France began the first session of their semifinal Venice Cup match against USA II with a carryover of 15.5 IMPs. In the early going, it looked as though that might be the margin at the end of the 16-board set.

The bidding and play were nearly identical on the first four boards - same contracts, same number of tricks each time. The first swing was a small one - 4 IMPs to the Americans - on Board 5.

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

West	North	East	South
Bessis	Breed	D'Ovidio	Quinn
	Pass	Pass	1§
3¨	All Pass

Even on the lead of a club, declarer does not look to have more than eight tricks, but Mildred Breed left nothing to chance by starting with the ª9. Shawn Quinn cashed her two spade winners, then switched to the ©K, followed by the ©J, ducked by Veronique Bessis. Declarer ruffed high on the next trick - a spade from Quinn - went to dummy with the trump ace, cashed the §A but there was nothing she could do with the losing heart and USA II recorded plus 50.

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Cronier	Jackson	Willard
	Pass	Pass	1§
1¨	Dble	1ª	Pass
2¨	All Pass

Petra Hamman's more conservative approached netted her side the small swing. She took the same eight tricks as Bessis to chalk up plus 90.

Both sides missed a chance for a much larger swing on the next deal.

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

The East-West pairs took a similar route to the spade game.

West	North	East	South
Bessis	Breed	D'Ovidio	Quinn
		1§	2¨
2ª	3¨	Pass	Pass
4ª	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Cronier	Jackson	Willard
		1§	1¨
1ª	2¨	Pass	3¨
4ª	All Pass

The contract can be defeated if North leads her singleton club. When she gets in with the ªQ, she can lead to her partner's ¨A and receive a club ruff. The ¨K would be the setting trick. Neither Breed nor Benedicte Cronier found the defense, however, making life easy for Hamman and Bessis by starting with a low diamond. There was no communication with the South hand any more, so declarer got home at both tables for another flat board.

Both sides bid to a good 6© on Board 7, both making 12 tricks for plus 1430, but France dropped another 4 IMPs on the next deal.

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

West	North	East	South
Bessis	Breed	D'Ovidio	Quinn
2ª	Pass	3ª	4©
All Pass

Only a major defensive breakdown could let Quinn take more than nine tricks, and Bessis and Catherine D'Ovidio did not err, defeating 4© one trick for plus 50.

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Cronier	Jackson	Willard
2ª	Pass	3ª	Dble
Pass	3NT	All Pass

Joan Jackson led a spade to Hamman's ace. A spade to the king and a third spade cleared the suit, and Cronier stole a trick with a heart to the jack. She could have cashed out for down two, but she played another heart. Jackson won the ace, then cashed the §A and played a club to her partner's king. When it was over, Cronier was down four for minus 200.

An miscommunication in the bidding by Breed and Quinn produced the first major swing.

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

West	North	East	South
Bessis	Breed	D'Ovidio	Quinn
	Pass	1§	1©
1NT	Dble	2§	Pass
Pass	Dble	3§	All Pass

Breed's double showed the unbid suits, which she explained to D'Ovidio on their side of the screen. Quinn, however, did not alert, so she apparently did not interpret the double as responsive, thus North-South went quietly on a deal in which they can make game in spades.

Quinn started with a low heart against the club contract, and D'Ovidio put up the queen. A diamond from dummy was next, and Breed rose with the ace to return a heart. D'Ovidio won the ace, cashed the §A and the §K and played on diamonds. The defense had a trump and a spade coming. France was plus 130.

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Cronier	Jackson	Willard
	Pass	1§	1©
Pass	1ª	2§	2ª
3§	4ª	All Pass

Cronier and Sylvie Willard bid their way to the good game - all Cronier had to do was make it. Jackson started with the ¨K to Cronier's ace, and she immediately led a heart to the jack and queen. A diamond was returned, and Cronier put up the 10, ducked by Jackson. Next came Cronier's second heart, and Jackson won the ace perforce. She played the §A and a club to the queen and king, ruffed by declarer. A diamond was ruffed to dummy, and Cronier took the right view in spades, playing to the 9 in her hand. She was soon claiming plus 420. France was ahead, 26.5-8.

France earned another 13 IMPs on Board 13, but they could just as easily have lost 13.

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

West	North	East	South
Bessis	Breed	D'Ovidio	Quinn
	2¨ (1)	Pass	Pass
Dble	2©	Pass	Pass
3ª	Pass	4ª	All Pass

(1) Weak two-bid in either major.

Quinn's pass seems to have been based on the assumption that her partner's suit was spades. D'Ovidio's simple raise to 4ª was somewhat conservative considering her assets: trump support, a singleton and an ace. Her decision on this deal was the right one - West can do no better than 11 tricks. Bessis won the ©Q lead in hand with the ace, cashed two high spades, learning of the bad break. She then ruffed a heart and played a diamond to the queen. Breed ruffed, but the defenders had only one more trick coming. Bessis was plus 650.

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Cronier	Jackson	Willard
	Pass	Pass	Pass
2§	2©	Pass	Pass
2ª	Pass	4©	Pass
5¨	Pass	6§	Dble
6©	Pass	6ª	All Pass

The good slam needed no more than 2-2 spades, but luck was with the French this time. Cronier led the §2, taken by the ace in dummy. Hamman took the same 11 tricks as Bessis for down one and 13 IMPs to France, whose lead had grown to 39.5-9.

USA II earned a couple of overtrick IMPs on Board 14 - Jackson made 12 tricks in 3NT while Bessis took only 10 in the same contract - and they scored another 5 IMPs by going plus 100 at both tables.

The set ended at 39.5-16 for France with a long way to go to the finish.