There are undoubtedly worse ways of spending an afternoon than following the fortunes of France's Henri Szwarc and José Damiani. That was your Editors choice for the second session of the Seniors qualifying competition. Our featured pair was at table 9 so they started with boards 19 & 20.

Board 19. Dealer South. EW Game ª A 9 © Q 9 5 2 ¨ A K Q J 2 § 8 5 ª Q 8 7 3 ª K J 10 6 5 2 © 8 3 © 7 ¨ 10 7 3 ¨ 8 4 § A K J 7 § 9 6 4 2 ª 4 © A K J 10 6 4 ¨ 9 6 5 § Q 10 3 West North East South Szwarc Damiani 2© Pass 2NT Pass 4© All Pass

Henri Szwarc wisely resisted the temptation to simply punt a slam in response to his partner's weak two bid, preferring the appliance of science. Four Hearts promised a very good suit and Szwarc decided to call it a day. If South's black suits had been reversed twelve tricks would have been available but on this layout only eleven were available as West had an easy lead.

That was a gentle average but some matchpoints changed hands on the next deal.

Board 20. Dealer West. Game All ª K 8 4 2 © A 3 ¨ A K J 7 § Q J 7 ª J 10 7 ª Q 5 3 © J 8 2 © Q 6 4 ¨ 9 8 3 ¨ 10 6 2 § A K 8 2 § 9 6 5 4 ª A 9 6 © K 10 9 7 5 ¨ Q 5 4 § 10 3 West North East South Szwarc Damiani Pass 1¨ Pass 1© Pass 1ª Pass 1NT Pass 2NT Pass 3© Pass 3NT All Pass

Against this controlled auction West made the old fashioned lead of fourth best of his longest and strongest, selecting the two of clubs. That was a promising start for the defence as any other lead would have made it easy for declarer to record ten tricks. Damiani won in hand with the ten and followed the sensible route of cashing his diamond tricks hoping something good might happen.

On the fourth round of the suit East parted with the four of clubs, South the six of spades and West the seven of spades. Now José exited with a club allowing West to take his tricks. For reasons best known to himself East parted with a spade and that was all that was needed to give declarer the all important overtrick and the lion's share of the matchpoints.

An outright top is hard to achieve in this type of event but this rare bird made an appearance on the next deal.

Board 21. Dealer North. NS Game ª 9 3 © K Q J ¨ Q J 8 3 § J 8 7 4 ª 2 ª K Q 10 7 6 © A 9 8 5 4 2 © 10 3 ¨ A 4 2 ¨ 7 6 § K 9 5 § A Q 6 3 ª A J 8 5 4 © 7 6 ¨ K 10 9 5 § 10 2 West North East South Almgren Szwarc Carlsson Damiani Pass 1ª Pass 2© Pass 2ª Pass 2NT All Pass

North led the queen of diamonds and declarer ducked a couple of rounds before winning with the ace. The only chance of making the contract is to find North with precisely ªJ98 and West should perhaps have tried for this in the vain hope of beating the pairs in a heart part score. When he preferred to cross to the queen of clubs and run the ten of hearts the roof soon fell in. North won and cashed his long diamond before switching to the nine of spades. Declarer put up the queen but Damiani ducked. Declarer, who had discarded two of dummy's spades on the diamonds, should have cut his losses but when he unwisely allowed North to win another heart a second spade sealed his fate. He was four down, -200 giving all 74 matchpoints to the French pair.

Board 22. Dealer East. EW Game ª K 9 4 © Q J 9 2 ¨ K 10 3 § 7 4 3 ª 10 8 7 6 ª A J 5 3 © A 10 5 © 3 ¨ A Q 6 4 ¨ J 7 § K 6 § A Q J 10 5 2 ª Q 2 © K 8 7 6 4 ¨ 9 8 5 2 § 9 8 West North East South Almgren Szwarc Carlsson Damiani 2§ Pass 2¨ Pass 2ª Pass 4§ Pass 5§ Pass 5ª All Pass

The Swedish pair was not quite on the same wavelength in the auction and they reached a slightly indelicate contract.

Damiani led the four of hearts and declarer won with the ace, Szwarc contributing the queen, and played a spade to the jack and queen. Damiani was not tempted to try and cash a heart and he switched to the nine of diamonds, sealing declarer's fate. One down gave 67/74 to the Frenchmen who appeared to be on a roll.

A better plan for declarer is to ruff a heart at trick two and play a low spade. If South goes in with an honour and switches to a diamond you can rise with the ace and finesse in trumps. If North wins and forces you with a heart you ruff, cash the ace of spades and can cross to dummy with a club to remove the last trump.

Board 23. Dealer South. Game All ª K 10 7 2 © 8 2 ¨ J 9 8 § 10 7 5 4 ª A Q 5 3 ª J 4 © J 10 9 4 © K Q 7 5 ¨ 4 2 ¨ K Q 6 3 § 9 6 2 § A K Q ª 9 8 6 © A 6 3 ¨ A 10 7 5 § J 8 3 West North East South Mokran Szwarc Grosmanova Damiani Pass Pass Pass 1§ Pass 1¨ Pass 2NT Pass 3§ Pass 3© Pass 4© All Pass

The strong club sequence saw East-West reach the standard contract and declarer had no trouble collecting ten tricks, losing a spade, a heart and a diamond. One diamond went on the third round of spades and one was ruffed.