Thursday morning's match at table 3 might be an interesting one. Whichever team could register a big win would obtain a good chance of making it to the playoffs.

Furthermore, it was an all-French contest: Tissot v. Sanglier. In the Open Room, Levy-Willard for the Tissot team were to face Stoppa-Avon and in the Closed Room it would be Sussel-Gaviard for the Sanglier team v. Mouiel-Cronier.

All pairs are playing a very natural system, the 'Standard Francais.'

The first board was flat, both pairs scoring 140 in 3© . On the second board, both North players boldly bid their diamond suit at the five-level, vulnerable against not. As Alain Levy was doubled, his team scored the first four IMP's when the final contract proved unbeatable. This was the hand.

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

Would you dare to bid 5¨ after 1ª - 2© - 4ª? On the next board, something more serious happened.

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

Though Sylvie Willard was totally justified in making one more move, this contract already was far too high. As the cards lay, two down was the normal result. Sanglier +100.

Here, Mouiel for once believed his opponents at the wrong moment. With no game on for NS, three down was not quite what Tissot could afford. Sanglier +500 more and 12 IMP's to go up 12-4.

Tissot struck back on board 4, when the defence was not quite up to the normal standards of the EW pair involved. It became established from the comments after the play of the hand, that the main reason for the defensive error was the very early hour at which they start proceedings here in Italy.

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

The normal contract on this board is 3NT. A little high, maybe, but such is life. In the Open Room, Alain Levy won the heart lead with the jack and advanced the ¨J. When this was covered with the king and ace, he still was far from home. Stoppa won the third round of diamonds, on which Daniele Avon threw the Queen of Hearts. In the meantime, Levy had discarded a club. Jean-Louis Stoppa duly continued with the ª9 to Avon's queen, but the contract can no longer be defeated now if declarer plays well. In the end, Levy made an overtrick when Avon returned a low spade. Tissot +630.

As the same contract was defeated by one trick in the Closed Room, 12 IMP's went back to Tissot to make the score 16-12 to them.

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

Prospects did not look too bright for this contract, but things began to clear up a little when Avon made the unlucky lead of the §Q. If declarer wins this and plays on spades, he might even end up with nine tricks on double-dummy play. Not being that clairvoyant, Levy went after his best chance of finding a reasonable heart break. He cashed the © AK but to no avail, as it turned out. Then, he switched his attention to the diamond suit. ¨A and a diamond to the jack gave the lead to East, who continued a spade which ran to West's king. Stoppa then did not even bother to cash his hearts but simply continued spades when the queen appeared from declarer. In the end, the contract went down three for +150 to Sanglier.

Holding two aces, Gaviard's simple preference for hearts was not very audacious, but it worked very well here. Sussel just managed to gather eight tricks for another +110 and 6 IMP's to Sanglier. They were back into the lead by 18-17 now.

The match result was decided on the penultimate board when a not too good non-vulnerable game rolled home because all the finesses were working.

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

With every card right, eleven tricks came home on the lead of the ¨J. Tissot +200.

This time, Gaviard showed that she knows very well what she is doing. We saw her staying within her shell on board 6, but this time she jumped out of it and made a game-try on a hand on which many of us (men?) would have passed. Once again, she was right. Sanglier +430 and 6 more IMP's to win 24-17 or 17-13 VP's.

Results	Contents
Mixed Teams Swiss R10, R11, R12, R13, R14 Semifinals SF	Mixed Teams Round 9 Mixed Teams Round 11 How to Qualify Double Trouble