Source: IBPA Buletin FEB. 2020
Peter VENTURA ( Krylbo, Sweden)
The 2019 Swedish Club Championship was played in a pleasant atmosphere since the players are all good friends. Nonetheless, one team must end up as champions. This years champions were ”Bridgeklubb Lavec, Smile” with Peter Fredin, Johan Sylvan, Arne Larsson, Tobias Törnqvist, Jim Nielsen and Pia Andersson. Runner-up was ”Harplinge Bridgeklubb” with the siblings Cecilia, Ola and Mikael Rimstedt, accompanied by their father Magnus Eriksson, Per-Ola Cullin and Marion Michielsen. The twin brothers Ola and Mikael played perfectly on the following deal when they executed an imaginative and deceiving defence: IMPs Dealer South. Both Vul
Q 7 6 3 Q 9 7 5 4 7 5 K 5
K 8 4 10 A J Q J 10 9 4 3 2 A J 9 2 A 8 6 3 2 K 10 8 3 —
10 5 K J Q 9 6  4 2 A 8 7 6
West North East South
Hallberg Ola Wrang Mikael
Pass
1 Pass 1 Pass
2 Pass 2 3
3 Pass 3NT Pass
5 Pass Pass Pass
With seven slow clubs, Gunnar Hallberg preferred to play in five clubs rather than in three notrump. There are only two losers, the ace-king of clubs, since the spade finesse will succeed. However, against these sharp twins that was not good enough! The lead was 7 and declarer’s J won the first trick. The trump queen followed and Ola grabbed the trick with the king and continued with diamonds. Gunnar desperately tried to draw trumps, so the trump jack followed. This was won by South’s ace. In tempo, Mikael as South continued with another diamond, which looks dangerous up to dummy’s tenace. All of a sudden, the contract was not safe any longer. If declarer plays a low trump North might overruff, and if he plays the nine or ten a 4-2 break in trumps would result in one off. After some serious thinking, Gunnar played a high trump, then tried to draw the trumps with his remaining high club. Yes, North did have only two diamonds, but there was no ruff available. When the trumps broke 4-2, Mikael could claim a trump trick ’out of nothing’. One down in an ’unbeatable’ contract. “Damned youngsters,” Gunnar might have thought.

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