A quiet first half saw all the teams finding it difficult to generate swings. Board 8 had slam potential but although every declarer made 12 tricks no-one managed to reach the six level.

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

In our featured match between France and Italy, here are the auctions that saw the North/South pairs fall short.

Once North/South had escaped from 1NTx into the safer haven of a diamond contract it was very difficult for East/West to do more than reach game.

Here one felt West might have done a little more although he must have been worried that the §K was waste paper. Of course 6© is not laydown but you would certainly not mind being there.

The second half was much more exciting. On the first board of the set five declarers attempted 3NT but only one of them succeeded. That was France's Frank Multon. He made two overtricks whilst at the other tables the contract failed by anywhere between 1 and 6 tricks!

Board 17. Dealer North. Love All ª K J 10 7 3 © 9 7 2 ¨ 10 6 2 § K 4 ª A Q ª 8 6 5 2 © A 5 3 © K J 8 4 ¨ K 5 ¨ Q 4 3 § A Q 7 6 5 2 § 10 8 ª 9 4 © Q 10 6 ¨ A J 9 8 7 § J 9 3

The unlucky declarer who went six down recieved the opening lead of the ¨6. He ran that to the queen and not unreasonably led a heart to the jack. When that lost to the queen and South switched to a spade the game was up. Multon was more fortunate. He got the lead of the ªJ which ran to his queen. He then found the excellent shot of the §A followed by a low club. The contract was now assured and South ran into dificulties when declarer cashed his club winners. He ended up with 11 tricks and 12 IMPs when his counterpart, faced with a diamond lead went 4 down.

The pressure of top level bridge was never better illustrated than on this deal:

Board 25. Dealer North. EW Game ª A 7 6 5 © 7 3 ¨ 7 § 10 9 8 6 5 4 ª Q 8 3 ª K J 10 9 © 9 5 © A K Q 10 8 ¨ A Q 6 4 2 ¨ 3 § A J 3 § K Q 7 ª 4 2 © J 6 4 2 ¨ K J 10 9 8 5 § 2 West North East South Multon Bocchi Mouiel Duboin Pass 1© 3¨ 3NT Pass 4NT All Pass

This was a pretty good auction all round. West was probably worried afterwards about his opposite number reaching a slam and so it turned out.

Perron led the §10 and declarer won and knocked out the ªA. You can see that when declarer cashes his black suit winners South is going to be squeezed in the red suits and that is exactly what happened. Alas at the critical moment declarer forgot his diamonds were winners and conceded a heart at the end to go one down.

These two big swings contributed to a second half score of 50-2 IMPs in favour of France.