By Sam Leckie

The only English team to survive to the last thirty-two of the Power Rosenblum was Monachan (Hackett, Hackett, Wright, Hallberg).

In that round they met the strong French team Multon, with its host of World Champions. In the first set of boards there were many big swings including two slam deals that went in favour of the English.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª A 9 5 3 2 © 4 ¨ K 4 3 2 § 10 7 2
ª K Q 8 6 © A K Q 9 6 2 ¨ 5 § 6 4		ª 10 © J 10 ¨ A Q J 10 8 § A K Q J 3
	ª J 7 4 © 8 7 5 3 ¨ 9 7 6 § 9 8 5

West	North	East	South
Justin		Jason
			Pass
1©	1ª	2¨	Pass
3©	Pass	4NT*	Pass
5ª*	Pass	6©	All Pass

Nothing to the play, +980.

West	North	East	South
	Izisel		Pilon
1©	1ª	2¨	Pass
2©	Pass	3§	Pass
3NT	Pass	4§	Pass
4©	Pass	4NT	All Pass

Did East intend 4NT as Blackwood? Of course the same twelve tricks were made.

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

The French pair bid to Six Hearts, a good slam, which at worst depends on finding the jack of spades with a fair chance of the suit being led for you. It wasn't and declarer misguessed for one down.

West	North	East	South
	Wright		Hallberg
Pass	1©	Pass	2NT*
Pass	4¨*	Pass	4©
Pass	5§*	Pass	5¨*
Pass	5©	All Pass

Afraid of a spade lead Wright did not bid the slam and these two boards contributed to the first quarter score of 94-70 in favour of Monachan.

From Our Austrian Correspondent

Austria's Jovi Smederevac can always be relied upon to provide us with interesting deals. These are from the match against Venezuela in the qualifying stage of the McConnell.

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

West	North	East	South
Daryanani	Erhart	Pacheco	Smederevac
		2ª	Pass
2NT*	Pass	3ª	Pass
4NT*	Pass	5¨*	Pass
5ª	All Pass

West may have been a little over optimistic, but it still took careful defence to defeat Five Spades. South led a club and declarer took the ace, unblocked the king of spades and exited with a club. North took the trick and switched to a diamond. South did not make the mistake of putting in the jack and declarer had no way to escape from the dummy without losing two more tricks. Declarer tried two more rounds of diamonds but North ruffed with the queen of spades and South still had a trump trick.

However, there is a way for declarer to succeed as the cards lie. After winning the first two tricks declarer cashes two diamonds before exiting with a club. Now the defenders are helpless, as it is no longer possible to lock declarer in dummy. Of course, if North then exits with a heart declarer will play three rounds of the suit and ruff in hand with the jack of spades.

At the other table East/West stopped in 3NT, making an overtick for 12 IMPs to Austria.

Venezuela hit back with a slam swing:

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

West	North	East	South
Daryanani	Erhart	Pacheco	Smederevac
1§*	Pass	1©	Pass
2©	Pass	2ª*	Pass
4©	Pass	4NT*	Pass
5ª*	Pass	6§	Pass
6©	All Pass

The 4-3 fit was the only winning spot this time - declarer could win the diamond lead, draw trumps in three rounds and play three rounds of clubs, ruffing the last and claiming twelve tricks. Austria stopped in game in the other room to lose 13 IMPs, but won the match 44-34, 17-13 VP.