France v Indonesia –
Seniors Round One
Two years ago in Paris the first Seniors Bowl featured just seven
teams, while here in Monte Carlo there is a field of sixteen as
this event takes its place alongside the Bermuda Bowl and Venice
Cup as a true World Championship, with every WBF zone represented
for the first time.
Round One saw a match between France, who have had great success
in European Senior competition, and Indonesia, a team that I fancy
to be in the medals at this tournament. The Senior Championship
is being played as a straight round robin with no knockout stage,
each match being played in two 12-board segments. The match started
with a bang for North/South with back-to-back slams to bid on the
first two deals.
Board 1. Dealer North. None
Vul. |
|
ª 10 8 5
© K Q 7
¨ K 6
§ Q 10 6 5 2 |
ª 9
© 8 5 4 2
¨ Q J 8 7 4 2
§ K 9 |
|
ª 7 6 4 3
© J 10 6
¨ 5 3
§ J 8 7 4 |
|
ª A K Q J 2
© A 9 3
¨ A 10 9
§ A 3 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Budirahardia |
Adad |
Sacul |
Aujaleu |
|
Pass |
Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
4NT |
Pass |
6ª |
All Pass |
|
|
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Mari |
Lasut |
Leenhardt |
Manoppo |
|
Pass |
Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
6NT |
All Pass |
|
Both Souths began with an artificial 2¨ opening then showed about
22-23 balanced with their rebid. Pierre Adad made an invitational
raise to 4NT and Maurice Aujaleu accepted, suggesting the alternative
spot of 6ª. Looking at a doubleton diamond and three trumps, Adad
passed 6ª out so the French pair reached the best contract on the
deal. After the lead of the queen of diamonds, Aujaleu won in dummy,
cashed two rounds of trumps then led up to the ¨A and ruffed his
diamond loser; +980.
Henky Lasut simply raised the 2NT rebid to 6NT. This is still
a decent contract, of course, but significantly inferior to the
spade slam. However, with the clubs lying as they were, Eddy Manoppo
could not go wrong; +990 and a flat board.
Board 2. Dealer East. N/S
Vul. |
|
ª A K J 10 9 8 4 3
© A 6 4
¨ 10
§ A |
ª Q 7 5 2
© 8 5
¨ Q 6
§ Q J 9 7 2 |
|
ª -
© J 9 7 2
¨ K 9 8 7 5 2
§ K 5 4 |
|
ª 6
© K Q 10 3
¨ A J 4 3
§ 10 8 6 3 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Budirahardia |
Adad |
Sacul |
Aujaleu |
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
2§ |
2¨ |
2NT |
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
4¨ |
Dble |
4© |
Pass |
5¨ |
Pass |
6ª |
All Pass |
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Mari |
Lasut |
Leenhardt |
Manoppo |
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
Lasut made the lazy opening bid of 4ª, where he played for +680,
giving an opportunity to France. Sure enough, Adad/Aujaleu took
advantage, bidding to the cold small slam. Two Clubs was game-forcing
and when Adad followed up by showing a powerful spade suit Aujaleu
was prepared to cuebid despite his small singleton spade. I am not
sure why his second cuebid was again in diamonds, but it got the
job done as Adad jumped to 6ª; +1430 and 13 IMPs to France.
Board 3. Dealer South. E/W
Vul. |
|
ª K 9 6 2
© K 6 4
¨ 10 8
§ A 6 4 2 |
ª 7
© A 5 3 2
¨ K Q 6 5 3
§ 10 8 3 |
|
ª Q J 10 3
© Q 10 9
¨ A J 9 7
§ Q 7 |
|
ª A 8 5 4
© J 8 7
¨ 4 2
§ K J 9 5 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Budirahardia |
Adad |
Sacul |
Aujaleu |
|
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
1¨ |
Pass |
1© |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
2© |
2ª |
Pass |
Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
3© |
All Pass |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Mari |
Lasut |
Leenhardt |
Manoppo |
|
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
1¨ |
Dble |
1© |
1ª |
Pass |
Pass |
3¨ |
All Pass |
|
|
|
|
|
Christian Mari,
France |
Denny Sacul’s 1¨
opening was Precision, promising only two cards in the suit if balanced
with five clubs. Still, Arwin Budirahhardia’s decision to
repeat the hearts before showing diamonds was a distinctly odd choice
and it convinced Sacul that his partner would have a fifth heart,
hence the correction to 3©
over 3¨.
Adad led a spade against 3© and Aujaleu won the ace and switched
to a trump. Budirahardia ran that to the king and back came a second
trump for the ten, jack and ace. Declarer could not get a club ruff
in dummy so his only hope was the ruffing spade finesse. He crossed
to the queen of hearts and ran the spade, pitching a club, but that
lost and the defence took two club tricks for down one; -100.
Francois Leenhardt’s 1¨ opening might have been three cards
in the other room but it would usually be four and it was easy for
Christian Mari to support the suit at his second turn. The defence
cashed two rounds of clubs then switched to a trump. Leenhardt ruffed
the club loser, drew the remaining trumps and took the double heart
finesse for nine tricks; +110 and 5 IMPs to France.
Board 6. Dealer East. E/W
Vul. |
|
ª 9 7 6 5 3
© Q 9 3
¨ 8
§ A K Q J |
ª 10 4
© J 10 7 5 4
¨ K Q
§ 10 7 5 2 |
|
ª A J 8 2
© K 2
¨ 10 9 6 3 2
§ 6 4 |
|
ª K Q
© A 8 6
¨ A J 7 5 4
§ 9 8 3 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Budirahardia |
Adad |
Sacul |
Aujaleu |
|
|
Pass |
1¨ |
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2§ |
Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Mari |
Lasut |
Leenhardt |
Manoppo |
|
|
Pass |
1¨ |
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2§ |
Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
|
|
Both Souths declared 3NT on the lead of a low heart. Aujaleu put
up dummy’s queen and ducked when that was headed by the king.
Sacul returned a heart and the suit was cleared. Aujaleu played
the ªQ to the ace and Sacul switched to a diamond for the ace and
king. Aujaleu cashed the king of spades then the clubs and conceded
down two for –100.
Mari also led a low heart but Manoppo played low from dummy, winning
the king with his ace. Manoppo played a spade honour and Leenhardt
won and switched to the ¨10 for the ace and queen. Manoppo cashed
the spade then crossed to a club to play another spade. There was
still time for the defence to switch back to hearts but when a diamond
was continued and declarer played low he had his ninth trick; +400
and 11 IMPs to Indonesia.
Board 12. Dealer West. N/S
Vul. |
|
ª A J 9 5 2
© K 10 9 4
¨ 9 6 3
§ 3 |
ª K Q 8 4
© J 8 5
¨ A J
§ 9 8 7 4 |
|
ª 7
© 7 6 2
¨ K Q 10 8 7 4
§ J 6 5 |
|
ª 10 6 3
© A Q 3
¨ 5 2
§ A K Q 10 2 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Budirahardia |
Adad |
Sacul |
Aujaleu |
Pass |
Pass |
3¨ |
Dble |
Pass |
4¨ |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
|
|
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Mari |
Lasut |
Leenhardt |
Manoppo |
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2§ |
2¨ |
Pass |
3¨ |
Dble |
All Pass |
|
Sacul opened 3¨ in third seat, which looks a middle of the road
action to me, and Aujaleu doubled. Adad’s decision to cuebid
rather than commit to spades led to Aujaeu playing a dictate four-three
fit. Budirahardia led out ace then jack of diamonds and Sacul overtook
to play a third round. Aujaleu ruffed with the queen then played
ace of hearts followed by a heart to the ten. It was good news when
the ©10 held the trick but more good fortune was still needed and
it duly materialized. Aujaleu cashed the ©K then led to the ace
of clubs and continued with the §K and §Q. The fall of the jack
enabled declarer to cash two more club tricks for +650.
Leenhardt did not open in third seat but came in at his next turn.
When Mari raised to 3¨, Lasut doubled, ending the auction. The Indonesians
had no difficulty in taking the first seven tricks but that was
that and three down for -500 was worth 4 IMPs to France.
The first half ended with France leading by 23-11 IMPs. In the second
half there was quite a bit more action as Indonesia recovered to
take a 58-44 IMP win, converting to a 17-13 VP win.
|