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 |
|
The 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 |
| | |