—
K 7 6 2
K J 10 8 4 3
A Q 7
A K Q 6 5 2 10 5 4 5 J 5 2
![[W - E]](t.gif)
J 10 7 4 3 J A 9 K 10 9 6 4
9 8 A Q 9 8 3 Q 7 6 2 8 3| 1.
| — K 7 6 2 K J 10 8 4 3 A Q 7
| |
| A K Q 6 5 2 10 5 4 5 J 5 2
|
| J 10 7 4 3 J A 9 K 10 9 6 4
|
| None Vul | 9 8 A Q 9 8 3 Q 7 6 2 8 3 |
Malarme West 2 Pass Pass | Gill North 2 ¹4 Pass Dbl | Chauvelot East Pass 4 5 All Pass | Shore South 2 5 Pass |
5 x by West
Made 5 — EW +650, lose 5
Total: France 5 to 0
I could have bid 3S over 3H to show a really good hand with hearts, but I didn't think my hand was good enough for that. Noble thought his hand had a clear 6H bid over the 5S, since he practically knows my hand to have a spade void. 6H wouldn't be making on a club or diamond lead, but would only be down 1, which would have been a very good score. My hand was more known than his, so probably this decision belongs to him. I decided to double 5S despite being told to trust the French bidding more than I trusted my own. I felt the odds were good and that it could go more than 1 down if partner's values weren't all in our suits. As it happens, my double cost 5 IMPs.
| 2.
| 8 5 2 10 8 6 K 4 3 2 A 9 5
| |
| A J 10 3 7 4 3 2 9 6 K 8 7
|
| K 7 A Q 9 5 A J 8 J 10 6 2
|
| N-S Vul | Q 9 6 4 K J Q 10 7 5 Q 4 3 |
Malarme West 2 3
| Gill North Pass Pass | Chauvelot East 1 NT 2 4
| Shore South Pass Pass All Pass |
4 by East
Down 1 — NS +50, win 6
Total: USA II 6 to 5
Our opponents stretched to the thin heart game here, which definitely needs some luck. Declarer played well to get out for down 1. Our teammates stopped in 3H and managed to score up 4 somehow for a nice partscore swing.
| 3.
| Q 3 A 10 9 4 K Q 7 A 8 6 5
| |
| J 9 8 5 J 6 5 J 10 4 3 7 4
|
| A K 4 K 7 3 9 8 6 2 K Q 10
|
| E-W Vul | 10 7 6 2 Q 8 2 A 5 J 9 3 2 |
Malarme West Pass | Gill North 1 NT¹ | Chauvelot East All Pass | Shore South Pass |
1 NT by North
Made 1 — NS +90, push
Total: USA II 6 to 6
Both Easts led a diamond against the normal 1NT contract. I won in hand and played a small club towards dummy, East hopping the Q. He played another diamond and I won with the A and played A and another club, setting up my 6th trick. After cashing his diamond, East decided to lead a heart instead of a spade, giving me my 7th trick.
| 4.
| K Q J A K 2 Q 8 7 4 K Q 7
| |
| A 10 7 10 6 4 K 9 6 5 10 6 5
|
| 5 3 Q J 7 A 10 3 J 9 8 4 2
|
| Both Vul | 9 8 6 4 2 9 8 5 3 J 2 A 3 |
Malarme West Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass | Gill North 1 ¹1 ³2 5 2 54
| Chauvelot East Pass Pass Pass Pass All Pass | Shore South 1 ²1 NT4 2 63 7 |
4 by North
Made 4 — NS +620, win 12
Total: USA II 18 to 5
Even with partner's HCP in the minor suits, 3NT is no breeze and those that got there were in serious trouble on a club lead because of the spade blockage. As declarer in 4S, I received a club lead like most other tables, and made the inferior play of playing off 3 rounds of clubs for a diamond discard. It was pointed out that drawing trumps is superior - if the opponents cash their diamonds, then two discards are available for dummy's hearts. Drawing trumps first negates the risk of a trump promotion on the 4th round of clubs. As it was, hearts broke 3-3 and my line succeeded, as did nearly every other declarer. Our teammates found a way to beat this. Declarer followed the same line I did by winning the club lead and playing 3 rounds of clubs pitching a diamond. He then played the K out of his hand, won by the A in West, who played back the 4, won by the A. Declarer drew one more round of trumps, then played a diamond to the J and K. West returned the 6, instead of the normal 5, and declarer stuck in the 8, to the T and ruffed by South. He now returned to the J, and based on the falsecard in diamonds and the 4 of hearts returned, it looked as though hearts were 4-2 and diamonds 3-4. He thought his only chance was to pin the 9 of diamonds in West, so he led the Q, and now there was no way to avoid going down.
| 5.
| K 9 4 Q 9 A K 9 6 5 4 2 Q
| |
| A 7 2 A J 7 5 4 10 A 10 9 8
|
| J 8 6 3 8 Q J 8 3 K 7 6 4
|
| N-S Vul | Q 10 5 K 10 6 3 2 7 J 5 3 2 |
Malarme West Dbl | Gill North 2 ¹Pass | Chauvelot East Pass 2
| Shore South Pass All Pass |
2 by East
Down 1 — NS +50, win 4
Total: USA II 22 to 5
This board was won by a combination of things. Firstly, our system allowed me to show my 6+ diamonds on the first round. We will frequently raise in this situation with Hx of partner's suit, so I felt comfortable passing out 3D at unfavorable despite holding AKxxxxx. Since 3D is down 1, we now had a chance to win the board by beating 2S. Against this, Noble led the beer, and I won with the K, and continued with a small diamond, ruffed with partner by the T, while dummy pitched. He now switched to the 5, and my Q fell to the K. Declarer now played a heart to the A and ruffed a heart, and played a club, partner dropping the 3. Declarer decided to go up with the A, which was ruffed, and now declarer has the choice of drawing trumps and having too many losers, or trying to crossruff and losing too many trump tricks. Down 1 either way.
| 6.
| A 6 A K J 7 K Q 10 4 2 4 2
| |
| Q J 7 4 3 8 2 9 8 5 9 8 5
|
| K 10 9 Q 9 J 7 6 3 K 10 7 6
|
| E-W Vul | 8 5 2 10 6 5 4 3 A A Q J 3 |
Malarme West Pass Pass Pass Pass All Pass | Gill North 2 ²3 (4)4 5 (7)
| Chauvelot East Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass | Shore South 1 ¹2 NT³ 4 (5)4 (6)6 |
6 by South
Made 7 — NS +1010, win 11
Total: USA II 33 to 5
The bidding on this hand went well for us. Noble decided to show a non-standard opener on his south hand because his high cards were badly placed. I decided to show a slam try anyway, since slam would be great opposite xxx Qxxxx Axx Kx. Once I showed a slam try, Noble just wasn't letting me out below slam aside of being off 2 keycards. With trumps 2-2 the slam is certainly going to make, and if they are not, declarer needs the club finesse, but still a good slam to be in. Only about 1/2 of the tables bid it, and it was a nice pickup.
| 7 .
| A K Q 10 8 A 2 10 9 2 K 5 3
| |
| 2 J 7 6 3 J 8 7 6 5 3 A 6
|
| 9 6 K Q 10 4 A K Q 4 9 8 4
|
| Both Vul | J 7 5 4 3 9 8 5 — Q J 10 7 2 |
Malarme West Pass Pass All Pass | Gill North 1 ¹2 ³
| Chauvelot East Pass Pass? | Shore South Pass 1 ²4 |
4 by North
Made 6 — NS +680, push
Total: USA II 33 to 5
Our systemic opening of 1C on this hand served to deter competition. I think East has to get into the auction over 2S personally with a takeout double, since his side could easily be making game if his partner has shape. Here my decision to show 6 spades with my good 5-card suit probably didn't affect the result. I don't really know if this was a good idea or not. In fact, it probably made it easier for East to get in the auction. Over a 1NT rebid, bidding is much less clear with his hand. South would likely transfer to spades, and I would certainly superaccept as North, despite being minimum in terms of high cards. East does not have a clear bid over that, either, and would probably just pass and hope to beat whatever spade contract we ended up in. I'm sure that if the opponents had doubled and competed to 5D that my showing 6+ spades would have gotten Noble to bid 5S over any competition.
| 8.
| A 9 8 J 7 4 A Q 9 7 Q J 6
| |
| K 10 8 6 3 2 K 6 5 3 9 7 3
|
| J 10 7 6 2 A K 9 5 8 4 A K
|
| None Vul | Q 5 4 3 Q J 10 2 10 8 5 4 2 |
Malarme West Pass 3
| Gill North 1 NT¹ Pass | Chauvelot East 2 ²4
| Shore South Pass All Pass |
4 by East
Made 5 — EW +450, lose 7
Total: USA II 33 to 12
The French did well to reach this game despite the strong NT opener. Our declarer picked up the heart suit and guessed the layout of spades to easily make 11 tricks. At the other table, the opening bid was 1D, not 1NT, and after a fairly normal-looking spade overcall from East, getting to game is harder. Most tables managed to get there, but I can't think of an obvious sequence.
| 9.
| 4 2 Q 8 7 3 2 9 5 4 J 8 3
| |
| Q J 10 6 6 A 10 8 A Q 7 4 2
|
| K 9 8 7 5 3 A 9 4 J 7 10 6
|
| E-W Vul | A K J 10 5 K Q 6 3 2 K 9 5 |
Malarme West Pass 3 ³Dbl | Gill North Pass 1 ²3 All Pass | Chauvelot East Pass 2 4
| Shore South 1 ¹Dbl 5 |
5 x by North
Down 4 — EW +800, lose 4
Total: USA II 33 to 16
East could have saved his side a lot of trouble by just preempting 2S like we would have, but I think the French are more disciplined about their preempts. I felt that on the North hand I had to take a free bid in hearts while I could, and Noble's 5H turned out to go for one too many. Unfortunately I had the useless J instead of the J, which would have resulted in -500 and a win 4. This also would have happened if the red aces were reversed in the E-W hands. I don't mind losing 4 here, since it could have also on some layouts have gotten them to bid 5S and go down 1.
| 10.
| K 10 5 4 A 9 7 5 8 4 10 8 7
| |
| 9 7 3 2 J 4 3 K Q 7 2 A Q
|
| A Q 8 K 10 A J 6 3 J 4 3 2
|
| Both Vul | J 6 Q 8 6 2 10 9 5 K 9 6 5 |
Malarme West 2 3 NT | Gill North Pass All Pass | Chauvelot East 1 NT¹ 2
| Shore South Pass Pass |
3 NT by East
Made 3 — EW +600, push
Total: USA II 33 to 16
Not much to say about this. Noble chose to lead a club instead of the usual field lead of the 2, but nothing really matters here - declarer just has 9 tricks as long as he takes the finesses.
| 11.
| J 8 5 2 Q 10 8 7 5 Q 10 9 7
| |
| 6 4 J 9 6 3 A K 4 3 A K 8
|
| K 10 3 4 2 Q J 9 J 6 5 4 2
|
| None Vul | A Q 9 7 A K 8 7 5 10 6 2 3 |
Malarme West 1 NT | Gill North Pass | Chauvelot East 2 NT | Shore South 1 ¹All Pass |
2 NT by West
Made 2 — EW +120, lose 1
Total: USA II 33 to 17
We had a chance for a swing here, since they got to 2NT instead of
the common 1NT contract. I led the Q, like
nearly every other North against a NT contract. When this held and
partner encouraged, I continued, and Noble set up his hearts. I'm not
sure how we managed to not beat this, since at this point declarer has
only 7 tricks, but I have written down that it was Noble's fault :)
[Edit: I now remember what he did wrong - he made the mistake of
letting declarer have his J on the 2nd round, instead
of cashing the AK and playing a 4th round. This cause him to be strip
squeezed into giving declarer his K at trick 13.]
| 12.
| J Q J 3 2 10 9 5 2 10 6 5 2
| |
| K Q 5 3 2 K 10 8 4 K J 4 K
|
| A 9 6 A 7 A Q 7 3 Q J 7 4
|
| N-S Vul | 10 8 7 4 9 6 5 8 6 A 9 8 3 |
Malarme West 1
| Gill North Pass | Chauvelot East 6
| Shore South All Pass |
6 by West
Down 1 — NS +50, push
Total: USA II 33 to 17
I don't remember the auction here, since we weren't involved in it. Both tables got to the good, but failing slam, as did about 3/4 of the tables in the event.
| 13.
| A K 5 3 Q 9 8 4 3 Q 7 4 3
| |
| 8 6 2 7 2 A K 7 5 A K Q 5
|
| Q J 9 4 J 10 6 10 3 J 10 6 2
|
| Both Vul | 10 7 A K 5 J 9 8 6 4 2 9 8 |
Malarme West 1 NT | Gill North Pass All Pass | Chauvelot East Pass | Shore South Pass |
1 NT by West
Down 1 — NS +100, push
Total: USA II 33 to 17
I decided to pass the North hand, which is only a 7.5 loser hand. We tend to only open 7 loser or better hands. If I had the T I would have opened it I'm sure. The defense to 1NT was not very complicated, as we took the first 7 tricks. Most N-S pairs ended up with a small + on this hand.
| 14.
| A 8 4 K 10 9 A J 10 8 3 Q 7
| |
| K J 10 6 5 J 7 6 4 7 6 4 3
|
| Q 9 A Q 8 3 9 6 5 4 J 9 8
|
| None Vul | 7 3 2 5 2 K Q 2 A K 10 5 2 |
Malarme West Pass Pass Pass | Gill North 2 ²2 43 NT | Chauvelot East Pass Pass Pass All Pass | Shore South 1 ¹2 ³2 NT5 |
3 NT by South
Made 5 — NS +460, push
Total: USA II 33 to 17
Nothing much to say here. Amazingly a few of the tables found a way to take a number of tricks that is not 11.
| 15.
| 9 7 K Q 9 7 6 A K 8 7 5 2
| |
| A 8 5 10 8 Q 9 6 Q J 9 6 4
|
| 10 4 3 2 J 5 4 J 10 A K 10 8
|
| N-S Vul | K Q J 6 A 3 2 4 3 2 7 5 3 |
Malarme West Pass Pass | Gill North 1 ¹4
| Chauvelot East Pass All Pass | Shore South Pass 2 ² |
4 by North
Made 4 — NS +620, push
Total: USA II 33 to 17
Not much to say here, either. one table managed to go down in 4H and every other table in the event was +620.
| 16.
| 6 5 A 9 4 K 10 6 2 A K 5 3
| |
| K 8 4 2 Q J 10 6 5 3 4 9 4
|
| Q J 3 8 2 A J 9 3 Q 8 6 2
|
| E-W Vul | A 10 9 7 K 7 Q 8 7 5 J 10 7 |
Malarme West Pass Pass Pass Pass All Pass | Gill North Pass 2 ²2 NT³ 3 5
| Chauvelot East Pass Pass Pass Pass | Shore South 1 NT¹ 2 3 43 NT |
3 NT by North
Down 1 — EW +100, lose 9
Total: USA II 33 to 26
We bid to 3NT like most tables in the event, and given the nasty layout of the clubs and diamonds, there's really no way to come to 9 tricks. Somehow our teammates managed to get into 2NT as E-W and this went for 300 and a 9 IMP loss.
| 17.
| K 6 3 K 7 3 A J 7 A 10 9 2
| |
| Q 7 4 2 Q J 4 Q 10 5 4 Q 5
|
| A J A 9 8 6 K 3 2 K 7 4 3
|
| None Vul | 10 9 8 5 10 5 2 9 8 6 J 8 6 |
Malarme West | Gill North 1 NT¹ | Chauvelot East All Pass | Shore South |
1 NT by North
Down 2 — EW +100, push
Total: USA II 33 to 26
Pretty much every table played in 1NT by North here, a few of them doubled. Despite getting a favorable lead (actually all leads are favorable here), there really are no tricks here. I ended up taking 3 clubs, my diamond A, and another trick in the wash. The same thing happened at the other table for a push.
| 18.
| A 9 7 4 A K 8 6 2 — K J 9 2
| |
| K J 6 9 5 4 J 9 7 6 4 Q 8
|
| 10 8 2 J 10 K 8 5 2 A 7 6 3
|
| N-S Vul | Q 5 3 Q 7 3 A Q 10 3 10 5 4 |
Malarme West Pass 4 All Pass | Gill North 1 Pass | Chauvelot East Pass 2 NT Pass | Shore South Pass 3 ¹Dbl |
4 x by West
Down 4 — NS +800, win 5
Total: USA II 38 to 26
East-West went a little crazy here, and got way too high. Luckily for them, our vul game way making, so they only lost 5. If, say, the Q of clubs were with East, then we would have had +500 against air.
| 19.
| 8 7 3 J Q J 3 2 J 10 5 4 3
| |
| A J 9 5 Q 7 6 5 2 K 8 K 7
|
| K Q 6 4 2 9 3 A 10 9 7 4 9
|
| E-W Vul | 10 A K 10 8 4 6 5 A Q 8 6 2 |
Malarme West Pass 4 Dbl | Gill North Pass 5 All Pass | Chauvelot East 2 Pass | Shore South 1 ¹3 Pass |
5 x by South
Down 2 — EW +300, push
Total: USA II 38 to 26
I'm not sure this was exactly the auction, but it was similar to this. This was a pretty common result around the room.
| 20.
| A K 10 9 7 5 A 9 4 Q 4 2 Q
| |
| 4 3 J 7 6 2 10 8 7 6 A 9 2
|
| Q J 6 2 K 8 5 K K 10 7 6 4
|
| Both Vul | 8 Q 10 3 A J 9 5 3 J 8 5 3 |
Malarme West Pass Pass | Gill North 1 ¹2
| Chauvelot East Pass All Pass | Shore South 1 NT |
2 by North
Made 3 — NS +140, win 6
Final Score: USA II 44 to 26
I had a close decision as North whether to rebid 3S at my second turn. If the Q of clubs were in hearts, I'm sure that I would have, but given that it was singleton, it just doesn't seem that strong. At the other table, they got to the three-level. This contract is less comfortable, but should still make. Declarer must have misguessed the heart suit, and this gave us a nice pickup to end the match.