france   v   china global times    -    vc  Round 1

China Thwarted by French Defence

by Mark Horton

Two of the favourites for the Venice Cup, the holders France and China Global Times, met in Round 3.

They had to cope with a challenging set of deals – and both teams got a lot of things right.

It was China who made the early running.

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	♠ Q 10 8 2 ♥ K 6 ♦ K Q 10 6 4 ♣ 9 3
♠ 7 4 ♥ A J 8 7 ♦ A J 9 3 ♣ K J 7		♠ K J 6 5 3 ♥ 10 9 5 3 ♦ 2 ♣ A 10 6
	♠ A 9 ♥ Q 4 2 ♦ 8 7 5 ♣ Q 8 5 4 2

Open Room

When West delivered a major in response to her enquiry, East took the eminently practical decision to bid game.

North led the king of diamonds. Declarer won and played a spade to the jack and ace. South switched to the two of clubs and declarer put up the jack. When that held, she played a spade to the king, ruffed a spade, a club to the ace, ruffed a spade, cashed the ace of hearts and played a heart. That delivered the ten tricks she required, +420.

Closed Room

Facing a weak no trump style rebid there was no reason for East to make a move towards game.

Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	♠ A K 5 ♥ A 10 8 2 ♦ Q 9 4 ♣ A 9 6
♠ 10 6 4 2 ♥ 9 5 3 ♦ J 8 7 3 ♣ K 7		♠ Q 9 8 ♥ 7 6 ♦ A K 10 5 2 ♣ Q 10 3
	♠ J 7 3 ♥ K Q J 4 ♦ 6 ♣ J 8 5 4 2

Open Room

Here it was South who took a practical course by bidding game once a heart fit was revealed.

East led the king of diamonds and switched to the six of hearts. Declarer won in hand with the eight and played a club to the eight and king. West switched to the six of spades, declarer winning with her ace, crossing to dummy with a trump and taking a third round when everyone followed. Now a club to the ace and another club gave declarer enough winners, +420.

It was suggested that a diamond from West at trick four would have put declarer in trouble. It is certainly a tougher nut to crack, but declarer might still prevail. For instance, say she ruffs, crosses to the ace of clubs, ruffs another diamond, draws trumps (overtaking dummy’s last heart) and plays the last trump.

East, who is probably down to ♠Q98 ♦5 ♣Q, cannot stand the pressure, although if she smoothly discards a spade it is still possible that declarer might go wrong.

Closed Room

East led the ace of diamonds and switched to the eight of spades. When dummy’s jack held, declarer organized two diamond ruffs to flatten the board.

Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
	♠ K 8 6 ♥ A 9 8 7 ♦ J 10 3 ♣ K 9 3
♠ Q J 3 ♥ K J 10 6 ♦ 5 2 ♣ 10 8 4 2		♠ 10 5 2 ♥ Q 5 4 ♦ A K Q 9 7 ♣ 7 6
	♠ A 9 7 4 ♥ 3 2 ♦ 8 6 4 ♣ A Q J 5

Open Room

South led the three of hearts and declarer put up dummy’s jack. When that held, she played a heart to the queen. With two tricks in the bag she could have relied on the diamond suit to behave, but she preferred to play a third heart, a slightly mysterious choice with no certain entry to dummy, not to mention all those missing honours in the black suits.

North won, South discarding the four of diamonds, and switched to the three of clubs. South played the jack and when that, held she switched to the four of spades. That surely promised the ace in this situation, so it was surprising that when declarer played low from dummy North withheld the king. Declarer won with the ten and had eight tricks when the diamonds proved to be 3-3, +120.

Closed Room

It was no trumps at this table too – but this time North was the declarer. East cashed five diamonds (she carefully played the seven at trick four, which strongly suggested she had no interest in spades), then she exited with the six of clubs.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	♠ K J 6 ♥ A K 6 3 ♦ K 9 8 5 3 ♣ 8
♠ Q 8 7 4 ♥ 9 8 4 ♦ A Q 10 ♣ A K 6		♠ 9 2 ♥ 7 5 ♦ J 7 4 ♣ J 10 7 5 4 3
	♠ A 10 5 3 ♥ Q J 10 2 ♦ 6 2 ♣ Q 9 2

Open Room

There was no convenient way for North to come in over 1NT as 2♣ would have promised the majors and a red suit bid would have been a transfer.

In that context it was reasonable to bid on the next round, but it was still a fine effort given her partner was a passed hand.

South made her own significant contribution by committing her side to game and the excellent game was reached.

On this layout the contract was never going to be in danger and declarer was not hard pressed to record eleven tricks for a well-deserved +450.

Closed Room

In a similar situation South took a conservative view that ended up costing 8 IMPs – declarer got the trumps right to be –100.

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	♠ Q J 9 3 2 ♥ 9 8 6 3 ♦ A 10 7 ♣ 10
♠ 7 5 4 ♥ A K 4 ♦ Q 8 6 5 ♣ 9 7 3		♠ A K 6 ♥ Q J 10 ♦ J 9 2 ♣ A Q 6 4
	♠ 10 8 ♥ 7 5 2 ♦ K 4 3 ♣ K J 8 5 2

Open Room

West’s 1NT response to the strong club put North on lead and she tabled the queen of spades. (Many pairs invert the meaning of the 1♠ and 1NT responses to avoid this situation where the weak hand becomes declarer.) Declarer ducked and when South dropped the ten, North switched to a heart. Declarer won in dummy and tried a diamond to the eight. When that lost to the ten, the contract was in tatters and declarer finished three down, –150.

Closed Room

Here South was on lead and the five of clubs was covered by the three, ten and queen. Declarer crossed to dummy with a heart and played a diamond to the nine. When that held declarer could force out the diamond honours and score nine tricks. (According to the play record she cashed a second heart first, but that is clearly wrong, as the defenders would then be able to remove the heart entry to the diamond winner).

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	♠ K Q J 9 8 ♥ J 9 ♦ A 6 ♣ J 6 3 2
♠ A 7 5 3 2 ♥ A 7 3 ♦ Q 4 ♣ A K 5		♠ 4 ♥ Q 4 2 ♦ J 10 9 5 3 ♣ Q 9 7 4
	♠ 10 6 ♥ K 10 8 6 5 ♦ K 8 7 2 ♣ 10 8

Open Room

West took a reasonable stance when she passed her partner’s point-showing double, although doubtless she would have preferred to have better trump pips.

East led her spade and West ducked. Declarer continued with the jack of hearts, and when that held, she played the nine of hearts and overtook it with the ten. West won, cashed the ace of spades and played clubs. That gave the defence six tricks, but there was no way to get another, -160.

Closed Room

According to the convention card 1NT was not forcing, but West, with an awkward hand for the French methods (a strong NT with a five-card major) took another bid.

1NT would probably have made, but 2♣ also proved to be a viable spot.

Declarer won the trump lead and played a diamond. North won and switched to the king of spades. Declarer won and knocked out the king of diamonds. She took the heart switch with her ace, cashed the ace of clubs, played a club to the queen and discarded a spade on a winning diamond. North could ruff but declarer had three winners left in dummy, +80 and 6 IMPs to France.

The rock solid French team had conceded points on only three deals to secure a 26-16, 17-13 VP victory over one of their most dangerous rivals.