Crime and Punishment in the 2013 European Champions Cup

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K1 (Bulgaria) - Silver Medal
K1 (Bulgaria) - Silver Medal

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky was first published in 1866. In the novel, Raskolnikov, a destitute and desperate former student, wanders through the slums of St Petersburg and commits a random murder without remorse or regret. He imagines himself to be a great man, acting for a higher purpose beyond conventional moral law. As Raskólnikov there are players who justify their bridge crimes, many of them receive an immediate punishment …

Last set of the European Champions Cup 2013 final, 2300 kibitzers from all parts of the world were watching in BBO how  Allegra team, the defender champion, was defeating an excelente Bulgarian team by 70 IMPs, when board 5 arrived to the table.

North- South: Ferraro-Madala for Allegra West-East: Aronov-Stefanov for Bulgaria.

After North and East Pass, Madala opened 1. West showed his clubs, with his 2 and Ferraro said 2 (subestimated?). East supported his partner. Madala and Aronov Pass…

Ferraro revalued his hand, East’s support and his shy 2, and showed his 5 heart cards, as an invitation.  Madala closed the spades game.

Aronov committed the crime to double the youngest current World Champion…Ferraro showed his real strength with a redouble, East committed the crime to believe that 5 was a best place to be…Madala Doubled…that was the end of the bidding…

Declarer received the 2 lead, Madala, after confirming his partner club void, won with the A and switched to A and Q, winning the trick. He switched to a heart, declarer won with his A.  

Aronov went to dummy with a spade and got the Q over the table… Madala didnt cover!!!…and now, declarer thought that North could have a singleton honor and played his A for 5 down=-1100=10 IMPs when the other table played 4 no doubled.

When the last trick was over, Allegra was 100 IMPs ahead and was the 2013 owner of the European Champions Cup… God save the King!