All in the family

When it comes to bridge, the name Bessis has elevated status, especially in France. This year, four members of the family competed to represent France in world competition: Michel in the Open European championships in Salsomaggiore; wife Veronique in the Women's teams at the same location, and sons Olivier and Thomas at the Junior championships in Torquay, England.

In round four of the Rosenblum Knockout Teams, the Bessis boys found themselves going against the Jeremy Dhondy squad from England. The set started well for the young players: Olivier and Thomas plus Julien Gaviard and Godefroy De Tessieres.

Early in the set , playing against Alan Kay and Graham Horsley, Olivier and De Tessieres went way overboard, bidding to 6ª, down two. On the next board, Olivier managed only four tricks in 2NT for another minus 200, but this one was an excellent result.

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

West	North	East	South
Kay	Olivier B	Horsley	De Tessieres
			Pass
2¨ (1)	Pass	2ª	Pass
Pass	2NT	All Pass

(1) Multi.

2NT was natural, if off-shape. Perhaps Horsley was fearful that North-South would run to clubs if he doubled 2NT, but North-South were already too high. The dummy was a disappointment to young Bessis, who took two spades, one diamond and a heart for minus 200.

At the other table, the French East-West pair reached the vulnerable 3NT, which can be defeated with a club lead or a spade lead and a club shift. North-South did not find the killing defense to 3NT, however, and the young team earned a 10-IMP swing for plus 630. Board 5 was another swing for the French.

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

West	North	East	South
Kay	Olivier B	Horsley	De Tessieres
	1NT	2ª	Dble (1)
Pass	2NT	Pass	3¨
Pass	3NT	All Pass

Indicating invitational values.

The only lead to defeat this optimistic contract is a club. If declarer ducks, so does West. East will eventually get in to push another club through to scuttle the contract. If declarer goes up with dummy's queen, West win the §A and pushes a spade through. Try as he might, declarer will end up short of nine tricks. Horsley not unnaturally led the suit he had bid, and Olivier was quickly home with an overtrick when the defensive discarded was less than accurate.

Naturally, North-South at the other table played a part score.

The final board of the first half was a triumph for the Juniors, who were in the lead 44-27 at the break.

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

West	North	East	South
Kay	Olivier B	Horsley	De Tessieres
		1ª	Pass
2¨	2©	3¨	3©
5¨	5©	Pass	Pass
Dble	All Pass

Horsley started with the ¨K, ruffed, and Olivier followed immediately with the §J, on which Horsley played low, a decision he would soon regret.

Olivier went up with dummy's §K, played the ©J to the king and ace, played a heart to dummy's 10. He then ruffed another diamond and exited with a club to East's now-singleton ace. Horsley forlornly underled his ªA to the 2, 10 and king and young Bessis had only to lead up to the queen for his 11th trick. That was plus 850.

At the other table, North-South doubled 5¨, defeating it a trick for plus 200 and a 12-IMP loss.

It is interesting to note that even if Horsley makes the right play in clubs, rising with the ace at trick two, West must be alert enough to get rid of one or both of his spades to avoid a disastrous ending in which declarer, after eliminating diamonds and clubs, leads a spade to dummy's queen and then a low spade from dummy, ducking to take advantage of the blockage.

The teams switched sides for the second half, so the open room featured Thomas Bessis and Gaviard against Dhondy and Keith Bennett.

Things went much better for the team from England this time, as they trounced the Juniors 41-16 to win a close match by 8 IMPs.

This was the one of several reverses for the French team.

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

West	North	East	South
Dhondy	Gaviard	Bennett	Thomas B.
Pass	1§	Pass	1ª
Pass	1NT	Pass	2§ (1)
Pass	2¨	Pass	3NT
All Pass

(1) Relay to 2¨.

Bennett started the ©10 against the inferior 3NT contract - 4ª was made with an overtrick at the other table - and the queen won perforce. Trying to protect his ©K, Gaviard ran the ªJ to Bennett's queen. Bennett took his best shot, playing partner for an entry in clubs. It was just what Bennett hoped for, and Dhondy had a heart on the table soon after winning the ace. That was two down and plus 100, an 11-IMP pickup since North-South made an overtrick in 4ª at the other table.

Thomas Bessis played well to land a vulnerable game on this deal.

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

West	North	East	South
Dhondy	Gaviard	Bennett	Thomas B.
Pass	Pass	1¨	1©
3¨ (1)	3©	Pass	4©
All Pass

(1) Weak.

West started with the the §Q, ducked all around. Thomas ruffed the club continuation and played the ©Q to the ace, followed by a diamond to the queen, the ¨A and a diamond ruff. A club ruff eliminated that suit, and Thomas put East in with the ©K. Rather than lead away from the king, Bennett gave declarer a ruff-sluff with the ¨K. He lost a trick on the end but had his 10 tricks for a push. Thanks to the ª10, it didn't matter which opponent won the trump king. As long as the opponents were leading spades, young Bessis could hold his losers in the suit to one.