The first session of the final saw some of the leading French pairs playing each other. In Board 7 Colette Lise and José Damiani met Catherine Saul and Paul Chemla.

Board 7. Dealer South. Game All A J A 10 8 5 2 K 3 K J 10 4 Q 9 8 4 K 7 5 3 2 Q 6 K 9 7 10 7 5 4 A Q 9 8 6 5 3 2 10 6 J 4 3 Q J 9 8 6 2 A 7 West North East South Damiani Chemla Lise Saul Pass Pass 1 Pass 2 Pass 2NT Pass 3 Pass 4 All Pass

East chose the aggressive spade lead and West´s queen forced out North´s ace. Now Paul Chemla faced four losers and had to find a way to get rid of one. A good lead therefore was topped by North´s bold counter. Small club to the ace, club finesse and a spade loser on K. Touche!

In the next round the East/West pair moved one table up to meet Daniele Gaviard and Hervé Mouiel. After a few bids East found herself in a dangerous situation:

Board 12. Dealer West. NS Game K J 6 3 K 10 9 6 4 2 9 K 2 Q 10 9 A 8 7 5 4 A 7 — A 5 K Q J 10 4 A Q J 10 9 3 7 5 4 S Q J 8 5 3 8 7 6 3 2 8 6 West North East South Damiani Mouiel Lise Gaviard 1 1 1 4 Dble Pass ?

What would you have done now? Bid 4, 5, 5? None of that: East passed. North lost the obvious four tricks and went one down (-200). Opening the score sheet revealed that it seems to be good enough to have a plus score on your side. So far 6 -3 by East/West and 3x = by North/South had found their way on the paper. North´s KJxx might cause trouble in spade contracts, as East will be shortened in trumps and will try a losing club finesse. But what about 6? Unfortunately, we seem to have lost this suit sometime in the 90s.