October 22: After the qualification stage, Kamras and Ireland teams faced each other in the final:
Kamras | Ireland | |
UPMARK Johann | HANLON Tom | |
MICHIELSEN Marion | Mc GANN Hugh | |
NYSTROM Fredrik | GARVEY Tommy | |
KAMRAS Jan | CARROLL John | |
WRANG Frederic | MORAN Mark | |
BOLAND Rory |
1st Final Session
Both teams arrived and made an easy 7NT.
In the next board Ireland added 5 IMPs when he made a club partscore, while Kamras was down in a spade partscore.
Board 13
The board had two key points: the bidding and the lead.
Wrang doubled, East’s opening bid and jumped to 3 after his partners weak response. Marion supported Wrang’s hearts showing a real weak hand. At the end South played 4 = 420. At the other table Ireland couldnt stop till 6 and the hand cost them 13 IMPs.
In one of the playoffs tables the lead was the protagonist, when N/S arrived to the 5th level: 5 and made it because West didnt lead a trump…Only a trump lead or a spade lead and a trump switch, prevent declarer to ruff a club for his 11th trick.
Board 15:
After watching Ireland arrive to 4 in two bids. Marion in North, with 3 spades cards (it was logic to think that his partner was void or had a singleton in spades) and with her heart void, said 4NT asking Wrang for his best minor. The partnership ended playing 5, three down. At the other table N/S only played 3 and got 3 IMPs.
Board 16:
Moran-Boland chose to play an impossible 4 , they lost two diamonds, one club and one heart. In the other room, E/W thanks to the 4333 played 3NT and received 12 IMPs.
Board 18:
The board protagonist was Marion Michielsen. During the bidding she showed her 8 hearts at the 3rd level…this helped N/S to defend 5 doubled.
The only leads that defeat the contract are a little heart or the Q.
Marion lead was the diamond queen. Declarer won the lead with his A and ruffed a diamond, to continue with a little club to the J…watching Marion play a little heart he continued with a little heart.
Again Marion, played the good one, a little heart, she knew his partner was going to ruff. Wrang switched to a spade…one down…At the other table, N/S played 4 two down. If Marion plays the A, she generates two high hearts for declarer to pitch spades losers and with the club finesse declarer is home.
Board 19
Ireland carefully stopped in 5. Kamras couldnt and the club slam cost them 12 IMPs.
The first final session ended 43.5 for Kamras and 20 for Ireland (Kamras had a 7.5 IMPs carry over).
Second Final Session
After the first two boards, Kamras added some points but Ireland got his revenge:
Both teams played 4. In one room declarer received a trump lead, this simplified the play and declarer scored +420. In the other room Hanlon chose to lead with the 9. Declarer can make his contract playing dummy’s J, but Nystrom chose to play the K and he couldnt win the board. Ireland received 13 IMPs and now the match was only 6 IMPs away.
However, in Board 25 Ireland couldnt keep the difference:
After Michielsen 1 opening bid , Garvey with his 14 points jumped to 2 and Carrol had to pass…declarer scored +140. No way the Irish were looking for a swing, but didnt guess correctly the board, for sure they didn’t were aware that were really close.
In the other room Upmark showed his 14 points with a 1 bid and the partnership ended playing 3NT = 10 IMPs…now the difference was 16 IMPs.
Boards 26, 27 and 28 gave 1 IMP more to Kamras.
Board 29
East opened with a 3 call and Carroll stopped in 6, making 13 tricks.
At the other table North opened 2 weak, after two pass West doubled, East asked for a spade stopper and passed after his partners 3NT. Made 7 = +720 cost them 12 IMPs.
Now the match was only 5 IMPs away. But Board 30, was a 3NT push …and Kamras will receive the Cup from the Monaco’s sovereign.