It is time we took a look at the leaders in the Venice Cup qualifying competition. On Wednesday evening, France took on middle-of-the-table Argentina. The first major swing went to the South Americans when what looked to be a hopeless game was let through on Board 3. Then came a chance to build a serious lead.

Board 4. Dealer West. Game All K Q 7 2 5 4 5 4 K Q 10 9 4 A J 9 4 10 3 Q J 9 7 K 10 3 2 Q 10 8 6 A K 9 6 J 7 5 2 8 6 5 A 8 6 J 7 3 2 A 8 3

In the Closed Room the deal was passed out but the Argentinian East/West pair reached game in the Open Room! Espinosa-Paz opened 1 in third seat and Suaya responded 3, showing 10-12 with heart support. Espinosa-Paz signed-off in 3 but Suaya went on to 4 anyway. The lead was 5, run to the queen, and Saul switched to 5 for the nine, jack and ace. Declarer played on trumps and Bessis won the second round and returned his last trump. Espinosa-Paz unblocked the diamonds and just had to get the spades right to make her contract. Alas, she finessed against South instead of taking the ruffing finesse and was one down; -100 and 3 IMPs to France.

Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Game J 10 8 2 Q J 5 A K 10 4 Q J K 9 6 3 A Q 10 7 6 K 8 4 Q 7 5 9 6 3 10 7 2 A 9 8 6 5 7 5 4 A 9 3 2 J 8 2 K 4 3

Both East/West pairs bid: 1 - 1 - 1NT. Lucrecia Monsegur led 2 to Lucchini's ten. Lucchini cashed the diamonds and switched to a heart and the contract fell apart, no less than four down; 400 to Argentina.

In the other room, Bessis led a spade to the queen and Espinosa-Paz ducked a club. Saul won the jack and cashed A before reverting to spades, leading the jack to declarer's ace. Espinosa-Paz ducked a second club which was again won by Saul. This time she switched to Q for the king and ace. What was needed now was a diamond through the queen but Bessis was afraid to lead away from her J in case Saul was missing the ten. She played a safe spade instead, not only giving declarer the K to which she had no entry but also allowing her to cash three club tricks for just one down; -100 and 7 IMPs to Argentina.

Board 7. Dealer South. Game All 5 3 2 K Q J 10 4 A 10 K Q J 8 6 4 Q 10 9 9 7 6 3 8 5 2 5 4 3 2 Q J 9 6 7 3 9 8 5 A K J 7 A K 8 7 A 10 6 4 2

Both pairs bid smoothly to a cold grand slam but the French picked-up 2 IMPs for playing in no trump when Saul took control and could count 13 tricks the time the Argentinians bid to 7.

Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Game J 10 8 4 K 3 A Q J 10 4 Q J K Q 7 6 A 3 A 9 8 7 J 6 4 2 6 5 3 2 K 9 7 A 6 5 3 2 9 5 2 Q 10 5 8 K 10 9 8 7 4

Does South have enough to respond to North's 1 opening bid? Yes, said Bessis, and bid 1NT, where she played. Suaya led 9, which ran to declarer's ten. Bessis played a club and was delighted to see the ace appear. Suaya continued with ace and another heart and Bessis cashed the clubs and took A for +120.

Monsegur passed the 1 opening and West, Pascale Thuillez balanced with a double. De Guillebon responded 1 and Monsegur introduced her clubs. Thuillez competed with 2 and that ended the auction. The defence began with a diamond to the ace and the Q, ruffing out the king. But all that meant was that the defensive trumps were now 2-2 and De Guillebon promptly played two rounds of trumps and claimed nine tricks; +140 and 6 IMPs to France.

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Game K 6 A K 7 3 2 9 7 2 8 7 6 A 7 3 2 Q 10 8 5 Q 10 6 4 8 5 4 A Q 10 6 A K J Q 10 5 4 J 9 4 J 9 8 5 K J 3 9 3 2

Both Easts played 4 after North/South had bid and supported hearts. Monsegur led J for the queen and king and Lucchini switched to the 2, to the queen and king. Monsegur returned the J and De Guillebon won and played ace and another spade; +420.

Bessis led 8 to the ten and king. Saul also switched to a diamond, but the seven. Again the queen lost to the king but the high spot card helped Bessis to avoid the diamond continuation. She switched back to hearts, leading the jack to the queen and ace, ruffed by Espinosa-Paz. She crossed to the A to lead a low spade and Saul took the K and played a second diamond, declarer rising with the ace. Declarer had the tricks now but not the communications. She cashed the Q and crossed to the K to ruff the last heart. But now she required there to be four clubs with the long spade. She cashed Q and led 10 but Bessis could ruff in with the jack, leaving dummy with a diamond loser; one down for -50 and 10 IMPs to France.

There was more bidding in the Open Room, culminating in a double by Suaya. Both Wests led a heart so both contracts went two down; -200 for Argentina but -500 for France an a 7 IMP swing to Argentina.

Board 1. Dealer North. Game All 10 7 6 5 4 10 4 J 10 6 J 9 5 A Q J 3 8 2 Q J 8 7 3 6 5 9 4 A K 8 7 3 10 7 A K 6 3 K 9 A K 9 2 Q 5 2 J 9 5 Closed Room West North East South Thuillez Lucchini de Guillebon Monsegur Pass 1 1 1 Pass 2 Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass

Monsegur's overcall attracted the lead of the 10, which she ducked to Thuillez's queen. Thuillez led the 9, covered by the ten and ducked in dummy, perhaps an error as it gives up on two honours being doubleton in the North hand. Monsegur overtook the diamond to switch to the K, knowing that nothing else was going to put declarer ubder pressure. All that did on the actual layout was to speed up the play; ten tricks for +430.

In the open Room there was no overcall so Espinosa-Paz/ Suaya had a free run: 1 - 1 - 2 - 2NT - 3NT. This time the lead was a spade to the king and ace. Suaya also led 9 at trick two and Saul put in the ten, which was beaten by dummy's king. Suaya led a heart and Bessis took the king to return her remaining spade. Declarer won and did not want to cash her third spade winner because she had not yet established the diamonds and was afraid of creating too many defensive tricks. Instead, she ducked a diamond to the queen, but that wasn't good enough. Bessis cashed A and exited with a diamond to dummy. After cashing the diamonds, declarer was trapped in dummy with nothing but clubs left and no way to get to her ninth trick, the J. She had to go one down; -50 and 10 IMPs to France.

The overall score was 39-29 IMPs to France, converting to 17-13 VPs. France were still in the lead at the end of day three.