Watching in the BBO VG, the 9thround, board 9 caught our attention.
The Singapore-France match ended 34-21. In Board 9 both tables arrived to a 6
contract and scored 1370…a push…In the Japan –Monaco (34-25), in board 9 Japan won 13 IMPs playing a slam where Monaco chose to play game. USA-Pakistan (24-4) board 9 was a push both teams played game. Let see what happened in the match where Italy defeated Morocco 29-21.
Board 9: Dealer North, None Vulnerable.
|
In the closed Room:
| West | North | East | South |
| Sbili | Sementa | Belkouch | Duboin |
| Pass | 1 |
Pass | |
1 |
Pass | 2 |
Pass |
| 3 |
Pass | 3 |
Pass |
| 4 |
Pass | 5 |
The End |
Lead: 
3
Declarer won the lead with the A and played a diamond. Sementa played his A and continued with the J. Declarer pitched a heart and won the trick with the K. He played two diamonds…and claimed 12 tricks.
In the open room…only one bid was enough for Versace to arrive to the slam…
| West | North | East | South |
| Versace | Dahan | Zaleski | Hayet |
| Pass | 1 |
Pass | |
| 1 |
Pass | 2NT | Pass |
| 6 |
The End |
Zaleski opened 1 and his partner showed his spade suit. Zaleski re-bid was 2NT and Versace decided to play the diamond slam.. We asked Versace the meaning of Zaleski’s 2NT rebid and this is what he wrote to us:
Ciaoo, 2NT shows a strong hand 15-18 with 6 diamonds (usually without 3 spades) and I bid 6 😆 practically…not very technically 😉
Lead: 3
Declarer won the lead with the A and played the 5, Dahan won the trick and played a little spade. Zaleski won in his hand played two trumps and claimed 12 tricks, scored 1370 and 13 IMPs for Italy.
Only 25% of the Open teams played slam in this hand…but 50 % of the seniors teams played and win slam in this board and 40% of the Ladies.