Helgemo mixes charm, craft

By Djanwar R. Madjolelo

JAKARTA (JP): In the course of the last 18 months Geir Helgemo has won the World Junior Pairs (with Boye Borgeland), the Cap Volmac Pairs (with Tor Helness) and the General World Men's Individual.

In addition he has put together a good string of results in the U.S. Nationals (notably in Miami) and represented Norway in the Rhodes Olympics. He and Tor Helness (who finished second in the Santiago Bermuda Bowl 1993) are undoubtedly one of the strongest pairs in the world.

But Geir has also impressed everyone as a pleasant opponent and a cheerful companion. He has given two excellent interviews, to ACBL in Miami and to The European Bridge League News, which will make good copy and he has provided journalists with many hands to indicate what a fine player he is.

Here is a nice defense by Helgemo taken from the recent Olympiad in Rhodes, Greece:

Dealer: West Game: All

NORTH

(S) Q

(H) A 10 9 4 3

(D) A K 5 4 3 2

(C) A

WEST EAST

(S) 8 3 (S) A J 9 5 3

(H) K 8 7 6 5 (H) J

(D) J 10 9 6 (D) Q 7

(C) 9 3 (C) K J 10 8 2

SOUTH

(S) K 10 7 6 4

(H) Q 7

(D) 8

(C) Q 7 6 5 4

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Helgemo Helness Pass 1D 1S Pass Pass 2H Pass 3NT All Pass

Geir Helgemo led the Spade 8 to the Queen and Ace. East played the Club 2 (showing strength) to North's Ace who then followed with the Ace, King and another Diamond to Geir Helgemo's 10.

Now put yourself in West's chair and imagine that you are in. You probably feel like switching to a small Heart, don't you?

Let's enter Geir's mind for a second and this is what makes him such an outstanding player.

He knew that East had a Club honor, but it would make a difference whether it was the King or Queen. Suppose South held both the black Kings. A small Heart would then bring South in on the Queen. He then could cash both his black Kings, play a Heart to the 10 and exit with another Diamond. And, oops, West is left endplayed. Left with only a Heart and South will have won his contract.

Now, this was not the layout of the hand, so in this case it would have been sufficient to play a small Heart. But Geir Helgemo, of course, did not know that, and so, in case South had both the black Kings, he played the King of Hearts! This not only brings dummy in early, it also lays the foundation to take the contract two down, instead of one which will happen if you play a small Heart.

Honestly, would you have been able to think along theses lines when defending with Helgemo's slightly anemic West hand?

There is only one that describes it: Outstanding!

The writer is the 1966 winner of the International Bridge Press Association (IBPA) Award