West 1 All Pass

North 2

East Pass

South 3 NT

som hral ako South 3NT, pričom zahájiteľ vyniesol malé srdce.

	Q J 4 5 8 6 4 A Q 7 4 3 2
	K 10 5 K Q 6 2 K Q 9 3 K 6

Zobral som srdcového jacka kráľom. Rozdanie vyzeralo jednoducho len dovtedy, kým West na druhé kolo trefov neodhodil malý pik. Problémom nebola ani tak strata trefového zdvihu, problémom však bolo, že ak pustím East na zdvih, tak nebudem môcť zabrániť obrane v získani piatich zdvihov: budú totiž mať najmenej 2 srdcové zdvihy, jeden trefový a ešte A a A. Ale ako splniť záväzok bez trefových zdvihov? Vyzeralo to nemožné, už som to aj chcel zabaliť, ale v poslednej chvíli som zbadal dodatočnú šancu v kárach. Ak má East v kárach J10, tak ho predsa môžem vyimpasovať. A kára môžu byť delené 3:3 (srdcový výnos Westu a jeho trefová krátkosť tento názor aj podporovali), takže urobím 3 kárové zdvihy, 3 trefové a iste 3 zdvihy v drahých farbách. Zahral som károvú osmu. West zobral zdvih, ale esom! Záväzok som potom hladko splnil a bol som so sebou spokojný, spokojný o to viac, že sme hrali proti Kanade na bridžovej olympiáde na ostrove Rhodos, v roku 1996. Tu je celé rozdanie:

	Q J 4 5 8 6 4 A Q 7 4 3 2
A 9 8 7 2 A 10 4 3 A 7 2 9		6 3 J 9 8 7 J 10 5 J 10 8 5
	K 10 5 K Q 6 2 K Q 9 3 K 6

Rozdanie je poučné: netreba sa vzdávať ak sú karty plné rôznych možností. Ale zase nejde o nič zvláštneho, ide "len" o impas, dušu našej obľúbenej hry. A tak by som o ňom možno ani nepísal, keby nebolo sprevádzané inými okolnosťami, okolnosťami, ktoré mi aj po rokoch ležia v žalúdku a ktorým nerozumiem.

Kanada nastupovala do súťaže ako jeden z jej favoritov, bola kanditátom na postup do medzi najlepších osem družstiev. S nami sa stretli v treťom kole súťaže a podľa mňa nehrali nič zvláštneho, v druhej miestnosti proti páru Svoboda-Kurka dokonca vyprodukovali dve 1400, z toho jedna bola naozaj mastná. Kokish však predstavoval uznávanu hráčsku triedu, konečne, bol to on, ktorý vyniesol srdce, čo malo svoju logiku. Dnes skvelý Fred Gitelman bol vtedy na začiatku svojej kariery a zbieral skúsenosti na inom ako americkom poli. Ostatní hráči nepredstavovali kvalitu, ktorá by mohla byť podkladom pre vyššie spomenuté ambície. Tak či onak, Kanada sa pozorne sledovala a jej krutá prehra s nami si zaslúžila pozornosť aj buletine olympiády. A tak sa pozrime čo to o tomto rozdaní v buletine napísali:

There was quite a reaction in the vugraph room when the Czech Republic scored consecutive 1400-point sets against Canada, eventually winning the match, 24-6. Most of the journalists were a bit hesitant to ask the Canadians how this happened... but we didn't have to. Joey Silver, a member of the team that made headlines a year ago by advancing to the final of the Bermuda Bowl, dropped by the Daily News office to bring us up-to-date. "It actually started the board before," said Joey. "Valecky played a notrump game magnificently and earned his side an 11-IMP gain."

Kokish led the A and shifted to a diamond to the jack and queen. Declarer cashed the K and crossed to the A, getting the bad news. So he abandoned clubs without cashing the queen he wasn't sure which red card he would discard. Instead he led the 8. Silver followed low smoothly, but Valecky let it ride! When he then knocked out the A he had his nine tricks: two clubs, two hearts, two spades... and THREE diamonds. The same contract was beaten two tricks at the other table.

Prepnem naspäť z angličtiny na slovenčinu. Neveril som vlastným očiam, keď som čítal opis rozdania poskytnutý tlači Silverom. Hráč jeho triedy si rozdanie musel pamätať správne. Tak prečo potom takýto opis jeho priebehu? Nepochopiteľné. A sprevádzaná kopou nelogických úvah a chybných analýz. Absurdné, naozaj. Nebolo však ziaľ času napísať žiadosť o opravu, moja angličtina pre čosi také ani nepostačuje, ale postačovala na to, že keď som kdesi na chodbe stretol Kokisha, tak som tu "vytmavil". Kokish sa len usmieval. A zhruba o pol roka som dostal knihu venovanu olympiáde, ktorú som si na Rhodose objednal. Kokish bol jeden z jej šéfredaktorov, rozdanie nepochybne videl a redigoval. Zostalo v tom istom tvare ako v buletine. Ešte nepochopiteľnejšie ako predtým.

Myslím... hm, myslím.. ako slušne napísať svoj názor na týchto dvoch chlapov. Nič ma však nenapadá a tak to radšej nechám ležať a na záver poskytnem ešte jeden opis toho istého rozdania (už vám asi lezie krkom ) uverejnený ako v buletine, tak v spomínanej knihe. Konečne, s tou istou ideou som rozdanie zohrával i ja.

A SWEDISH NOVA

One of the Swedish newcomers is the young star Peter Fredin, playing with Magnus Eriksson. He has a great flair. Though only 26, he is already considered by many to be one of the top two or three Swedish players when it comes to handling the dummy. During his Junior career he won four consecutive Junior national pairs titles. On this board he had to make sure to get 9 tricks against France. After Henri Szwarc as West opened the bidding with 1 and Magnus Eriksson as usual overbid/called with 2 , Peter rushed into 3NT, his and all great declarers favourite contract. Szwarc made a surprise heart attack and this is what Peter saw:

	Q J 4 5 8 6 4 A Q 7 4 3 2
	K 10 5 K Q 6 2 K Q 9 3 K 6

The heart went to the jack and Peter's king. What would you do? Before you peek I can give you a hint by showing you another "Peter Fredin Special". In the Nordic Championships he had to get four tricks from the combination of AK42 in hand to 10653 in dummy. From the bidding and the fall of the cards, Peter placed the Q and J with his RHO. Well, if he didn't have the 9 as well, thought Peter, ... he led the 10 from dummy intending to let it ride. Unfortunately his RHO covered with the jack and Peter had to contend with three tricks in the suit. Peter was very surprised when it turned out that his teammates showed very little sympathy with this well thought out plan which was wrecked only by the foul distribution of RHO owning QJ bare. Back to the actual deal.There would be a problem only if the clubs were 4-1. Szwarc probably has the three aces for his opening bid. Are there any extra chances?

How about the diamonds? Why have the gods (since we are in Greece the plural seems appropri- ate) given you the 9? Peter went to dummy with a spade and led the 8. Franc Multon produced the 5-spot without a flicker. If the clubs are 4-1 and Swarc has either the 10 or jack, there seems to be no chance at all so Peter played the 3 from his hand as an extra chance. The power of the 9 became clear as this was the full deal. It is Board 8 from Match 3 in the Open Olympiad.

	Q J 4 5 8 6 4 A Q 7 4 3 2
A 9 8 7 2 A 10 4 3 A 7 2 9		6 3 J 9 8 7 J 10 5 J 10 8 5
	K 10 5 K Q 6 2 K Q 9 3 K 6

Had Szwarc won the diamond with a low honour, Peter would still have had time to play for clubs 3-2 and establish his ninth trick elsewhere. At the other table the auction was the same, but the Swedish veteran Mats Nilsland led an unimaginative spade which doomed declarer.