In their way to the 2012 European Teams Championship, the Israel’s National Team played a 126 hands match against the Netherlands National.
Israel turned the winner by a margin of more than 100 IMPs. This is just one of the hands that produced a positive difference for Israel. In a table in N / S for Israel were seated: R.Schwartz and L. Fisher and for Netherlands: L Verhees and v Prooijen.
Board 6. Dealer East, E/W Vulnerable
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6 4 2
West North East South
L Verhees R. Schwartz v Prooijen L. Fisher
Pass Pass Pass 1
Pass 2
Pass 2
Pass 3 Pass 3
Pass 4 Pass 4
Pass 4 Pass 5
Pass 5 Pass 6
The End
With no intervention from the opps, v Prooijen in East passed and we can say that these were his last words…
South opened 1, his partner’s 2 was FG. Fisher showed 6 or more diamonds with his 2. Schwartz immediately showed his diamond fit and his partner begun the controls information, when South heard they had all the suits controlled he declared the slam. With any lead declarer always makes 13 tricks, as club is 3-3 he can play 3 club rounds and pitch his losers in the rest of them.
In the other table, East considered that a preemtive opening bid could be useful and opened the hand with a 2 bid (major weak). That was a sign for his partner; he immediately occupied all the bidding space he could. That produced a tough bidding sequence for N/S who couldn’t arrive to the slam…although, when the hand appeared in the BBO VG, commentators in the two tables … announced a Grand Slam.
West North East South
I Herbst Drijver O Herbst Brink
Pass Pass 2 Double
4 Double Pass 5
The End
An innocent preempt bid and an early occupation of the bidding space gave Israel 11 IMPs … that were part of the more than 100 IMPs of difference that they achieved in the match.