Mixed Pairs Session II


Carlo Mariani and Monica Buratti took a useful lead into the second session of the Mixed Pairs final. They had a mixed start to the session but were soon moving along nicely again.

Board 1. Dealer North. Love All
ª K Q 2
© K 9
¨ K 9 8 3
§ K 9 7 6
ª 10 9 7
ª J 8 5 4
© J 10 7 3 © 8 6 5 2
¨ Q 10 4 2 ¨ J 6
§ A 4 § Q 10 8
ª A 6 3
© A Q 4
¨ A 7 5
§ J 5 3 2

Carlo Marianni-Monica Buratti New European Mixed Champions;short description of imageThe Italians bid smoothly to Three No Trump played by North, Mariani. He won the heart lead in dummy and led a club to his king then a low club back to dummy. East went in with the queen of clubs, crashing his partner's ace. Oops! That was 11 tricks for +460 and the perfect start to the session for our leaders.

At another table, Larissa Panina and Michael Rosenblum of Russia were defending the same contract. Larissa led the jack of diamonds and declarer erred by running this to his own hand, winning with the king. Now he tried a low club towards dummy's jack. Panina thought about that for a bit but then came to the correct answer. This time it was right for East to rise with the queen of clubs. Panina did so and played a second diamond. Rosenblum could win and return a small diamond to establish a second trick for himself in the suit and hold declarer to nine tricks. -400 was worth 140 MPs to the Russian pair.

Board 2. Dealer East. NS Game
ª A 8 5 3 2
© 7 4
¨ J 8
§ Q J 10 9
ª 7 6
ª  
© A ©  
¨ 6 5 4 2 ¨  
§ A 8 7 6 5 3 §  
ª Q J
© K Q J 8 5 3 2
¨ A 10 9
§ K

West North East South
Martorelli
Mariani
Ciccanti
Buratti

Pass
1©
2NT
Pass
3ª
4©
5¨
5©
All Pass

I am not exactly sure what the East/West bidding meant but what I can say is that it pushed the leaders to an uncomfortable level. West led the ace of clubs and switched to a spade. Monica Buratti ducked that and back came a second spade to her queen. She overtook with the ace to play a winning club, pitching a diamond. Another club was ruffed with the ten and over-ruffed. Buratti played the ©K to the ace and Martorelli switched to a diamond for the queen and ace. Buratti seems to have lost track of the heart spots now because she tried a low heart to the seven, losing to the nine, and was three down; -300.

Board 3. Dealer South. EW Game
ª A 10 7 2
© 9 5 2
¨ A 6
§ K Q 5 3
ª J 9 6 5
ª K 8 3
© 8 7 6 © A K Q 10 3
¨ K J 8 ¨ Q 7 3
§ A 9 7 § J 4
ª Q 4
© J 4
¨ 10 9 5 4 2
§ 10 8 5 2

West North East South
Briere
Mariani
Blouquit
Buratti

Pass
Pass
1§
1©
Pass
2©
Pass
Pass
3§
Pass
Pass
3©
All Pass

Facing a potentially prepared club, Buratti was not worth an immediate raise but, when her opponents found their heart fit, she competed with Three Clubs. That pushed the French pair up a level but it did not matter as there were nine comfortable tricks for +140 to East/West - a normal result.

Board 4. Dealer West. Game All
ª J 10 9 5
© J 9 8
¨ A 9 7 6 5
§ 4
ª A K Q 2
ª 8 6
© A 10 3 © 6 4 2
¨ Q J 2 ¨ 4
§ 7 5 3 § A K Q 10 9 8 2
ª 7 4 3
© K Q 7 5
¨ K 10 8 3
§ J 6

West North East South
Briere
Mariani
Blouquit
Buratti

1NT
Pass
2ª
Pass
3§
Pass
3NT
All Pass

Blouquit transferred to clubs then showed short diamonds with her Three No Trump continuation. Briere past that, having no great interest in a club contract. Carlo Mariani led the jack of spades. Briere won and rattled off seven rounds of c.lubs on which Buratti threw two diamonds, two hearts and a spade, and Mariani two hearts and three diamonds. The important thing was that Mariani held on to his spade stopper so that the contract was held to11 tricks; +660.

Board 5. Dealer North. NS Game
ª A J 9 5 4 3
©
¨ K Q J 5 2
§ 10 5
ª
ª K 10 7 6
© A 10 8 3 2 © K J 7 4
¨ 8 6