Euro Teams Round 19 ROMANIA

On Round 19 we played Romania .. we were hopeful .. as we jumped out of bed and rushed down the stairs and found we were 1.5 hours too early for kibitzing ... 

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

NS 5♦; EW 3♠; NS 3♥; EW 1♣; Par +400

This hand requires a declarers full attention otherwise one goes down. So you win the ♦ A by force and plan your campaign. You might try cashing a 2nd high diamond and accidently find you are on the correct line when it is ruffed. You might work out that its okay for ♦ K to get ruffed as you work towards using the dummy ♦s. In order to make the contract one must eventually get the dummies ♦s going as reserve trumps.
Top declarers like John Carroll should roll this home but maybe he was having a Kit Kat on trick 2. Maybe he revoked or maybe something else happened ,,,
11 declarers went down 8 declarers made it ...the rest played in part score or 3 NT or something else. Interesting hand and there are some lessons and trchniques for the lesser player here.
7 imps to Romania whose NS declared the easier 3 ♥

Board 7 South Deals Both Vul	♠ 8 6 4 3 2 ♥ 6 ♦ 10 6 3 ♣ Q 6 5 3
♠ A K Q 10 7 ♥ 8 7 5 ♦ 9 8 ♣ 9 8 4	N W E S	♠ 9 ♥ A K Q 9 4 2 ♦ A K 7 5 2 ♣ 10
	♠ J 5 ♥ J 10 3 ♦ Q J 4 ♣ A K J 7 2

EW 6♥; EW 5♦; EW 3♠; EW 2N; NS 1♣; Par −1430

Boland and Moran along with 9 other pairs bid a making slam amd most gained 13 imps.
Obly 25 hcp if you are a point counter. 3-3 break in ♦s helped .. I did not look to see if it makes on a tougher break.

Board 10 East Deals Both Vul	♠ A Q 5 ♥ K 9 2 ♦ K 2 ♣ K Q J 8 7
♠ 9 8 3 2 ♥ A 4 ♦ 10 9 4 ♣ A 9 4 2	N W E S	♠ K 4 ♥ Q 8 7 6 3 ♦ A J 8 5 ♣ 6 3
	♠ J 10 7 6 ♥ J 10 5 ♦ Q 7 6 3 ♣ 10 5

NS 2♠; EW 2♦; NS 2♣; EW 1♥; Par +110

Here Romania overstretched somehow to 3 NT. For normal people it is a 1 level opening that gets passed out. Possibly Romania upgaded the hand to a 19-20 2 NT opening and the 4 point partner took the punt for game. ...DOWN 3
Carroll Garvey played in 1 NT making so 9 imps

Board 11 South Deals None Vul	♠ K Q 10 3 2 ♥ A Q 9 4 ♦ J 4 ♣ 8 2
♠ A 9 ♥ K 7 2 ♦ Q 8 5 3 ♣ Q 10 7 3	N W E S	♠ J 8 7 5 ♥ J 10 3 ♦ 10 9 2 ♣ K 6 4
	♠ 6 4 ♥ 8 6 5 ♦ A K 7 6 ♣ A J 9 5

NS 3♠; NS 3♥; NS 2N; NS 2♦; NS 2♣; Par +140

This hand seems to have only 8 tricks for declarer especially after the ♣lead.

I don't have any indication of the rest of the play. No doubt my ability to see 4 hands helps.
Anyway 7 imps out when it should be 4 imps in ..

2 other declarers got home in 3 NT ... about 20 others failed ...5 played part scores.

We lost 7 imps on board 16 but I think the Romanias found a good sacrifice and it was not clear to bid 5 ♣ over it so our man doubled and took the money in front of him.

29-22 in imps and 12 VPs for Ireland who missed a few chances ..