In which Sjoert reports from the Biarritz (France) bridge festival, the Spingold in New Orleans and, in between, the (Soccer) World Cup Final Spain-the Netherlands in South-Africa. Yes, a bridge professional spends many an hour in planes...

After our deplorable run at the European Championship (read Sjoert's column about it here) I quickly washed my clothes and boarded the plane to Biarritz. Although we have two Weekly Bridge Festivals of our own in the Netherlands (in Scheveningen and Utrecht), I think the French festivals are more beautiful, lively and atmospheric and the field is stronger there. I am playing this tournament with Hans Melchers and Eric Laurant.

The main tournament in Biarritz is the Patton. A Patton is a team tournament with a mix of IMP and MP scoring. Sadly enough (since it's fun), there are very few opportunities to play a Patton in the Netherlands (favourable exception: the 't Onstein Whitsun Patton).
Participants in Biarritz were, to name a few, the Italian team — the fresh European Champions —, Zia, Roy Welland, McIntosh and many more.

The great thing about this kind of festival is that apart from playing bridge, you're on holiday as well. Play is from 16.00 to 20.00, after which you enjoy dinner. In the morning you play tennis, after which it's time for a great lunch (most of the time oysters are on the menu)… In short, I recommend it to anyone.
The Patton went very well. On Tuesday night we watched the World Cup Soccer semi-final Netherlands-Uruguay. At the moment the Dutch secured victory, everyone went bananas. The celebrations went on until early morning. The next thing was my brother calling: he could arrange tickets for the soccer final in Johannesburg. I was delirious with joy: two days in South-Africa as well… Oh well, a bridge player's life…
Italy (Lavazza) won the Patton but in view of our eighth/ninth spot we had enough reason to open the champagne bottles. After the disappointment of the European Championship, finally a tournament that went our way.

I will not dwell on the trip to South-Africa. Though it was a great experience and a lot of fun to be present in the stadium, it was of course awful to witness Iniesta scoring the winning goal (Spain won deservedly 1-0 against a disappointing Dutch team, Ed. Bridgevaria).

In order to finish the summer in a positive way, I had my hopes set on a very successful run in the Spingold (main tournament of the Summer North American Bridge Championships) in New Orleans.
For the first time Bas Drijver and I played on Lou Ann O’Rourke's team. The first time I played a National in the USA, she played with Bocchi – Duboin and Greco – Hampson (the latter two were to win in New Orleans). At that moment I dreamed of once playing on her team.
Since Duboin – Sementa had left for team Cayne, she had a vacancy and invited us. The rest is history.
We did well in the first tournament (besides the main event — in this case the Spingold — a National consists of many side tournaments). We made it into the final, to face team Cayne (as mentioned: with Duboin – Sementa). Of course this was a clash in which an awful lot of honour was at stake. Could we beat them?

The final consisted of 24 deals. Halfway through the match Bas and I came in, our team trailing by 9 IMPs. Alas, the next 12 deals were utterly dull. We won the battle (9-8) but lost the war. Oh well, we would have to beat them in the Spingold then.

Only 55 teams entered the Spingold this year, meaning it consisted of one round less than usual. This was the tournament that it was all about; here we would have to show ourselves.
The first of four sets of 16 deals each, we played with O’Rourke and Marc Jacobus as teammates. Clearly the team had to settle in, since we ended the set trailing 42 IMPs. The second set Roger Bates – Eddy Wold took our places. Things went much better and they won 22 IMPs back. In the third and fourth set we and Bates – Wold finished the job and in the end we won by a 58 IMPs deficit. Relief.
The second day we played South-Africa. I had met one of the South-African players (Alon Apteker) in Johannesburg the week before. He was supporting the Netherlands then, now we were opponents. Halfway through  the match we were trailing by 66 IMPs, so in the second part we faced a practically impossible task.

Then I got this hand, playing South:

I decided to open 2♣ (game forcing), hoping to create a swing. The bidding went as follows:

Rarely I have regretted passing a double more. Trailing by such a large margin I certainly should have redoubled. In doing so I would have won some IMPs, since these were our NS hands: 

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

The ♣Q was with West so I easily made the contract (a result copied at the other table).

And thus we were ejected from the Spingold. A pity. To keep the spirits up, I told the tale of my 2NT opening against Zia (read all about it here, the second deal).

Roger Bates told me his special was to open 1♠ fourth in hand on a doubleton spade, six clubs and 13 HCP. Partner will apply Drury (meaning he bids 2♣), on which you pass.
I felt like trying this out but it was the master himself who got this hand:

After three passes Bates was on (in the mixed tournament). He passed... In itself sound of course, lacking the major suits. But hey, if you invent a trick like that, you should apply it, I think.

Anyway, my summer has come to an end. No more bridge for some time. And once in a while that isn't bad, really.

Or is it?