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On Saturday morning, for the second round of the first EOC Bridge Tournament it would be England v. Sweden, two of last night's losers, Poland 1 (the heaviest loser) v. Netherlands and, on Vugraph, the successful Polish new generation team v. Austria.

The first board already was a very interesting one. In the Open Room, the Austrians might have got a huge result, but it was almost impossible for them to diagnose the problem in time.

Board 1 - Dealer North, None vul.
	ª 8 7 © A K 4 ¨ K Q J 2 § Q 9 8 3
ª A Q 10 9 © Q 6 3 ¨ 10 8 7 4 § J 2		ª J 6 5 4 2 © 9 7 6 ¨ - § A K 10 7 6
	ª K 3 © J 10 8 2 ¨ A 9 6 5 3 § 5 4

It took Barnay a long time to final pass, and what a pity it was. What do you think of a spade lead, diamond ruff, spade to the Queen, diamond ruff, §AK and a club overruff followed by the third diamond ruff? Down five! At the table, 4© went down only four when east started off with the §AK and a club ruff on which dummy pitched a spade. Austria +200. Would this be a positive result?

In Poland, the 2§ overcall of 1 NT generally shows at least four clubs and a five-card major. So when NS insisted, it became easier and easier for west to assess the real value of his hand. The play presented no problems and Poland 2 had scored a juicy 590 for the first 9 imps of the match.

On the next board, Austria looked set to cut down half of the deficit, but the play went a little too routinely:

Board 2 - Dealer East, NS vul.
	ª J 9 7 6 5 © A 4 3 ¨ Q 10 6 3 § 5 2
ª A Q 4 © 8 5 ¨ K 9 8 6 § J 10 7 3		ª K 10 8 3 © K Q J 6 2 ¨ 2 § A 9 8
	ª 2 © 10 9 7 ¨ A J 7 4 § K Q 6 4 2

At both tables in the Vugraph match, it started: 1©-1 NT; 2§. Now, Chmurski raised to 3§ which went down two, but Barnay gave his side a chance with his excellent false preference for 2©. South led his spade, won by declarer's King, and next came the ©Q. South followed suit with the 10, indicating his ruffing possibilities, and North won his ace. Back came the §5. Now, if declarer wins and draws trumps, he has nine tricks (or eight if trumps are 4-2), but he played low. Kwiecien won and could give his partner Two club ruffs receiving two spade ruffs himself in the meantime. An unexpected two down for a flat board. Don't tell us again that flat boards are dull…

Both in the Austria-Poland 2 and the Sweden-England matches, there was a game swing on board 3.

Board 3 - Dealer South, EW vul.
	ª A K 2 © K Q J 10 8 3 ¨ A 9 § 4 2
ª 9 8 7 © 9 ¨ K 8 3 § A K 9 8 7 5		ª Q 10 6 3 © 6 5 4 2 ¨ Q J 10 7 § Q
	ª J 5 4 © A 7 ¨ 6 5 4 2 § J 10 6 3

This is what happened on Vugraph.

The strong club made it easy for the Austrians. Just made, +400 to them.

A big disappointment for the local Vugraph audience, as Olanski did not raise to game, but elected to rebid his suit. Game was missed, but +170 meant the Poles lost only 6 imps.

Mainly the same happened between Sweden and England, but in the third match, the Netherlands went astray a bit farther, ending up in the wrong game of 4©. When this did not make, they had lost 10 imps.

The next board brought the same sort of swing at all three tables. Everywhere, one table reached a partscore in diamonds, whereas the other table insisted on playing in notrumps.

Board 4 - Dealer West, All vul.
	ª A 10 8 7 4 © J 9 3 ¨ K Q § A 8 4
ª J 2 © K 10 4 ¨ J 10 8 § K 10 9 6 3		ª K Q 6 5 3 © A 7 6 2 ¨ 7 § Q J 5
	ª 9 © Q 8 5 ¨ A 9 6 5 4 3 2 § 7 2

If you play 1 NT forcing, you are out of trouble and end up in diamonds. If not, north is likely to pass 1 NT which goes down. For Austria, Strafner responded 2¨ over 1ª and repeated the suit when partner rebid his spades. Holding ¨KQ, Simon now tried 3 NT but that was not a success. Four down gave the Poles 400 to add to their partscore a the other table. They were in the lead by 20-6 now.

Just for the record: due to the block in diamonds EW are cold for game in notrumps…

An interesting swing we saw on board 8:

Board 8 - Dealer West, None vul.
	ª A K J 9 © 8 6 ¨ A K 9 6 § 6 3 2
ª 3 © A Q 4 2 ¨ 7 5 3 § A Q 10 8 5		ª Q 8 7 6 5 4 © 10 5 ¨ 8 4 § 9 7 4
	ª 10 2 © K J 9 7 3 ¨ Q J 10 2 § K J

The bidding was interesting too:

Lead: ª3. Strafner won and led a trump to west's Queen. With the ©10 dropping next, the contract was never in danger. One club loser disappeared by means of the ruffing finesse in spades.

Lead: ª3. Well, same play, you would think, but that was not the case. Kwiecien, seeing he rather had a lot of losers, played low from dummy and thus quickly was down. ªQ and a spade ruff did the job and one down it rested as west never bothered to cash his §A. Still, 10 imps to Austria who were back to almost level in the match.

Board 11 - Dealer South, None vul.
	ª J 6 © A 9 7 5 3 ¨ A K Q 7 § A 3
ª A 9 8 7 5 3 © 8 6 ¨ J § K 10 7 2		ª K 10 4 © K Q J ¨ 8 5 4 2 § Q 9 6
	ª Q 2 © 10 4 2 ¨ 10 9 6 3 § J 8 5 4

Two identical auctions till just before the end:

Of course, 2¨ was Multi and 3© convertible. Both souths tried to rescue themselves with the logical bid of 4§, but then the paths diverged. Olanski passed in the Open Room, but Simon bid 4¨ in the Closed Room. This was a reasonable contract (you might even make 4ª in EW when you guess the §J) which went down only two, whereas 4§ was a little unlucky. Down five gave the Poles 4 more imps.

But not for long:

Board 12 - Dealer West, NS vul.
	ª K 6 © J 10 9 6 ¨ 10 6 4 § A Q J 6
ª A 9 7 5 © 4 ¨ Q 7 5 2 § K 3 2		ª 8 4 3 © A Q 8 2 ¨ A 3 § 10 7 5 4
	ª Q J 10 2 © K 7 5 3 ¨ K 9 6 § 9 8

Both wests were in 1ª when partner passed their response to the 1§ opening. At one table, north led the normal enough ©J and now, declarer went after the crossruff. He won the ace, ruffed a heart, took the diamond finesse to the king and won the ªQ with the ace. Next came the ¨A, and another heart ruff for six tricks.

At the other table, Simon had other ideas. He found the brilliant lead of the ªK, which held. The next spade went to the ace and the diamond finesse lost. Trumps were drawn and a club came back. North could win this and return the ©J, so declarer only made his three aces. Well done for a small but deserved gain of 4 imps.

On board 15, we saw a partscore swing to Austria when 1 NT was made on an unlucky lead whereas the other table made nine tricks in spades in the other direction. The bidding was interesting, as at both tables, only the Austrians made any bids:

Board 15 - Dealer South, NS vul.
	ª 6 5 3 © A K 7 6 5 ¨ A J 2 § 8 4
ª A Q 10 9 4 © J 4 2 ¨ K 7 3 § 9 7		ª J 8 2 © 9 3 ¨ Q 10 9 8 § A Q J 2
	ª K 7 © Q 10 8 ¨ 6 5 4 § K 10 6 5 3

On the lead of the ª10, Strafner made eight tricks: five hearts, a diamond, a spade and the §K. Austria +120.

A typical forcing notrump auction blew away any action NS might have considered. On the actual layout, there was no way to prevent nine tricks. It went heart lead and a club to the queen and king, followed by the §10 to the jack. Heart from dummy, queen from South and another club, but declarer ruffed high, ruffed a heart, drew trumps and still had a parking place for the losing diamond without a guess. If necessary, the third heart goes on the clubs or diamonds when a trump is led. Austria another +140 for 6 imps.

On the next board, Poland 2 hit back.

Board 16 - Dealer West, EW vul.
	ª J 3 © A 8 5 4 ¨ K 7 3 § A J 7 3
ª K 10 9 8 6 © K 7 6 3 ¨ Q 5 § 9 2		ª A Q 5 4 © 9 ¨ A J 6 4 2 § Q 6 5
	ª 7 2 © Q J 10 2 ¨ 10 9 8 § K 10 8 4

For the Poles, it was easy going:

A hand without history, or maybe not. When north underled his ©A, Chmurski could take the diamond finesse and establish the suit to get rid of all his club losers. Twelve tricks, Poland +680.

The transfer overcall against the Polish Club did the damage here. Apparently, EW were not fully on the same wavelength as to the meaning of 3ª. Eleven tricks, but 10 imps back to Poland 2. It was 32-31 to Austria now.

In the Netherlands-Poland 1 match, the Dutch too missed game to lose 9 more imps.

Squeeze defence was the theme of board 18.

Board 18, Dealer east, NS vul.
	ª A Q 6 © 10 9 7 3 ¨ A Q 7 3 § 10 3
ª 8 2 © A Q J 8 4 ¨ K J 9 § K J 8		ª 7 5 4 © 6 2 ¨ 10 6 4 2 § 9 7 5 4
	ª K J 10 9 3 © K 6 ¨ 8 6 § A Q 6 2

Four Spades was played at all tables, which will not be a surprise to you, and a trump was led, which won't astonish you either. The Swedish declarer guessed to duck a club and thus could ruff out the §K in three rounds, making ten tricks without any further ado. Maybe, this is the only way to come to ten tricks against perfect defence. At the other table in that match, Gustawsson led a trump and declarer took a club finesse. Another trump won in dummy, §A and a club now ruff. Next came the ©10 to the jack. Now Gustawsson started to kill the impending squeeze by leading the ¨J. When in next with his ©A, he thus could play another top diamond to complete the good work.

This defence was missed on Vugraph. Here, West cashed his ©Q first when in with a heart to the king and ace, and then continued a low hart for his partner to ruff. Declarer could overruff, but the double squeeze had remained intact. West stops the hearts, east has the last high club, so neither defender can control the third round of diamonds after the successful finesse. No swing in this match.

In the Poland 1 - Netherlands match, this hand also produced a swing to Poland 1.

On the next board we saw a game swing to Austria which looked almost too easy. The issue was the side of the table from which the contract was played.

Board 19, Dealer South, EW vul.
	ª 9 3 2 © A 4 ¨ 8 7 § K 10 8 6 5 2
ª K 8 7 © K J 7 2 ¨ 9 4 § A Q J 3		ª A Q 6 4 © Q 10 3 ¨ K 10 6 2 § 7 4
	ª J 10 6 © 9 8 6 5 ¨ A Q J 6 3 § 9

If west is declarer and north leads a club, this is the decisive tempo and the hand is over. You win cheaply and drive out the ©A. A diamond switch does not do any harm now as the spades are breaking.

On a diamond lead, it's a different story. If south wins and leads a club, the defence have five tricks.

Now consider the hand as a lead problem for south, as in fact it was at the other table on Vugraph. Strafner elected to lead the ©9 and now, the contract could not be made any longer. North won and returned a diamond! With the §K wrong, the defenders took the first five tricks when south returned a club and north returned another diamond. A useful 12-imp swing to Austria, who were 13 imps up with one board to play.

Over-aggression cost them dearly and thus saw the Poles 2 back into contention

Board 20, Dealer West, All vul.
	ª Q 9 6 4 © K Q 8 2 ¨ 5 2 § K J 8
ª K 10 6 © A J 7 5 ¨ A 6 4 3 § 10 2		ª A J 6 2 © 10 9 6 4 ¨ Q J 7 § 6 5
	ª 7 3 © 3 ¨ K 10 9 8 § A Q 9 7 4 3

This was not a particular success. Down two, 200 to Poland.

So 9 imps went back to Poland 2 who thus lost the match 40-44, or 16-14 to Austria in V.P.

In the other matches, Poland 1 beat the Netherlands 70-32 or 23-7 V.P. and Sweden beat England 48-31 or 19-11 V.P.