Sunday, March 18, 2018.
Den Hommel (Nationaal Denksport Centrum, Utrecht) was crowded and noisy. In three national youth championships for the different age categories battled eight kids pairs, twelve U-20 pairs and sixteen junior pairs for the matchpoints. In a fourth room twenty-four pairs (10-12 years of age) participated in the minibridge championship (schoolteams of two pairs).
KeesTammens
Keep in mind that the Netherlands is a small country. The gallery of the champions: Minibridge: Sep Brands-Wiebe Wessels & Silke Emonts-Sara Griesheimer (primary school ’De Keg’), Kids: Lotte-Sarah de Wijs (twin daughters of Simon, 2011 and 2016) , U-20: Ronald-Sander Goor, Juniors: Niels van Bijsterveldt-Felix Leufkens (son of Enri, 1987 and 1993). As you can see two Dutch bridge-players with world-titles to their credits passed on the game to their children.
Three questions from the Dutch Youth Pairs Championships, aka JPK-2018:
1: Dealer East. All Vul
West
North
East
South
1
Pass
4
Pass
4NT
Pass
5
Pass
6
End
What would you lead from 8 4 3 Q J 10 Q 7 6 4 3 2 4?
2: Dealer East. All Vul
West
North
East
South
1
1
1
4
Pass
Pass
Pass
West: A J 10 9 6 — K Q 6 4 A J 9 5?
3: Dealer South. E/W Vul
West
North
East
South
1
2
4
?
East: Q 10 2 K 4 7 6 4 3 2 K Q 5?
The special one:
Dealer South. Neither Vul
Q 10 8 3 2
7 3
A K 3
K 10 2
A 9 5 4
A J
Q 10 8 5 2
Q 6
K 6
K 10 5 4 2
9 6 4
8 5 3
J 7
Q 9 8 6
J 7
A J 9 7 4
Tim van den Paverd, still U-20 but playing in the U-26 championship and finishing nicely as third, ended up in a rather peculiar and optimistic 3NT:
West
North
East
South
1NT (9-11)
Dbl
Rdbl
2
Pass
Pass
2
Pass
2NT
Pass
3NT
End
A small diamond lead by West went to J in South. Declarer played J for K in East who returned a diamond for K. 7 for A in West and a third diamond cleared the suit. Declarer cashed 10 and unfortunately saw that west still held 9.
A lot was known about the West hand, as well honours and 5-4 distribution. Declarer finished of the good works with K and a club to A, felling Q for nine tricks and 100% of the matchpoints since – understandably- no other NS pair reached this 21 HCP 3NT.
The answers and stories behind the three questions:
1-
—
K 9 8 7 6 3
A K 9
J 7 6 2
J 10 9 7 5
5 2
J
A K Q 9 8
A K Q 6 2
A 4
10 8 5
10 5 3
8 4 3
Q J 10
Q 7 6 4 3 2
4
South, Luc Tijssen, resisted the temptation of the singleton and chose Q as the killing lead. Also credit to North, Veri Kiljan, for NOT doubling the 4splinter. That happened at some other tables and after a diamond lead (and also after a club lead) 6could not be beaten.
2
8 4
Q 10 9 5 4
10 8 3
8 6 2
A J 10 9 6
—
K Q 6 4
A J 9 5
Q 7 2
A 8 2
J 9 2
K Q 4 3
K 5 3
K J 7 6 3
A 7 5
10 7
West, Leen Stougie, understood that after 4scientific bidding was useless due to shortness of bidding space, and closed the bidding with 6. East, brother Mark, passing with as a valuable argument that the 4-4 fit in could produce an extra trick, maybe diamond losers can go on the long spades in West.
3-
8 5 4 3
J 9 5 3
10
A J 6 2
—
A 8 7
A K Q J 9 8
9 8 4 3
Q 10 2
K 4
7 6 4 3 2
K Q 5
A K J 9 6 5
Q 10 6 2
5
10 7
West
North
East
South
1
2
4
?
East explained his prudent pass at 4: “My hand is so terrible, many losers, that I see no future in 5. Besides I have good defensive values against 4”. Right he was: 4duly went one down.
But in 5there is an overtrick! In this situation the old (from Schoppenuil, an Amsterdam based student bridge club in the seventies) proverb was valid: bidding is dangerous, but passing even more dangerous.
NB: my duties and involvement in the White House Junior Internationals have stopped. However Tim Heeres and Bob Drijver do excellent work in organising this years event, starting at march 25 untill march 30. I will publish my diaries about the event (information at www.jeugdbridge.nl) , also in my blog www.bridgenieuws@wordpress.com(from Friday on in English)
Q J 10 
