugar Beet, knew their distinguished opponents from the society circuit, and took their time in between hard-fought deals to indulge in some sophisticated conversation. Time was therefore running out somewhat, but the baron and baroness saw the match clock as a vulgar exponent of hectic modern life and were not to be hurried. Not that they would deliberately play slowly or delay matters, but they simply appreciated a brief exchange every now and then about important topics such as ancient Greek poetry or medieval Italian architecture.

The players sorted their cards for the next deal after a short discussion about the latter, and after a crisp auction Constance ended as declarer in 4♠ doubled. The baron, who knew well enough that sacrificing was an important part of modern bridge but sometimes thought about the good old times when this was considered rude, fixed Constance with a steely eye and led ♦Q. Mathilde tabled her hand with a smile and commented modestly:
"Not too many points, but an ace and a void might prove useful."
That is the understatement of the month, thought Constance. But despite her moody temperament she cheerfully replied "Thank you my dear", and pleasantly smiled at everybody at the table.

Her sharp mind was meanwhile working hard, and she soon realised that 4♠ was no ordinary sacrifice. Moreso, she spotted an almost 100% way to actually make it!

>>>

S/EW	♠ 10 7 2 ♥ - ♦ A 7 4 3 ♣ 9 8 6 4 3 2
♠ Q 5 3 ♥ K J 8 6 5 2 ♦ Q J 10 ♣ 5	N W         E S	♠ 4   ♥ A Q 10 7   ♦ K 9 6   ♣ K Q J 10 7
	♠ A K J 9 8 6 ♥ 9 4 3 ♦ 8 5 2 ♣ A

The baron and baroness did not show any signs of impatience or irritation during Constance's lengthy contemplation. Also, the baroness did not prematurely pull up a card from her hand, but simply waited with dignity for declarer to move into action. Constance eventually grunted "ace please", and the baroness encouraged with ♦9.

Constance crossed to her ♣A and ruffed a heart. She continued with a club from dummy and ruffed in her hand with ♠A! The baron looked at her in astonishment, and threw a small heart. Constance ruffed a second heart in dummy and then ruffed a second club with ♠K! She finally ruffed her last heart in dummy and faced her cards.
"You make two diamonds and ♠Q, but the rest are mine", Constance announced, barely managing to keep a straight face.

"Smartly played madam", the baron said stiffly. "How did you know I had only one club?"

<<<

"I did not know that baron, but when my ♣A held the trick I could secure my contract 100% by ruffing two clubs high. If I had ruffed low you could have overruffed and play a trump. That would have held me to nine tricks."
"Constance is right, Leopold", observed the baroness in measured tones. "If on the other hand you start with a small trump, declarer can only ruff two hearts in dummy. Your ♠Q remarkably enough stays alive in the process, and declarer is limited to nine tricks. And if she ruffs only one heart and then pulls all the trumps she is also one trick short."

The baron looked at his wife in anguish. Mathilde could not bear this and quickly said:
"A brilliant analysis baroness, but a trump lead from ♠Qxx seems almost impossible to find for the baron."
Everyone quickly agreed with this. They greeted each other politely and moved away for the lunch break.

A lavish luncheon had meanwhile been served: Home-made vegetable soup with meat balls, sandwiches with croquettes, and various salads with salmon and chicken. The players attacked all this with relish, meanwhile comparing scores with full mouths in agitated fashion.

>>>

In spite of that last board BC The Sugar Beet was trailing by 17 IMPs. Not a disaster yet, but there was work to be done. This was the score after 16 of the 48 boards:


82   BC The Sugar Beet
99   BC The Seed Potato


28   Leo and Linda / Joep and Joeri
21   Dick and Rick / sheriff and prosecutor

24   Daphne-Jolijn and Diederik-Jan / Constance and Mathilde
33   Ute and Uwe / baron and baronesse van Bedum tot Baflo

30   Dr. Snijder and Mr. Pleiter / Ko and Jo
45   Black and Jack / vicar and priest


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