Israel vs France

Seniors Round 16

On Wednesday night, France and Israel both were at the top of the rankings in the Seniors event. The ideal moment therefore to bring the match between the two teams on VuGraph. Maybe, nostalgia also had something to do with this choice. At the 1977 Europeans in Elsinore, Denmark, France v. Israel had been played on VuGraph too, and as it happened Christian Mari for France and Pinhas Romik for Israel, who played in that match up in Hamlet's castle, did not play each other ever since during the next 25 years.

The first five boards of the match all produced big swings both ways, so here they are in full:

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª 9 5 4 © 10 6 ¨ A 10 9 4 2 § 7 4 2
ª A K Q 10 7 6 © A Q J ¨ 6 § Q 10 5		ª 8 2 © 9 8 7 3 2 ¨ Q 7 5 § K J 3
	ª J 3 © K 5 4 ¨ K J 8 3 § A 9 8 6

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Mari	Levit	Leenhardt	Romik
	Pass	Pass	1§
Dble	1¨	1©	2¨
4ª	All Pass

Some practical bidding by Mari made this board look very easy. France +450.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Zeligman	Aujaleu	Schwartz	Adad
	Pass	Pass	1§
Dble	Pass	1©	Pass
2ª	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Of course, nothing very much can be said of the 2ª rebid, except that it created a nasty problem for East. When West had nothing in diamonds, 3NT proved the wrong choice when Adad led a low diamond and the defenders took the first five tricks when the suit blocked. Still, France another +50 and 11 IMPs.

Next:

Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	ª 10 2 © A 10 9 8 4 3 ¨ 3 § K Q 5 4
ª A 7 © K 7 2 ¨ K 7 5 § A 10 9 6 2		ª Q J 5 3 © 5 ¨ A Q 10 6 4 § J 8 3
	ª K 9 8 6 4 © Q J 6 ¨ J 9 8 2 § 7

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Mari	Levit	Leenhardt	Romik
		Pass	Pass
1NT	Pass	2§	Pass
2¨	Pass	3¨	Pass
3©	Dble	3ª	Pass
3NT	All Pass

When South held a diamond stopper, this contract went three off on the normal heart lead. Israel +150. Please note that North only mentioned his suit by way of a careful double of the reply to the minor suit ask.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Zeligman	Aujaleu	Schwartz	Adad
		1¨	Pass
2§	Pass	3§	Pass
3¨	3©	Pass	Pass
3NT	Pass	Pass	4©
Dble	All Pass

When they have a double fit, we should have at least one fit too, Aujaleu must have thought when he ventured a late overcall of 3©. South cannot be blamed for saving against the impossible 3NT, but from his point of view, 4© might easily be made. When Zeligman could double and North did not have enough useful cards, 4© was one off for another +200 to Israel, 8 IMPs back.

Next:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Mari	Levit	Leenhardt	Romik
			1NT
2§	Pass	4ª	All Pass

2§ showed majors, so Leenhardt had no problem in jumping to game and making 11 tricks on the lead of the ¨K. France +650.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Zeligman	Aujaleu	Schwartz	Adad
			1¨
1©	2¨	3§	3¨
3©	All Pass

When South did not open 1NT, West could not show his good 6-4 in one descriptive bid. When East showed his clubs and NS competed in diamonds, the spades got lost forever. Three Hearts was duly made for +140 to Israel, but France had gained another 11-IMP swing to lead 22-8 now.

Next:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Mari	Levit	Leenhardt	Romik
Pass	1ª	Pass	1NT
Pass	2NT	Pass	3©
Pass	4©	All Pass

One might think NS would have bid this hand the same way at the time they still were Juniors. A prefect example of a classic auction to a reasonable contract. Israel +620 when Wewst chose the wrong minor suit doubleton to lead from.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Zeligman	Aujaleu	Schwartz	Adad
Pass	1ª	2¨	Pass
Pass	Dble	Pass	2©
Pass	2ª	Pass	3§
Pass	3¨	Pass	3©
All Pass

When Schwartz made a light overcall and Aujaleu reopened, Adad did not want to convert it, though it would have netted 800. Instead, he bid 2© which not necessarily had to show five. The French ended up in a very good contract after all, certainly on the probable diamond lead, but by scoring 170 only they had missed two big opportunities on this deal. Israel 10 IMPs back.

Next:

Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
	ª A K Q J © 10 9 7 ¨ A J 10 § A J 8
ª 5 3 © A 6 3 2 ¨ K 3 § K 10 7 5 4		ª 9 8 2 © K Q J 5 4 ¨ Q 9 8 5 4 § -
	ª 10 7 6 4 © 8 ¨ 7 6 2 § Q 9 6 3 2

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Mari	Levit	Leenhardt	Romik
	2NT	All Pass

Who would criticise Romik for passing 2NT? It's a completely normal thing to do, but this time it cost 200.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Zeligman	Aujaleu	Schwartz	Adad
	2NT	Pass	3§
Dble	3ª	Pass	4ª
All Pass

At this table, it was Adad who did the remarkable thing of not passing 2NT. In fact you might reach 3NT which is OK when partner has a good club fit, or you might even reach game in spades when you strike a goldmine like Adad did.

The double of 3§ gave some useful information in the play. Schwartz led the ©K which Zeligman overtook to switch to the §2. Schwartz ruffed when declarer played low, but after a diamond return to the king and ace trumps were drawn and one more trick given to the ¨Q. Just made, France another +620 for 13 IMPs. The score was 35-18 after only five boards.

After board 13, the score had gone up to 45-19 and then, the next board saw Israel coming back for the last time:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Mari	Levit	Leenhardt	Romik
		1ª	Pass
2§	Pass	2¨	Pass
2©	Pass	2ª	Pass
3NT	All Pass

Levit led a heart and Mari decided to win this immediately. The then had to cash all his six club winners on which dummy could easily find discards of some spades and some diamonds. Then came the moment of truth: a spade from his hand. A correct guess would land him his contract, if he guessed wrong he might have the chance of the defender holding the ¨K getting endplayed. When he played the ªK in dummy, South could win the ace, cash a heart and cross to his partner's ªQ and ©K. Down one, Israel +50.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Zeligman	Aujaleu	Schwartz	Adad
		4ª	All Pass

This time, the practical approach by Schwartz won the board for his team. On a heart lead, dummy won the ace and played off three top clubs, discarding two diamonds and a heart, before playing a spade. This ran to the ace, but with the ¨K well-placed Schwartz only lost two trump tricks and a diamond. Israel +420 and 10 IMPs back.

The final score: 50-33 or 19-11 V.P. to France, a big move towards winning the title.