France v Denmark

Orbis Venice Cup - Round 7

Monday morning featured a match between two strong European sides who have both started well here in Bermuda.

Board 1. Dealer North. Love All ª 10 9 8 4 © — ¨ 10 6 4 § Q J 10 6 4 3 ª 7 6 3 ª J 2 © A K 2 © 10 9 8 7 5 ¨ J 8 7 5 3 ¨ K Q 9 § 5 2 § K 8 7 ª A K Q 5 © Q J 6 4 3 ¨ A 2 § A 9

The match began with both Souths opening One Heart and being left to play there on the 5-0 fit. If your style is to respond on hands like the North one to try to improve the contract, you would do very well on this deal as Four Spades rates to make. However, that style is not always successful and both Norths were 'happy' to pass.

Kirsten Steen-Møller led a diamond against Veronique Bessis. Declarer won the ace of diamonds and led a low heart. Mette Drøgemüller won cheaply and played two more rounds of diamonds. Bessis threw her small club but ruffed the fourth diamond while Drøgemüller pitched a club. Another low heart drew the king and Steen-Møller cashed the heart ace then led the fifth diamond, on which everyone threw a spade. When Steen-Møller switched to a club, Drøgemüller erred by covering with the king. Bessis won, cashed her winning heart, and started cashing winning spades. When Drøgemüller ruffed, she had to give dummy a club trick; one down for -50.

At the other table, Christine Lustin led a club. Dummy's queen held the trick and declarer, Charlotte Koch-Palmund, played a diamond to the queen and ace and returned a diamond. Danielle Avon won the king and played a club to the ace. Now Koch-Palmund played three rounds of spades. Avon ruffed the third round and played a diamond for declarer to ruff. Koch-Palmund played her last spade and it didn't matter who ruffed; with six tricks already in the bag she was always going to make her contract. She actually made two trump tricks in the endgame for +110 and 4 IMPs to Denmark.

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

Both Norths opened One Heart, but with a difference. Catherine D'Ovidio promised five cards and Bessis raised directly to Two Hearts (constructive because a bad raise would have gone through 1NT). D'Ovidio raised herself to game and had no way to avoid the four obvious losers; -100.

Bettina Kalkerup only promised four cards and Koch-Palmund responded One No Trump. Kalkerup rebid Two Hearts and played there for a comfortable +140 and 6 IMPs to Denmark.

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

West North East South Lustin Kalkerup Avon K-Palmund     Pass Pass 2ª Dble Pass 4© All Pass

Two Spades was a weak two, promising five cards. When Avon doubled for take-out, Lustin jumped straight to Four Hearts, ending the auction. She lost a heart and a spade for +650.

West North East South S-Møller D'Ovidio Drøgemüller Bessis     Pass Pass Pass 1© Pass 2§ Dble 2¨ 3§ 4© 4ª Pass Pass Dble All Pass

D'Ovidio did not open the North hand but she more than made up for that later in the auction. Two Clubs was Drury and D'Ovidio doubled to show her clubs. Drøgemüller's Two Diamonds showed a sound opening and Bessis competed in clubs. When Steen-Møller jumped to the heart game, D'Ovidio tried her spades - an aggressive decision at the vulnerability. Steen-Møller doubled and Drøgemüller led her ace of clubs, declarer dropping the nine, then switched to the diamond queen. D'Ovidio ducked and ducked again on the low diamond continuation. Steen-Møller won the diamond jack and erred by switching to a heart. Drøgemüller won the ace and returned a heart and D'Ovidio threw the club ten. She played a spade to the king and ace and back came a diamond, which she ruffed. Now she played a spade and, after some thought, judged correctly to go up with the queen. When the jack dropped she cashed the spade nine then took the club finesse to get out for two down; -500 and 4 IMPs to France.

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

Both Norths opened Four Hearts and East overcalled Four Spades. Bessis passed the south hand and D'Ovidio went on with a fifth heart, ending the auction. Drøgemüller cashed two top spades and switched to a diamond; +450.

Koch-Palmund doubled Four Spades and led two top clubs. She switched to ace and another diamond for Kalkerup to ruff. Kalkerup cashed a top heart but that was all for the defense; -500 and 2 IMPs to Denmark. Had South ruffed her partner's heart winner, she could then have given her a second diamond ruff for three down and 8 IMPs.

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

Should South open in second seat? Koch-Palmund did and her side was soon in Four Hearts for +620. In the other room, Bessis did not, and now it was critical which minor West chose to open in third seat, if she opened at all. Wanting a diamond lead, Steen-Møller chose One Diamond. D'Ovidio doubled, Drøgemüller bid One Spade, and Bessis jumped to Four Hearts. Drøgemüller bid Five Diamonds, of course, and when that came round to D'Ovidio she doubled. Bessis thought about it for a while but eventually passed. Five Hearts makes even on a spade lead as you can establish the long club for your eleventh trick, but it appears normal to defend Five Diamonds. That contract was down one for -200 but 9 IMPs to Denmark who led by 24-6 at the halfway point.

Board 11. Dealer South. Love All ª 7 2 © J 10 5 3 ¨ J 7 5 2 § 9 8 6 ª J 9 6 3 ª K Q © Q 7 4 © A 9 8 6 ¨ 9 6 ¨ K 8 3 § J 10 4 3 § K Q 7 2 ª A 10 8 5 4 © K 2 ¨ A Q 10 4 § A 5

West North East South Lustin Kalkerup Avon K-Palmund     1ª Pass Pass Dble 2¨ All Pass

When Avon made a balancing double, Koch-Palmund took the opportunity to show her second suit. She was allowed to play Two Diamonds, which made comfortably enough for +90.

West North East South S-Møller D'Ovidio Drøgemüller Bessis     1ª Pass Pass Dble Pass 2§ Pass 3§ All Pass

Bessis did not bid the diamonds and her opponents bid up to Three Clubs under their own steam. D'Ovidio led a spade and Bessis won and returned the suit. Steen-Møller played the king of clubs to the ace and Bessis exited with a third spade. Declarer put in the nine and that was ruffed and over-ruffed. Steen-Møller drew the remaining trumps by leading to her ten then cashed the jack of spades, pitching a diamond from dummy.

The stage was set for a nice ending with both declarer and defender doing their best. Steen-Møller led a heart to the ace and Bessis smoothly unblocked the king. Had D'Ovidio held the queen, that would have defeated the contract. As it was, Steen-Møller led a second heart to her queen then a diamond. When D'Ovidio played low, she put in dummy's nine. Bessis had to win both the defense's diamond tricks but was then endplayed to give a ruff and discard and the contract. Nicely done by both players; +110 and 5 IMPs to Denmark.

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

Koch-Palmund opened One Spade in second seat and Kalkerup scraped up a One No Trump response, ending the auction. Avon led a low heart to the king and ace and Kalkerup tried the six of diamonds to the jack, queen and king. Taking the diamond was an error on Lustin's part as ducking would have held declarer to two tricks in the suit. Lustin played back a heart, ducked to the jack, and Kalkerup cashed her diamonds then played a club up. The defense had kept too many spades and she emerged with two overtricks instead of one; +150.

Denmark's favourite toy made an appearance at the other table. Drøgemüller opened Two Diamonds as dealer, showing 0-10 HCP with at least 5-4 in the majors. Bessis doubled and Steen-Muller redoubled to ask for her partner's longer major. Drøgemüller bid Two Hearts and played there. Bessis led a low trump, blowing the second defensive trump trick. D'Ovidio won the ace and returned a club to the queen and ace. Drøgemüller drew the missing trumps and played on spades for nine tricks; +140 and 7 IMPs to Denmark.

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

West North East South S-Møller D'Ovidio Drøgemüller Bessis     Pass 3¨ Dble 4¨ Dble 5§ Dble Pass Pass 5¨ 6§ All Pass

Bessis found a wafer-thin responsive double because she liked her shape.

Expecting North to be playing a major-suit contract, Steen-Møller made an intelligent lead-directing Five Club bid.

Then she ran back to her original suit, D'Ovidio bid the club slam. Dummy was not an impressive sight but, were it not for the Five Club bid, slam would still look pretty good.

As it was, dummy just needed the club queen instead of the jack.

On the expected 3-0 break, the slam had to go one down; -100. That didn't look good for France, but it was worth a 3 IMP gain.

In the other room, Kalkerup overcalled Three No Trump over the diamond pre-empt, and played there. The 3-0 club split was also fatal to this contract. After a diamond lead, Three No Trump had to go two down for -200.

Board 16. Dealer West. EW Game ª K 7 6 5 3 © 9 ¨ K 4 2 § Q J 9 4 ª J 8 ª Q 9 2 © Q 8 7 5 © K 10 ¨ J 10 9 8 7 ¨ A Q 6 5 § 5 2 § A 8 7 3 ª A 10 4 © A J 6 4 3 2 ¨ 3 § K 10 6

Both Souths declared Two Hearts after East had opened One No Trump. Against Koch-Palmund, the lead was a diamond. She ducked the jack and ruffed the continuation. The club king was ducked but the next club was won and a third diamond forced her to ruff again. Declarer played ace and another heart now. A fourth diamond would have forced her once too often and beaten the contract, but Avon gave her partner a club ruff instead and now declarer was in control; +110.

In the other room the first two tricks were the same but Bessis played a club to the queen and ace. She ruffed the diamond return and played ace and another heart to the king. Here the fourth diamond was played and the contract had to go one down for -50 and 4 IMPs to Denmark.

Declarer could have succeeded at the point where she played ace and another heart. Suppose instead that she plays two rounds of clubs. West ruffs and forces her with a diamond, but now when she plays ace and another heart East has no diamond left with which to hurt her. If the hand with the doubleton club has four trumps, this is the only chance to make the contract, while if hearts are 3-3 it is harmless. The only time it will cost the contract is if the doubleton trump gets to ruff a club, and it is not very likely that the same defender is short in both suits.

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

Both Easts declared Four Spades after South had made a take-out double of their One Spade opening bid. South led three rounds of clubs and declarer ruffed the third round and crossed to the king of hearts. Drøgemüller ran the jack of spades and, on seeing South show out, took the diamond finesse. When that lost she was one down, being unable to pick up the spades without loss.

Avon made a better stab at the contract. When the jack of spades won, she continued with the seven of spades to the eight and queen. Next she tried a low diamond towards the dummy. Koch-Palmund went in with the king and found the only defense - a fourth round of clubs! Declarer had to ruff in hand but meanwhile North threw her remaining diamond so that there was no entry to dummy to repeat the trump finesse. Of course, Avon tried to cross to a diamond, but Kalkerup ruffed for one down and 'just another dull push'. Well played and well defended.

Denmark won the match by 47-13 IMPs, or 22-8 VPs, and continued their impressive run. France are still well-placed, but have been playing four-handed and could begin to suffer from tiredness.