France vs Germany (Juniors Round 8)

Going into their eighth round clash in the Junior Series, France and Germany were both lying just outside the qualifying places. Although we are still quite early in the tournament, this was still an important match for both teams.

Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	♠ K 3 ♥ A 10 9 8 5 ♦ 8 7 5 ♣ 7 5 3
♠ A Q 9 6 ♥ K 3 ♦ Q J 6 4		♠ J 10 2 ♥ Q 6 2 ♦ K 10 2
	♠ 8 7 5 4 ♥ J 7 4 ♦ A 9 3 ♣ A 4 2

In the other room, the German N/S pair managed to beat 3NT by East after a spade lead when South worked out to switch to hearts; +100 to Germany. Here, Thomas Bessis also led the ♠7, ducked to Olivier’s king. Olivier switched to the seven of clubs to declarer’s nine. Thomas ducked that and also ducked Thomas Gotard’s play of a diamond towards dummy. The ♦J won and a diamond was returned to the king and ace and now Thomas cashed the ace of clubs, dropping the king from declarer. He was committed now and continued with his remaining club; nine tricks, +400 and 11 IMPs to Germany.

he 2NT response to a 1♣ opening frequently includes club support and very rarely includes a four-card major. After South has seen two rounds of diamonds he should know the count in that suit and it becomes most unlikely that declarer is short in clubs. It looks as though South should be able to read the ♣7 switch as being from a weak holding and therefore find the heart switch when he wins the ♦A.

Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	♠ A K Q 4 ♥ Q 9 8 7 6 5 ♦ 2 ♣ K 5
♠ 10 7 6 ♥ K J 10 3 ♦ A J 10 8		♠ 5 3 ♥ A 4 2 ♦ Q 9 7 5
	♠ J 9 8 2 ♥ – ♦ K 6 4 3 ♣ A J 7 4 2

West	North	East	South
Smirnov	O. Bessis	Gotard	T. Bessis
Seguineau	Katerbau	Vinay	Rehder
			Pass
Pass	1♥	Pass	1♠
Pass	3♠	Pass	4♠
All Pass

Both N/S pairs had normal auctions to the normal contract. Paul Seguineau led the nine of clubs to the queen and ace and Martin Rehder crossed to the king of clubs then ruffed a heart and played the jack of clubs. When Seguineau ruffed in, Rehder pitched dummy’s diamond loser. Seguineau didn’t see the danger of a crossruff and returned a cunning jack of diamonds, but Rehder could now make all his trumps separately in a red-suit crossruff and that meant ten tricks for +420.

Alexander Smirnoff led the ♣3, the systemic card from a small doubleton, and that too went to the queen and ace. Thomas played a club to the king then a diamond to the king and ace. Now Smirnov switched to a trump, which ran to the eight. Thomas tried the ♣J but that was ruffed and over-ruffed and now he just crossruffed his way to nine tricks; down one for –50 and 10 IMPs to Germany.

Declarer has a problem with entries to his hand. It looks as though the way to make the contract is to win dummy’s ♣K at trick one, planning to finesse the jack later. This is relatively easier to find on the lead of the nine than the three, as the latter could be from Qxxx.

Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul.
	♠ J 10 7 5 ♥ – ♦ A 10 7 4 3 ♣ K 9 7 3
♠ K Q 9 8 ♥ K 10 9 7 6 5 ♦ Q		♠ A 6 4 2 ♥ A Q 3 ♦ J 9 6 5
	♠ 3 ♥ J 8 4 2 ♦ K 8 2 ♣ J 6 5 4 2

West	North	East	South
Smirnov	O. Bessis	Gotard	T. Bessis
1♥	Pass	2♠	Pass
3♥	Pass	3♠	Pass
4♦	Pass	4♠	Pass
5♦	Pass	6♥	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Seguineau	Katerbau	Vinay	Rehder
1♥	Pass	1♠	Pass
3♠	Pass	4♥	Pass
4NT	Pass	5♠	Pass
6♠	All Pass

Having perhaps deservedly lost game swings on the previous two deals, the French were desperately unlucky not to get a slam swing back on this one as Paul Seguineau/Adrien Vinay reached the excellent spade slam while Smirnov/Gotard reached the dreadful heart slam.

The natural French auction coped well with the deal, while Gotard’s 2♠ response, showing either an invitational raise with four hearts or game values with three-card support, seemed to tie the partnership into hearts too early and, as is so often the case, the four-four fit proved to be much superior.

The bad breaks meant that 6♠ had no more hope of success than 6♥ and both contracts ended up down two for a push board.

Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	♠ K 6 2 ♥ J 4 3 ♦ 6 4 ♣ K Q 7 6 4
♠ Q 9 3 ♥ A 10 8 6 2 ♦ J 7		♠ J 10 8 5 ♥ K 9 7 ♦ 8 5 3 2
	♠ A 7 4 ♥ Q 5 ♦ A K Q 10 9 ♣ 10 8 5

West	North	East	South
Smirnov	O. Bessis	Gotard	T. Bessis
Seguineau	Katerbau	Vinay	Rehder
	Pass	Pass	1NT
Pass	3NT	All Pass

Both Wests led the six of hearts, Vinay putting in the seven, Gotard the nine. Both declarers led a club at trick two. Smirnov ducked and Thomas ran for home with nine tricks for +400. Seguineau rose with the ace of clubs and continued with a low heart to the king. The heart return gave the defence five tricks; down one for –50 and 10 IMPs to France.

Did Seguineau just guess very well – after all, he had no way of knowing that declarer had five diamond tricks and partner’s high card could have been the ace of spades, when there might be no entry to the long clubs?

The ♥9 is an automatic play from East at trick one, and I am sure I would have made it without thought, but if partner has led fourth best declarer has exactly one card higher than the six. Unless that is the eight, the seven will do just as well as the nine. Perhaps it is correct to play the nine from 9-7 doubleton, but the seven from K-9-7. It follows that the seven is either singleton, 7-5 doubleton, or from the actual holding, and the play of the nine denies the king. Mind you, declarer will be VERY impressed if he makes a trick with 8-5 doubleton!

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	♠ K 10 9 5 4 ♥ A J 6 ♦ A 10 4 ♣ Q 9
♠ Q 7 6 ♥ Q 8 5 2 ♦ 7 2		♠ A 8 3 2 ♥ K 7 3 ♦ J 8 6 5
	♠ J ♥ 10 9 4 ♦ K Q 9 3 ♣ K J 7 4 2

West	North	East	South
Smirnov	O. Bessis	Gotard	T. Bessis
Pass	1♠	Pass	1NT
Pass	2♦	Pass	3♦
Pass	3NT	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Seguineau	Katerbau	Vinay	Rehder
Pass	1♠	Pass	1NT
Pass	2♦	Pass	3♦
All Pass

After identical starts to the auction, Olivier took an aggressive view when he went on to 3NT over the 3♦ raise while Janko Katerbau settled for the partscore.

Against 3♦, the lead was a heart to the queen and ace. Katerbau played the ♣Q to Seguineau’s ace and he returned a heart to the jack and king. Declarer won the heart continuation in dummy and played king of clubs then ruffed a club with the ten. That was over-ruffed and a trump returned but Katerbau could just draw trumps, cash the clubs and concede a spade; +110.

The lead against 3NT was also a heart, Thomas putting in dummy’s jack and losing to the king. Back came a heart to the nine and queen so he won the ace and played the ♦10 to his king then a club to the nine! Now Bessis was home. He played the ♣Q, ducked, but could come to hand with the ♦Q to knock out the ace of clubs and still had the ♥10 as an entry to hand; nine tricks for +600 and 10 IMPs to France.

Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
	♠ A J 8 ♥ 9 8 ♦ A K Q 6 4 ♣ J 7 2
♠ 7 ♥ Q J 10 7 ♦ 10 9 2		♠ K Q 9 5 ♥ 6 5 4 3 ♦ J 7 5 3
	♠ 10 6 4 3 2 ♥ A K 2 ♦ 8 ♣ 9 6 4 3

West	North	East	South
Smirnov	O. Bessis	Gotard	T. Bessis
Pass	1NT	Pass	2♣
Dble	2♦	Pass	2♠
Pass	3♠	Pass	4♠
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Seguineau	Katerbau	Vinay	Rehder
Pass	1NT	Pass	2♥
Pass	2♠	All Pass

Rehder simply transferred to spades then passed the response. Katerbau made nine tricks without too much difficulty for a painless +140.

Thomas followed a sequence which showed five spades and was mildly invitational. With excellent playing strength for a hand which had denied four spades, Olivier in turn invited game, and Thomas could not resist going on to 4♠.

Smirnov led the king of clubs to the bare ace and Gotard switched to a heart. Thomas won and played a spade to the jack and queen and back came a second heart, which he won. Now he played a spade to the ace and followed with four rounds of diamonds, throwing two club losers then ruffing. He ruffed his heart and played the established diamond and Gotard lost the plot for a moment and discarded. The last club loser went away and the lead was still in dummy to lead through East’s ♠K9; ten tricks for +620 and 10 IMPs to France, giving them a final winning margin of 45-32 IMPs, 18-12 VPs.