This was the last board from Round 7 in Tenerife:

Board 20, West dealer, both vul

                            7 6 4 3
                            9 5
                            A 8
                            J 10 7 5 3

K Q 10 5 2                         A J 8
A                                      J 8 6 3 2
J 9 6 3                               K Q 10 7 5
9 4 2                                  ---

                           9
                           K Q 10 7 4
                           4 2
                           A K Q 8 6

West     North        East          South
pass     pass         1H             2C
2S        3C            4S             pass
pass     5C           pass           pass
dbl      all pass

E-W can make either 5D or 5S, and it takes a difficult 9S lead to beat 6D [it was bid twice and made twice at other tables] but at both tables they elected to double 5C. Were they too Law-abiding?

Insult was added to injury when they both found the defence to let 5Cx make! Both Wests led the ace of hearts and then, despite seeing dummy, switched to... a diamond. Declarer drew trumps, discarded his diamond loser on a heart and claimed 750. He must have been sorely disappointed when he learned later that this was only worth a push.

In the France vs Netherlands match, the board was almost passed at the one-level! East opened 1H, Quantin as South did not overcall 2C (probably put off by his heart strength), West replied 1S and both North and East passed... but obviously South bid 2C in the passout seat. This propelled the auction to 4S but N-S saved the day by going to 5C. Even if the Dutch did beat 5C doubled by one trick, they had lost the board on the bidding (as it so often happens) because at the other table the French were allowed to play 4S.

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© 2001 Nikos Sarantakos
sarant@pt.lu
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