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Your support makes all the difference.This deal, from the Generali European Championships in June, featured what must be one of the most unsuccessful reopening bids on record.
When Germany played Sweden, the auction in the closed room was, even if incomprehensible, relatively quiet. North opened 1!, South raised to 2!, and West joined in with 44. North passed (!) and South doubled (!) to end the auction. Double dummy, on the lead of #A, the defenders can take the first six tricks, but it did not go like that. For North started with hearts and at his first opportunity made the ill-judged discard of a diamond. This led to 590 points to Germany, but they need not have worried too much anyway!
In the Open Room, North opened 1! and South responded 14. West overcalled with 24, and North bid 44! Presumably this was a so-called "auto-splinter" although where he was going was anybody's guess. He certainly fooled his partner, who passed happily. Aha! It was not over yet, for judging, correctly but inadvisedly, that he had adequate defence against 44, West doubled! Somewhat relieved, North bid 4NT and raised his partner's reply of 52 to 62. And was pleasantly surprised when South bid one for the road. As you can see, there is no defence against the grand slam.
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