7th European Open Championships
Results Bulletins Videos EBL Facebook Mixed Teams
June 29, 2015 Tromso Norway
Today were played the Round of 16 and the QF’s. Finally Zimmermann, White House, A J Diamonds and Full House are going to play the Semifinals. In the QF’s, two hands from the Zimmermann-Casino Floor match made me remember that Small is Beautiful.
Small Is Beautiful: A Study of Economics As If People Mattered is a collection of essays by British economist E. F. Schumacher. The phrase «Small Is Beautiful» came from a phrase by his teacher Leopold Kohr. It is often used to champion small, appropriate technologies that are believed to empower people more, in contrast with phrases such as «bigger is better».
And this what has to do with bridge? you might ask, let’s see some hands to understand why the analogy:
QF Set 1 Board 3
After Larsson’s 1
opening bid, Zimmermann started with a double, his partner with only a queen and a king, didn’t want to say 1NT, and she didnt want to show neither wanted to show his two four cards suits that looked more like three cards suits, so she simply said 1
. Larsson continued to insist with his six card suit, and Zimmermann closed the spade game…
The declarer only lost the first three tricks: 
A, K and 
A to score +420.
At the other table the auction started in the same way but East chose to show his club suit. Hoftaniska thought his 2 would be enough to show his strong hand but it was not enough, and they only played a spade part scores, which cost them 10 IMPs.
This is what happened in this board at all the tables:
QF Set 1 Board 4 
After his partner 1NT opening bid, Zochowska evaluated that her balanced hand with 14 points will most likely not produce slam and closed the 3NT contract. The declarer made his 11 tricks, her partner was right, both hands produced no slam because of their mirror distribution, always a club and a heart losers.
At the other table E/W arrived to 6, one down…and 13 IMPs for Zimmermann.
What happened at the other tables?
QF Set 2 Board 17
Christina Lund Madsen opened 1 (strong), Manno competed with 1 and Bakkeren passed. After After listening Piscitelli offering her hearts, Christina showed his spade suit. Manno passed and Bakkeren showed support with 2. North passed and Christina insisted with a 3 inviting call. Her invitation was rejected. Declarer had only 9 tricks but an error in the defense allowed her to make 10.
At the other table, the E/W pair couldnt stop until the game, and the defense did not fail, so one down and a 6 IMPs prize.
All these hands are nothing special, but what they have in common is the simplicity with which they were treated … proving once more that simple can be very beautiful or beneficial.