France
vs Poland
Ladies Series - Round 14
There are some unfamiliar names in the French Ladies team but
they are proving to be as competitive as ever, lying in third
pace after 13 rounds. In Round 14 France met middle-of-the-table
Poland.
Board 4. Dealer West.
All Vul.
|
|
ª
10 8 4 2
© K Q 8
4
¨ 4
§ A 10 3
2
|
ª 9 7 5
© 10 7
¨ A 9 7 6 3
§ K J 8 |
![Bridge deal](../../../graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª A 6
© A 3
¨ K Q 10 5 2
§ Q 9 7 5 |
|
ª K Q J 3
© J 9 6 5 2
¨ J 8
§ 6 4 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sarniak |
Fishpool |
Grunt |
Hugon |
Pass |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
3§ |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Clement |
Wojtyra |
Dumon |
Tomaszewska |
Pass |
Pass |
1NT |
2© |
2NT |
3¨ |
Dble |
3© |
4¨ |
4© |
5¨ |
Pass |
Pass |
5© |
6¨ |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
All Pass |
|
Anna Grunt, Poland
|
|
In a generally quiet match,
this huge swing proved to be decisive. The Poles had a free
run to 3NT, with Anna Sarniak asking for her partner's range
and bidding game on discovering that she was facing a maximum.
Leading her longest suit would have seen Elisabeth Hugon defeat
the contract, but it is hard not to agree with her view that
god did not deal her such a nice sequence so that she could
lead something else. Anna Grunt won the spade lead and cashed
her diamonds before leading a club. When spades proved to
be 4-4, that was +600 to Poland.
Wieslawa Tomaszewska's super-light intervention created a
very different scenario at the other table. Her 2©
overcall showed at least nine cards in the majors and the
double fit convinced Anna Wojtyra to keep on bidding - particularly
as all the opposition bidding suggested that her partner was
likely to have come in because of extra shape rather than
many high-card values. A heart lead would have defeated 5¨,
while on a spade lead declarer can take a third round club
finesse and get rid of the heart loser to make her contract.
Five Hearts doubled simply lost a trick in each suit, the
defence not exploring the possibility of a spade ruff; -500
and 15 IMPs to Poland. |
Board 5. Dealer North.
N/S Vul.
|
|
ª A
© A 7 5 3
¨ K 8 6 3
§ K 9 4 3 |
ª K J 5
© Q 9 8 6 2
¨ 9 2
§ Q 6 5 |
![Bridge deal](../../../graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª Q 9 8 3
© -
¨ A Q 10 5
§ A 10 8 7 2 |
|
ª 10 7 6 4 2
© K J 10 4
¨ J 7 4
§ J |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sarniak |
Fishpool |
Grunt |
Hugon |
Clement |
Wojtyra |
Dumon |
Tomaszewska |
|
1¨ |
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
2§ |
Pass |
2¨ |
All Pass |
|
|
|
Identical auctions but different opening leads and different
end results. Grunt cashed the ace of clubs then switched to a
spade to the king and ace. Catherine Fishpool played king of clubs
and ruffed a club then ruffed a spade. Everything seemed to be
going quite smoothly but when Fishpool tried to cash the ace of
hearts Grunt ruffed it. With declarer set up to cross-ruff, the
ace then queen of diamonds might have been the best defence at
this point. Grunt actually played a club and Fishpool ruffed with
dummy's jack. Fishpool ruffed spade then led a heart on which
Grunt discarded her last spade, dummy's king winning. When declarer
led a winning spade off the table, Sarniak ruffed in with the
nine. Fishpool over-ruffed and Grunt in turn over-ruffed and had
the remainder; one down for -100.
Sylvie Dumon led the nine of spades to Anna Wojtyra's ace. Wojtyra
led a heart to the king then ran the jack of clubs to the ace.
She ruffed the spade return and played king of clubs and ruffed
a club then ruffed another spade and ruffed her last club with
the jack. She could not be prevented from also making a trick
with the king of diamonds; +90 and 5 IMPs to Poland.
Board 6. Dealer East.
E/W Vul.
|
|
ª A K Q 10 3 2
© 9 6 2
¨ 5 3
§ 5 3 |
ª 8 6 4
© A J 10
¨ 6 4
§ A K 10 9 4 |
![Bridge deal](../../../graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª J 7
© Q 8 7 3
¨ A J 10 9 7
§ 6 2 |
|
ª 9 5
© K 5 4
¨ K Q 8 2
§ Q J 8 7 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sarniak |
Fishpool |
Grunt |
Hugon |
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
1§ |
2ª |
Dble |
Pass |
3§ |
Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
3© |
All Pass |
|
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Clement |
Wojtyra |
Dumon |
Tomaszewska |
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
1§ |
2ª |
All Pass |
|
Grunt made a negative double while Dumon did not. The Poles declared
at both tables but could make neither contract. Against Wojtyra's
2ª, Dumon led a club for the queen and king. Tomaszewska switched
to a spade for declarer's ace. Wojtyra drew trumps and led a diamond.
Once Dumon ducked the first diamond, declarer could come to only
seven tricks; -50.
Fishpool led three rounds of spades against Sarniak. The third
round was ruffed and over-ruffed and a heart returned, won in
hand with the ace. Sarniak led a diamond to the ten and queen
and back came another heart to the jack. Sarniak played a diamond
to the ace and a club to the ten. When that held she drew the
last trump and tried to split the clubs. She had to lose the last
two tricks for down two; -200 and 6 IMPs to France.
Board 8. Dealer West.
None Vul.
|
|
ª 6 5
© 8 6 5
¨ K 2
§ A K Q J 8 7 |
ª Q J 9 8 3 2
© K Q J 4
¨ 10 5 3
§ - |
![Bridge deal](../../../graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª K 7
© A 9 3 2
¨ A 8 4
§ 10 6 4 3 |
|
ª A 10 4
© 10 7
¨ Q J 9 7 6
§ 9 5 2 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sarniak |
Fishpool |
Grunt |
Hugon |
Pass |
1§ |
Pass |
1¨ |
2ª |
3§ |
3ª |
4§ |
4© |
All Pass |
|
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Clement |
Wojtyra |
Dumon |
Tomaszewska |
Pass |
1§ |
Pass |
1NT |
2§ |
2NT |
3© |
All Pass |
Neither West felt able
to open the 6-4 hand but each came in at their next opportunity.
Sarniak showed her spades and Grunt competed. Now Sarniak
showed her second suit and Grunt left her to play there. Fishpool
led a club and Sarniak ruffed and led a spade to the king
and ace. She won the diamond return and drew two rounds of
trumps before trying the queen of spades. When everyone followed
to the spade she drew the last trump and claimed eleven tricks;
+450.
Muriel Clement cuebid to show both her suits immediately.
Dumon competed with 3©
but that was as far as the French pair got; +200 but 6 IMPs
to Poland. |
|
Catherine Fishpool, France
|
Board 14. Dealer East.
None Vul.
|
|
ª A Q 9 5
© A 10 2
¨ A J 8 3
§ 7 5 |
ª 8 4
© J 6 5 3
¨ K 10 9
§ 9 8 4 3 |
![Bridge deal](../../../graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª 10 6
© K
¨ Q 7 6 5 2
§ A K 10 6 2 |
|
ª K J 7 3 2
© Q 9 8 7 4
¨ 4
§ Q J |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sarniak |
Fishpool |
Grunt |
Hugon |
|
|
1¨ |
1ª |
Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
4ª |
5§ |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
All Pass |
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Clement |
Wojtyra |
Dumon |
Tomaszewska |
|
|
1¨ |
2¨ |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
Four Spades made ten tricks without too much difficulty but in
the other room Grunt took a solo flight of fancy and could have
been badly punished. Hugon led a spade against 5§ doubled and
Fishpool won and returned the suit. Hugon switched to a heart
now and again Fishpool won and returned the same suit, Grunt ruffing.
Declarer cashed the top trumps and played a diamond to the king
and ace. She ruffed the heart return and played queen and another
diamond; three down for -500 and 2 IMPs to France. Had the defence
gone for diamond ruffs, the price would have been 800.
Board 18. Dealer East.
N/S Vul.
|
|
ª A Q 10 5 2
© 9 6
¨ J
§ A K 9 6 4 |
ª J
© A K 7 5
¨ A K 10 9
§ Q 10 8 2 |
![Bridge deal](../../../graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
ª K 8 7 3
© J 10 4 3 2
¨ Q 4
§ 7 5 |
|
ª 9 6 4
© Q 8
¨ 8 7 6 5 3 2
§ J 3 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Sarniak |
Fishpool |
Grunt |
Hugon |
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
1¨ |
1ª |
Dble |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
|
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Clement |
Wojtyra |
Dumon |
Tomaszewska |
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
1¨ |
1ª |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
2§ |
2© |
2ª |
3© |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
Poland declared game contracts at both tables but once again
it did not pay to declare. Three rounds of clubs quickly put paid
to 4©. When Sarniak chose to discard from dummy at trick three,
Hugon could ruff with her low trump. A spade to the ace and a
fourth club allowed her to over-ruff with her queen for two down;
-200.
The slower auction at the other table gave room for Wojtyra to
show her second suit and when she saw a free spade preference
from her partner she went on to 4ª - a bit pushy, I would have
thought, and so it proved. The defence took its three top tricks
then played a diamond, forcing declarer to ruff. There was just
too much work to do and the contract drifted one down; -100 and
7 IMPs to France.
The final score was 34-26 for Poland, converting to 16-14 VPs.
However, France still retained their third place overall.
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