World Bridge Championships – Day 11

The home stretch of the event is here. 4 Trophies to be won and four finalists. Before we go to the part that is of the greatest interest to all of us, here is a quick look at the overall picture of the finals

It was decided that both losing finalists shall be awarded bronze medals (in the wake of the Covid issues, one thinks), so there are no matches for the play offs.

So, as we embark upon the last day of the event, let us hope that the Indian team returns World Champions (even though they have a tough task at hand).

The Bermuda Bowl has Switzerland and Netherlands in a close battle. With a Dutch pair, Bas Drijver-Sjoert Brink, wearing the oppositions colours trying to deny compatriots a Gold medal, the match will be an emotional one. The match was very closely fought and ended the day at 97-94.4 in favour of the Dutch national team.

The scores show Switzerland with a carryover of 1.4 imps. That represents a penalty of 1.4 imps imposed on the Dutch team.

In the Venice cup, Sweden has built a slow and steady lead against Turkey winning first two sets 54-18, 39-17 but losing the last 15-28 to lead 108-63 overall.

The Indian team started the day ahead by 48 IMPs overnight and they needed to see off any French resistance during the last set of 16 boards which was played today. The French team had four former world champions in their midst. Dominique Pilon had won the world championships as far back in 1982. Alain Levy, Phillipe Soulet and Marc Bompis are all World Life Masters and won the world championships in 1992 to 1996 period when most members of the Indian team were yet to the Ruia trophy in India. In a historic first, India entered the finals of a World Bridge Championship team event, they lost the last set 21-41, but had enough in the bank.

The other semi finals of Seniors event was a seesaw battle between the continental powers Denmark and Poland. Poland had won the first set, but Denmark took the lead in the second. They held on to it for the third and fourth set before Poland fought back to go ahead by 14 IMPs at sundown. In the final set today, Poland won comfortably 41-21 to go into the finals with an overall 225-197 tally.

The Polish Team

The Polish team is also studded with stars. Apolinary Kowalski is a World Life Master, winner of the Rand Cup World Open Series seniors title (the corresponding one to open Rosenblum, but for seniors). His partner from that win, Jacek Romanski, was a winner of the Olympiad way back in 1984. The same year these two won the senior title at the World series.

Wlodzimierz Starkowski was in the Rosenblum winning open team. His partner Michal Kwicien is a well known player and World Grand Master with many titles under his belt.

The third pair has Victor Markowicz, a World Master and 2006 Rand Cup world seniors winner, along with Krzysztof Moszczynski. If you think these Polish names have more than their share of the rarer consonants of the alphabet, you would be absolutely right, you will be refused the Polish citizenship otherwise !
 

Preparation and the Polish Club system

The extent of preparation that our team managed to do to play against Polish Club  system will play a large role in the match-up. Polish club and its variants employ a 1C opening that can have variety of hands.

The most common hand is the balanced 11-14 hand type, but it could also be 18+ with any distribution and hence like a strong club opening. The third variety of hand is a 15+ natural, but unbalanced with club suit having 5+ cards. The 1D response structure is multi-meaning and varies between partnerships. The 1D response general style is to have a 0-6 denial built-in for a strong 1C, all minor oriented hands with one or both minors and a strong NT range like 18-19 balanced.

Responses to 1C are like standard response to 1C when holding a 4 card Major and 7+ hcp, 1NT response is 9-11 without any major. 2 level responses are again largely partnership style, the original Polish club had 2C/2D as 2/1 GF style with 5+ cards and 2H/2S like a strong jump shift with a semi-solid suit. 2NT response is GF but without 4 card Major. 1D opening promises 4+ cards 12-17 HCP but can have 4-5 in minors (as is played by many in standard too).

1H,1S are 12-17 (thankfully!) with 5+ in Majors. Hands with 6+ Minor and 5+ Major - treatments are left to the partnership style. 1NT opening is 15-17 (sometimes 14+ to 17-) balanced. In Poland, the classical Polish club system is fairly standardised and one can sit down and play without much discussion, the local name means "Common Language" when translated. All three pairings play variations of the classical Polish Club, the system itself is relatively uncommon language to Indian circles.

Usually, the coach/NPC will give a jist of opponents methods and defensive strategy. Indian npc was forced to play as a substitute, this may have some effect on our preparations.

The Finals

All finals started off simultaneously. Indian Kibitzers were glued to the SENIORS finals. In the first set, Subroto-Sukamal played against Kowalski-Romanski in the open room and Krishnan-Goel played against Victor-Krzysztof.

• Poland drew the first blood when Saha-Das were preeempted out after a 2C Opening and 2D response and had to make a poor choice of game in 5C on a 4-3 fit. There was a 5-3 diamond fit. Nothing makes their way, but they went three down. At the other table, NS played in 5D which went 1 down and 3 IMPs to Poland.
• India lost another IMP when Poland when India allowed them to play in 2D. Very strange decision by Ashok holding Kxxx, AQxxxx, -, AK10 to pass after a Precision 1C-1D-1H-1S relay without completing the description of the hand by rebidding either 2H or 2S as per their style. With that great shape and void in their suit, as little as Heart King and Club Q will produce slam with the shape that Kista held. 2D made despite 5-0 trump break. 2H makes comfortably for EW.

  This might have been a partial either way, but in the other room, Poland overshot to 4H which was taken 1 down.

• India hit back in the next board when Subroto-Sukamal bid 6S on a 5-4 fit 29 HCP but with and great controls and a second suit AKQxx in clubs as source of tricks. Similar start to the auction in both rooms, 1S-4D (splinter) -4S (cold water) but Sukamal holding Txxx, AQx, x, AKQxx decided it was worth continuing to slam. At the other table, North judged to pass 4S. Overall, very good slam. +11 to India.
• Next board could well have been a loss to India. After a 1H-1S-2C start to the auction, Ashok passed with Kxxxx, x, Txxxx, Ax leaving Kista in a 4-2 fit.

  At the other table, similar start to auction, Romanski bid 2S and they soon reached 4S. Sukamal led Diamond, Subroto won but continued with a diamond. This gave declarer a winning option as the diamond pips were T87 with declarer and J96 with Subroto.

  Declarer, having lost only one trick in diamonds so far can remove trumps, take a club finesse, discard losing heart on the third club. Now if declarer reads that North has 5 diamonds (from the lead), can play North for 3 spades (known), 5 diamonds 2 hearts and 3 clubs(known). So ruff a heart, exit in a diamond. North can either cash a diamond now and surrender or exit in a heart which will only postpone the inevitable.

  Romanski was good enough to spot the diamond spots without seeing all the cards, but strangely didn't take a club finesse. 1 down. Kista brought home the 2C by giving defense a chance to err at trick two. They did. 5 IMPs to India.

• Next board saw Subroto open 2H with KJxx, KQTxxx, x, Kx (their system 2M openings are 6 cards 10-13 with 2D as preempt in either Major). Romanski holding AKQxxxxx in diamonds bid 3H asking for stopper for a quick 3NT. Sukamal doubled and Subroto jumped to 4H. Romanski elected to pass now rather than bid 5D even though they were white against red. 10 tricks made without difficulty for India.

  In the other table, 1H was opened, Ashok preempted with 3D, South bid 4H with Ax, AJx, JT9, Txxxx. Ashok bid again, 5D. When this was passed around to North, having heard partner jump to 4H, North decided that 5 level will have play. It didnt and 12 IMPs to India now leading 28-4. It didnt take very long for Poland to hit back.

• In the very next board, a standard auction saw Subroto declare in 3NT. East found a nice lead of Spade A K and back. Declarers club suit breaks 4-1, this gives entry issues to tricks which are established. The presence of QT9 in hearts opposite AKJ gives an elegant solution. After finding the bad break in clubs, jettison either of Ace or King of hearts on the third club. East wins when East does not cash the fourth spade, the distribution is likely 3-4-2-4 or 3-3-3-4. Win the diamond return, cash another diamond enter dummy with Heart, play fourth club and jettison the second top honour in hearts. East wins again, left with only hearts, has no option but to give an entry to dummy per force. Tough play to find, India went down 1.

  At the other table, a Polish club auction saw SOUTH becoming declarer. South showed an 18-19 bal hand, North raised to 3NT. Kista held xxxx, xxx, QJxxx, x and was on lead. With no entry in hand, he could have done well to lead a neutral suit (one of the Majors). He led a diamond and declarer had an easier way to 9 tricks without needing the club suit. 10 imps to Poland.

• In Deal 7, a 2C opening precision Style saw Kista double with 4531 shape and 13 HCP. North raised to 3C. East holding both Majors too made a responsive double. Kista bid 3H though after the responsive double, the hand value goes up and is good enough to force game. He played in 3H making 11 tricks. Poland did not have Indians intervene in their auction at the other table and they soon reached 4H. 10 IMPs to Poland and India only 3 IMPs ahead.
• Both sides played in 4S in the next board, but Poland made 11 tricks. 1 IMP to Poland.
• Next board was a quiet push, but with lot of action. Poland sacrificed in a competitive bidding where EW found their diamond game and NS found their 5-5 heart fit. In the other table, Subroto opened 2H which in their system is 6 cards 10-13. He had 5 card suit 9 HCP. East had 19 hcp and doubled. South jumped to 4H, West bid 4S. SUKAMAL - South - holding QJxx, Axxxx, x, Jxx was now in a bind. They appeared to have 6-5 fit in hearts. So partner is likely singleton spade. Took the push to 5H doubled and a push.
• In Board 10, Krishnan holding Kxxx, AKT9x, -, Axxx heard a 1D opening on his right. 1H overcall followed by a double if North raises to 2D could be thought off. Kista decided to double right away. North duly raised to 2D and bidding came back to him. Bidding a suit now will show a great hand so double again is the possible action. Kista bid 2H, now Ashok bid 2N with xxx, Jx, KJxxx, Qxx. 2N had its chances, but Kista bid 3C and played there. We were VUL and it went down 2.

  Other table overcalled 1H. North doubled (negative double) and South bid 2C, warned about no fit in black suits, Kowalski and did not participate further in the auction which ended in 2D by south. Sukamal played well to make 8 tricks against a 5-0 trump break. But 3 IMPs away.

• Next board again saw too much unnecessary action. North holding AK, Tx, Tx, AKQxxxx opened Polish 1C after two passes. East overcalled 1S with Qxxxx, I guess the strategy to disrupt Polish club auctions. South made a negative double (does this promise 4 card heart for Poles - not known, it might just be a point showing double). Kista holding T9x, AQxxxx, xx, jx decided that he didnt want to bid 2H as fit non-jump. He raised to 2S. North decided to jump to 3NT. When bidding came back to him, Kista decided to double asking for a heart lead thinking North may have a spade honour that can be trapped if partner had overcalled with a decent suit. Poles gave this a thought and passed all around. They soon made 10 tricks without a sweat.

  The other table reached 5C from SOUTH hand and made but lost 6 IMPs.

• In Board 12, Kista-Ashok overreached to 4S which went 2 down, at the other table Poles played in 2S. 5 IMPs away.
• In board 15, India lost 4 IMPs when they reached 3S due to a bidding misunderstanding at Kista-Ashok's table. Other table played in 2S. Only 8 tricks made. 4 IMPs away.
• In the last board, Subroto-Sukamal were caught speeding. 1H opened on his right, Subroto doubled with Txx, xxx, Qxx, AKJx - flat hand no shape and only 11 HCP. East held 14 HCP with AKQJ in spades and redoubled. Sukamal ran to 1S which usually gets away as opponents are vulnerable. Holding that suit, Romanski decided to double again. Opponents can simply remove trumps and cash 5 hearts and diamond Ace for 4 down -800.

  Indians made 4H in the other table, but lost 4 IMPs. India ended the set 29-47 down.

The next two sets saw Poland build their lead, India lost the second 24-34 and the third 24-39 conceding a lead of 43 IMPs and trailing 87-130 overnight.

In my analysis, it looks like Indians were too eager for giving the Gold to the country. We were trying too much in each board, when the calm game we displayed against French was the need of the day and cut down unforced errors.

Tonight we must regroup. If 43 imps lead can be conceded in 3 sets, that and more can be gained back in 3 sets too. We need to take inspiration from the great comebacks we have seen in the World championship finals and steady the boat for a fresh day tomorrow.

In the Wuhan Cup event, has France and USA1 in a tight battle. France lost the first set by 2 IMPs, but has had the better of USA1 in the next two. 44-46, 38-27, 24-13 to lead 107-86.