San Remo (2), the knock-out matches

The nice thing about preliminaries followed by knock-out matches is that all teams start from scratch. No carry-over, nothing. This means equal chances again for everyone. And yes, I liked that.
In the first match one of the opponents was Zaleski, the man who 'bought' Bas (Drijver) and me in the Cavendish (*see footnote). He played on the French Open team, so our job was not going to be easy.

And indeed, it was not, because after 14 deals (half of the match) we were trailing. We caught up in the second half and qualified for the next round - but only just.
The following deal gave us victory (it shows we were lucky):

S/NS		♠	10 8 6 4 3 2
		♥	Q J 3 2
		♦	10
		♣	8 6
♠	A K 9 5			♠	J
♥	A 8 7 6 5			♥	K 10 9 4
♦	-			♦	Q 9 8 6 4 2
♣	K 10 7 2			♣	5 4
		♠	Q 7
		♥	-
		♦	A K J 7 5 3
		♣	A Q J 9 3

(**Visitors who question the 1♥ overcall and would have preferred a double, see second footnote).
Our team mates collected +500 for down five.
For systemic reasons De Wijs could not double 5♣ (a double would indicate he was willing to play a higher contract), pity! Muller passed since he had no defensive tricks. So they missed out on an extra 900 points (doubled the score would have been +1400).

(**Visitors who question the 1♥ overcall and would have preferred a double, see second footnote).
One down, so we collected +100. Although I was doubled, in 4♣ already, I escaped since the double showed a good hand only, it was not 100% for penalties. Therefore East's 4♥-bid looked normal enough. Still, -1100 instead of +100 had been a real possibility, meaning we would have been knocked out. The 12 IMP profit was essential for our victory in the match.

Next we faced team Angelini, featuring Lauria - Versace and Fantoni - Nunes.
Simon de Wijs won the match for us when he, after a similar start of the bidding, did better in the final decision than Alfredo Versace. Both were West and dealer, holding:

De Wijs doubled, Versace bid 5♠. De Wijs scored +500, Versace -100.
Thus we won 12 IMP on the deal and the match by 10 IMPs.
The deal was:

W/-		♠	A Q J 2
		♥	9
		♦	K J 8 4 2
		♣	8 7 4
♠	10 9 7 6 4 3			♠	K 8 5
♥	A J 5 4			♥	Q 8 3 2
♦	10 3			♦	A
♣	Q			♣	A K 9 5 2
		♠	-
		♥	K 10 7 6
		♦	Q 9 7 6 5
		♣	J 10 6 3

In 5♦ the Italians lost three club tricks, a heart trick and the ♦A against Muller-De Wijs.
In 5♠ at the other table Lauria - Versace in EW lost three trump tricks against us (Bas did well by leading a diamond; had he not done so, Versace might have made it).

Relief, we had qualified for the quarterfinal. There we faced Zia Mahmood and the Welland-family. Roy Welland is obsessed by bridge and hopes to play for the US in the World Teams Championship (contesting the Bermuda Bowl). He certainly is good enough and, moreover, plays an attractive, different kind of game. A lot of action, light openings, psychics, anything. His wife Christal is perhaps the world's strongest female bridge player. Her decisions are always sane, she defends well and is a fantastic partner. In short, a tough match.

Strangely though it wasn't: in fact the match was never tense. We steadily built up a 45 IMP lead and despite losing 25 IMP on the last two boards, our victory was never in jeopardy.

So we were in the semi-final! We would at least take the bronze.
Bulgaria was the opponent, the team that had defeated the other Netherlands team (Bakkeren - Bertens, Ramondt - Westra) by 50 IMPs deficit. Meaning we had to go for it.
The beginning was quite different: bad luck, bad luck and bad luck over again!
On the deal below Bas and I bid 6♥...

♠	A Q			♠	4 3 2
♥	A K 7 6 5			♥	Q 8 4 3
♦	A K 9 3			♦	10 8 2
♣	A Q			♣	K 10 3

...which did not make since the heart suit was 4-0 (at the other table EW were in 3NT).

And on this one Muller - De Wijs bid 7♠...

♠	K			♠	A Q 9 7 6 4 3
♥	A Q J 4 3			♥	9
♦	A Q			♦	K 9 8 4 3
♣	A K 8 7 3			♣	-

...which was defeated since the spade suit was 4-1 (at the other table EW were in 7♣!)

In the end another slam took us to the final.

E/NS		♠	A
		♥	9 5 3
		♦	A 8 2
		♣	K J 7 6 4 2
♠	K Q 9 6 3			♠	8 4 2
♥	Q 2			♥	J 7
♦	K 10 6 4			♦	Q J 9 5 3
♣	Q 3			♣	10 9 5
		♠	J 10 7 5
		♥	A K 10 8 6 4
		♦	7
		♣	A 8

¹ heart fit, invite or better

At last this slam made (even a grand slam was on with the 2-2 trump break). As a consequence we were in the final of the Open European Championship.
In my next column a report from that final.

Notes by Bridgevaria.com:
* Cavendish: annual big money event in the USA, that begins with an 'auction' of the participating pairs. The money makes up a pool, after the play to be divided among the 'owners' of the highest scoring pairs.
** In the first deal West at both tables overcalled 1♥, whereas many would have doubled (after all, West has opening strength and the three other suits!). The reason is that after a double a 5-3 fit in hearts, if there is one, will often be lost. For instance if the opponents bid on (East can hardly bid a three card heart suit). But also if North passes and East bids 1NT or 2♣: a 2♥ bid by West would now show at least 17-18 HCP.
After the 1♥ overcall the 4-4 fit in spades (if there is one) can still be found. West can for instance double in the second bidding round, if given the opportunity.
More and more top players tend to bid their five card major first, to prevent the opponents from outbidding him. He plans to show a second suit and or extra strength later by doubling (sometimes he can simply bid his second suit).