France vs Finland - Juniors Round 19
Going into Friday morning’s vugraph match,
Finland were just below half-way in the standings while France,
in sixth place, were still very much in contention for the medals
and qualifying places and were looking for a good win to boost
their chances.
This was a wild match with swings on almost
every board and a mixture of some very good bridge and some
pretty awful stuff. France started very well when the Finnish
declarer misguessed the play in 4ª on Board 1 and was two down
while France brought the same contract home in the other room
to gain 11 IMPs. They picked up another 6 IMPs on Board 2 by
bringing home partscores at both tables and added to their lead
again on Board 3.
Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul. |
|
ª
-
© A Q 9
2
¨ A 9 8 3
§ A K Q
7 6 |
ª
A Q J 8 2
© 10 8 3
¨ 4
§ J 8 3 2 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board.gif) |
ª
K 7 3
© K 7 6 4
¨ Q J 6 5
§ 10 5 |
|
ª
10 9 6 5 4
© J 5
¨ K 10 7
2
§ 9 4 |
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Charletoux |
Ahonen |
Bazin |
Nurmi |
|
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
1§ |
Pass |
Pass |
1ª |
Dble |
2ª |
Dble |
All Pass |
|
|
|
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Heikkinen |
Geitner |
Tamminen |
Frey |
|
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
1§ |
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
3NT |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
All Pass |
|
|
The Finnish pair in the open room must
have been well pleased with their result and rather unimpressed
when it came time to score up with team-mates. Janne Heikkinen’s
lead-directing double of the thin 3NT contract allowed the defence
to take the first five tricks after a low spade lead from Jussi
Pekka Tamminen. There was still another trick to come before
declarer could claim the remainder so that was two down for
-500.
In the other room, Pia Nurmi doubled 2ª
- would your partnership be confident that South’s double was
penalty in this auction? After all, the opposition have bid
and raised a suit at a low level. Anyway, the double would have
been just fine had the defence not slipped - and fairly seriously
at that. Hulda Ahonen cashed two top clubs then continued with
a low club, ruffed with the seven and overruffed. Nurmi switched
to a low diamond to her partner’s ace and back came a top club.
Thibaut Charletoux ruffed high in dummy and drew all the missing
trumps via a finesse of his eight. Ahonen had not discarded
well on the run of the trumps. When Charletoux now played a
heart up, she won the ace and exited with a diamond, allowing
declarer to ruff out South’s king (North needed to have a club
to lead at this point) and Charletoux had his eighth trick for
+670 and 5 IMPs to France.
Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul. |
|
ª
Q 7 4 3
© 9
¨ Q 10 8
5 2
§ Q 9 7 |
ª
8 5
© K J 7 2
¨ K J 3
§ J 8 3 2 |
|
ª
A 6
© Q 10 6 3
¨ A 7 4
§ A K 10 6 |
|
ª
K J 1 0 9 2
© A 8 5
4
¨ 9 6
§ 5 4 |
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Charletoux |
Ahonen |
Bazin |
Nurmi |
|
Pass |
1NT |
2§ |
Dble |
2ª |
3§ |
Pass |
3© |
Pass |
4§ |
All Pass |
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Heikkinen |
Geitner |
Tamminen |
Frey |
|
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2§ |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
|
|
Nurmi’s decision to come in over the strong
no trump with a bid which showed both majors was a brave one
at the prevailing vulnerability (the difference between brave
and foolish is entirely a matter of the result achieved, of
course) and it worked spectacularly well. Perhaps it is still
possible for East/West to reach the heart game, but I would
not be confident of doing so in my favourite partnership. Would
you? In the circumstances, rather than being critical of the
French pair for missing their laydown game, perhaps they should
be applauded for avoiding the doomed no trump game. Four Hearts
was reached easily enough at the other table and there was no
problem in the play thanks to the club suit behaving as declarer
wanted. Finland scored +420 against France’s +130 to pick up
7 IMPs.
Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul. |
|
ª
A 7 3 2
© 8 6
¨ J 3
§ Q J 9
8 6 |
ª
Q 10 5
© K Q 9 7
4
¨ K Q 7 2
§ K |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board.gif) |
ª
K 9 8 6
© 10 5 3
¨ 6 4
§ A 5 3 2 |
|
ª
J 4
© A J 2
¨ A 10 9
8 5
§ 10 7 4 |
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Charletoux |
Ahonen |
Bazin |
Nurmi |
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
1© |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Heikkinen |
Geitner |
Tamminen |
Frey |
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
1© |
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
2© |
All Pass |
Charletoux made a very aggressive decision
to move after his 1© opening caught a simple raise. Four Hearts
is no thing of beauty but, unless the defence finds its heart
ruff, it is makable with a good spade view. Ahonen led a club
and Charletoux won the king and played the queen of diamonds
from hand. He pitched a diamond from hand on the club return
then led a heart up. When the king held the trick, he played
king of diamonds and ruffed a diamond then led dummy’s last
heart. Nurmi won the ace and exited with a club. Charletoux
ruffed, drew the last trump and advanced the queen of spades.
Had Ahonen won that, surely it was declarer’s intention to finesse
on the next round. Ahonen, however, ducked and then went up
with the ace on the next spade lead; +620.
Heikkinen guessed the spades correctly
at the other table for +170 but 10 IMPs to France.
Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul. |
|
ª
Q J 4
© 6 2
¨ A 5
§ K Q 8
6 3 2 |
ª
A 10 9 8 6
© K 9 3
¨ 4 3 2
§ A 9 |
|
ª
5 3 2
© Q J 10 5
¨ J 7 6
§ J 10 7 |
|
ª
K 7
© A 8 7
4![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board.gif)
¨ K Q 10
9 8
§ 5 4 |
|