Nice Defence
France were up against it in their semi-final match against Poland but this deal from the third session did their cause no harm.
| Board 43. Dealer South. None Vul. |
| | ♠ A K Q 7 3
♥ A 8 6 3
♦ Q 3
♣ Q 7 |
♠ 10
♥ Q 7
♦ A K 10 9 5 4 2
♣ A 3 2 |  |
♠ J 5 4
♥ 4 2
♦ J 7
♣ K J 10 9 6 5 | | | ♠ 9 8 6 2
♥ K J 10 9 5
♦ 8 6
♣ 8 4 |
| West | North | East | South
|
| Buras | T.Bessis | Araskiewicz | Gaviard
|
| | | | Pass
|
| 1♦ | 1♠ | 2♣ | 2♥
|
| 3♦ | 4♥ | Pass | 4♠
|
| 4NT | Dble | 5♣ | Dble
|
| All Pass
| | | |
| West | North | East | South
|
| De Tessieres | Kalita | O.Bessis | Kotorowicz
|
| | | | 1♦
|
| 1♠ | Pass | 2♠ | Pass
|
| 3♦ | 3♥ | Pass | 3♠
|
| All Pass
| | | |
Something dark and mysterious happened at the first table. Julian Gaviard led a spade against 5♣ doubled and Thomas Bessis won the queen then switched to ace and another heart to Gaviard’s king. Gaviard switched back to spades and Konrad Araskiewicz riuffed low in dummy and played ace of diamonds, unblocking the jack, ace of clubs, then king of diamonds. He continued by ruffing a diamond with the ten, ruffing his last spade loser in dummy, and leading another diamond. The play record ends here and one would imagine that declarer would be ruffing with the jack or nine, cashing the ♣K and claiming down one. However, Araskiewicz is credited with down two for 300.
Not to worry, it is the action at the other table that we like. Olivier Bessis led the jack of diamonds against 3♠ and Godefroy De Tessieres won the king then underled his ace of clubs to the queen and king. Bessis reverted to diamonds, De Tessieres winning the ace. He continued by cashing the ace of clubs then playing a third diamond and that promoted East’s jack to three spades into the setting trick; nicely done for 50 and 8 IMPs to France. |
