Strong start

France, the defending open champions in the 11th World Teams Bridge Olympiad, got off to a fine start in their quest for a third straight victory in the event. In the opening-round match, France thrashed the Czech Republic, 73-32. Should France repeat as champions, they will tie the record for consecutive wins in the Olympiad, set by Italy in 1964, 1968 and 1972.

On opening day of the Olympiad, the French drew blood immediately.

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

Vit Volhejn started with the ªK, taken by Alain Levy with the ace. He played the ¨K and a low diamond to the queen and ace, returning to dummy with another diamond to play a heart to his queen. Volhejn won the ©K and cashed his spades, but that was it for the defenders. Levy had five diamonds, two hearts and two black aces for plus 400.

At the other table:

The opening lead from Maurice Salama was also the ªK, but Petr Jires ducked at trick one. He won the second round of spades perforce and started on diamonds. Unfortunately for his sides, after he got the good news in diamonds, he cashed three more rounds, apparently trying to put pressure on the defenders. The upshot was that when he established his second heart trick, he had no way to get to it. The result was down one and 10 IMPs to France.

Board 4 was another disaster for the Czechs.

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

Levy played expertly to take nine tricks after Volhejn led the ©Q. Levy won the king and played a club to dummy's king. Another club went to his 10. When that held, Levy played a spade to the 9, 10 and jack. Fort exited with the ¨J, covered by the queen and ace. Levy ducked the diamond return, winning the third round in dummy with the king. He then played a club to the queen and ace and cashed the 13th club. The deal was an open book at that point. Levy played a spade to dummy's ace and floated the ©4 to the East, who had to lead into Levy's ©A 10 at the end. Plus 150.

The 4-3 spade fit might have worked out, but not on this deal. Allegrini was delighted to put the ax to the spade contract, which was down three for minus 800 and 14 IMPs to France. The score was 26-0. It got worse on the next board when the Czechs stopped at 2NT on 26 high-card points, going plus 150, while the French bid the game for plus 600 and a 36-0 lead.

The lead had grown to 38-0 before the Czech Republic scored a single IMP.

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

Not everyone would wheel out the unusual 2NT with the West hand, which had good shape but two somewhat anemic suits. The bid did manage to push the opponents well past the level at which they could score a plus. Kopriva managed only seven tricks for minus 200. That was better than the score they were going to get for 3§ doubled, however. That contract was going to make.

East, in bidding 4§ with only three trumps, obviously took West's 2NT much more seriously than West's cards warranted. 4§ was due to go down, but Levy was apparently convinced that the opponents were trying to steal from him. Chemla, not picturing Levy's hefty heart suit, preferred his own suit. He was not happy at the four level, and finished three in arrears for minus 300 and a 3-IMP gain for the Czechs.

On the next board, French declarers managed to find seven tricks in 1NT in both rooms for a gain of 5 IMPs.

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

Volhejn started with a low spade to the 7, queen and 4. Fort continued with the ¨9, covered by the 10 and queen. East helped declarer by getting out with the §9 to the 6, jack and king. When Levy played a second club, Volhejn went in with the ace and tried another suit - hearts. Levy won the queen in his hand and cashed out. His seven tricks consisted of three hearts, three clubs and one spade. Plus 90 for France.

Play records were not immediately available, but Salama scored seven tricks to land his contract and help his team to a 5-IMP gain.

The Czechs finally broke through with a 12-IMP gain when Volhejn made a fine play to land a vulnerable game.

Board 13. Dealer North. Both Vul.
	ª K 10 8 3 © 9 7 3 2 ¨ 5 § Q 10 9 2
ª 5 © K Q 6 5 ¨ A K Q 4 2 § A 6 4		ª A J © 10 8 ¨ J 10 7 6 3 § 8 7 5 3
	ª Q 9 7 6 4 2 © A J 4 ¨ 9 8 § K J

Chemla started with a low spade to the king and ace. Volhejn thought about his next play for a moment, then put the ©10 on the table. Chemla played low, and Volhejn could make his contract if he could work out to let the 10 ride. He considered his play for some time before doing just that! He now had three hearts to go with five diamonds, the ªA, a spade ruff and the §A. Plus 600. The same contract was reached at the other table, but the defense did not slip, and the French declarer finished down one for minus 100. That was 12 IMPs to the Czechs.

Board 15 was a push, but it was an interesting deal, more for what might - or should -- have happened than for what actually transpired.

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

With five tricks to lose off the top, this contract had no chance and Kopriva duly finished down one for minus 100.

North and South have 20 high-card points between them but suffer from a severe shortage of aces and kings. Thus, timing was critical for Levy in his quest for seven tricks.

East started with the ¨10. Fort won the ace and played back the ¨Q. Looking at a double stopper, it seems normal to win trick two with the ¨K, and indeed that is what Levy did (the same play roughly 10 other declarers in 1NT at other tables in the first round). The play was fatal to the contract.

Levy won with the ¨K and played the ©J to East's ace. The diamond suit was cleared, and when Levy continued with a heart to West's king, it was a simple matter for West to play the §A and a club to East, who was waiting with two diamond tricks for down one.

The outcome would have been better for Levy had he played low on the ¨Q at trick two. With the heart and club honors separated, Levy would have had time to build a heart trick before the diamond suit was established for the defense.

France picked up another 10 IMPs by bidding a vulnerable game the Czechs missed, and 12 more when they bid the correct game (3NT) while the Czechs languished in an impossible 4©.

The Czechs engineered a slam swing on the final board, but it was not nearly enough.

Board 20. Dealer West. Both Vul.
	ª A K 3 © J 6 ¨ K 9 6 4 § A J 9 8
ª 10 9 7 6 5 © K 5 4 ¨ J 8 § K 6 3		ª 8 4 © 9 3 ¨ Q 7 3 2 § Q 10 7 5 2
	ª Q J 2 © A Q 10 8 7 2 ¨ A 10 5 § 4

The Czechs started with another very aggressive bid, and Levy-Chemla settled for game only. Levy easily made 12 tricks, however, squeezing East in the minors. He won the spade opening in dummy and, fearing a spade ruff should the heart finesse lose, he played the ©A and another heart. West won and continued spades, but from there it was easy for Levy to ruff two clubs in dummy and finish the hearts. In the end, East had to find a discard from ¨Q 7 3 §Q and he could not stop 12 tricks.

The Czech bidding and play were not immediately available, but they managed to reach the slam, making it, presumably, on the same line of play.

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