The bulletin staff were out in force for the first session of the Open Pairs final. With twenty Polish pairs being involved it was hardly a surprise that the first table we came to was occupied by two of them.

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul   ª 6 4 © 5 4 3 ¨ Q 7 6 5 § A 10 6 2 ª 7 3 © A K J 10 9 6 2 ¨ A J 3 § K ª A J 10 2 © Q 8 ¨ K 10 9 § 9 8 5 4   ª K Q 9 8 5 © 7 ¨ 8 4 2 § Q J 7 3

West	North	East	South
Rogowski	Lesniewski	Pikus	Martens
	Pass	Pass	1ª
Dbl	Pass	2NT	Pass
3NT

We leave you to consider the wisdom of West's refusal to mention his seven card suit.
On a spade lead eleven tricks are possible in both hearts and notrumps if declarer takes a winning view in diamonds. However, North made a spectacular start to the day by putting the ace of clubs on the table. The defenders took four tricks in double quick time.

North/South faced another problem in defence on the next deal:

Board 2. Dealer East. North/South Vul   ª Q © A 10 6 3 2 ¨ 10 7 § Q 10 9 5 4 ª K 8 2 © K 9 5 ¨ 8 5 3 § K 7 3 2 ª 10 9 7 6 5 4 3 © Q J ¨ Q J § A 8   ª A J © 8 7 4 ¨ A K 9 6 4 2 § J 6

West	North	East	South
Rogowski	Lesniewski	Pikus	Martens
		2¨*	3¨
3©	Dbl	3ª	All Pass

South led the ace of diamonds and collected the three, seven and jack. He cashed the king and possibly mindful of his partner's double switched to a heart. That was a missed opportunity, as declarer was now able to restrict his losers to two diamonds, one spade and one heart. It cannot be wrong for South to continue with the nine of diamonds. When North ruffs with the queen of spades that is one down. If he does not have that card then South will have time to play his partner for the ©AQ.

Incredibly the next deal also posed a defensive problem for North/South.

Board 3. Dealer South. East/West Vul   ª 6 4 © 10 9 3 ¨ Q 10 § A 8 5 4 3 2 ª 3 © Q J 7 ¨ J 7 6 3 § Q J 10 9 7 ª A K J 10 8 2 © 8 ¨ A K 9 5 4 § 6   ª Q 9 7 5 © A K 6 5 4 2 ¨ 8 2 § K

West	North	East	South
Mariani	Lesniewski	Burgay	Martens
			1©
Pass	2©	4ª	All Pass

Four Spades would not be everyone's choice, but you bid for show and play for dough.
South cashed the ace of hearts and after due consideration switched to the king of clubs. This was already the critical moment. If the six and king of clubs had been interchanged it would have been routine for North to put up the ace and play another club. Declarer would probably ruff with the ten and South would discard, ensuring two trump tricks. Although there is a strong case for North to play the ace of clubs, when he failed to overtake declarer was in control. He won South's diamond switch with the king and played three rounds of trumps. When he got in he drew the outstanding trump and claimed when the diamonds proved to be 2-2.

Board 4. Dealer South. East/West Vul   ª 8 4 © Q 10 9 8 ¨ A J § A Q 10 9 2 ª K 10 6 2 © 7 4 ¨ 10 9 6 5 4 2 § 8 ª A J 7 3 © K J 6 3 2 ¨ 7 § K 6 3   ª Q 9 5 © A 5 ¨ K Q 8 3 § J 7 5 4

West	North	East	South
Mariani	Lesniewski	Burgay	Martens
Pass	2§	Pass	3§*
All Pass

When East wisely passed South made an invitational raise. East led his singleton diamond and declarer won with the ace and played back the jack. East ruffed and switched to the ace and jack of spades. Declarer ruffed the third round of the suit and played the ace of clubs and a club, claiming the balance after East took his king. That was +110 and with game likely to fail a promising looking result.

Yet, it were the Italians who missed an opportunity here. West could have overtaken his partner's ªJ and lead a heart. This establishes a trick in the suit before the §K is gone.

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

West	North	East	South
Kowalski	Lesniewski	Romanski	Martens
	1ª	Pass	1NT*
Pass	2§*	Pass	2¨
Dbl	2ª	All Pass

Another part score battle saw North/South settle in Two Spades.

East led the queen of diamonds and declarer won and played a club to the jack and queen. Back came the nine of diamonds, forcing declarer to ruff. He cashed the ace of clubs and played a third club, although it works better if you cash the ace of hearts first. East put up the king and West discarded his singleton heart. If East now plays a heart, West can ruff and play a diamond and the contract will be two down at least. When he played a club, declarer ruffed with the jack of spades, played a spade to the king and another spade. He was now sure of seven tricks and an average score. We doubt any declarer found the way to make Two Spades. After winning with the ace of diamonds you must play a spade to the king and a second spade.

Marcin Lesniewski

For EW to obtain a really good score it is necessary to make nine tricks in diamonds. As North is thrown in to trick one already there seems to be a way. If North leads a spade it's easy: you win dummy's queen and ruff a spade with the ¨Q after establishing the ©K for a spade discard. On a trump lead, the second defensive trump trick is gone. On a rounded-suit lead, declarer will probably have time and entries for the trump coup after discovering the bad break.

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

West	North	East	South
Kowalski	Lesniewski	Romanski	Martens
		Pass	1§*
Pass	1¨*	Pass	2¨*
Pass	2NT	Pass	3NT
All Pass

This was not very exciting, as 3NT delivered eleven tricks. With two trump entries in dummy, Six Hearts is on the spade finesse.

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

West	North	East	South
Ferraro	Lesniewski	De Falco	Martens
			1§*
1ª	2©	Dbl*	3©
Pass	Pass	3ª	All Pass

North led the four of hearts to the queen and ace. West played a diamond to the king and when that held he made a subtle mistake by continuing with the queen of diamonds. North took the ace and switched to a trump. South took the ace and should play a second round. That will leave declarer a vital entry short and he will lose three club tricks and go one down.

When he switched to the seven of clubs declarer played low, North won and returned the suit and declarer claimed nine tricks.

If declarer plays a low diamond at trick three and North wins then there is no way to prevent declarer from scoring two club tricks - we leave you to work out the many variations.

Board 8. Dealer West. None Vul   ª J 9 6 © 10 9 7 3 ¨ A 10 8 § 10 9 6 ª 8 5 3 © A 4 2 ¨ K 5 3 2 § K Q J ª K Q 2 © K J 6 5 ¨ 6 § 7 5 4 3 2   ª A 10 7 4 © Q 8 ¨ Q J 9 7 4 § A 8

West	North	East	South
Ferraro	Lesniewski	De Falco	Martens
1§	Pass	1©	Dbl
Pass	1ª	2§	All Pass

North led the nine of spades, covered by the queen and ace and declarer won the spade return with dummy's queen. He played the six of diamonds and when South followed with the seven he played the king with a resigned air. Sure enough, North produced the ace and cashed the jack of spades before switching to the ten of hearts. Declarer won in hand with the ace and played a top club. South won and played the thirteenth spade promoting a trump trick for his partner, but as he did so declarer pitched a heart from his hand and claimed eight tricks.

Our featured Polish pair had a reasonable session and remained in contention for the title.