France vs Norway - Juniors Round 16

By Paula Leslie

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

3NT is a make for East/West but this was not found when Kvangraven chose to pass over 3©. However, when South repeated his heart suit at the four level, he felt obliged to double.

West led the diamond ace followed by the club king and diamond king which was ruffed by declarer. He led a second round of clubs and subsequently reached dummy with the queen of clubs. He then ran the nine of trumps and conceded a spade for -200. In the Closed Room North/South were doubled in 3© which made the same nine tricks for +730 and 14 IMPs to Norway.

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

On this deal the French North/South outbid their Norwegian counterparts. Over 3NT, 4NT was Blackwood and when South showed two aces North jumped to 6NT. West led a club which declarer won and played on diamonds, East winning the second one. East did his best by switching to a heart but declarer took the ace, playing for either three diamond tricks or a squeeze. On the run of the clubs and spades, East was forced to discard a diamond and declarer claimed his contract.

In the open room 4NT was quantitative but South was not tempted to bid on. The same 12 tricks were made for 490 and 11 IMPs to France.

On Board 4 both pairs bid and made slam. Then came another slam decision on Board 5.

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

In the Closed Room, North/South made 12 tricks for 480. The stakes were higher in the Open Room, where Kvangraven made a slam try with 5§ over his partner’s 4© bid. This was sufficient to persuade Harr to bid slam after cuebidding a diamond control on the way.

South led a trump and declarer drew trumps and eliminated diamonds and spades, ending in hand. By this time he knew South to be 6-2-2-3. He played the queen of clubs for the ace, three and eight from North. South, Labruyere returned a club but declarer rose with the king dropping the jack and making his contact for +980 and 11 IMPs to Norway.

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

In the Closed Room, the contract was a simple 4© making 10 tricks for +420 to Norway. In the Open Room, West opened a strong no trump and North bid 2¨ which was a transfer to hearts. East decided to pass and await developments and when 3© came back to him he chose to bid 4©. When partner bid 5¨ things looked decidedly bleak and the final contract drifted 5 off for -1100 and 12 IMPs to France.

Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
	ª J © 8 7 6 4 3 ¨ K Q 10 8 5 § J 4
ª A 8 7 © 9 5 ¨ 7 6 § Q 9 8 7 5 3		ª K 9 6 4 © K Q 10 ¨ J 9 2 § A K 2
	ª Q 10 5 3 2 © A J 2 ¨ A 4 3 § 10 6

In the Closed Room, East/West bid to 4§ which lost the obvious four tricks for +50 to Norway. In the Open Room, West bid an invitational 3§ over partners strong no trump opening and East bid 3NT. South led a spade which declarer took with his ace to play a heart to the king and ace. South did well to switch to ace and another diamond and the defenders cashed their five diamond tricks for -100 and 2 IMPs to France.

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

In the Open Room, Norway made 11 tricks for +650 but in the Closed Room Grenthe had the more difficult task of trying to make 12 tricks. He received a diamond lead which he won to run the ten of spades followed by the eight of spades, neither of which were covered. The winning line is to cash your outside winners while ruffing a heart and diamond in hand. You can then exit with a club and one of the defenders has to lead into your AQ of trumps at trick 12. This was not found at the table and declarer went one down for -100 and 13 IMPs to Norway.

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

The auctions in both rooms were virtually identical with both 3¨ and 2NT showing a heart raise. Although 4© can be defeated, in practice this is unlikely as it would require an underlead of the ace of spades at trick one (or trick two on the ace of diamonds lead). Both players sitting West therefore did well to sacrifice in 5¨. In the Open Room declarer played trumps from the top and subsequently correctly finessed in spades against South for -300. The same result was duplicated in the other room for no swing.

The match finished 44-43 to France which translated into Victory Points as a 15-15 draw.

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