Belgium vs France

Open Series - Round 24

Tuesday´s first match on Rama was particularly interesting, as it was the confrontation of the 6th and 7th placed teams at that moment. Both needed a win to keep their chances to reach the top five alive. Both teams got their chances, but in the end, the French won the match mainly because they scored more small partscore swings than their opponents. Here are a few hands from that match.

Session 24. Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	ª A 8 7 6 5 2 © 9 6 3 ¨ K J 6 § 3
ª 10 9 © Q 10 4 ¨ 5 4 § 10 9 7 6 4 2		ª 3 © A J 8 7 5 2 ¨ A Q 2 § K Q J
	ª K Q J 4 © K ¨ 10 9 8 7 3 § A 8 5

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Multon	Van Middelem	Quantin	Engel
			1ª
Pass	4§	4©	4ª
All Pass

After the off-beat 1ª opening by Zvi Engel, 4§ was a splinter. From the bidding, Multon could easily deduce that declarer was bound to be pretty short in hearts, so he mentally excluded that suit. Clubs or trumps did not look sensible choices either, so by elimination only the diamond lead would make sense. Right he was: after the lead of the ¨5 he got a third-round ruff in the suit and the ©A then was the setting trick. Well done. France +50.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Labaere	Abecassis	Carcassonne	Soulet
			1¨
Pass	1ª	2©	2ª
Pass	4ª	All Pass

Against the normal 1¨ opening bid, it was impossible to find the killing lead in that suit. On a club lead, declarer even made an overtrick. France another +450 and 11 IMP´s.

Session 24. Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	ª J 10 7 2 © Q 10 8 2 ¨ A 5 2 § 8 6
ª A K Q © A 3 ¨ 10 9 7 6 § A Q J 9		ª 8 5 4 © 7 6 5 ¨ Q J 4 3 § 5 3 2
	ª 9 6 3 © K J 9 4 ¨ K 8 § K 10 7 4

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Multon	Van Middelem	Quantin	Engel
	Pass	Pass	Pass
2NT	All Pass

Multon won the lead of the ª2 with the king and played a diamond, South winning the king and returning not a heart, but a logical enough spade. Multon won and now had time to concede to the ¨A and take two club finesses for nine tricks and +150 to France.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Labaere	Abecassis	Carcassonne	Soulet
	Pass	Pass	1©
Dble	3©	Pass	Pass
Dble	Pass	3ª	Pass
4ª	All Pass

Had Carcassonne passed the second double, Belgium would have scored +300, but it was not to be. So the light third-in-hand opening paid off for France when she elected to make a minimum action by bidding 3ª first. West had a natural raise, but the contract went three off whereas 4¨ would probably have been made. France another +300 and 10 more IMP´s.

Session 24. Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª K 10 3 © K J 9 7 6 ¨ 7 5 4 § 7 3
ª Q 9 7 © A Q 10 8 5 4 ¨ 10 9 § 4 2		ª - © 3 ¨ A Q J 8 3 2 § A K Q 9 6 5
	ª A J 8 6 5 4 2 © 2 ¨ K 6 § J 10 8

West	North	East	South
Multon	Van Middelem	Quantin	Engel
			3ª
Pass	4ª	4NT	Dble
Pass	Pass	5§	All Pass

No problem, 12 tricks. France +420.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Labaere	Abecassis	Carcassonne	Soulet
The bidding was the same in both rooms

West	North	East	South
			3ª
Pass	4ª	4NT	Dble
Pass	Pass	5§	Dble
All Pass

No problem, 12 tricks. Belgium +650 and 6 IMP´s.

The interesting point of this hand came to light at a number of other tables. How would you play 6§, reached after a similar auction? You ruff the opening lead of the ªA and cash the §A. South plays the ten. What now? A number of declarers was seen to cross to the ©A to take a losing finesse of the §J. With the ¨K still to lose as well, that meant down one. A nice side effect of an obligatory false card. Is Zia Mahmood around here?

Session 24. Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
	ª A 9 8 2 © K 9 8 7 ¨ Q 10 8 6 3 § -
ª 6 © Q J 2 ¨ A J 5 4 § K 8 6 4 2		ª K J 10 3 © A 6 5 3 ¨ K 7 2 § 7 3
	ª Q 7 5 4 © 10 4 ¨ 9 § A Q J 10 9 5

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Multon	Van Middelem	Quantin	Engel
	Pass	Pass	3§
Pass	Pass	Dble	All Pass

Engel chose the wrong moment to open 3§ in 3rd hand. France +1100 on perfect defence. Spade lead, ducked to East´s king. Spade (the jack) ruff, ©Q covered with king and ace and another spade (the 3 this time) ruff. ©J cashed and a diamond away from the ace to partner´s king for a third spade ruff. The §K was the 4th setting trick.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Labaere	Abecassis	Carcassonne	Soulet
	Pass	1§	2§
All Pass

When East did not reopen with her minimum hand, N/S were out of trouble. The contract went one down and France had won another 14 IMP´s.

On the next board, Quantin handed back the better part of the IMP´s just won:

Session 24. Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
	ª A 5 2 © K Q 10 ¨ Q J 8 § A Q 10 3
ª J 8 7 6 © 8 7 6 3 ¨ 9 2 § J 6 5		ª 3 © J 5 ¨ A 10 6 5 4 3 § K 9 7 4
	ª K Q 10 9 4 © A 9 4 2 ¨ K 7 § 8 2

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Multon	Van Middelem	Quantin	Engel
		Pass	1ª
Pass	2NT	3¨	Pass
Pass	Dble	All Pass

Down four, Belgium +800.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Labaere	Abecassis	Carcassonne	Soulet
		Pass	1ª
Pass	2§	Pass	2©
Pass	3ª	Pass	4ª
All Pass

The normal contract, France +450 but 8 IMP´s to Belgium.

The last board of the match was yet another example of the way things had gone France´s way most of the time:

Session 24. Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
	ª 10 6 4 3 © Q 6 ¨ 7 6 5 § Q J 7 5
ª 5 © A J 9 3 ¨ A J 8 § A 10 4 3 2		ª J 2 © 10 8 7 2 ¨ K 9 2 § K 9 8 6
	ª A K Q 9 8 7 © K 5 4 ¨ Q 10 4 3 § -

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Multon	Van Middelem	Quantin	Engel
1§	Pass	1©	Dble
3©	Pass	Pass	3ª
Pass	4ª	Pass	Pass
Dble

Holding three aces, Multon had no trouble in finding a double to finish it off. Right he was again: France +200 after the lead of the §A. Note that on the ©A lead, West has to find the switch to a low diamond immediately.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Labaere	Abecassis	Carcassonne	Soulet
1§	Pass	1©	1ª
3©	Pass	Pass	Dble
Pass	3ª	All Pass

The French at this table showed how to deal with this type of South hand and thus were able to land in a safe enough spot. France another +170 and 9 IMP´s when the ©A was led and the diamond switch not found.