Spain vs France

Open Round 18

Tradition has it that during the European Championships the matches between Italy and France are very much considered matches between brothers. Of course, both countries originate from the same Latin roots and thus it is only normal that there has been a friendly rivalry between the Cis- and Transalpines (we leave it to you, dear reader, to decide who is who). For many years, Spain has not fielded a team to be looked upon as a favourite in the prognostics, but this year they have shown us how well they can play. One might easily think that their new pair, Lanzarotti-Buratti, who played an important role in the winning squad at their previous appearance in the Europeans, has inspired this revival of Spanish bridge.

Before this match, Spain were lying 5th - the last qualification spot - and France were very much needing points as they were in 7th place. After this match, one can only say that when Italians are playing on VuGraph, they seem to conjure up the IMPs from everywhere, no matter for which team they are playing. Once again, it was one-way traffic nearly all the time, and as you will see, most of the credit(s) once again should go to the Italians.

On the first board, a strongish weak jump opposite a passed partner saw the Spanish NS pair out of trouble straight away, good for a gain of 4 IMPs. That was the running score when board 3 came up:

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

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Torres	Voldoire	Frances	Bitran
			3¨
Pass	4ª	All Pass

In the Closed Room, Bitran had made an off-shape preempt at favourable vulnerability. This backfired when Voldoire announced a final contract Frances was kind (clever) enough not to double. Down three, Spain +150.

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Toffier	Lanzarotti	Duguet	Buratti
			Pass
1©	2©	3©	4§
Pass	4ª	Pass	5§
All Pass

Here Buratti passed, so Lanzarotti could show his black twosuiter easily. He made one further effort when given a second chance, but Buratti understandably would have nothing of a spade contract. Toffier led the ©A and switched to his singleton spade. Dummy's king was put on and Duguet made the good play of ducking this. After long thought Buratti continued with the §K, which brought down the §10 and held the trick. It seems logical to unblock the ¨A and continue trumps now, but Buratti immediately ruffed a low spade before unblocking his ¨A. When Toffier did not overruff, there was no way to recover. One down, France +50 but still a 3-IMP loss.

On the next board, the French outbid the Spaniards to recoup 5 IMPs. It would remain their only favourable swing of the entire match, their other two IMPs coming from overtricks.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Toffier	Lanzarotti	Duguet	Buratti
Pass	2§	2ª	3§
All Pass

For a clairvoyant 3§ is easy enough as he would not lose a trump trick, but Lanzarotti had to go one down when he lost two spades and a ruff, as well as a diamond and the blank §K. France +100.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Torres	Voldoire	Frances	Bitran
Pass	1§	1ª	Dble
Pass	2§	All Pass

When Frances did not intervene again after 2§, there it suddenly rested. This contract could not be beaten so France scored another +90 and 5 IMPs. The score stood at 7-5 now.

Two boards later, the Spaniards found a good save:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Toffier	Lanzarotti	Duguet	Buratti
		1©	2§
4¨	Dble	Pass	4ª
5©	5ª	Dble	All Pass

Well done by all parties involved. Toffier made a fit jump and Buratti was happy to show his second suit, which hit gold. As one heart trick and two minor suit aces and ruffs were there for the defence, France registered +500.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Torres	Voldoire	Frances	Bitran
		1©	2§
4©	All Pass

Here, the straightforward 4© bid by Torres practically excluded an investigation for a slam that was not there anyway. On the other hand, it also made it difficult for Bitran to show his second suit, as his partner had not been able to show any sign of life. Eleven tricks were made in the fullness of time, but 4 IMPs wewnt to Spain again. They led 14-5 now.

Then, something more substantial.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Toffier	Lanzarotti	Duguet	Buratti
	Pass	1§	Pass
1¨	1ª	Dble	Pass
2ª	Pass	3¨	Pass
4§	Pass	4¨	Pass
5¨	All Pass

The natural approach by the French made it possible for Lanzarotti to make a light overcall. This proved very effective when the French were able to discover that their spade stopper maybe was not fully adequate. Thus they settled for the alternative game contract of 5¨ which was on the club finesse. When this proved wrong, Spain had scored an unexpected +100 here.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Torres	Voldoire	Frances	Bitran
	Pass	1NT	Pass
3NT	All Pass

The Spanish weak NT worked very efficiently here. When South led a heart, declarer had all the time in the world to end up with two overtricks. Spain +660 and 13 IMPs to lead 30-5 now.

On board 11, the Lanzarotti-Buratti system was in full action:

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª 8 5 2 © 4 ¨ A K Q 5 § J 9 8 4 2
ª 9 6 4 3 © 9 8 7 6 ¨ 9 6 4 § 6 3		ª J 10 7 © K J 5 2 ¨ J 7 2 § Q 7 5
	ª A K Q © A Q 10 3 ¨ 10 8 3 § A K 10

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Torres	Voldoire	Frances	Bitran
			2§
Pass	2¨	Pass	2NT
Pass	3¨	Pass	4©
Pass	6 NT	All Pass

A simple, effective, natural auction to the proper contract which was just made according to the scoring, though it is difficult to see which trick declarer can lose after successfully taking the club finesse as he did. France +990.

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Toffier	Lanzarotti	Duguet	Buratti
			1§
Pass	3©	Pass	6NT
All Pass

After the Strong Club 3© showed minors and a fair hand with shortness in hearts, so Buratti made very short work of it. With the club finesse working, he made all the tricks for +1020 to Spain.

After a series of not very interesting boards the match livened up from board 15 onwards.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	ª 9 3 © K 8 6 5 ¨ Q 8 4 § Q J 9 7
ª A K Q J 8 © A 7 4 2 ¨ 6 2 § A 5		ª 6 5 4 2 © J 10 3 ¨ A K J 7 5 § 2
	ª 10 7 © Q 9 ¨ 10 9 3 § K 10 8 6 4 3

Well, both sides reached 6ª in comfort, but the point of interest on this hand is that in their match v. Greece, Russia ended up in 7ª making when the diamonds were 3-3 with the queen onside. Do we have a fluke prize?

Two boards later, the issue was settled when the French missed a relatively easy defence provided there had been something to guide them in finding the right lead.

Board 17. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª 3 © A 5 ¨ A 9 8 5 4 § Q 10 8 6 3
ª A K 9 7 5 © 9 4 3 ¨ Q J 3 § K 9		ª Q 10 6 4 2 © Q J 6 2 ¨ 10 § A J 2
	ª J 8 © K 10 8 7 ¨ K 7 6 2 § 7 5 4

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Toffier	Lanzarotti	Duguet	Buratti
	1¨	1ª	Dble
4ª	All Pass

Buratti here could lead his partner's suit. Lanzarotti won the ace and had no trouble in playing the © and another. Buratti took the king and returned the suit. One down. Spain +50.

Nothing special, one would say, except the very light opening bid by North that made finding the killing defence so easy.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Torres	Voldoire	Frances	Bitran
	Pass	1ª	Pass
4ª	All Pass

When Voldoire did not open, Bitran had nothing to guide him. Any attacking lead away from a king would have saved the board, but when he pulled out a black card (a club in fact) Frances could win and draw trumps for an easy enough +420 and 10 more IMPs to Spain who led 51-7 now.

On the next board, they even increased their lead, but this was not fully justified:

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	ª 5 4 2 © J 9 6 4 ¨ J 10 9 8 2 § 4
ª K 10 9 8 6 3 © K 2 ¨ Q § A Q J 5		ª A 7 © A Q 8 ¨ A 6 § K 10 9 8 7 6
	ª Q J © 10 7 5 3 ¨ K 7 5 4 3 § 3 2

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Toffier	Lanzarotti	Duguet	Buratti
		1§	Pass
1ª	Pass	2NT	Pass
3§	Pass	3©	Pass
3ª	Pass	4§	Pass
4NT	Pass	5§	Pass
7§	All Pass

Completely natural. 5§ showed 4 keycards and that was all Toffier wanted to know. France +1440.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Torres	Voldoire	Frances	Bitran
		1§	Pass
1ª	Pass	2§	Pass
3§	Pass	4NT	Pass
5¨	Pass	5NT	Pass
6ª	Pass	7NT	All Pass

It looks as if the pairs tournament virus struck here. However, the Spaniards were saved by the bell when South held the missing spade honours unguarded. Two more IMPs to them to make the final score 53-7 to Spain, a 24-6 V.P.win. France had suffered a heavy setback, while Spain could feel a little more relieved after their unfortunate defeat earlier in the morning.