Marc Smith visits the fifth Invitational Alt Open tournament

Last week saw the inaugural Invitational Alt Mixed tournament, but now the open teams return to battle for the fifth time. The strong field is made up of some teams who will be familiar to those who have been following the Alt tournaments, plus a couple who will not. New teams include GILLIS, a very strong Norwegian team with a little UK flavoring, and BRIDGESCANNER, the Lithuanian Open squad.

As usual, we begin with some problems for you to consider. Firstly, with only the opponents vulnerable, you hold as South:

What action do you take, if any?

Next, with the opponents only vulnerable, your hand as East is:

What action, if any, do you now take?

Lastly, with both sides vulnerable, you hold as North:

What action, if any, do you take?

Our first deal comes from the round robin match between DE BOTTON, previous winners of the Alt series, and one of the new teams, GILLIS. There was interest at both tables as it features both the first of the bidding situations posed above and a technical card play problem. 

E/W Vul - Dealer North

For those readers unfamiliar with the North/South pair at this table, I suspect they are names you will be seeing plenty of in years to come. They are part of yet another generation of outstanding young Norwegian players, and both are already world champions. Tor Eivind Grude was a member of the Norwegian team that won the 2014 Junior World Championship title in Istanbul, whilst Christian Bakke was part of the team that won the Under-26 Board-a-Match Teams at the 2019 World Youth Open Championships in Opatija, Croatia.

Perhaps this auction is just what you would expect from young players. However, the Three Club opening is in keeping with a style that has become almost routine these days, with players pre-empting at any excuse non-vulnerable in first seat. The South hand was posed above as a problem, and I would suspect that quite a few readers duplicated Grude’s action. It is not the first time in this column that I have pointed out the dangers of sacrificing when your hand is balanced. Yes, you have great trumps but, as is often the case, the sacrifice turns out to be more expensive than you might expect.

The defense against 5♣–X started with three rounds of spades (East pitching a diamond) followed by the ♥10. Declarer played low and East won with the ♥K. Janet De Botton now switched to the ♦Q to collect two defensive tricks in that suit. E/W +800.

At the other table, De BOTTON’s Norwegian North did not pre-empt, so it was up to the opposition’s captains to make his tricky spade game to at least limit the loss on the deal.

West - Gillis North - Hoftaniska East - Sael’minde South - Charlsen

With his partner bidding twice on his own and the opponents competing to the four-level, Erik Saelensminde found himself with a remarkably good hand having thus far contributed nothing to the auction. Perhaps he might have doubled Four Clubs, but his decision to take a shot at game is far from unreasonable. 

Four Spades is not the most comfortable of spots. Playing 5-2 fits can be tricky at the best of times, and even more so when you are forced immediately. Simon Gillis got off to a good start, ruffing the club lead and playing a diamond to the queen and king. When he then ruffed the second round of clubs at trick three, he was at the crossroads.

He elected to draw trumps now, and although the suit split 3-3 he was only able to cash his four diamond winners before allowing the defenders in with the ♥A to cash club winners. Declarer was never able to score a heart trick: E/W -100 and 14 IMPs to DE BOTTON, who won the match 63-39 to move to the top of the tables after two matches.

The winning play in Four Spades is to ruff the second round of clubs at trick three and play a heart towards the king. If North ducks, the ♥K wins and you can then draw trumps and cash four diamonds. With a heart trick in the bag, declarer has ten tricks. If North rises with the ♥A and persists with a third round of clubs, declarer discards a heart from his hand, and now dummy’s trumps prevent the defenders profitably playing a fourth round of clubs. Whatever they do now, declarer can draw trumps and, when they break, claim ten tricks.

In Round 5, GILLIS came up against another former winner (indeed, the current holders), BLASS. At the time, BLASS was just holding on to fourth place in the race to qualify for the knockout stage, whilst GILLIS was in need of a big win to climb back into contention. Again, there were points of interest at both tables:

N/S Vul - Dealer East

The modern game is becoming more and more a bidder’s game. Although the purists disagree, I am very much of the opinion that you should be inclined to find a reason to open the bidding rather than finding excuses for not doing so. Tor Eivind Grude thought this East hand was a routine opening bid and, when his partner responded with an intermediate jump shift, showing 8-11 HCP and six hearts, he had no problem jumping all the way to game on his nicely-fitting 11 HCP.

As you can see from the full diagram, there are four losers in a heart contract, but it was surely heartening to the hundreds of viewers watching the action on BBO VuGraph to see that even the experts’ signaling methods do not solve every problem. Bas Drijver kicked off the defense with the ♣A, which went ♣5, ♣9 (upside down), ♣4. How should North continue? 

Opposite a singleton ♣9, probably only continuing clubs at trick two will defeat the contract. Either the ♣K or a low club continuation will also work opposite ♣Q-9. The biggest problem is that North cannot afford to play a low club at trick two, as partner would also play the nine from ♣9-8-6. 

On the actual layout, exiting with a trump, or cashing the ♦A and then continuing with either red suit will garner four tricks for the defense. When Drijver continued with the ♣K at trick two, the defense was done, as declarer could then easily establish a parking place for his spade loser. E/W +420.

At the other table, Josef Blass did not open the bidding on the East cards. As a result, he was faced with the second of the bidding problems outlined at the top of this article:

West - Pszczola North - Sael’minde East - Blass South - Gillis

With both opponents bidding and clubs already mentioned on his left, it was way too dangerous for North to get into the auction at the first table, Here it was much safer, with East a passed hand. When Simon Gillis’s raise to game came back to Blass, he was on the defensive, at least in part because of his original pass. With two likely tricks in his own hand, it seems rather pessimistic to conclude that partner will contribute nothing defensively. Perhaps doubling is too rich, but I think sacrificing is unlikely to be the winning decision.

And so it proved. The defense has three top winners to cash against Five Diamonds, and whilst going plus would not have flattened the poor result from the other table, it would have limited the loss. Against 5♥-X, Erik Saelensminde cashed the ♣A at trick one, but then continued with the ♦A and then a trump. Declarer could not now set up a discard on dummy’s clubs and had to lose a fourth trick, in spades. E/W -300 and 12 IMPs to GILLIS.

The match finished with a small win (40-36) to BLASS, keeping them in the hunt for the knockout stage, and just about ensuring that the GILLIS team would have to wait two weeks for the next Open Alt tournament to record their first successful campaign in the series.

After seven matches, DE BOTTON topped the table comfortably with 98.50VPs. Behind them, came GUPTA (88.75), BLASS (86.47) and STREET (74.38), with DONNER (63.49) missing out on the knockout stage. So, the fifth Alt series would be the battle of the experienced teams, with three previous winners and one team (STREET) that had lost twice in the final. 

As the winners of the round robin, De BOTTON had choice of semi-final opponents, and they chose to play STREET, against whom they would start with a 10.1-IMP carry-forward advantage. In the other semi-final, GUPTA began with a 6.1-IMP lead over BLASS.

After a quiet first set of boards, there was almost symmetry at halftime: DE BOTTON led STREET 28.1-20 and GUPTA led BLASS 29.1-20. With three deals left in the match, BLASS led 38-36.1 but GUPTA picked swings of 5 IMPs and 10 IMPS to lead by 13.1 when the last deal arrived. In the other semi, DE BOTTON led 39.1-38 halfway through the set but, by the time the last deal arrived, STREET had inched ahead, 45-39.1. The final deal, though, was fraught with danger, neither side having an eight-card fit. You might think that would mean everyone ended in 3NT, but only one of the four East/West had the methods to find that contract after a pre-empt from the North players:

None Vul - Dealer West

The Dutch world champions had exactly the equipment required to deal with this layout. Bas Drijver’s double of North’s pre-emtive overcall was game forcing with five or more spades. Sjoert Brink’s Three Spades was then described as ‘waiting’. When Drijver then rebid 3NT to show heart values, Brink decided that was as good a place as any to stop, and quite right he was too.

The other good news for the Dutch was that Thomas Bessis was endplayed at trick one: only the ♦A (which Bessis chose) does not actually give away a trick but, of course, you then remain endplayed at trick two. Bessis’s low club switch ran to declarer’s jack, and Drijver continued with a club to the king. Now came the ♦K, and a winning heart finesse brought declarer’s trick tally up to eight. A club to the ace and a fourth round of clubs put the hapless South back on lead yet again, forced to concede declarer’s ninth trick. South cashed the ♦Q but then declarer claimed as South had to concede a trick to one of declarer’s pointed-suit jacks. E/W an excellent +400. Too little, too late, perhaps, 13.1 IMPs behind, but the solid plus score gave BLASS supporters a glimmer of hope.

The Dutch/USA contingent at the other table began in similar manner:

West - Bertens North - Nowas’zki East - Cheek South - Kalita

Here, too, East’s double was game-forcing with at least five spades. In the less-familiar partnership, though, West did not have a useful Three Spade waiting bid available. When Curtis Cheek rebid his spades, Huub Bertens decided that he had nowhere to go. Well judged!

Jacek Kalita led the ♦A and continued with the ♦7, covered by the ♦8 in dummy and ruffed by North with the ♠10. Cheek overruffed with the ♠J and played three rounds of trumps. South won and Kalita could cash his other trump winner but then, whichever minor he played, he had to give away declarer’s tenth trick. Kalita exited with a low club but, when declarer successfully ran that to his jack, he could claim, his heart loser disappearing on the ♦K. E/W +420 and 1 IMP to GUPTA, who advance to the final with victory by 52.1-38.

In the other semi-final, with STREET leading by 5.9 IMPs, the Manchester contingent followed a similar route to Four Spades for DE BOTTON:

West - Ja Hackett North - Pollack East - Hydes South - Fergani

Kamel Fergani also led the ♦A and continued with the ♦7, but Alex Hydes played the ♦J from dummy at trick two, ruffed and overruffed. Now, when he was thrown in with the third round of spades, South had a safe exit in diamonds. Declarer won with the ♦K, throwing a club from his hand, and took a heart finesse (South pitching a club).

Hydes now exited with a trump in this position:

It looks as if South can scupper declarer’s communications by exiting with the ♣Q, but declarer has two ways to counter that. He can win in dummy and unblock the ♣J from his hand, allowing him to finesse against South’s ♣10 for his tenth trick. Or, he can simply win in dummy, ruff a diamond to hand, and then squeeze South in the minors when he cashes the ♥A. It seems that although Four Spades could best be described as an ugly contract, there is no way for the defenders to beat it legitimately. E/W +420 meant that the STREET East/West pair at the other table would have to bid and make a game to retain their lead and advance to the final.

West - Pachtmann North - Hoftaniska East - Zatorski South - Charlsen

We see another variation here, with Ron Pachtmann introducing his second suit at the four-level. Perhaps Piotr Zatroski should still simply rebid his spades but, instead, he asked his partner’s opinion with a ‘choice of games’ cue-bid. Offered a choice, it is hard to attach any blame to Pachtmann for failing to choose to play in his void. 

Although he did not know it at the time, Thor Erik Hoftaniska was in the happy position of being able to lead any card in his hand and beat the contract by a trick. He chose his singleton diamond. Thomas Charlsen won with the ♦A and switched to a trump (although a diamond continuation would also have worked). Declarer ran the trump around to dummy’s jack and took what was about his only chance, ruffing a spade in his hand and then cashing the top trumps. Either a 3-3 trump break or the ♠Q coming down in three rounds would have brought home the bacon (for the Israeli declarer’s Canadian teammates ☺ ), but it was not to be. Declarer led a heart to the queen but South ruffed and played the ♦10, starting to build a diamond winner for the defense. Declarer could cross to dummy in hearts and cash the top spades, but South then scored the ♠Q and still had a diamond by force at the end for two down. E/W -100 and 11 IMP to DE BOTTON, who sneak ahead right at the death, winning by 50.1-45 to claim their place in the final.

GUPTA vs DE BOTTON: for the first time in the Invitational Alt Series, two previous winners meet in a final, and thus the winner will be the first team in the short history of the event to win their second Alt title.

DE BOTON began the final with a carry-forward of 0.1 IMPs, but after just five boards they had stretched that advantage to 15 IMPs (21.1-6). Then, though, began a run of boards that would effectively decide the match. The Dutch world champions demonstrated their skills on this deal:

None Vul - Dealer West

Thomas Charlsen doubled at his first turn, showing his hearts, and when his partner then reversed, he was able to bid a natural and forcing 2NT to show his spade stoppers. It seems to me that North’s raise to 3NT is somewhat premature, when surely game or, even, slam in a minor could easily be better. Taking advantage of having a forcing 2NT (rather than South having to jump to 3NT at his second turn), should allow North to repeat his clubs. Finding out about the diamond fit may then allow North/South to uncover the heart weakness.

With clubs not breaking evenly, declarer has only eight tricks if the defenders can get their hearts set up in time. Huub Bertens opened the ♠K before switching accurately to a low heart. Nice defense! N/S -50.

West - Hackett North - de Wijs East - Hydes South - Muller

Simon de Wijs started with an artificial Strong Club and Alex Hydes’ One Spade overcall showed either both majors or both minors. Bauke Muller’s Two Clubs was now an artificial game force denying a six-card suit anywhere. Natural minor-suit bids came next, and de Wijs set the suit with his diamond raise. Four Hearts was a cue-bid and 4NT was described as ‘optional Blackwood’. Five Diamonds presumably declined to show key cards, suggesting a minimum for his original game forcing response.

The defense began with three rounds of spades, West ruffing and dummy overruffing with the ♦Q. Muller immediately cashed one high club from dummy and ruffed a club in his hand. Now he drew trumps and, when they behaved, dummy was good. N/S +400 and 10 IMPs to GUPTA.

We finish with a deal on which Naren Gupta gave his opponents just enough rope to hang themselves:

Both Vul - Dealer East

With all three finesses working for East/West and the trumps breaking 3-3, only an opening club ruff stops declarer making twelve tricks. Muller led a diamond and declarer finessed successfully. He then played spades from the top. There was still a club to lose at the end: E/W +650 for what looks, with the lucky slam surely unbiddable, like a flat board.

However, would you have been tempted in on the final bidding problem posed at the top of this article?

West - Bertens North - Hoftaniska East - Gupta South - Charlsen

With the benefit of hindsight, it is easy to describe Thor Erik Hoftaniska’s Three Heart overcall as crazy or reckless. Are things so clear in the heat of battle, though? Is partner stuck with some sort of weak notrump hand that had no bid over Two Spades? Is West’s 2NT a genuine inquiry with a good hand or an attempt to talk you out of your game? If we pass now and it goes “something-Pass-3♠” back to us, do we then want to have to bid Four Hearts?

Whatever reasons you might find for bidding, they are unlikely to convince teammates after this debacle. Naren Gupta doubled to show some sort of maximum for his weak two and Huub Bertens had no reason to do anything but convert to penalties. 

The play was not pretty for the Scandinavians: Gupta cashed a high spade and then switched to his diamond. Bertens took the ♦A-Q and played a third round of the suit for his partner to ruff. Gupta then cashed his other spade winner and gave his partner a spade ruff. The fourth round of diamonds then allowed Gupta to score his remaining trump in front of dummy. The defense had collected the first seven tricks and they still had the ace of trumps to come. E/W +1100 and another 10 IMPs to GUPTA.

GUPTA won the second half of the first stanza 40-0 to lead 46-23.1 after 12 boards. In the Alt Mixed semi-finals last week, we saw teams running off streaks of 90+ IMPs unanswered over just 10-12 deals. The last 24 boards of this final were exactly the opposite. GUPTA won a dull second set 20-16 and, although DE BOTTON won the final stanza, there was little in the boards and it was only by a score of 11-4.

GUPTA wins the match 70-50.1 and thus becomes the first team to win two Invitational Alt Open titles. Congratulations to Naren Gupta, Huub Bertens, Curtis Cheek, Simon de Wijs, Bauke Muller, Cedric Lorenzini and Thomas Bessis.

The Open teams will be back for Round 6 in two weeks. Next week, we will bring you the action from the 2^nd Invitational Alt Mixed tournament. Having made it to the semi-finals the first time around, perhaps Thomas Bessis will become the first player to win both the Open and the Mixed…