A simple preempt earned 8 IMPs to provide most of the winning margin for France 1 against President Emeritus France in the Seniors championship. France 1 finished on top by 11 IMPs, an 18-12 victory. In the same match, two of the pairs had misunderstandings concerning transfer bids - a happening that certainly will make less illustrious players feel a bit better about their mistakes. After all, it happens to the experts, too.

Board 18. Dealer East. NS Game ª J 6 3 © A 8 7 6 3 ¨ J § Q 6 4 2 ª A Q 7 2 ª K 9 5 © K Q 4 © J 10 9 5 2 ¨ K 9 7 2 ¨ 3 § K J § A 9 7 5 ª 10 8 4 © — ¨ A Q 10 8 6 5 4 § 10 8 3 Closed Room West North East South Szwarc Aujaleu Stoppa Adad Pass 3¨ All Pass

Pierre Adad probably didn't think he was doing anything out of the ordinary when he opened Three Diamonds - maybe some folks wouldn't preempt because of the vulnerability. Henri Szwarc had good defense against Three Diamonds, so he passed, hoping partner would reopen with a double. But Jean Louis Stoppa, with a poor collection, just passed. The contract was set two tricks, but plus 200 was no substitute for the game the East/West cards can produce.

Paul Chemla decided to pass with all those diamonds, so Jean Marc Roudinesco and Claude Delmouly had an easy route to the heart game.

Board 19. Dealer South. EW Game ª A Q J © Q J 9 8 6 ¨ K Q 8 § K 8 ª K 5 ª 10 9 8 6 3 2 © A K 5 © 10 ¨ A J 10 9 5 ¨ 6 2 § J 9 2 § A 6 5 3 ª 7 4 © 7 4 3 2 ¨ 7 4 3 § Q 10 7 4 Closed Room West North East South Szwarc Aujaleu Stoppa Adad Pass 1NT Dble 2© All Pass

Disaster time! Clearly Stoppa intended a transfer to spades, but apparently the double that came in between caused a misunderstanding. Actually the defense slipped at the end so that Maurice Aujaleu was forced to give declarer a spade trick, but the contract still was set four vulnerable tricks.

There was no double here, so East/West got to their normal Two Spades contract. This was beaten one trick, but that was a gain of 7 IMPs. But this strange result actually was reflected a few boards later.

Board 24. Dealer West. Love All ª J 4 3 © K 9 7 3 2 ¨ 10 8 4 § 7 5 ª 9 8 5 ª A K 10 2 © 10 4 © 8 5 ¨ K J 9 7 5 ¨ 3 2 § K J 6 § A 10 4 3 2 ª Q 7 6 © A Q J 6 ¨ A Q 6 § Q 9 8 Closed Room West North East South Szwarc Aujaleu Stoppa Adad Pass Pass 1§ 1NT Dble 2© Pass 2ª All Pass

Clearly Anjaleu intended his Two Hearts to play, but Adad thought it was a transfer. This inelegant contract was defeated four tricks.

Chemla chose a double instead of the One Notrump overcall. Because of his fit with hearts, Chemla went on to the three-level over Roudinesco's Three Clubs. This was beaten two tricks, but that was good for a 3-IMP gain.

What sort of exchanges occurred between the partners after these two misunderstandings? Nothing except laughs and chuckles. It was a pleasure to see how well both pairs reacted to disasters.

Board 21. Dealer North. NS Game ª K Q J 7 © 10 6 5 3 ¨ 10 2 § A 8 3 ª 9 6 ª 8 © J 8 4 2 © A K Q ¨ 9 8 3 ¨ A K Q 7 4 § J 9 7 6 § K Q 10 4 ª A 10 5 4 3 2 © 9 7 ¨ J 6 5 § 5 2 Closed Room West North East South Szwarc Aujaleu Stoppa Adad Pass 2§ Pass 2¨ Pass 3¨ Pass 3NT All Pass

Stoppa thought for some time before deciding on the Two Clubs bid. He showed his diamonds, but then decided to sit for Three Notrump. Anjaleu led the spade king, than gave his partner a problem by leading the spade 7. After some though Adad put in the 10. When that held, he knew what to do. He lead a small spade to partner's jack, then overtook the queen to run the suit. Later the defense also collected the club ace for a three-trick set.

Delmouly didn't like Three Notrump at all. He pulled to Four Clubs, and Roudinesco returned to diamonds. Delmouly knew his partner didn't have much, but he decided to try for the game. He was right - he lost only the two black aces.

Board 13. Dealer North. Game All ª J 9 6 © 9 8 ¨ J 10 9 3 § J 10 6 2 ª Q 5 4 3 ª — © A K Q 6 5 © 4 3 ¨ 8 2 ¨ A Q 7 6 5 4 § 9 8 § A Q 5 4 3 ª A K 10 8 7 2 © J 10 7 2 ¨ K § K 7 Closed Room West North East South Szwarc Aujaleu Stoppa Adad Pass 1¨ 1ª Dble Pass 2§ 2ª 3© All Pass

Szwarc used the negative double to convey the usual meaning - a reasonable hand not good enough to bid at the two level. When partner bid clubs, Szwarc showed his hearts, and Stoppa was not inclined to push any further. Szwarc ruffed the opening spade lead, then after some thought cashed the diamond ace. When the king fell, he led a heart to hand and continued hearts, giving up the fourth round to South. Adad was able to cash two spades, but then had to give declarer his ninth trick with either the spade queen or the club queen. Plus 140.

Roudinesco decided to bid Two Hearts instead of doubling, then tried Three Notrump over Sharif's Three Clubs. The opening spade lead guaranteed defeat of the contract. Chemla won the king and continued a small spade, taken by declarer with the queen Roudinesco cashed three hearts, then led a club to the ace - no finesse. When the king didn't fall, he tried the ace of diamonds. This did produce the king, so he was down two after taking one club, three hearts, one spade and two diamonds. That was 2 IMPs to President Emeritus France.

Our last board was a push, but it involved an interesting bid.

Board 15. Dealer South. NS Game ª 9 4 3 © 10 5 4 ¨ 10 4 § A Q 7 4 2 ª A ª K Q 10 8 6 5 2 © A 9 8 3 2 © K 7 ¨ 9 7 5 ¨ A K J 8 § 9 8 6 5 § — ª J 7 © Q J 6 ¨ Q 6 3 2 § K J 10 3 Closed Room West North East South Szwarc Aujaleu Stoppa Adad Pass Pass Pass 2§ Pass 3ª Pass 4¨ Pass 4© Pass 6ª All Pass

That Three Spades bid by Szwarc was intriguing to his opponents and to this observer. It shows exactly two major suit aces. Stoppa realized that even if the spade ace was singleton, the slam was extremely odds-on. After doing a bit of research through cuebidding, he bid the slam.

Adad led the club ace, ruffed. After a spade to the ace, Szwarc ruffed another club and ran three spades. When Adad discarded a diamond on the last spade, Szwarc led diamonds, winning the ace and king and giving up a trick to the queen. But the fourth diamond was good for the 12th trick.

The contract here of course was played from the East side, and the opening lead was the diamond 3. This rode to the jack, and Delmouly had no problem from that point for a push.