Omar Sharif on screen - here in Malta that means that the Seniors were out on Vu Graph as a well-received Sunday special. President Emeritus/France played with Sharif - Chemla in the Open Room and Szwarc - Stoppa in the Closed. Italy's line-up was Ricciarelli - Baroni Open, Maruggi - Romanin Closed.

The computer was in good form on the occasion as well and produced a whole sequence of big boards. Curtains up! In board 13 Szwarc and Stoppa bid a slam missed by the Italians in the Open Room. This probably had a psychological effect on the North/South bidding on the next deal:

Board 14. Dealer East. Love All ª K 7 © Q 10 6 3 ¨ 9 4 § 9 5 4 3 2 ª J 5 4 3 ª 9 8 6 2 © J 9 8 2 © A 5 4 ¨ Q 3 ¨ 10 8 6 2 § K 7 6 § 10 8 ª A Q 10 © K 7 ¨ A K J 7 5 § A Q J

The defense was sharp. Paul Chemla led a spade and declarer won with the 10. South now tried to unblock the clubs, but West took his king in the second round and fired back another spade. Declarer finessed in diamonds, but Chemla won again and insisted on spades. As a consequence declarer finished two down losing another diamond, a spade and the ©A.

Stoppa and Szwarc played in 3NT making five, which gave P.E./France another useful 11 IMPs.

A combined Sharif/Stoppa effort was worth 6 IMPs on the following board:

Board 15. Dealer South. NS Game ª 6 © J 8 6 3 2 ¨ J 9 7 5 3 § 3 2 ª A 10 9 8 4 ª K Q J 7 5 3 2 © 5 4 © K Q 10 9 ¨ A Q 8 2 ¨ — § J 8 § 6 4 ª — © A 7 ¨ K 10 6 4 § A K Q 10 9 7 5

West led trump and South went only one down just losing two tricks in diamonds. That was 200 to Italy.

In the Open Room Sharif landed a 'double coup" by telling partner a) what to lead in case their side would be the defending one, and b) - maybe to his own surprise - buying the auction cheaply later on:

North/South cashed two clubs and scored the ©A. 4ª just made and another 6 IMPs to the French. A different approach in responding to a2NT opening created a swing as well:

Board 17. Dealer North. Love All ª A 10 7 4 © — ¨ K Q 7 5 § 8 6 5 4 2 ª 9 6 3 ª 8 2 © A K 10 9 6 3 © J 8 4 2 ¨ 6 3 ¨ 10 9 8 4 § 10 9 § Q 7 3 ª K Q J 5 © Q 7 5 ¨ A J 2 § A K J

In the Closed Room South, Stoppa, opened 2NT, Szwarc inquired about the majors and via 3ª - 5ª sailed into 6ª. P.E./France: +980. In the Open Room it seems North concentrated more on his minors, if our interpretation of North's first bid is correct:

South must have been relieved when he had won the first trick with the ©Q to rattle off eleven tricks, but that just wasn't good enough and Italy lost 11 IMPs. And there was more to come:

Board 18. Dealer east. NS Game ª J 8 © K Q 10 9 7 3 ¨ J 10 6 5 4 § — ª K Q 10 9 7 2 ª A © J 6 © 5 ¨ 7 ¨ A Q 8 2 § 10 7 5 2 § A K Q 8 6 4 3 ª 6 5 4 3 © A 8 4 2 ¨ K 9 3 § J 9

Romanin made twelve tricks and scored +420. In the Open Room East/West reached this excellent slam:

(1) no ace When North passed throughout the bidding East/West were given a free ride to show their hands with Chemla taking the final decision to go for slam.

Baroni led ©A, and might have thought he had found the killing lead, but Sharif ruffed the second heart and was soon to claim. 11 more to P.E./France. In the meantime the French were heading for a blitz and they piled up even more:

Board 19. Dealer South. EW Game ª A Q 9 6 5 3 2 © 9 2 ¨ 4 § 10 5 2 ª J 10 4 ª K 8 7 © 8 6 4 © A Q 7 ¨ J 6 5 ¨ Q 10 9 7 3 2 § K Q 7 3 § A ª — © K J 10 5 3 ¨ A K 8 § J 9 8 6 4

In the Closed Room Szwarc's methods allowed him to put a lot of pressure on the opponents:

Italy got overboard and went down for 500. At the other table, the bidding was less escalating:

Chemla and Sharif were never tempted to bid higher than the two-level, so Ricciarelli played in 3ª. Sharif led a diamond, declarer took the ace and played ¨K and diamond ruff. When in with the §A, East continued with another diamond, West discarding a heart. A little late declarer now tried a heart, but Sharif took the ace, and insisted on diamonds. West threw his last heart and was able to ruff, when North now led a heart to the king. Chemla then cashed a top club and played another one. North ruffed with the ªQ and was overruffed. Declarer still had to lose another spade and ended up with seven tricks. Down two and 12 IMPs to the PE/France.

All bidding decision in this match went one-way. It therefore wasn't much of a surprise that President Emeritus/France won 25-1 in the end. It seems they are on the best way to the top of the field to challenge the leaders, their compatriots France 1.