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Mixed Teams Quarterfinal - Match of the Day - Second Half
by Barry Rigal
The second half of de Botton-Payen saw the French need to start fast. Instead they put themselves even further behind the eight-ball on the very first deal.
| Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul. |
| | ♠ Q 3
♥ J 10 4 3
♦ A 6
♣ K 10 7 5 3 |
♠ 10 8 7 5
♥ Q 9 8 5
♦ K 7 2
♣ J 4 |  |
♠ J 4 2
♥ K
♦ J 10 9 8 5 4 3
♣ A 6 | | | ♠ A K 9 6
♥ A 7 6 2
♦ Q
♣ Q 9 8 2 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Sandqvist | Soulet | Senior | Bessis
|
| | | | 1♣
|
| Pass | 1♥ | 3♠ | 4♥
|
| Pass | 4NT | Pass | 5♥
|
| All Pass | |
| |
| West | North | East | South | <
| Sussel | de Botton | Lustin | Malinowski
|
| | | | 1♥
|
| Pass | 4♥ | 5♦ | Pass
|
| Pass | Dble | All Pass
|
5♦ got out for down 500 when the defenders did not get their club trick in time. But that was still good enough for a 12 IMP gain when Soulet played his partner for a much better hand than she had, and misguessed trumps to go two down. 58-5 now
After a quiet part-score, the French got on the board when Nevena Senior ducked the setting trick against a no-trump part-score. 59-11 now. Soulet gave it back on the next deal.
| Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul. |
| | ♠ K J 8 7 6 4
♥ K Q 6
♦ 8 2
♣ J 2 |
♠ A Q 2
♥ J 9 8 3 2
♦ Q 6
♣ A 7 6 | |
♠ 10 5
♥ 5 4
♦ K J 9 3
♣ Q 10 9 5 4 | | | ♠ 9 3
♥ A 10 7
♦ A 10 7 5 4
♣ K 8 3 |
De Botton opened the South hand (wouldn’t we all?) and that let Malinowski buy the hand in Two Spades, which proved to be no problem at all. Soulet heard his partner pass and guessed to overcall Three Spades over Sandqvist’s One Heart opening. He won the heart lead in dummy and led a trump, and after much thought put in the king. He exited with a trump and the defenders passively returned hearts at every turn. Declarer was essentially reduced to finding the club ace onside, and the defenders made sure not to get endplayed in diamonds (Sandqvist unblocking his diamond queen under the ace to prevent any Crocodile Coups). 63-12 to De Botton.
Both E/W pairs did well to bid a diamond slam in the face of opposition bidding, then the French got back on the score sheet.
| Board 23. Dealer South. All Vul. |
| | ♠ 3
♥ K J 10 4
♦ 3 2
♣ Q 10 9 8 7 5 |
♠ Q 4
♥ 8 6 5 3
♦ Q J 9 7
♣ K 6 4 | |
♠ 9 7 6 2
♥ Q 9 2
♦ A K 10 8 4
♣ 2 | | | ♠ A K J 10 8 5
♥ A 7
♦ 6 5
♣ A J 3 |
The French stopped in 3♠ as N/S and when Sandqvist led the diamond queen, Senior did not overtake to play a club – which looks the normal defence if such a thing exists. Sandqvist shifted to a club, and the queen held in dummy. Now Bessis played safe, leading out the top trumps to drop the queen, and ended up with 11 tricks on a defence that E/W will probably not want to see in print.
De Botton drove her hand to Four Spades facing the one no-trump response, and the defenders did overtake the diamond queen to shift to clubs. De Botton now quite reasonably rose with the ace and took the heart finesse. No luck – down two, and nine IMPs to the French, down 63-21. it looks as though declarer might have started by cashing the spade ace king before broaching hearts but maybe that is being wise after the event
The French got their first double-figure swing a couple of boards later:
| Board 25. Dealer North. E/W Vul. |
| | ♠ A
♥ Q 7 6 3
♦ A 9 6 3
♣ K 7 5 2 |
♠ 9 8 7 5 4 3
♥ A 8
♦ 7 5 4 | |
♠ K 2
♥ J 10 9 5 4
♦ K Q 8 2 | | | ♠ Q J 10 6
♥ K 2
♦ J 10
♣ A J 8 6 4 |
Both tables reached 3NT from the wrong hand, North, here. On the lead of the heart jack both declarers rose with the king, covered by the ace, and ducked the heart eight. Both defenders signalled for the lower suit, leaving West to decide what to do now. Sandqvist took a lot of time but eventually played a club, and declarer claimed ten tricks a moment later. Sussel played the more obvious diamond, ducked perforce by North, and Lustin won the queen to clear the hearts. Malinowski ran the clubs, reaching this ending:
| | ♠ A
♥ 7
♦ A 9 6
♣ – |
♠ 9 8 7
♥ –
♦ 7 5
♣ – | |
♠ K 2
♥ 9 5
♦ K
♣ – | | | ♠ Q J 10
♥ –
♦ J
♣ 8 |
The club eight forced a spade from West, a diamond from North, and now Lustin let go her small heart. Malinowski now guessed to take the diamond finesse; down one and 63-31 to De Botton.
There were only three deals left, and Soulet knew he had to create some action. With
| | ♠ A K 6
♥ K 2
♦ J 8
♣ A J 7 6 3 2 |
He heard a Multi 2♦ on his left, and a value-showing relay of 2NT on his right. He tried Three No-trumps, and when Senior bid Four Hearts, he doubled in the pass-out seat.
Bessis passed it out, after some thought, and that proved to be the wrong thing to do.
| Board 26. Dealer East. All Vul. |
| | ♠ A K 6
♥ K 2
♦ J 8
♣ A J 7 6 3 2 |
♠ J 10 8 7 3
♥ 10 9 6 3
♦ A K
♣ Q 8 | |
♠ 4
♥ A Q J 8 5 4
♦ Q 7 6 2
♣ 10 4 | | | ♠ Q 9 5 2
♥ 7
♦ 10 9 5 4 3
♣ K 9 5 |
With the trump finesse working, de Botton gained five IMPs to lead 68-21 whereas Five Clubs would have escaped for 200.
Soulet knew he needed swings even more desperately and another attempt to generate action produced a penalty of 800, meaning that the match ended 81-22, for a well-earned win for De Botton, and incidentally Malinowski’s third consecutive semi-final in this event.
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