Euro Teams Round 21 Croatia

Hmmm seems I forgot to publish Croatia match

Board 1 North Deals None Vul	♠ K 8 7 5 ♥ — ♦ A 10 8 7 2 ♣ A K 5 2
♠ 6 4 ♥ A J 3 2 ♦ 9 6 5 4 ♣ J 10 6	N W E S	♠ A J 3 2 ♥ 10 6 4 ♦ Q ♣ Q 8 7 4 3
	♠ Q 10 9 ♥ K Q 9 8 7 5 ♦ K J 3 ♣ 9

NS 4N; NS 4♠; NS 5♦; NS 3♥; NS 2♣; Par +430

Moran Boland slipped into 3 NT and played carefully to guide it home. At the other table the Croat was in 4 NT which is a level of comfort too high. He is on the edge from the start needing to do some ducking in the ♣ suit and also needs to guess which major suit to tackle first. The dog can see the rabbit and the rabbit knows. This rabbit not being able to see all 4 hands slipped and that was down some. 11 imps to Ireland.

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

NS 4♠; NS 2N; NS 2♥; NS 1♦; NS 1♣; Par +620

Well now half the pairs roared into the 21 hcp 4 ♠ and our Boland and Moran were among them. Plus 620 was a good birdie especially on a hand where Hanlon McGann were interested in declaring as high as 2 NT the other way and big chests scared off the opponents. 620 minus 100 was another 11 imps ..

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

E 2♠; W 1♠; EW 1♦; NS 1♣; Par −110

Croatia stumbled into 2 ♦ on this board and Hanlon McGann tested their defending skills and doubled it to boot. +300 cancelled out the -200 Boland Moran had caught. A few small boards brought us 11-2 in imps .. leaving Ireland up 33-2 at the half. Both sides also bid a grand on board 4. Next big move comes on 10.

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

S 4♥; S 3N; NS 3♠; N 3♥; NS 4♦; N 2N; S 1♣; Par +420

This board despite looking straight forward is anything but. One would look and say "Oh Boland Moran down in another contract. " However there is a good bit of ducking and diving to do to bring that contract home. Even a ♣ lead letting the ♣T score is not much good as it keeps you in the North hand. Eventually on best defence I think you have to produce an endplay to make.
The overtake in ♦s does not work fully either. A very tough hand if its best defence in my opinion. So probably a well earned 10 imps to Croatia.

Board 12 West Deals N-S Vul	♠ A J 5 3 2 ♥ A Q 9 5 3 2 ♦ J ♣ Q
♠ 10 9 6 ♥ K 6 ♦ Q 10 6 2 ♣ 10 9 7 4	N W E S	♠ Q 8 ♥ J 10 7 ♦ A 8 4 ♣ A K 8 6 3
	♠ K 7 4 ♥ 8 4 ♦ K 9 7 5 3 ♣ J 5 2

NS 4♠; NS 4♥; NS 2N; NS 2♦; EW 1♣; Par +620

Board 12 was an up and down 4 ♥ .. Boland Moran stayed low in 2 ♥ and guided it home for 10 tricks. Now the focus switched to Hanlon McGann in the Closed Room. Defending 4 ♥ one of them in East led off the ♣ K and that fetched the ♣ Q .. There is a ♥ and a ♦ to come and possibly the Croatian declarer misguessed the ♠ Q. Down 1 and 7 imps to Ireland. A good guess or drop and its 10 imps the other way as its a vulnerable game.
This is how bridge matches swing. Boland Moran getting the luck of 2 21 point major suit games which earned 18 imps .. could have been 15 the other way ... 33 imps in total.
A few 2s and 1s on the rest of the boards saw Ireland win 44-13 and nearly 17 VPS.
A little different on boards 2 and 12 and its 10-10 draw.