|
France
vs Norway
European teams have won six of the seven previous Championships,
and both these teams would be hoping to increase that number
by one.
The match turned out to be a low scoring affair, with only three
significant swings.
|
Board 3. Dealer South.
East/West Vul
|
| |
ª 9 8
6
© -
¨ J 10
3
§ K 10
9 8 7 3 2 |
ª
A Q J 10 5 3
© K 7
¨ K 5 4
§ 5 4 |
 |
ª
K 7 4 2
© Q J 5
4 3 2
¨ 8
§ A J |
| |
ª -
© A 10
9 8 6
¨ A Q 9
7 6 2
§ Q 6 |
|
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Harr |
Bessis |
Kvangraven |
de Tessieres |
| |
|
|
1© |
| 1ª |
Pass |
2© |
3¨ |
| 4ª |
5§ |
5ª |
All Pass |
|
Thomas Bessis, France
|
|
The South hand is of a type that
has been presented to most of the World's distinguished bidding
panels, and they are firmly in favour of bidding One Diamond
- at least on a piece of paper. When East showed a good raise
in spades and West went to game, North was able to deduce that
his partner was likely to have some help in clubs and found
the courageous bid of Five Clubs.
East went on to Five Spades and North led the jack of diamonds.
South took the ace and switched to the ace of hearts. North
scored a heart ruff for +100.
|
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Bessis |
Charlsen |
Ellested |
Gaviard |
| |
|
|
1© |
| 1ª |
Pass |
4ª |
4NT |
| Dble |
5§ |
Dble |
5¨ |
| Dble |
All Pass |
|
|
This time North-South were allowed to play the hand. West led
the ace of spades and South ruffed and played the queen of clubs.
East has to duck that in order to defeat the contract, but he
made the mistake of winning, perhaps hoping to score his jack
on the next round of the suit. However, declarer made no mistake
and recorded 11 tricks, +550 and 10 IMPs for Norway.
|
Session 2. Board 10.
Dealer East. All Vul.
|
| |
ª A
© 8 3
2
¨ K J 2
§ A 10
9 6 5 3 |
ª
K 10 5
© A 10 6
¨ Q 9 6 4
3
§ 7 4 |
|
ª
9 7 4 3
© K Q 4
¨ 10 7
§ K J 8
2 |
| |
ª Q J
8 6 2
© J 9
7 5
¨ A 8 5
§ Q |
|
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Harr |
Bessis |
Kvangraven |
de Tessieres |
| |
|
Pass |
Pass |
| Pass |
1§ |
Pass |
2§! |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
There is nothing on the convention card to indicate why South
might respond Two Clubs, especially since the opening bid might
have been on a three card suit. East led a top heart and switched
to the tem of diamonds. North won and played a low club but
East went in with the king and played a second diamond ruff.
He eventually collected a diamond ruff to go with three hearts
and two trump tricks, +100.
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Bessis |
Charlsen |
Ellested |
Gaviard |
| |
|
Pass |
Pass |
| Pass |
1§ |
Pass |
1ª |
| Pass |
2§ |
Pass |
2© |
| All Pass |
|
|
|
South has to play carefully to make Two Hearts. West led the
three of diamonds to dummy's jack, and declarer cashed dummy's
black aces. There are various ways to get home from here but
also ways to go down - ruffing a low club at this point for
example. However, declarer took one of the winning lines to
record +110.
|
Session 2. Board 15.
Dealer South. N/S Vul.
|
| |
ª 7 2
© A Q
10 6 4 2
¨ Q J 10
8
§ 4 |
ª
J 9 5 3
© J 3
¨ A 9 6
§ J 8 6
5 |
|
ª
A K Q 10 8
© -
¨ K 3
§ K Q 10
9 7 2 |
| |
ª 6 4
© K 9
8 7 5
¨ 7 5 4
2
§ A 3 |
|
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Harr |
Bessis |
Kvangraven |
de Tessieres |
| |
|
|
Pass |
| Pass |
2© |
4§ |
4© |
| 4ª |
5¨ |
5© |
Pass |
| 6¨ |
Pass |
6ª |
All Pass |
Four Clubs was 'Leaping Michaels' promising spades as well.
When West was able to bid Four Spades, East only needed to find
his partner with a minor suit ace to be reasonably confident
that Six spades would be cold and so it proved.
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Bessis |
Charlsen |
Ellested |
Gaviard |
| |
|
|
Pass |
| Pass |
1© |
2© |
3© |
| 4ª |
Pass |
5§ |
Pass |
| 5ª |
All Pass |
|
|
Gunnar Harr, Norway |
|
Here the more frequent version of
the Michaels convention came into play. For reasons best known
to himself West did not cue bid his ace of diamonds. From East's
point of view it was possible his partner's ace, if he had one,
was in clubs but it was too risky to go on.
Perhaps East might have bid Five Hearts, suggesting a control
in every suit, rather than Five Clubs but you need to be thinking
along the same lines to make such a bid.
Missing the slam cost France 11 IMPs. |
|
Session 2. Board 16.
Dealer West. E/W Vul.
|
| |
ª K 8
7
© A 4
3
¨ J 8 6
§ Q 10
5 4 |
ª
9 5 3
© 10 9 6
¨ Q 3 2
§ 7 6 3
2 |
|
ª
A Q 10 6 2
© Q
¨ A 7
§ A K J
9 8 |
| |
ª J 4
© K J
8 7 5 2
¨ K 10
9 5 4
§ - |
|
| Open Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Harr |
Bessis |
Kvangraven |
de Tessieres |
| Pass |
Pass |
1ª |
3§ |
| Pass |
3© |
4§ |
Pass |
| Pass |
Dble |
All Pass |
|
North did well to double Four Clubs. Declarer ruffed the second
round of hearts and casshed the ace of spades. A winning guess
in spades would allow him to escape for one down, but he got
it wrong and was -500.
| Closed Room |
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| Bessis |
Charlsen |
Ellested |
Gaviard |
| Pass |
Pass |
1§ |
2NT |
| Pass |
3§ |
3ª |
Pass |
| 4§ |
All Pass |
|
|
This time declare escaped for one down, so France picked up
9 IMPs. However, it was Norway who won, 35-20 IMPs.
|
