We are in the Netherlands for the concluding sets from the final of the Dutch Premier League. On one side are Switzerland’s reigning Bermuda Bowl champions, playing as BC de LOMBARD 1 (Pierre Zimmerman, Michal Nowosadzki, Sjoert Brink, Bas Drijver, Jacek Kalita and Michal Klukowski). Taking them on are home town favourites BC t’ONSTEIN 2 (Ricco van Prooijen, Bob Drijver, Guy Mendes de Leon and Thibo Sprinkhuizen).

The format is an 80-board match divided into five 16-board stanzas. We left things after our last visit with the Swiss leading by 42 IMPs, 110-68 overnight. The players have returned Sunday morning to play the remaining 32 boards.

As usual, we start with some problems. Firstly, with both sides vulnerable, you are South holding:

What action, if any, do you take?

Would it make a difference if West had opened 1♦ and East had responded with 1♥?

Next, with neither side vulnerable, you are sitting in the South seat with:

What is your plan?

Next, with only your opponents vulnerable, you hold in the North seat:

What, if anything, do you open?

Finally, a lead problem. With only your opponents vulnerable, you are in the North seat with:

What do you lead?

While you consider those, we start early in the fourth set, with an illustration of an expert’s nose in action. They say that it is ‘A bidder’s game’, but there are exceptions to every rule. Take a look at the contrasting action (or inaction) of the South players at the two tables on this deal.

Sjoert Brink did not open the West hand, which left Bas Drijver to get the ball rolling in third seat. Thibo Sprinkhuizen (left) had nothing to contribute, and Brink responded at the two-level to show a maximum pass. Drijver was not interested, so he signed off in 2♦, but even that proved to be too high when declarer guessed to cash the wrong club honour first and his second winner in the suit got ruffed. E/W -100.

Ricco van Prooijen (right) opened the flat 11-count in first seat. Despite hearing both opponents bid before it got to him, Michal Klukowski risked entering the fray with an overcall in his chunky four-card suit. Van Prooijen showed his three-card heart support via a double and Jacek Kalita jumped all the way to game. Bob Drijver expressed his opinion that the Poles had bid too much, and quite right he was too.

With a club and two red-suit A-Ks missing, Klukowski was quickly two down. E/W +500 on a nothing deal, and a useful 12 IMPs to BC t’ONSTEIN 2.

By midway through the set, the match score stood at 115-98 in favour of the Swiss, so the Dutch had more than halved the 42-IMP deficit with which they began the set. Then the tables turned. First, Klukowski was allowed to make a 4♠-Doubled contract that could have gone two down, whilst the same contract was failing at the other table. A double-figure swing to the Swiss. Then both South players had to decide on a plan of action on the second of this week’s problem hands.

For the Dutch, Sprinkhuizen began with Puppet Stayman, looking for a possible 5-3 heart fit. When his partner showed no major with 3NT, he produced dummy. 3NT was not the best game but, with clubs 3-2 and the diamond finesse working, declarer was able to make 11 tricks. N/S +460.

This time, the Michal Klukowski (left) radar was much better tuned. Despite the lower range for the 2NT opening at this table, he began with 3♠, showing both minors. When Jacek Kalita co-operated by showing at least four diamonds, Klukowski cue-bid his spade shortage. With such a control-rich hand, can you blame Kalita for committing to slam?

With everything lying well, declarer made all 13 tricks and justice was duly served. N/S +940 and 10 IMPs to BC de LOMBARD 1.

Over the second half of the set, the Swiss not only restored their earlier advantage, but actually added to it. They won the stanza 46-41, so they carried a 47-IMP lead into the final set.

Midway through the set, both North players had to answer the third of this week’s problems…

This West hand is not easy to describe after partner’s 1♠ opening, but Thibo Sprinkhuizen had a three-card limit raise available, which seems as good as anything. Having passed initially, Bas Driver entered with 3♣, but his interference was brushed aside by Mendes Leon’s jump to game. Sjoert Brink saw no reason to get involved facing a partner who could not open the bidding, so there matters rested.

The defence began with a club to the ace and a heart switch to the A-Q, but that was the only three tricks the defenders could get. E/W +620.

Ricco van Prooijen wasn’t willing to make things easy for his opponents, and he began with a 4♣ pre-empt on the North hand. Kalita had an obvious 4♠ overcall and, when Bob Drijver (right) raised the clubs, it was inevitable that the Polish world champions would get overboard. Klukowski’s raise to 5♠ inspired Kalita to bid a sixth, and Drijver closed the explosive auction with a red card.

The defence duly took a club and two hearts: E/W -500 and 16 IMPs to BC t’ONSTEIN 2. There was just time to see a test of the card play skills of both sides. On the final board of the match, both North players were called upon to find the winning lead against slam after an auction along the lines of that shown in the last of this week’s problems.

Jacek Kalita (left) started with an artificial and game-forcing 2♣. He then eventually agreed spades and the Poles then cue-bid their way to 6♠. Looking at the full diagram, you can see that only a club lead presents declarer with a problem. On any other opening, declarer can easily set up a fourth-round diamond winner in dummy on which his club loser can be thrown.

Ricco van Prooijen’s lead of the ♦5 did not unduly tax Michael Klukowski, and declarer was soon claiming 13 tricks. E/W +1460.

Guy Mendes Leon also began with an artificial 2♣, and he agreed spades at the three-level. A club cue-bid from Thibo Sprinkhuizen then prompted Mendes to Blackwood and the same 6♠ contract was duly reached.

Bas Drijver (right) did present declarer with a problem by leading the ♣5. Declarer captured South’s ♣K with the ace, drew trumps, and exited with a club to the jack and queen. Drijver got out with a third round of clubs, leaving declarer with an unavoidable diamond loser at the end. E/W -100 and 17 IMPs to BC de LOMBARD 1.

Could declarer have made the contract after Drijver’s club lead? Yes… let’s see what happens. South’s ♣K loses to the ace at trick one and declarer draws three rounds of trumps. He then plays three rounds of hearts, ruffing. After declarer cashes his penultimate trump, these cards remain…

When declarer now cashes his last trump, what can North do? He cannot afford to release a diamond, so he has to throw the ♣7. Declarer then exits with the ♣J. North wins with the ♣Q but has now to open the diamond suit, allowing declarer to make three diamond tricks and his contract.

So, there was no opening lead to beat the contract after all? Actually, there was, and kudos to anyone who found it. The only lead that legitimately defeats the contract is the ♣Q! Now that would have been a brilliancy worthy of a “Defensive Play of the Year” award.

BC de LOMBARD 1 won the final stanza 52-36 and the match by a margin of 63 IMPs, 208-145. Congratulations to Pierre Zimmerman, Michal Nowosadzki, Sjoert Brink, Bas Drijver, Jacek Kalita and Michal Klukowski. No doubt we will be seeing more of this sextet later in the year. They will surely go to both this summer’s European Championships in Denmark and to the World Bridge Games in Argentina in October as the bookies’ favourites.

We will be back soon, with a trip Down Under to bring you the best of the action from the Open Teams final at the Gold Coast Congress from the picturesque east coast of Australia.