Michel Abecassis & Jean-Christophe Quantin were below average after the first session of the semi-finals. It would have been worse but for this triumph:

Board 18. Dealer East. NS Game ª A K 6 5 3 © A 3 2 ¨ A J 7 § 8 2 ª Q 10 8 4 2 ª J 7 © 8 7 © J 9 5 ¨ Q 6 5 2 ¨ 10 8 3 § K J § 10 9 5 4 3 ª 9 © K Q 10 6 4 ¨ K 9 4 § A Q 7 6 West North East South Samy Quantin Samy Abecassis Pass 1© Pass 1ª Pass 2§ Pass 3© Pass 4¨ Pass 4ª Pass 4NT Pass 5§ Pass 5NT Pass 6¨ Pass 6© All Pass

Three Hearts was forcing, two cue-bids followed, then South asked for aces and kings. With a king missing he signed off in Six Hearts.

West led a trump. Declarer won in hand, cashed a second high heart from hand to check that they were 3-2, then began on setting up the spades. A spade to the ace, a spade ruff, a trump to dummy (on which West threw a diamond), and another spade ruff revealed that the spades could not be established. Declarer had only ten tricks but saw how he would be home if the diamond finesse succeeded. When a diamond to the jack held, he came back to hand with the king, then over to dummy again with the ace. West was known to be down to two spades and two clubs. Now king and another spade endplayed West into leading a club.