Round 1: France v Chinese Taipei – Seniors

One of the favourites for the Senior teams has to be the powerful French squad. They began their campaign against an experienced quartet from Chinese Taipei, and the match began with a bang.

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

West	North	East	South
Damiani	E Lin	Faigenbaum	Chang
	Pass	2©	Dble
Rdbl	Pass	Pass	2ª
Dble	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Hsia	Mari	S Lin	Chemla
	Pass	2©	Dble
Pass	3§	All Pass

Both Easts began with a weak two bid and both Souths made a take-out double. For Chinese Taipei, Hang-Jung Hsia passed quietly with the West cards and passed again when Christian Mari’s 3§ came around, fearing perhaps that a double would allow his opponents to run to a better spot. After a top heart lead and diamond switch, 3§ was not exactly a roaring success, as declarer was held to four spade tricks plus the ace of diamonds; down four for –200.

WBF President, Jose Damiani scented blood and redoubled 2©. I am sure that in theory Edward Lin’s pass should suggest that he thought 2© redoubled was the best place to play, as otherwise it is impossible ever to achieve that final contract, but passing it out would not have been very successful this time and Ching-Yu Chang removed to his chunky four-card spade suit. Damiani doubled 2ª, ending the auction. Damiani led a top club then switched to a trump, which Chang won in dummy to play a diamond to the jack and queen. Back came a second trump and he won then played two more rounds of diamonds. Damiani won and declarer could only come to his two top trumps; down three for –500 and 7 IMPs to France.

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

West	North	East	South
Damiani	E Lin	Faigenbaum	Chang
			Pass
Pass	1¨	Pass	1ª
Dble	Pass	3©	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Hsia	Mari	S Lin	Chemla
			Pass
1§	Dble	Rdbl	1ª
Pass	Pass	2NT	All Pass

Hsia opened the West hand and Steve Lin redoubled then jumped to 2NT at his next turn, ending the auction. Paul Chemla led a low spade to the ace and back came a second spade to the king. Now Chemla switched to his heart for the ten and king and Lin returned a heart, passing it to the queen. Mari switched to a low diamond and Lin went up with the king and cashed his winners. When the clubs failed to divide evenly, he was one down for –100.

Damiani did not open the 11-count but doubled for take-out at his next turn. With a useful fit for both unbid suits, Albert Faigenbaum jumped to 3©, where Lin found a sharp double. Ching-Yu Chang led a diamond to the ace and Lin switched to a low spade. Chang won and back came a second spade to the ace, followed by a third round, which Faigenbaum ruffed. He continued with a heart to the ace then the ©J for the queen and king. Declarer played a club to the queen then a low club towards his king and Lin ruffed, cashed the ten of trumps, then played a low diamond. Faigenbaum put in the jack and had the rest for down one; -200 and 3 IMPs to Chinese Taipei.

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

West	North	East	South
Damiani	E Lin	Faigenbaum	Chang
		1¨	1©
Dble	Rdbl	2¨	Pass
2©	Dble	3§	Pass
4¨	4©	5¨	Pass
Pass	Dble	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Hsia	Mari	S Lin	Chemla
		1¨	Pass
1ª	Pass	2¨	Pass
3§	Pass	4§	Pass
5¨	All Pass

Both East/West pairs reached the doomed diamond game but the auctions were quite different after Chang overcalled 1© while Chemla stayed silent. Facing a silent partner, there was no reason for Mari to get involved, and Lin played peacefully in 5¨ undoubled for –100.

Where Chang overcalled, Damiani made a negative double and Edward Lin redoubled when many would have shown immediate heart support. Lin continued by doubling Damiani’s 2© asking bid then bidding 4© over the forcing 4¨ raise, before finally doubling 5¨. The defence took two heart winners then switched to a trump. Faigenbaum won in dummy and tried a low spade. Though Lin went in with the ace, ruffed, the queen did not ruff out and there was no squeeze, so here too the contract was one down; -200 and 3 IMPs to Chinese Taipei.

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

West	North	East	South
Damiani	E Lin	Faigenbaum	Chang
			Pass
1§	Pass	1¨	Pass
1©	Pass	3§	Pass
3NT	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Hsia	Mari	S Lin	Chemla
			Pass
1§	Pass	1¨	Pass
1©	Pass	3NT	All Pass

After identical starts to the two auctions, Faigenbaum jumped to 3§, forcing, at his second turn, and Damiani bid the obvious 3NT, while Lin bid 3NT himself. The fate of the contract rested on which defender was on lead and this was not France’s lucky day. Lin led a heart against Damiani and the defence took the first six tricks for down two and –200. Chemla led a club and declarer had the first nine tricks for +600 and 13 IMPs to Chinese Taipei.

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

West	North	East	South
Damiani	E Lin	Faigenbaum	Chang
		1§	1©
Dble	3©	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Hsia	Mari	S Lin	Chemla
		1§	1©
1ª	4©	All Pass

Whether West bids his four-card spade suit or shows it via a negative double, North is in the same situation. Lin raised to 3© while Mari jumped to 4©, both ending the auction. Game was all about the trump finesse. When the king was onside Chemla had ten tricks for +620, while Chang played the queen to his ace to avoid the risk of a diamond ruff after a club lead to the ace and ace and another diamond switch, so made only +140; 10 IMPs to France.

The Frech team earned a moral victory by 20-19 IMPs, but that translated to a 15-15 VP draw, doing nobody any harm at this early stage of the championship.