The VuGraph was packed for this all European clash. As is so often the case, the first board was significant. It contained points of interest both in bidding and play.

Board 1. Dealer North. Game All Q 9 8 Q 10 6 5 4 2 A 10 9 8 A J 7 K 10 6 4 K 8 A J 7 3 K 3 J 7 6 10 9 7 6 5 3 A 4 5 3 2 9 Q 8 5 4 2 K Q J 2 Closed Room West North East South Multon Lanzarotti Mouiel Buratti 2 Pass 2 All Pass

Italy stole the pot in the Closed Room. West led the ten of clubs and East took the ace and switched to spades. Declarer did well to emerge with 6 tricks, -100.

The North hand is not the sort that Perron opens a weak two on so Italy had a free run to arrive in a normal looking 3NT. Chemla led the queen of clubs and Bocchi won with the ace and returned the suit. Perron calmly discarded the eight of spades!

Chemla switched to the two of diamonds (in principle fourth best) covered by the three and nine and taken by the jack. Everything now turned on how declarer tackled the spade suit. He knew that the position that existed was actually possible, but in reality either player could hold the queen of spades and there was nothing wrong with his play of low to the jack, save that it lost to the queen, whereupon he was three down.

Full marks to the French for their defence which put them in the lead by 6 IMPs.

Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Game 10 9 3 2 J 9 6 5 2 A Q 6 4 8 A J 7 5 A 10 8 3 7 4 8 4 6 5 3 2 Q J 9 8 7 2 A K 10 K Q 6 4 K Q K J 10 9 7 5 3 Closed Room West North East South Multon Lanzarotti Mouiel Buratti 1 Pass 1 Pass 1 Pass 1NT Pass Pass Dble 2 Pass Pass Dble Pass 2 All Pass

Multon was due to make eight tricks in his contract of 1NT so Buratti did well to protect. His second double promised spades and diamonds. The opening lead was the ace of clubs. It looks as if declarer must lose at least four tricks, but the scoreboard shows he made ten; +170.

Open Room West North East South Duboin Perron Bocchi Chemla 1NT Pass 2 Pass 2NT Pass 3 Pass 4 All Pass

Two spades showed clubs and the reply promised a good fit. West agonised for a long time before bidding three hearts. It had the effect of pushing his side one level too high. South led the jack of diamonds and North won with the ace and switched to a trump. Declarer could only ruff one of his losing hearts so he was one down, -50.

Italy had halved their deficit to 3 IMPs. France recorded the first major gain on the very next hand.

Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Game K 8 7 6 5 10 2 Q 10 9 5 K 2 A 9 Q J 2 J 9 8 7 A 6 5 J 6 4 A K 3 A 8 7 6 Q J 5 3 10 4 3 K Q 4 3 8 7 2 10 9 4 Closed Room West North East South Multon Lanzarotti Mouiel Buratti Pass Pass Pass 1NT Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 3NT All Pass

Open Room West North East South Duboin Perron Bocchi Chemla Pass Pass 1 1NT 2 Dble Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass

In the Closed Room the French were given a free run to 3NT. South led the nine of clubs which North took with the king. We know declarer made 9 tricks but the play record is silent as to how he did it. Perhaps North switched to a diamond? More likely is that North switched to a spade and play developed in a similar way to that in the other room, which we'll now go to.

In the replay Perron tried a light third in hand opening but the Italians were not inconvenienced and the final contract was the same.

South led the three of spades and when declarer played dummy's nine, Perron followed with the eight and Bocchi won with the jack. He took a losing club finesse and Perron played another spade. After winning with the ace of spades, declarer took his club tricks ending in dummy. Perron discarded the five of diamonds and the two of hearts. Declarer came to hand with a diamond and could now get home by cashing the ace of hearts, removing North's exit card, and exiting with the queen of spades, forcing North to lead away from the queen of diamonds.

To the surprise of the audience and the groans of the Italian supporters he exited with his spade before cashing the ace of hearts. Perron took his tricks and played the ten of hearts. One down and 12 IMPs to France who led 18-3. Both teams reached a good slam on board 5 but the next board saw France increase their lead.

Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Game J 6 J 2 K 9 8 A K Q J 9 4 — K 10 9 5 3 2 A K 10 8 4 3 9 5 J 10 7 6 5 4 Q 2 3 10 6 2 A Q 8 7 4 Q 7 6 A 3 8 7 5 Closed Room West North East South Multon Lanzarotti Mouiel Buratti Pass 1NT 2 3 Pass 3 4 Dble 4 Dble

West transferred to show hearts and then introduced his second suit. There was nothing to the play in Four hearts doubled and the contract failed by one trick; -200.

Open Room West North East South Duboin Perron Bocchi Chemla 1 2 3 Pass 3NT All Pass

West was very cautious in the Open Room. If he had no way of showing a two suiter on the first round of bidding, he surely should have risked four diamonds on the second. Chemla was soon claiming ten tricks, +430 and a new score line, France 25 Italy 3.

Board 8. Dealer West. Love All A 9 K 10 8 5 3 Q 4 3 K 10 8 Q 8 6 10 7 5 3 2 9 7 6 4 2 Q 10 9 6 A 7 5 9 4 J 6 5 2 K J 4 A J K J 8 2 A Q 7 3 Closed Room West North East South Multon Lanzarotti Mouiel Buratti 1NT Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass

Open Room West North East South Duboin Perron Bocchi Chemla 1 Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 3 Pass 4NT Pass 6 Pass 6NT All Pass

It is no crime to miss 6NT on this board, but the friendly layout in the red suits meant that twelve tricks were easily available. 11 IMPs, 36-3.

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Game J 6 — A 10 9 8 6 4 K Q 8 5 2 Q 4 10 8 3 K Q 10 9 8 4 3 J 7 6 5 K 3 Q 2 J 6 A 9 7 4 A K 9 7 5 2 A 2 J 7 5 10 3 Closed Room West North East South Multon Lanzarotti Mouiel Buratti 4 4NT Pass 5 Pass Pass 5 Dble All Pass

West opened a red blooded four hearts and North came in to show the minors. East might have raised the ante at once, but by following the route he took he made it unlikely that his opponents would go on to a possibly making slam. The play was quickly over, the defenders collecting all their tricks for +500.

Open Room West North East South Duboin Perron Bocchi Chemla 1 2NT 3 3 Pass 4 All Pass

Should West have saved? Once again the play was simple, ten tricks +620, 3 more IMPs for France. There now followed a series of rather dull boards, not exactly what the Italian supporters were hoping for. There was one piece of good news for them towards the end of the match.

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Game A Q 10 8 4 2 Q 10 8 5 3 4 10 9 6 K 5 3 4 K 9 7 A Q J 7 6 3 2 9 8 7 6 4 3 K Q J 5 J 7 A J 6 2 K 10 9 8 5 A 2 Closed Room West North East South Multon Lanzarotti Mouiel Buratti 1 1 3 4 All Pass

Open Room West North East South Duboin Perron Bocchi Chemla 1NT Pass 2 3 Dble 4 4NT Pass 5 Dble All Pass

The Italians won this particular bidding contest. In the Closed Room, notwithstanding the 'better minor' style of the French, the players we have canvassed would all have bid more than three clubs on the first round, opinion being divided between four and five. Declarer was not hard pressed to make 11 tricks, +650.

In the other room West started by showing a club suit and North cue bid to show the majors. East doubled to show good clubs and that made it easy for West to go on over four hearts. Would you have gone on to five hearts on the North/South cards? Not easy you will agree. The contract failed by one trick and Italy had clawed back 11 IMPs.

The remaining boards were without incident and the final score in favour of France was 39-27 IMPs, 17-13 VP. It had been an impressive performance from Chemla-Perron.