Semifinals Part 2 - Pick a Side, Any Side

Sometimes, reaching the best contract isn’t just about choosing the right level or the right suit. It also depends on which way the hand is being played. 

On this board, the West hand can make 6♣, 6♦, and 6NT, while the East hand can only take 11 tricks in all three contracts. This is because South can lead the Q♥, allowing the defense to establish two heart tricks. However, if West is declarer, it’s North on lead, and they can’t start with the ♥A in a way that sets up those two heart tricks, so west can make the slam while East cannot. 

So what happened in these matches? 

De Botton vs Eler:

Open room

West	North	East	South
Charlsen	Serdar	Hoftaniska	Suzer
	P	1♦	P
2♣	P	2♠	P
3♦	P	3♥(1)	P
3NT	P	4♣	P
4♥	X	P	P
4♠	P	4NT	P
5♦	P	6NT	AP

(1) 4th suit

The auction began routinely with 2/1 game-forcing responses. After Charlsen rebid 3NT over his partner’s fourth-suit-forcing 3♥, Thor Erik Hoftaniska pulled to 4♣, initiating a cue-bid sequence to investigate slam. 

When Serdar doubled 4♥ and Charlsen continued with 4♠, Hoftaniska moved into keycard. Once his partner showed one keycard, Hoftaniska placed the contract in 6NT, knowing that declaring 6♦ would make him declarer and allow South to lead into his partner’s vulnerable heart holding. North led the ♠9, and as a result, Charlsen had twelve easy tricks: six ♣, five ♦, and one ♠. 

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Sofu	Malinowski	Avcioglu	Erichsen
	P	1♦	P
2♣	P	2♠	P
3♦	P	4♦	P
4♥	P	6♦	AP

Espen Erichsen

After a straightforward start, Avcioglu raised Sofu’s 3♦ to 4, firmly agreeing diamonds. Sofu’s 4♥ was likely a control bid, showing heart control and continuing the slam investigation. However, Avcioglu wasted no time and leapt directly to 6♦. 

This time, Erichsen found the clear ♥Q lead. The defense immediately established two heart tricks, and the slam was down one. +50 to North-South translated into 14 IMPs for De Botton, extending their lead. 

The same board produced another fascinating contrast in the SPS Construction vs Knottenbelt semifinal. 

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Araskiewicz	Norton	Kotorwicz	Tommasini
	P	1♦	P
2♣	P	2♠	P
3♦	P	4♣	P
4♥	P	4NT	P
5♣	P	6♦	AP

In the closed room, Krzysztof Kotorwicz began a slam investigation after his partner raised diamonds, cue-bidding 4♣. When Araskiewicz followed with a 4♥ control bid, Kotorwicz launched keycard. After receiving a response showing one keycard, he placed the contract in 6♦.

This decision proved costly. With the defense able to take the first two tricks immediately, the slam went down one. 

Open Room:

West	North	East	South
Nijssen	Strzemecki	Vd Paverd	Buras
	P	1♦	P
2♣	P	2♠	P
3♣	P	4♣	P
4♦	P	4NT	P
5♣	P	6♣	AP

In the open room, Oscar Nijssen and Tim Van de Paverd followed a slightly different route. After the routine start, Nijssen rebid 3♣, and his partner agreed clubs with 4♣, steering the partnership toward a club contract rather than diamonds. 

Nijssen then cue-bid 4♦ to show control, and Van de Paverd used 4NT to ask for keycards. When Nijssen showed one keycard with 5♣, Van de Paverd committed to 6♣.

With North on lead, the contract was never in danger, and Nijssen comfortably took twelve tricks in 6♣.