France Power Past
The Netherlands
The French Women's team had performed heroics in the Round Robin
stage of the competition, moving from last to first over the nine
rounds. After two sessions of their semi-final they enjoyed a 12
IMP lead over The Netherlands. The third session proved to be decisive.
Dealer South. East/West Vul |
|
ª
Q J 3
© 2
¨ J 10 7 6 2
§ A J 9 5 |
ª
10 9 5
© 10 4
¨ A 9 8 5
§ 8 6 4 3 |
|
ª
K 4
© A Q 8 5 3
¨ K 4 3
§ K 10 7 |
|
ª
A 8 7 6 2
© K J 9 7 6
¨ Q
§ Q 2 |
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Willard |
Pasman |
Cronier |
Simons |
|
|
|
1ª |
Pass |
2NT* |
Pass |
3© |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
West led the five of spades and declarer put up the queen, covered
by the king and ace. The queen of diamonds lost to the king and
East returned a spade. Declarer won in dummy and ran the jack of
diamonds, discarding a heart from hand. She still had to lose a
trump, a heart and a club, two down, -100.
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Van der Pas |
D'Ovideo |
Vriend |
Bessis |
|
|
|
1ª |
Pass |
1NT* |
2© |
Pass |
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
|
|
North/South can collect an easy 500 from Two Hearts, but in the
present era it is very difficult to make a low level double that
is penalty orientated. West led the ten of hearts and East took
the ace. A red suit continuation will defeat the game, but the cunning
switch to the four of spades put declarer in with a chance. She
won the trick with dummy's jack and played a diamond (playing a
low spade first and then the queen of diamonds leaves the defenders
without recourse). East could have saved the day by going up with
the king of diamonds and playing the king of spades, but that was
a difficult play to find and when she played low the queen forced
out the ace. Declarer had to lose a club, but that was all, as their
was no trump loser and the ruffing diamond finesse was a winner.
+420 and a big swing to France.
Dealer North. North/South Vul
|
|
ª
J 9 7 5 3
© K Q 9
¨ Q J 8 6 3
§ - |
ª
Q 4
© A 6 5
¨ K 5
§ K 9 8 4 3 2 |
|
ª
8 2
© 8 7 3
¨ A 10 7
§ A 10 7 6 5 |
|
ª
A K 10 6
© J 10 4 2
¨ 9 4 2
§ Q J |
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Willard |
Pasman |
Cronier |
Simons |
|
Pass |
Pass |
1© |
2§ |
Dble |
2© |
2ª |
Pass |
4ª |
5§ |
Dble |
Pass |
5ª |
All Pass |
|
Was North wrong to pull the double? It was certainly wrong in practice,
as Five Spades had no play at all. West led the four of clubs and
declarer finished one down, -100.
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Van der Pas |
D'Ovideo |
Vriend |
Bessis |
|
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
1§ |
1ª |
3§ |
3ª |
4§ |
4¨ |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
|
|
East led the seven of hearts, and when West put up the ace, North
dropped the queen, which may have been a mistake. After some thought
Van der Pas switched to the king of diamonds and had saved the day,
as the defenders took the next three tricks. Well done!
Dealer East. East/West Vul |
|
ª
8 6
© A K 5
¨ Q 8 6 3 2
§ 5 4 3 |
ª
A 2
© Q J 10 8 7 4
3 2
¨ -
§ K 10 6 |
|
ª
K Q J 10 5 3
© 9
¨ A K J 9 4
§ J |
|
ª
9 7 4
© 6
¨ 10 7 5
§ A Q 9 8 7
2 |
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Willard |
Pasman |
Cronier |
Simons |
|
|
1ª |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
3© |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
You would obviously like to play the East/West cards in Four Hearts,
but how should you get there?
South led the six of hearts and North won with the king and played
a club. South took the ace and returned the suit. Eleven tricks
are possible now, but declarer played safely for ten, ruffing one
diamond in dummy and giving up a diamond at the end, +620.
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Van der Pas |
D'Ovideo |
Vriend |
Bessis |
|
|
1ª |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
3¨ |
Pass |
4© |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
For my money Four Hearts suggests that you are not interested in
partner's suits, but the final contract was the same, as was the
opening lead. North won with the ace and switched to the eight of
spades. Declarer won in hand with the ten, ruffed a diamond and
played the queen of hearts. (The king of clubs is a plausible alternative).
When North declined to cover the obvious thing to do is discard
the jack of clubs and declarer had almost detached that card from
her hand when she changed her mind and preferred a diamond. South
could ruff, and the defenders still had to come to a club and a
diamond for one down. -100 and another double figure swing to France.
Dealer South. All Vul |
|
ª
K J 9 4 3
© 8 5 3 2
¨ Q J 10 7
§ - |
ª
Q 6 5
© A K Q 9
¨ 9 4 3
§ A 4 2 |
|
ª
2
© 10 7 6 4
¨ K 5 2
§ Q J 10 8 3 |
|
ª
A 10 8 7
© J
¨ A 8 6
§ K 9 7 6 5 |
Closed Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Willard |
Pasman |
Cronier |
Simons |
|
|
|
1§ |
Dble |
1ª |
2© |
2ª |
All Pass |
|
|
|
Two Spades was a simple affair and declarer emerged with eleven
tricks, +200.
Open Room |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Van der Pas |
D'Ovideo |
Vriend |
Bessis |
|
|
|
1§ |
Dble |
1ª |
2© |
2ª |
3© |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
Joey Silver was at the commentators table when this deal came up
and he pointed out that the Meckwell approach is to bid game when
you have a nine card fit. It was certainly the right thing to do
this time and declarer did not find it difficult to arrive at the
same number of tricks as her counterpart at the other table. However,
their was a significant difference in the score, +620 and the lead
was up to 50 IMPs.
Dealer North. East/West
Vul
|
|
ª
Q 7 4 3
© -
¨ K Q 8 6
§ 10 9 8 4 2 |
Suppose you held these North cards and saw the auction go like
this:
West |
North |
East |
South |
|
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
1© |
? |
|
|
You would double wouldn't you?
Take a look at the full deal:
|
ª
Q 7 4 3
© -
¨ K Q 8 6
§ 10 9 8 4 2 |
ª
A K
© J 10 9 8 2
¨ A J 7 3
§ A 7 |
|
ª
J 2
© K Q 7 6
¨ 5 4 2
§ Q J 6 3 |
|
ª
10 9 8 6 5
© A 5 4 3
¨ 10 9
§ K 5 |
North/South have a paying save in spades, but you won't find it
if North passes on the second round. It proved to be academic, as
the board was fouled at the other table.
France had put the match out of reach.
|