China took a 46 IMP lead into the last set of their semi-final against France, and their position looked even more secure when the first swing of the set went in their favour.

Board 82. Dealer East. N/S Game Q 10 9 8 7 4 Q 9 7 6 Q 9 7 A 6 5 4 3 K J 7 2 K 2 A J 3 A 3 K J 8 2 A 4 3 2 8 5 8 Q 10 9 6 5 10 5 4 K J 10 6

For China, Zhang Yalan and Gu Ling bid quickly to the safe game contract: 1 - 1 - 2 - 4. Bessis and Saul, for France, were more aggressive. The first three bids were the same but now Bessis bid 2NT, an artificial enquiry, and Catherine Saul jumped to 4. Bessis potted 6 over that but, when she got the trumps wrong, had to go two down, as Sun Ming was able to draw a third round of trumps when declarer ducked a club; -100 and 11 IMPs to China.

Board 83. Dealer South. E/W Game — Q 10 9 4 2 A J 6 4 K Q J 9 10 7 6 5 4 A K 9 K 7 J 8 5 3 K 5 3 Q 9 7 2 10 7 4 6 3 Q J 8 3 2 A 6 10 8 A 8 5 2

Both Norths played in 3NT. Saul led a diamond to the king and ace. Sun Ming played a heart to the ace and a second heart. Bessis won the king and switched to a club. Sun won and played queen and another heart. Saul won the J and cashed her top tricks; one down for -50.

The lead was the same in the other room and Benedicte Cronier also played two rounds of hearts. Here, Gu Ling returned a diamond when in with the K. Despite establishing the fourth diamond, the defence lost its way when Cronier cashed her clubs. Zhang Yalan pitched her diamond winner to keep the top spades and heart guard and suddenly the $ was declarer's ninth trick; +400 and 10 IMPs to France, who badly needed them.

Board 86. Dealer East. E/W Game 8 3 2 A J A K 9 8 5 A Q 4 6 J 9 7 5 K Q 10 8 4 3 2 9 7 5 7 J 10 6 4 2 K J 8 3 9 A K Q 10 4 6 Q 3 10 7 6 5 2

It looked as though China had a bad result in the Open Room. Lu opened 1 in second seat and Veronique Bessis overcalled 4. Sun Ming just closed her eyes and bid 6, gambling that Lu's trump holding would be adequate. It was, but 6 still had to fail due to the bad breaks in the minors. Lu was one down; -50. But France got even higher in the Closed Room.

Closed Room West North East South Gu Cronier Zhang yalan Willard Pass 1 3 4 Pass 4 Pass 4NT Pass 5 Pass 5NT Pass 6 Pass 6 Pass 7 All Pass

Quite why South should think that all her clubs would go away is unclear. Cronier had taken control and settled for the small slam so it seems undisciplined of Willard to go on to seven. Of course, the state of the match has an effect on everything, but perhaps partner has already allowed for that? The grand slam was two down and Willard wouldt have been relieved to discover that she had only cost her side 2 IMPs.

Board 87. Dealer South. Game All K J 10 9 8 7 Q 8 4 8 A 4 2 5 A 3 K J 10 6 2 9 7 K 7 5 4 3 Q J 9 6 J 7 Q 10 9 8 5 Q 6 4 2 A 5 3 A 10 2 K 6 3

Both Norths declared 4 after West had overcalled in hearts over South's one-of-a-minor opening. Gu Ling had only overcalled 1 and when Zhang Yalan led the 9 Cronier ducked this to Gu's king. Back came another heart but Gu had no entry to give her partner a ruff when Zhang won the A.

Bessis had made a weak jump overcall of 2 so it was natural for Sun to rise with dummy's ace on the heart lead. Saul won the first spade and led her second heart to partner's king to get her ruff; one down for -100 and 12 IMPs to France.

Board 88. Dealer West. Love All 7 6 K 4 3 A 3 A Q J 10 5 4 A K J 9 8 5 10 3 A J Q 9 6 9 4 K Q J 7 6 5 K 8 3 7 2 Q 4 2 10 8 7 5 2 10 8 2 9 6

Again both tables played 4, this time by West. Sun led a heart against Bessis. The J won and Bessis played a diamond. Sun took her ace and played a diamond back. Bessis played a third diamond, pitching a club, and Sun ruffed. Sun exited with a trump, picking up the queen. Declarer had no way of avoiding two club losers so was down one; -50.

In the other room, Cronier led the ace of clubs, followed by the queen. Gu won the K and played a diamond and Cronier took her ace to play a third club. Gu ruffed with the ten and Willard over-ruffed with the queen and switched to a heart. Gu took the ace, drew trumps and had a diamond left to get to dummy; +420 and 10 IMPs to China.

Board 89. Dealer North. E/W Game All Q 9 7 A Q 9 8 3 J 8 5 7 2 A 6 5 3 K J 4 2 10 5 J 7 6 4 10 7 3 Q 9 6 4 9 6 5 3 4 10 8 K 2 A K 2 A K Q J 10 8

Lu/Sun bid: Pass - 1 - 1 - 2 - 2NT - 3NT, where 1 was strong. The lead was a low diamond and Sun rose with the ace and cashed her top tricks; +460.

Cronier/Willard were more aggressive, as the match situation required. They bid: Pass - 2 - 2 - 3 - 3 - 6NT. Here the lead was a club. Willard rattled off six club tricks, coming down to four hearts and three diamonds in the dummy. That obliged Zhang Yalan to also keep four hearts and three diamonds. Willard cashed a top diamond then played four rounds of hearts. The strip squeeze and throw-in left Zhang to lead away from the Q to give declarer her twelfth trick; nicely done. Plus 990 was worth 11 IMPs to France, who trailed by 30 IMPs with seven boards to play.

Board 92. Dealer West. N/S Game K Q J 10 7 5 J 5 7 5 4 3 6 9 6 3 A 8 4 A 9 7 3 Q 4 Q J 10 K 2 A Q 5 K J 10 7 4 2 2 K 10 8 6 2 A 9 8 6 9 8 3 Closed Room West North East South Gu Cronier Zhang yalan Willard 1 2 3 Pass 3 Pass 3NT All Pass

The Precision 1 opening limited Gu's hand so that Zhang had no reason to consider bidding on beyond 3NT. A low heart lead allowed her to make two overtricks; +460.

Open Room West North East South Bessis Sun Saul Lu 1 1 2 Pass 3 Pass 3 Pass 3NT Pass 4 Pass 5 All Pass

Bessis' French 1 opening meant that her hand was not quite so limited as at the other table. Saul, who knew that there was a club fit, went on over 3NT with a club slam try. 5 was hopeless. Bessis went a second one down when she ducked the opening spade lead and got dummy's ace ruffed out; -100 and 11 IMPs to China.

Board 93. Dealer North. Game All 9 2 9 7 6 5 6 3 A 10 7 5 2 A K J 8 6 Q 7 4 4 A Q 10 J 7 5 4 2 A K Q 9 Q 8 K 6 3 10 5 3 K J 8 3 2 10 8 J 9 4

Both East/West pairs reached slam.

Open Room West North East South Bessis Sun Saul Lu Pass 2NT Pass 3 Pass 3 Pass 4 Pass 4 Pass 4NT Pass 5 Pass 6 All Pass

4NT was RKCB and, it would seem, should have been with diamonds as trumps. Bessis, however, elected to play in spades; +1430.

Closed Room West North East South Gu Cronier Zhang yalan Willard Pass 1 1 1 3 Pass Pass 4 Pass 4 Pass 4 Pass 4NT Pass 5 Pass 6 All Pass

The French interference over the strong club did not inconvenience the Chinese pair unduly. Gu got to show her two-suiter and Zhang cuebid then took control with RKCB for diamonds. 6 is just as good a contract as 6, but +1370 meant that China lost 2 IMPs.

Board 94. Dealer North. Game All A Q 8 K Q J 10 2 K 8 Q J 2 K 10 7 4 3 5 2 9 7 6 4 A 8 5 3 — 10 3 A 8 4 3 K 9 7 6 5 J 9 6 — A Q J 9 7 6 5 4 2 10

The sort of wild deal that the trailing team needed but the swing was only 1 IMP to France. Both Souths opened 5 and both Norths had a look but then passed. Bessis cashed the A then switched to a heart; Gu led a heart at trick one. That meant +440 for Willard but +420 for Lu. Slam needs only the ruffing heart finesse so is not a bad prospect for a trailing team but how was Cronier to know that?

Board 96. Dealer West. E/W Game 7 3 K Q 8 7 6 5 A K J 6 Q 9 6 4 A K Q 10 5 — J 9 3 2 Q 10 9 5 3 2 A K 7 4 3 10 8 5 J 8 2 A 10 4 8 7 4 J 9 6 2 Closed Room West North East South Gu Cronier Zhang yalan Willard Pass 1 1 2 2 3 Pass 3 3 4 4 Dble All Pass

Willard led a diamond to the jack. Cronier tried to cash the K but Zhang ruffed that, ruffed a heart, and ducked a club. Cronier won the Q and gave dummy another heart ruff. Now Zhang drew trumps and played clubs from the top; one down for -100.

Zhang could have made it, of course, either by reading the club position or by playing for the ruffing diamond finesse. It seems strange that she did not go for the latter option, given the play to the first two tricks. By the time that the clubs failed to divide evenly it was too late to fall back on the diamonds because declarer had to find two discards from dummy when she was drawing trumps.

Open Room West North East South Bessis Sun Saul Lu Pass 1 1 Pass 2 3 3 Pass 4 All Pass

Lu led the A, ruffed in dummy. Saul ducked a club at trick two, unblocking the eight from hand. Sun cashed the K then switched to a trump. Saul won the queen, ruffed a heart and played the Q to the ace and ruffed. Next she drew trumps and led the 10. Lu played low without a flicker but, after a little thought, Saul ran the ten and had the remainder; +650 and 13 IMPs to France. France had pulled closer in the final set but not enough. The final score was 241-220 in favour of China, who were in their first Venice Cup final.