Euro Teams 2018 Round 11 Lithuania

 Saturday dawned and Galligan was up and ready for kibitzing at 8am. However sadly the Euro Bridge crowd gave all the players a sleep in ... and there was no bridge for a few hours ..

Eventually BBO appearred with some broadcasts and I knew it was time for action.

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

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

Somehow Carroll encouraged Garvey into the NS auction and the Poles delivered the hammer. 

down 4 and 800 and 9 imps gone. At least it shows the lads are honest citizens. Some recent retirees from bridge would have a method to indicate a yarlboro ...meaning partner you go for a KIT KAT break on this hand and let the polar bears dance 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLBMeCnIAzY

The next exhibit saw Ireland go for the old double game swing 

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

EW 3♠; EW 4♦; EW 2N; EW 3♣; NS 1♥; Par −140

Our EW tried 3NT and our NS tried 4

♥

Neither was a success so we lost 7 imps 

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

Then Hanlon McGann bid another of their dodgy slams and the defence failed to strike on the killing lead. Some nice lying  ♦s and the ♦J came down and it was 12 imps .. 

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

The Lithuanian lads NS bid a slam in 6♥ and failed to find the ♥Q and that 

was 11 imps for Ireland instead of the other way. 

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

I don't know what happened on this board. Both got a small diamond lead. The Lithuanian went down and the Irishman made 3Nt..... 13 imps to the irish. 

On the next board Ireland won 6 imps for a 4H down and a 3H making 

and we had built a match winning 17 imps lead with 4 boards to go. 

Were we going to win a 2nd match and get the momentum rolling ...

Not a chance ... some of our lads pulled out more kitkats and the polar bears were dancing again. 

Board 14 East Deals None Vul	♠ J 6 4 ♥ K J 4 ♦ 10 9 7 ♣ Q 8 7 5
♠ K 9 7 ♥ 9 8 ♦ A Q 8 ♣ J 10 6 4 2	N W E S	♠ Q 3 2 ♥ Q 10 7 6 3 ♦ K J 5 3 ♣ K
	♠ A 10 8 5 ♥ A 5 2 ♦ 6 4 2 ♣ A 9 3

EW 3♥; EW 1N; EW 2♦; EW 1♠; EW 1♣; Par −140

Our EW decided to double 1NT on a tight deal ...21 hcp versus 19 ..

This time the 19 won .. 180 and 140 added up to 8 imps ..

8 imps is costly when you are only 17 ahead.

Board 15 South Deals N-S Vul	♠ 3 ♥ Q 10 9 5 4 ♦ Q 8 5 2 ♣ A 5 3
♠ K Q 10 9 4 ♥ J 8 7 ♦ A K 10 ♣ K 9	N W E S	♠ A J 8 7 ♥ A 6 2 ♦ J 4 ♣ Q 7 6 2
	♠ 6 5 2 ♥ K 3 ♦ 9 7 6 3 ♣ J 10 8 4

 Garvey presumably upgraded this 16 count to a strong club and the Carroll chap probably found a nice 9 card fit and the train started to roll. All the way to the no play 6♠,,, and 11 more imps in the bin.  Carrots and Kit Kats just don't go well together. 

So we got another loss to go with the first 9 losses... We are like Kilkenny footballers ..we never win a match.

We used to be like Kilkenny hurlers ...we never lost a match .. 

I think Kilkenny were 9 points down to Wexford today and playing awful ..,,,,but they went in for the KIT KAT ,,,,and sorted out those dancing PANDAS  .....and came out and knocked the bears for 15.