Italy vs France

Open Round 22

Italy against France on VuGraph, what a great start of the second week of the European Championships!

After a couple of small swings board 7 displayed something which rarely occurs in modern championships: Giorgio Duboin going down in the same contract that has been made at the other table.

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

Against Philippe Toffier's 3NT North led a diamond to the queen, king and ace. Declarer, relying on a favourable heart split, easily made ten tricks. Against his 3NT Giorgio Duboin got a diamond lead as well. He won the ten in hand and next made the interesting enough play of a spade to the six ! South won the nine and returned the ¨K. Declarer took the ace, crossed to dummy with a third round of diamonds and -rather unfortunately (for his side)- continued with a low spade, discarding a heart from hand. Now the contract couldn't be made any more since the defenders were able to unblock in hearts and therefore could cash three spade tricks, a heart and the 13th diamond.

DUGUET Michel, France

Did Duboin take his best chance ? Clearly he didn't want to rely on the hearts 3-3, so spades was a logical alternative (where did we hear that phrase before ? ). In the VuGraph auditorium Guido Ferraro explained that a spade to the jack is the best line of play in order to avoid losing more than three spade tricks, which in fact is the maximum number of spades which declarer can afford to lose. After the jack loses to the queen, declarer later should play the ªK to pin a possible nine or ten. Anyway, 12 IMPs to France.

On the next board Italy won back most of these IMPs:

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

In the Closed room North led the ª5 against 3NT. South won the ace and returned the suit: ten tricks.
In the Open room Lauria led the same card against the same contract. On VuGraph we could see how Versace won the trick and in a split second returned the ©2, where after the defenders took their four heart tricks: down one. 10 IMPs to Italy.

And on the very next board the Italians increased their margin again when on first hand Versace decided to open a thin weak two in spades, which was passed at the other table. Knowing about a six card spade suit was important for the opposite hand, a balanced 26 HCP count, to reach 7NT. The French bid 6NT only.

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

On Board 13 East had a difficult decision to make:

ª Q 6 5 © K Q 8 6 5 ¨ A § A 10 9 2

All vulnerable you open 1©, partner responds 2¨, you rebid 2© and partner rebids 3¨. Of course it's a matter of agreements and style what you should bid now. In real life Norberto Bocchi bid 3NT, where Michel Duguet passed. West had:

ª A 9 8 © 7 ¨ K Q 9 8 7 5 3 § 8 5

the diamonds behaved and 3NT was on. Another 10 IMP's to Italy.

On Board 18 we saw another great Italian player fail to make a vulnerable game contract which he could have made:

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

In 4ª Michel Bessis got a heart lead. East inserted the jack, ducked by declarer. Bessis won the next heart, drew the trumps, ruffed the third heart and played a diamond from dummy. East rose with the ace and fired back a diamond. This was the position:

	ª 7 © - ¨ - § Q 5 4
ª - © Q ¨ - § 10 7 3		ª - © 10 ¨ 9 § K J 8
	ª Q © - ¨ - § A 9 6

In view of the bidding, Bessis was pretty sure that the §K was behind the queen. Bessis, who needed three more tricks for his contract, played the §6, intending to run it to East's eight. West however inserted the ten and Bessis countered by calling for dummy's queen. At this point Bocchi could win his king, but then had to lead from his §J8 into declarer's §A9 tenace. France plus 420. Well played, Michel !

BESSIS Michel, France

Lauria reached the same ending in the same contract. He cashed the §A and played a club to the queen. When the king was not doubleton, East was not endplayed and Lauria was down one. On the very last board West had a tough decision with: ª A J 10 5 © Q J 7 3 ¨ Q 4 § J 3 2

All vulnerable. You pass, LHO opens 1§, partner overcalls 1NT (balanced, 15-18 HCP). Would you bid 3NT straight away with all those soft values or would you prefer Stayman ? Both West players went for the latter option and ended up in 4ª. Wrong, since partner had:

ª 9 2 © A K 10 2 ¨ A K 6 2 § Q 9 4

On both tables 4ª went down on the club ruff while 3NT is an obvious make.