Round 5 – France vs Canada

In this match both French pairs played very well, and when some of the Canadian players didn’t have their best day the result could only be a big win for the home nation.

Canada won 7 IMPs on the first board since Grenthe/Grenthe didn’t reach a laydown game while Bessis/Gaviard were doubled in 2ª, down three. On the next board it was the Canadian pair, Wolpert/Demuy missing a game and France had equalized.

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

West	North	East	South
Wolpert	T. Bessis	Demuy	Gaviard
			1NT
Pass	2§	Pass	2NT
Pass	4¨	Pass	4ª
All Pass

West	North	East	South
G. Grenthe	Grainger	J. Grenthe	Lavee
			1NT
Pass	2§	Pass	2©
Pass	2ª	All Pass

In the Closed Room, David Grainger got the mean club lead and scored +140.

In the Open Room, Julien Gaviard opened 1NT (15-17) and later found himself playing game after Thomas Bessis’ optimistic transfer to 4ª. Gavin Wolpert led a helpful diamond, solving that suit for declarer. Gaviard won with ¨J andcontinued with a heart to the king. East won the ace and switched to a club. If the declarer now takes the trump finesse he will go down but Gaviard found the correct way; he took the tops in trump and ran diamonds pitching a club loser from hand. Now there was only a spade trick and a heart trick for the defence. Very nicely played by Gaviard and 10 well-earned IMPs to France.

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

West	North	East	South
Wolpert	T. Bessis	Demuy	Gaviard
		Pass	1¨
Pass	1©	Pass	4©
Pass	4NT	Pass	5§
Pass(!)	6©	All Pass

West	North	East	South
G. Grenthe	Grainger	J. Grenthe	Lavee
		Pass	1¨
Pass	1©	Pass	1ª
Pass	3©	Pass	3ª
Pass	3NT	Pass	4©
Pass	4ª	Pass	4NT
Pass	5¨	Pass	6©
All Pass

The Blackwood Grainger/Lavee use could have been giving them a good result on Board 10. Jerome Grenthe’s only clue for the lead was that West didn’t double 5¨. Therefore leading ª10 would be a reasonable choice. As on many other boards in this match, Jerome found the killing lead. This time he produced §9 and declarer was doomed to go down. Well done!

Very surprisingly West passed 5§ (showing three aces) in the Open Room. My opinion is that it is a clear error not to double 5§. No bridge player in the world now can find the successful club lead after a pass, because if a club lead was right your partner would have doubled 5§. East therefore excluded clubs when choosing a lead. In practice he played ª10 and it was all over. 17 IMPs lost by West in the Open Room.
At half-time France led by 38 IMPs to 9.

Board 14. None Vul. Dealer East.
	ª J 10 9 8 7 © - ¨ J 4 3 § A Q 10 7 4
ª A 6 3 © 10 8 7 4 3 ¨ K 5 2 § 9 6		ª K 2 © K J 6 5 2 ¨ 10 8 7 6 § K 5
	ª Q 5 4 © A Q 9 ¨ A Q 9 § J 8 3 2

West	North	East	South
Wolpert	T. Bessis	Demuy	Gaviard
		Pass	1§
Pass	1ª	Dble	1NT
2©	3§	3©	3NT
All Pass

West	North	East	South
G. Grenthe	Grainger	J. Grenthe	Lavee
		2©	Dble
4©	4ª	All Pass

In the Closed Room East opened 2©, showing five hearts and a minor. Guillaume Grenthe didn’t give N/S any space, bidding 4©. North tried 4ª, but that contract went one off after another nice lead by Jerome Grenthe, ¨8. Well done not to lead a heart.

Julien Gaviard played his 3NT excellently at the other table, which is why France gained 10 more IMPs. A heart lead would be preferred, but West led a diamond, giving the declarer some hope. Gaviard took the trick with ¨J, then ªJ to East’s king. East went on with diamonds, but declarer jumped up with his ace, blocking West’s king, and now successfully changed foot letting §J run. East won with the king but couldn’t prevent declarer taking nine tricks. Note that if declarer had continued with a spade, instead of giving away a club trick, West would have won with the ace and cashed the king of diamonds establishing East’s fourth diamond. East would then sooner or later win a club trick and beat the contract with his diamond winner.

Now put yourself on East’s chair. West leads §7 (first, third or fifth) to your ace, dummy plays §4 and declarer the §2. What do you continue with? South is playing 4ª after the auction 1ª – 2ª – 4ª.

	ª J 3 2 © K Q 6 ¨ Q 7 4 2 § Q 8 4
		ª 9 5 © A 10 9 2 ¨ J 10 9 § A 9 5 3

Demuy of the Canadian team had to find the right continuation. Can you?
When he played another club, the declarer made his contract. The full layout was:

Board 18. N/S Vul. Dealer East.
	ª J 3 2 © K Q 6 ¨ Q 7 4 2 § Q 8 4
ª 10 © J 8 7 4 ¨ K 6 5 3 § K J 7 6		ª 9 5 © A 10 9 2 ¨ J 10 9 § A 9 5 3
	ª A K Q 8 7 6 4 © 5 3 ¨ A 8 § 10 2

In practise it’s not so easy to defeat 4ª. First, West needs to find a club lead, then East has to find the diamond shift. Declarer will of course let the diamond run towards the dummy and West wins the trick with the king. Now it’s also necessary for West to cash the second club winner immediately, otherwise it will go up in smoke, as declarer later will pitch a club on the queen of diamonds.

Neither defence found the winning line and the board was a flat one – a chance missed to win 12 IMPs for both teams.

What do you bid with this hand?

ª A 7 5 © 6 ¨ 9 8 3 § A Q 10 8 5 4

West	North	East	South
Pass	1¨	1ª	Pass
2§	2©	Pass	4©
?

Gavin Wolpert went for game bonus and bid 4ª. No reward was forthcoming.

Board 20. All Vul. Dealer West.
	ª 6 © A J 3 2 ¨ A K J 5 4 2 § 9 7
ª A 7 5 © 6 ¨ 9 8 3 § A Q 10 8 5 4		ª K J 8 4 3 © K Q 7 4 ¨ 10 6 § J 3
	ª Q 10 9 2 © 10 9 8 5 ¨ Q 7 § K 6 2

West	North	East	South
Wolpert	T. Bessis	Demuy	Gaviard
Pass	1¨	1ª	Pass
2§	2©	Pass	4©
4ª	Dble	All Pass

West	North	East	South
G. Grenthe	Grainger	J. Grenthe	Lavee
1§	1¨	1ª	1NT
2§	2©	Pass	Pass
2ª	3¨	Pass	4©
Dble	All Pass

First Daniel Lavee passed on the second round of bidding, then he all of a sudden revalued his cards enough to bid 4©. That was a bad judgement since he could expect two club losers and a spade loser. North isn’t likely to have 17 HCPs, which is what is needed to make game. If North had a strong hand, he probably would have doubled the 1§ opening. According to N/S’s bidding, West doubled, knowing his partner should have four hearts. After a club lead the declarer only managed to take six tricks; 1100 for France.

Wolpert tried game in the opposite direction in the Open Room. South didn’t even need a second to produce a double. North led ace, king and another diamond. South over-ruffed and the defence had taken the first three tricks. Declarer had to lose a heart and a trump trick for another good result for the French; N/S +500. 17 IMPs danced in for France.

Both French pairs played almost error-free bridge and earned their maximum win by 25 to 4 VPs (78-19 IMPs). This brilliant display improves the French team’s chance to take a place in the semi-finals.