52nd European Team Championships
Opatija, Croatia • 21 June – 1 July 2014
Results, On-line Scores & Bulletins LiveBridge.net
In the seventh Round of the 52nd European Bridge Team Championships Qualifier RR, Opatija 2014, Germany played against Sweden. The match ended with the victory of Sweden by 29-15. Both tables played an excellent bridge, with many borderline decisions, which on this occasion Sweden got more of them right.
Until Board 24 (after playing 7 of them) the match was 3-1 in favor of Sweden, just some overtricks had made the difference.
Board 24
Welland opened 1
, usually unbal, Auken’s 1NT was a game force relay. The 2
second bid showed 1-suit, 6+cards. 2 confirmed the trump suit and 3
showed the short suit. 3
was a relay to find out more about the distribution. Auken with 3 asked RKC[1430] in spades and 3NT showed 1 keycard, East continued asking for the trump queen, Welland answered he had it…and the partnership landed in the spade Grand Slam.
Upmark made the best lead…the 5.
The declarer won with the A, continued with the A,J, and Q to the A. He played two trump rounds and made the club finesse to end 2 down.
The video shows Welland playing this 7:
At the other table the sweden player in South opened his hand with a 2 bid and also ended as declarer of the Grand Slam. Piekarek (GER) led his fourth club.
The declarer won the trick with the A, and immediately ruffed a club, watching the Q over the table…Now he only had top play 4 trump rounds to claim his contract and 17 IMPs for his team.
The Grand Slam was played in more than de 90% of the Open tables and only very little declarers were down.
Board 30
In this board Upmark – Nystrom lost 3 IMPs, although EW interrupted N/S bidding they had a good recovery. Nystrom opened 1 and Welland bothered with a weak 2. Upmark doubled and Auken jumped to 4…Nystrom doubled and after Welland pass, North asked his partner to pick a slam…They ended playing 6…
At the other table E/W didnt open their mouths and N/S chose to play 6NT …winning 3 IMPs.
Before board 32, the match was Sweden 29 – Germany 4. 
Board 32
Sylvan opened with a multi 2 and Piekarek showed a balanced strong hand with major stoppers. Smirnov transfered to hearts and the partnership ended playing 4. When Wrang saw that his partners suit was spades, offered him a defense..as they were vulnerable…it didnt appear to be a good idea…
Lead: 8
The declarer covered West’s K with the A and left his hand playing a diamond. Wrang decided to win it with his K, and after a long thought played his K……this clarified the whole picture to North.
Piekarek played two trump rounds with the Q and K and played the 9. He lost the Q and the A and claimed his contract. At the other table Welland opened 2, Upmark with only one spade stopper decided to show his club suit and finally E/W played 3, done, and 11 IMPs for Germany.