Liz McGowan is NPC of the Scotland U26 team (Jun Nakamaru-Pinder, Stewart Pinkerton, Liam O'Brien, Ronan Valentine, Athena Chow, and Glen Falconer).

Day -1

Set off from Edinburgh on the direct flight to Oslo.

Entire team turns up on time, fully equipped with necessary documentation. Fantastic!

Bus supplied by hosts takes about 2 hours to the venue, an enormous sports arena . 

Some of the venue is still under construction, so there is an interesting snaking route to the accommodation, in very well equipped apartments with cooking facilities, washing machines, even dishwashers. We eat and turn in early, ready for a tough programme of matches.

Day 1

Playing area is enormous, an indoor football pitch. Half devoted to a local event.

Start against Latvia. 2 years ago, in Samorin, we lost heavily to this team. They are 4-handed, and may tire towards the end of the event, but they are obviously dangerous. I send in my most experienced pairs.  On Board 3 Liam and Ronan bid a rather optimistic slam, down on a ruff at trick 2. This swing is quickly balanced by 10 imps in when Jun/Stewart are gifted 300 on a Lebensohl misunderstanding. 23-12 down at the half (well, 8 boards in to a 15-board match…) we come with a strong finish. The Latvian declarer finds a way to go down in a slam where Jun makes an overtrick, and these 17 fat imps help us to a 15-5 victory. Sweet!

Next up are Austria, hampered by the late arrival of one of their better players.  They have lost quite badly to Portugal in Round 1, but the same 2 pairs must play again. Jun and Stewart have a field day: let through in an unmakeable 3NT on Board 20 (12); opponents play a possible slam in a part score on Bard 22 (7); board 26 garners 500 from a 5-0 fit after a Ghestem misunderstanding (9); +1000 on Board 28 when an opponent tries an SOS redouble of 6S (13); and on Board 30 a Grand Slam that requires a 3-3 break (11). Athena/Glen are a little nervous on their first outing, but we win 18-2.

Third match is Italy. At this point they head the table and we are second! We are swiftly 13-0 behind after failing to cash 4 top tricks against a nonvulnerable game. We fight back with some bits and pieces, then along comes board 11, where 3NT depends on playing KJT432 opposite A9 for no losers. The Italian line is Ace, then run the 9, losing to the doubleton Queen and 3 down. Ronan sniffs it out: he reckons that the annoyance factor makes finessing the nine a worthwhile investment. 11 badly needed imps, and we win by 2 imps, 10.63-9.37.

A good day! 43.56VP and we lie 5th overall. 

But there is a long road to travel, and there will be disappointments on the way.

Saturday sees tough matches against Norway, Poland and Ireland. Fingers crossed.