Dutch Semifinal Teams Championship 2012

The Reverse Kingdom by Ana Roth

 Maria Elena Walsh (1 February 1930 – 10 January 2011) was an Argentine poet, novelist, musician, dramaturge, writer and composer, mainly known for her songs and books for children. One of his best known songs for kids is named The Reverse Kingdom, where we can read:

 I was told that in the Reverse Kingdom,  Birds swim and fish fly... I was told that in the Reverse Kingdom; a thief is a policeman and another one is a judge...that two and two are three... that a year lasts a month... I was told that in the Reverse Kingdom, there's a Pekinese dog, that falls upwards, and one time, he couldn't get down after he'd fallen. Let's go and see how The Reverse Kingdom is.

  On Saturday 21 and Sunday January 22, 2012 was played the semifinal stage of the Dutch Team Championship 2012. In one of the semifinals the Onstein 2 defeated the Onstein 1 (170 to 157) and  in the other semifinal the Het Witte Huis team defeated the Lombard team (146 to138). 

 Onstein 1: Sjoert Brink & Bas Drijver and Bauke Muller & Simon de Wijs the prevailing world champs were defeated by Huub Bertens & Berry Westra  Frank Bakkeren & Ton Bakkeren, no doubt...you can find a lot of excellent bridge players in Holland.

Onstein2

 Lets see a hand from the championship that was played in Maria Elena's Reverse Kingdom:

 Dealer North N/S Vul

West	North	East	South
Brink	T.Bakkeren	Drijver	F.Bakkeren
	3	Pass	4
The End

 North decided to open his hand as a preemptive, with 7 spades cards and South with his 3 spades support closed the game. The lead was the 3, the declarer played a little diamond from dummy and won the trick with his 10. He continued with 3 spades rounds and a diamond to the 8. Next came a heart from dummy and West won the trick with his Q to continue with a club honor. Ton Bakkeren won with dummy's A, ruffed a heart and played a diamond to the Q to continue pitching a club looser in the A...650...Only a club lead let declarer make only 10 tricks.

 

 In the other table:

West	North	East	South
Westra	de Wijs	Bertens	Muller
	1	Pass	2*
3	3	The End

* 9-11 3-crd raise

 

  North decided to treat his hand as a minimum 1 opening hand. His partner showed him a good support, better than 2, de Wijs preferred to stop at the 3 level. Bertens leaded a club, Westra won the trick with his Q, and continued with the Q, when he saw the J, he switched to his stiff 9, declarer played his 10, East his K and dummy played his A. Now three trump rounds, and a diamond to the 8 to finish with 10 tricks and a 170 score.

 

I was told that in the Reverse Kingdom, the preemptive opening bids play game and the opening natural bids doesn't...