France v Italy (Seniors Bowl)

France has always done well in Seniors events, while Italy features two of the game’s all-time greats in Benito Garozzo and Pietro Forquet. Both teams would be hoping for and expecting a place in the knockout stages here in Estoril, and this match was an important one along the way to achieving that goal.

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	♠ 10 7 5 3 ♥ A Q 6 4 ♦ 2 ♣ K 10 7 3
♠ Q ♥ K J 9 3 ♦ 8 6 3 ♣ Q J 8 4 2		♠ A 6 4 ♥ 10 8 7 5 2 ♦ A J 10 9 7 ♣ -
	♠ K J 9 8 2 ♥ - ♦ K Q 5 4 ♣ A 9 6 5

West	North	East	South
Dechelette	Garozzo	Leenhardt	De Falco
	Pass	Pass	1♠
Pass	2♣	2♠	4♠
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Mosca	Poizat	Sbarigia	Lasserre
	Pass	Pass	1♠
Pass	2NT	Dble	4♠
4NT	Dble	5♦	Dble
5♥	Dble	All Pass

Benito Garozzo’s Drury 2♣ response allowed François Leenhardt to show his two-suited hand very cheaply, but that was not sufficient to encourage Nicolas Dechelette to try an excursion to the five level. Dechelette led the nine of hearts against 4♠, and Dano De Falco rose with the ace, pitching a club from hand, then led a diamond off the table. Leenhardt took the ace and played back a low heart, which De Falco ruffed. Declarer threw clubs on the diamond winners, then led to the king of clubs, ruffed. De Falco ruffed the heart return and laid down the king of spades, pinning the queen, after which he had no further problems; +420.

Philippe Poizat’s 2NT response was a game-forcing raise, and Silvio Sbarigia could double to show a take-out hand, though presumably this did not have to be purely two-suited as at the other table. That convinced Carlo Mosca to compete with 4NT, two places to play, and the Italians eventually wriggled their way into 5♥, where they were doubled. Poizat led a low spade and Mosca thought about running it to the bare queen before finally taking dummy’s ace and playing a trump. Poizat won and played two more rounds of trumps, Guy Lasserre throwing a card from each side suit. Though it was hard for him to see, that was to cost the defence a trick. Mosca won the third heart and took a losing diamond finesse. He ruffed the spade return and led a second diamond. Had Poizat discarded, declarer could have won with the ace, drawn the last trump and given up a diamond. In practice, Poizat ruffed with his low trump, but now the king of diamonds fell under the ace. Had South kept all his diamonds, the defence could have taken both the ruff and the ♦K. There was still a spade to be cashed, but that was just three down for -500 and 2 IMPs to France.

Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	♠ Q 4 ♥ Q J 5 3 ♦ K 6 4 ♣ 10 8 5 4
♠ A 9 7 5 ♥ K 10 7 ♦ 5 3 ♣ A Q J 3		♠ K 10 8 6 2 ♥ 9 ♦ 10 7 2 ♣ K 9 6 2
	♠ J 3 ♥ A 8 6 4 2 ♦ A Q J 9 8 ♣ 7

West	North	East	South
Dechelette	Garozzo	Leenhardt	De Falco
		Pass	1♥
Dble	3♥	3♠	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Mosca	Poizat	Sbarigia	Lasserre
		Pass	1♥
Dble	3♥	3♠	4♥
Dble	Pass	4♠	All Pass

Four Spades is very simple - either the trumps come in or they don’t. No doubt the Italians would also have stopped in 3♠ had not Lasserre bid 4♥. When he did so Mosca doubled and Sbarigia judged to play in the spade game because of his fifth trump; +420 to Italy but only +170 for France and 6 Italian IMPs.

Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	♠ K J 2 ♥ Q 2 ♦ Q 5 3 ♣ J 9 7 3 2
♠ Q 9 8 ♥ A J 8 5 4 ♦ 4 ♣ K 10 5 4		♠ 10 7 6 5 4 3 ♥ K 7 6 ♦ K 7 2 ♣ A
	♠ A ♥ 10 9 3 ♦ A J 10 9 8 6 ♣ Q 8 6

West	North	East	South
Dechelette	Garozzo	Leenhardt	De Falco
			1♦
1♥	Pass	1♠	2♦
Pass	3♦	3♥	Pass
3♠	Pass	4♠	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Mosca	Poizat	Sbarigia	Lasserre
			1♦
1♥	Dble	Rdbl	2♦
Pass	3♦	3♥	4♦
All Pass

Where Leenhardt showed his long but weak spades in response to the 1♥ overcall, Sbarigia preferred to follow a route that concentrated on hearts. Four Spades is not a good contract but it could have been making on a better day. Today, it had no chance as the cards lay. De Falco led a club to the ace and at trick two won with his spade ace. He switched to a low heart for the queen and king, and Leenhardt tried a second spade. Garozzo won, cashed the other spade winner and switched to a diamond; down two for -200.

Where spades were never mentioned, it became a partscore battle in the red suits, with Lasserre eventually declaring in 4♦. Mosca led a club to his partner’s ace, and Sbarigia switched to the king then six of hearts. Mosca won and played then a third heart, forcing dummy to ruff. Lasserre tried the ♦Q next and, when it did not attract a cover, rose with the ace. He had to lose a diamond and a club now for two down; -100 and 7 IMPs to Italy.

Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul.
	♠ A J 4 ♥ Q 7 2 ♦ 9 8 5 2 ♣ A K 8
♠ Q 7 6 ♥ K J 3 ♦ A K 10 3 ♣ 10 6 5		♠ 10 8 5 2 ♥ 9 8 5 4 ♦ J ♣ J 9 7 2
	♠ K 9 3 ♥ A 10 6 ♦ Q 7 6 4 ♣ Q 4 3

West	North	East	South
Dechelette	Garozzo	Leenhardt	De Falco
1♦	Dble	Pass	2NT
Pass	3NT	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Mosca	Poizat	Sbarigia	Lasserre
1♦	Pass	1♥	Pass
1NT	All Pass

Sbarigia hated to pass 1♦ when looking at a singleton and so tried the effect of a 1♥ response. That kept his opponents out of the auction and Mosca had the unappetising task of trying to make seven tricks in 1NT. Poizat led a top club, then switched to a heart for the ace, and back came a second heart to the jack and queen. Poizat led his low club to the queen, and Lasserre switched to the queen of diamonds, pinning the bare jack in dummy. On another day that could have been the way to take the maximum, but today it just speeded up the play as Mosca could cash his three diamond winners, then exit with a club. Poizat won and switched to a low spade for the king. That was down three for -300, good for Italy if their teammates could bid and make the vulnerable game at the other table.

Garozzo doubled the opening bid at the other table and Italy did indeed get to 3NT. Dechelette led a club and De Falco won in dummy, then played the ♦9 to the jack, queen and king. With the defence having no entry to the thirteenth club, in the fullness of time De Falco could establish a diamond trick and also lead towards both the ♠J and ♥Q to come to nine tricks; +600 and 7 IMPs to Italy.

Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
	♠ A 10 3 ♥ 9 6 ♦ A 8 7 4 2 ♣ 6 4 2
♠ Q J 2 ♥ J 10 5 4 3 ♦ Q 9 ♣ K J 5		♠ K 9 8 6 5 ♥ Q 8 7 ♦ J 5 ♣ Q 9 8
	♠ 7 4 ♥ A K 2 ♦ K 10 6 3 ♣ A 10 7 3

West	North	East	South
Dechelette	Garozzo	Leenhardt	De Falco
	Pass	Pass	1♦
1♥	1♠	2♥	2NT
Pass	3♦	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Mosca	Poizat	Sbarigia	Lasserre
	Pass	Pass	1♦
1♥	3♦	3♥	3NT
All Pass

Garozzo laid claim to the spade suit, after which it was a matter of who won the partscore battle. De Falco played it in 3♦, where the friendly trump position provided ten easy tricks for +130. That, however, proved to be insufficient, as Lasserre bid an aggressive 3NT and that just required diamonds to play for five tricks; +600 and 10 IMPs to France.

Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
	♠ J 8 3 2 ♥ 9 6 5 2 ♦ 3 ♣ A K Q 3
♠ K 9 7 ♥ A Q 7 ♦ K Q 9 7 2 ♣ 9 4		♠ A Q 10 5 4 ♥ 10 8 4 ♦ 10 8 6 5 ♣ 8
	♠ 6 ♥ K J 3 ♦ A J 4 ♣ J 10 7 6 5 2

West	North	East	South
Dechelette	Garozzo	Leenhardt	De Falco
		Pass	Pass
1NT	Pass	2♥	Pass
2♠	Pass	Pass	3♣
Pass	4♣	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Mosca	Poizat	Sbarigia	Lasserre
		Pass	Pass
1♦	Pass	1♠	2♣
Dble	5♣	5♦	All Pass

After the French transfer auction to 2♠, De Falco balanced with 3♣ and Garozzo could hardly not raise to four. The defence just had to be careful never to lead hearts and duly came to three tricks in that suit to go with one spade for down one; -50.

Mosca’s 1♦ opening led to a quite different auction. When Lasserre could overcall 2♣ despite lacking the top three cards in the suit, Poizat judged that he would have good playing strength to compensate (in the context of a passed hand, of course), and put on the pressure by jumping to 5♣. That caught Sbarigia with undisclosed diamond support and he felt obliged to show it. And right he was. Poizat cashed a top club then switched to a heart for the king and ace. Mosca ruffed his club loser and played a diamond to the king, crossed to the queen of spades and led a second diamond. Lasserre won the ace but was powerless to prevent declarer from drawing the last trump and running the spades; +600 and 11 IMPs to Italy. (To defeat the contract, Poizat must lead a spade at trick one.)

Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul.
	♠ A 10 3 ♥ 10 9 5 ♦ 10 6 5 ♣ Q J 9 8
♠ J 6 ♥ K J 7 4 ♦ Q J 9 ♣ K 7 6 4		♠ K 9 5 2 ♥ Q 8 2 ♦ A K 8 7 4 ♣ 3
	♠ Q 8 7 4 ♥ A 6 3 ♦ 3 2 ♣ A 10 5 2

West	North	East	South
Dechelette	Garozzo	Leenhardt	De Falco
			Pass
Pass	Pass	1♦	Dble
Rdbl	Pass	Pass	1♠
Pass	Pass	Dble	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Mosca	Poizat	Sbarigia	Lasserre
			Pass
1♣	Pass	1♦	Pass
1♥	Pass	1♠	Pass
1NT	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Mosca opened the West hand and it was natural for Sbarigia to drive to game. Poizat led the ♣Q, getting the ten from Lasserre, and continued with the ♣8 to the ace. All that was required was for Lasserre to clear the suit but he, rather obscurely, cashed the ♥A before playing a third club. Now Mosca had nine tricks for a very useful +600.

Dechelette did not open the uninspiring eleven-count, but redoubled at his next turn and was happy to defend against 1♠ doubled. Dechelette led the queen of diamonds followed by the jack, which Leenhardt overtook to switch to his club. De Falco took the club ace and played a spade to the ace. Then came the ten of spades and, when Leenhardt ducked, south went up with queen, then switched his attention to clubs. The defence could come to two spades, two hearts and a club from here, but that was just one down for -200 and 9 IMPs to Italy, who led by 40-12 IMPs. That was to be the last Italian swing of the match, the French counterattack beginning on the very next deal.

Board 8. Dealer West. None Vul.
	♠ 8 4 3 2 ♥ K 4 2 ♦ K J ♣ Q J 9 4
♠ K 9 5 ♥ - ♦ A 10 7 6 5 4 3 ♣ 10 7 5		♠ A J 7 6 ♥ A 9 7 6 ♦ Q 9 2 ♣ K 3
	♠ Q 10 ♥ Q J 10 8 5 3 ♦ 8 ♣ A 8 6 2

West	North	East	South
Dechelette	Garozzo	Leenhardt	De Falco
Pass	Pass	1♦	1♥
3♥	Dble	Rdbl	Pass
4♥	Pass	4♠	Pass
5♦	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Mosca	Poizat	Sbarigia	Lasserre
Pass	Pass	1♣	2♥
3♦	3♥	4♦	Pass
5♦	All Pass

Both East/West pairs played in 5♦ on a heart lead. Mosca ruffed in hand and played ace and another diamond. Poizat took the king and switched to the queen of clubs; down one for -50.

Dechelette splintered in support of the better-minor 1♦ opening and that gave Garozzo an easy way into the auction. However, De Falco was not interested and East/West exchanged cuebids before settling in the diamond game.De Falco led the queen of hearts, Leenhardt ruffed in hand then cashed the ace of diamonds. Before relying on the position of the ace of clubs, Leenhardt tested the spade suit. He played the ♠K then the ♠9 to the ace and, when the queen fell, could cross to hand with a heart ruff to lead his remaining spade to dummy’s seven. The ♠J and ♥A now provided two discards for two club losers; +400 and 10 IMPs to France. As Barry Rigal reports, in the Venice Cup match between USA and Canada, Jill Levin played in identical fashion to bring home the game. Barry suggests that, had South dropped the ♠Q on the first round, declarer might well have gone wrong, running the nine next and losing to the ten for one down. Being of an even more twisted mind, could I also suggest that it would be interesting to drop the queen from ♠Q10x when the ace of clubs is onside all along. (If only I could find those plays at the table.) Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.

	♠ 10 9 8 7 ♥ 8 7 ♦ A 5 4 3 ♣ 10 9 7
♠ K Q J 6 3 ♥ A 4 3 2 ♦ 7 ♣ K Q 8		♠ A 5 4 2 ♥ Q J 10 6 5 ♦ K 8 ♣ J 3
	♠ - ♥ K 9 ♦ Q J 10 9 6 2 ♣ A 6 5 4 2

West	North	East	South
Dechelette	Garozzo	Leenhardt	De Falco
	Pass	1♥	3♣
3♠	5♦	Pass	Pass
5♥	Pass	5♠	6♦
Pass	Pass	Dble	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Mosca	Poizat	Sbarigia	Lasserre
-	Pass	Pass	1♦
Dble	Pass	2♦	3♣
4♠	5♦	Dble	All Pass

Leenhardt opened the East hand and De Falco had an easy way to describe his hand in one go, overcalling 3♣ to show the minors. When Dechelette showed his spades, Garozzo jumped to 5♦, and De Falco subsequently took the save in 6♦ over 5♠. De Falco was correct up to a point, in that 5♠ would have been made. However, 6♦ doubled cost more than the opposition’s game. Leenhardt had an automatic heart lead, after which it was routine for the defenders to come to all the five tricks that were their due; four down for -800.

Sbarigia did not open and that left Lasserre to open in third seat. Though Poizat could not raise immediately - 1♦ might have been only three cards - when Lasserre introduced the clubs at his second turn, Poizat had to save in 5♦ as game was very likely to be making in one direction or the other. Lasserre ruffed the spade lead and played ace and another club. Mosca won and played a second spade, ruffed. When he won the next club, on which Sbarigia threw an unhelpful ♥6, Mosca had a second long thought before cashing the ace of hearts; down only two for -300 and 11 IMPs to France. France picked up three medium-sized swings over the remaining boards to come through to win by 48-40 IMPs, or 17-13 VPs.