As LAVAZZA made it easy going in the first half of their semifinal v. MALI, we will concentrate in this report on the other semifinal match: STOPPA v. POPOVA. The latter team won the qualification and thus earned the privilege to choose an opponent, but in spite thereof one would expect a close match here, as the experienced French were doing better and better as the championship went on.

The first board was a nice test in declarer play, successfully passed by both declarers.

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

At both tables, South was in 4ª and found the correct line. Duck the lead of the ©Q, win the next round, draw trumps and play a club to the jack followed by a club to the queen.
No swing.

On the next board, there was a swing, however, when the Bulgarian opening NT range led to a game being missed.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Haramati	Stretz	Zobu	Serf
		Pass	2NT
Pass	3§	Pass	3ª
Pass	3NT	All Pass

West, already thrown in at trick 1 so to speak, led a club to dummy's queen. Declarer next ran the ¨J successfully and then led a spade. When East went in with the king, the rest had become relatively easy. Ten tricks, STOPPA +630.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Stoppa	Gumev	Avon	Popova
		Pass	2NT
All Pass

As 2NT was systematically 19-21 hcp. one can imagine North's Pass. He was unlucky to find his partner with a super-maximum 21, probably well worth a higher range opening NT bid.
The same ten tricks on a spade lead, but 10 imps to STOPPA.

The next board produced yet another swing:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Haramati	Stretz	Zobu	Serf
			Pass
1¨	Pass	1ª	Pass
2¨	Pass	3NT	All Pass

An aggressive opening bid brought EW in a stretched game contract, but due to the lucky layout it might even have made. Strange things happened in the play, however. North won the ©8 lead with the ace and switched to the §K, on which South played the jack. Next came the §Q and another. When declarer chose to play the §9, South scored a surprise §10, cashed the ¨A and exited with a heart. Declarer won this in hand, crossed to the ªK and tried to establish the diamonds by playing ¨K and another. This meant down three and 300 to STOPPA.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Stoppa	Gumev	Avon	Popova
			Pass
Pass	1¨	1ª	Pass
1NT	Pass	2§	All Pass

When the experienced Stoppa could not conjure up an opening bid out of the West cards in second seat, it was left to Gumev to open a Precision-style 1¨. Avon carefully showed her twosuiter, and there it quickly rested. The contract just made for another +90 and 9 imps to STOPPA.

A few boards later, the French made the better of a balancing situation.

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

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Stoppa	Gumev	Avon	Popova
		1ª	Pass
1NT	Pass	2©	Pass
2ª	All Pass

Even though non-vulnerable, South did not venture a balancing 2NT. In 2ª Avon lost the obvious five tricks for +110 to STOPPA.

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Haramati	Stretz	Zobu	Serf
		1ª	Pass
1NT	Pass	2©	Pass
2ª	Pass	Pass	2NT
Pass	3¨	All Pass

At the other table, Marianne Serf did balance, and right she was. In 3¨, Stretz did well to play ¨A, ¨10, thus picking up West's trump holding for no loser. STOPPA another +110 and 6 imps. They led 29-0 at this stage.

After another overtrick imp to France, their opponents finally were to get off the mark when the French stuck to the discipline of their Standard Français.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Haramati	Stretz	Zobu	Serf
Pass	1NT	Dble	2¨
Pass	2©	All Pass

The double showed four of a major and five of a minor. When Stretz could do nothing but accept the transfer, Serf understandably made no further move. Ten tricks. STOPPA +170.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Stoppa	Gumev	Avon	Popova
Pass	1§	Pass	1©
Pass	1ª	Pass	2§
Pass	2©	Pass	4©
All Pass

The strong Club worked well here. South showed her 5-4 distribution and simply bid game when North showed his support. Ten tricks and 6 imps to POPOVA.

Two boards later, we saw a mistimed French balancing action leading to a substantial adverse swing:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Haramati	Stretz	Zobu	Serf
		1¨	Pass
Pass	1NT	All Pass

On a heart lead, this went two off, POPOVA +200.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Stoppa	Gumev	Avon	Popova
		1¨	All Pass

Gumev did much better, showing no interest holding a four-card diamond suit himself. This unhappy contract suffered the same fate as 1NT at the other table: two off for a swing of 9 imps to POPOVA. From 30-0 they had come back to 32-15.

There was little in the remainder of the first half, the score at halftime being 37-23 to STOPPA. In the other match, LAVAZZA led 56-15 v. MALI at halftime.