OCBL JOURNAL Issue N. 63. Tuesday, 9 March, 2021 SF. ROUND 2. 16.30 CET / 10.30 EST FINAL SYMPHONY Gupta VS Levine VUGRAPH Compton VS France Sud VUGRAPH Final. ROUND 1. 19.13 CET / 15.30 EST To be announced Final. ROUND 2. 21.30 CET / 15.30 EST To be announced CONVENTION CARDS: PLEASE UPLOAD THEM! Eric Rodwell playing the piano The Semifinals are underway: Gupta are facing Levine and Compton are facing France Sud. Today the second half of the Semifinals will be played, along with the Final (two segments x 16 boards each). At the end of the day we will know the winners of the OCBL Super Cup! The OCBL JOURNAL It is highly recommended for all participants to in your MAILBOX prepare and load your convention card. Would you like receiving the OCBL Journal If you need help, here is a quick video tutorial, by e-mail for free? provided by Andrew Robson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrL2FnyFaJc Just drop your e-mail address here:https://ocbl.org/journal/ OCBL SUPER CUP - THE BRACKET GUPTA (97.1) GUPTA (22.1 halftime) GILLIS (70) FREDIN (25.1) LEVINE (15 halftime) LEVINE (100) DONNER (38.1) FRANCE SUD (18 halftime) FRANCE SUD (63) COMPTON (42.1) COMPTON (46.1 halftime) ORCA (28) OCBL Journal OCBL UPCOMING EVENTS OPEN LEAGUE 29 March - 25 April, 2021 Play every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday at 21.30 CEST - 15.30 EDT APRIL CUP 5 - 9 April, 2021 CEST EDT Qualification: Monday 5 April 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 Tuesday 6 April 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 Wednesday 7 April 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 OCBL CUP Thursday 8 April 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 KO: Friday 9 April 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 MAY CUP 3 - 7 May, 2021 CEST EDT Qualification: Monday 3 May 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 Tuesday 4 May 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 Wednesday 5 May 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 OCBL CUP Thursday 6 May 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 KO: Friday 7 May 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 OPEN LEAGUE 10 May - 6 June, 2021 Play every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday at 21.30 CEST - 15.30 EDT JUNE CUP 31 May - 4 June, 2021 CEST EDT Qualification: Monday 31 May 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 Tuesday 1 June 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 Wednesday 2 June 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 Thursday 3 June 16.30 - 19.00 10.30 - 13.00 OCBL CUP KO: Friday 4 June 16.30 - 19.00 - 21.30 10.30 - 13.00 - 15.30 2 OCBL Journal Quarterfinals by Brian Senior Set one Donner v France Sud Compton v Orca The quarter-finals were played over two West North East South West North East South 16-board sessions, with a carry-over from the Donner Mus S. Rimstedt Gautret Crouch Smith Forrester Moses qualifying stage which included a fraction of – – 1] Pass – – 1] Pass an IMP to prevent the possibility of a tie and 2NT Pass 3{ Pass 2NT Pass 3} Pass hence avoid any prospect of extra boards being 3[ Pass 4{ Pass 3] Pass 4{ Pass required. The carry-over was in each case in 4[ Pass 5{ Pass 4[ Pass 4NT Pass favour of the team which qualified in the higher 5] All Pass 5{ Pass 6] All Pass position. We had four matches which were all, broadly Rimstedt opened the East hand and Donner’s Forrester opened the East hand and 2NT was speaking, USA v Europe. So who would come 2NT response was modified Jacoby, including GF Jacoby. Three Clus was natural, 3] asked, out on top, the old world or the new? game-invitational hands. Three Diamonds and 4{ showed the shortage. Now Crouch was initially a game try and Donner not only cuebid 4[ and it was Forrester, East, who used Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul. accepted the try but asked if his partner had a Key-card. Five Diamonds showed zero or three [ K 9 6 2 shortage. Four Diamonds showed the diamond and Forrester settled for the small slam – Seven ] J shortage, 4[ was Key-card, and 5{ showed was unlikely to be solid if Crouch could not { Q J 10 9 7 3 two key-cards without the ]Q. Donner guessed himself take control and ask for key-cards. } Q J to pass now, only to find that Six was cold and [ A 4 3 [ 7 5 Seven making; +510. West North East South ] Q 10 7 5 3 2 ] A K 9 8 6 Bathurst Plackett Huang Erichsen { A 8 { 6 West North East South – – 1] Pass } A 4 } K 10 9 6 3 Fleury Grue Girollet Moss 2NT Pass 3} Pass [ Q J 10 8 – – 1] Pass 3{ Pass 3NT Pass ] 4 2} Pass 3} Pass 4} Pass 4{ Pass { K 5 4 2 3{ Pass 4} Pass 4[ Pass 5{ Pass } 8 7 5 2 4[ Pass 5{ Pass 5[ Pass 6} Pass 5[ Pass 6} Pass 6] All Pass Gupta v Gillis 6{ Pass 6] All Pass Huang opened and 2NT was a limit raise or West North East South Girollet opened and Fleury responded with better. Three Clubs was an artificial acceptance Zia Brogeland Gupta Lindqvist a game-forcing relay. Three Clubs was natural of a game invitation and 3{ an artificial ask, – – Pass Pass and showed at least 5-4 but a near minimum, 3NT showing the diamond shortage. After an 1] Pass 3[ Pass 11-14. Three Diamonds was a second relay, exchange of cuebids, 4[ was Key-card and 5{ 4] All Pass the response showing both the fifth club and showed two without the queen. Bathurst invited the diamond shortage. Four Spades was again Seven and Huang showed the }K, which was Gupta passed as dealer but, when Zia opened Key-card, but Fleury was much more optimistic not sufficient for Bathurst, who settled for Six 1] in third seat, jumped to 3[ in response to than Donner. On hearing of the two key- and a flat board. show an unspecified singleton. Facing a passed cards, Fleury asked for kings and heard that his hand, Zia didn’t fancy slam so didn’t bother to partner held the }K. There seems to be some Fredin v Levine find out which shortage his partner held, instead mild misunderstanding as on BBO 6} was also simply signing off in game. There was no way described as denying the [K, but then 6{ as West North East South that Gupta could bid on now so the excellent asking for the [K, but on the other side of the Helness Sylvan Helgemo Morath slam was missed. The friendly club position table taken as asking for the }Q. No matter, – – 1] Pass meant that 13 tricks were easy; +510. 6] was pnce again good enough for +11 IMPs, 2NT Pass 3} Pass and it will be agreat comfort to less experienced 3] Pass 4{ Pass West North East South readers to see that the experts too have the 4NT Pass 5] Pass Saelensminde de Wijs Gillis Muller occasional misunderstanding in slam auctions. 5NT Pass 6} Pass – – 1] Pass 6] All Pass 2NT Pass 3} Pass 3] Pass 4} Pass Helgemo opened and 2NT was GF raise. 4NT Pass 5] Pass Three Clubs showed clubs, 4{ showed the 5NT Pass 6} Pass shortage, and 5] showed two key-cards but 6] All Pass no ]Q. Five No Trump invited Seven, and Helgemo showed the }K. As we have seen Gillis opened the East hand and Saelensminde before, That was not enough to convince West, showed a game-forcing four-card raise. When who settled for the small slam. Gillis showed his two-suiter, Saelensminde took control, asking for key-cards then inviting West North East South Seven. Gillis was unwilling to bid the grand Fredin Wold Apteker Levine himself but admitted to holding the king of clubs. – – 1] Pass Saelensminde wasn’t confident about there 2NT Pass 3} Pass being 13 tricks and, indeed, on a different club 3{ Pass 3[ Pass lay-out there would not have been, so he settled 3NT Pass 4} Pass for 6] and was no doubt pleasantly surprised to 6] All Pass find that his side had gained 11 IMPs. Apteker opened and Fredin’s 2NT response was invitational or better. Unlike Huang, Peter Fredin Apteker considered his hand to be a minimum 3 OCBL Journal to the nine and king, and Wold had three club Huang did not open the East hand. His 2NT winners without having had to guess the suit. response was Puppet Stayman, and 3{ showed He chalked up +600 and 13 IMPs to Levine, five hearts and fewer than four spades. Four the same contract having gone down two at the Diamonds was now a transfer to hearts. Plackett other table after a heart lead followed by club to led a spade and Bathurst played as had Crouch; the queen. 11 tricks and no swing. Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul. Donner v France Sud [ Q 10 8 6 ] J 9 3 West North East South { 7 6 Donner Mus S. Rimstedt Gautret } K 8 6 3 – – 1{ Pass [ A J 2 [ K 7 1] Pass 2{ Pass ] A 8 6 5 4 ] K 7 2 2[ Pass 3] Pass { A 9 8 { K J 5 4 3 2 4] All Pass } Q 9 } 10 7 [ 9 5 4 3 Rimstedt opened 1{, promising only two Zia Mahmood - pic: Arianna Testa / WBF ] Q 10 cards, then repeated the suit.