We are about ten miles west of central Pairs, in the commune of Saint Cloud, one of France’s wealthiest towns. Teams representing 26 clubs have gathered to contest the national final of Division 1 of the French Interclub Teams Championship. The format for the final is an eight-round Swiss of 12-board matches played over two days.

On our previous visit, we saw the highlights from the opening matches. Today, we bring you the best of the action from the remaining matches on the first day of this final.

As usual, we start with some problems. Firstly, with only the opponents vulnerable, you are East holding:

First, consider whether you would have opened the bidding in first seat.

If not, then what action, if any, do you take when the auction goes as shown?

Next, with only your opponents vulnerable, you are sitting in the South seat with:

What action, if any, do you take?

Finally, with only your side vulnerable, you hold as West:

What action, if any, do you take?

While you consider those, we start with the Round 3 meeting between representatives of Club Djeun'S Yvelines, captained by Laurent Thuillez, and Bridge Club of Tours, led by Jean Louis Besnault. The Great Dealer allocated the N/S pairs 25 HCP on this early board, but then cruelly distributed them in such a way that the all could legitimately make was 2♦ or 3♣. Who would be left holding the parcel?

Wilfried Libbrecht (left) was a member of the French Junior team at the 1996 European Youth Championships. Earlier this year, he collected two medals at the European Transnational Championships in Strasbourg, a silver from the Open BAM Teams and a bronze in the Open Pairs.

In a departure from what we associate with traditional French style, Luc Jardon opened 1♥ on the East cards. After Norbert Lebely had raised to 2♥ over South’s double, it is hard to blame N/S for concentrating on possession of adequate heart stoppers before bidding 3NT.

I’m sure that Libbrecht was not happy to see West’s ♠J at trick one, but it was too late to do anything about it by then. East captured dummy’s bare king with the ♠A and cleared the suit. Declarer could cash his five diamond winners, but the defenders had the rest. N/S -300.

Donatella Halfon did not open the East hand, and then found herself with the first of this week’s problems on the second round of the auction. The winning option is to start doubling, as the opponents are already well beyond anything they can make. Attracted by the favourable vulnerability, Halfon went for the advanced save in 4♠. She was right in that 4♠-Doubled was cheap, only one down, but, of course, with no vulnerable game bonus available to the opponents, it was a phantom. N/S +100 and 9 IMPs to BESNAULT.

It really can be a difficult game. By contrast, on the next deal, E/W were given only 21 HCP, along with an eight-card spade fit but with trumps breaking 4-1. That may not sound particularly promising but, with a correct diamond guess, they could make 4♠. Could anyone bid it?

Faced with the second of this week’s problems, Samir Sadaka (right) chose to show both of his suits immediately with an Unusual 2NT overcall. Olivier Tarnat had few values, but what he did have was in his partner’s two suits. Not only did that increase his playing strength, but it meant that his side had very little defence, so his jump to 4♥ was more of an increase of the pre-empt than bid with any expectation of making game. Quite right he was too and, what’s more, no one could find a double.

East had four top winners to cash, but that was it. One down: N/S -50.

In the same position, Libbrecht preferred a 1♥ overcall on the South hand. Clement Thizy raised to 2♥ and Luc Jardon doubled on his flat 18-count. When West’s 2♠ bid was passed back to Libbrecht, he decided that his extra shape justified further competition. Slightly risky, perhaps, with the opponents the ones who were able to make game, but surely there was never any danger they would wake up and bid it after this start. Indeed, neither could even find a competitive 3♠ bid.

Libbrecht also lost the obvious four top tricks, but that meant a plus score for him. N/S +140 and 5 IMPs to THUILLEZ. The end result was that BESNAULT won a very low-scoring match 13-6.

The final VuGraph match of the first day featured Bridge Club AJEC Chaville, captained by Brigitte Aubonnet, against B.C. Nancy led by Francois Michel Sargos. Both West players had to deal with a variation on the last of this week’s problems on our next deal.

Philippe Chottin (left) represented Luxembourg at the 1983 European Championships, and he was a member of the French Senior Team at the recent World Championships in Marrakech.

Franck Riehm opened the East hand 1♣ in third seat and Christophe Carde’s jump to 2♥ then left Chottin with a variation of the problem posed above. This is the sort of hand that is made so much more difficult by playing a five-card Major system and, if the 1♣ opening may be on a doubleton, it becomes even more difficult. Whilst a simple raise to 3♣ would have been best on this layout, Chottin started with a negative double. He was no doubt thankful not to have to decide what to do if his partner responded 2♠, but he was saved that problem by North’s 3♥ bid. Now Chottin was left with something of a guess: 3NT, 4♣ or double could all have been the winning choice, but his pass looks equally reasonable.

As it happens, no one can make much above the two-level on this layout, so defending was a winning decision. The defence duly came to a diamond and two tricks in each black suit. One down: E/W +50.

In the replay, Alexandre Saubot opened 1♦ on the East hand. Although I don’t have access to their convention-card, this would suggest that their 1♦ opening promises four, rather than playing better minor (otherwise a 1♣ opening is clearly superior). In that case, it would seem clear for Jerome Pecresse to bid 3♦ over South jump to 2♥. However, Pecresse also started with a double and, as in the other room, North raised to 3♥.

Saubot now thought the East hand was worth a further competitive move (although, quite why facing a Passed partner, I cannot tell you), so he doubled. Now the failure to show his fit earlier came back to bite Pecresse and he had a really tough decision. If his partner had the 3-1-5-4 shape that the double suggests, then bidding 4♦ (or 4♣ perhaps) would likely be the right decision. Opposite Saubot’s actual hand, the only way to a plus score is to pass the double and nip 3♥-X by a trick.

Pecresse obviously decided that defending 3♥-X at IMPs was too risky, so he pulled to 4♦. Fortunately for him, neither opponent could find a double, as declarer had to lose a spade and two tricks in each red suit. Even undoubled, two down was still E/W -200 and 6 IMPs to SARGOS.

The hands in this match were generally very dull, but the penultimate deal provided some excitement for those watching live on BBO VuGraph.

Christophe Carde’s 2♣ opening might not be everyone’s choice on this South hand, but it got the job done here. Chottin came in with a jump to 3♥ and it looks as if Xavier Truel’s double showed values (although that would not be the normal agreement). Carde’s jump to 4♠ was a reasonable description of his hand, and now Truel rolled out Blackwood and jumped to slam when his partner showed two key cards.

West led his singleton ♦10, so declarer was soon claiming 13 tricks. N/S +1460.

Bernard Doussot (right) made his international debut in the French Junior team at the 1994 European Youth Championships. More recently, he won a silver medal in the Open Teams at the 2017 World Championships in Lyon.

The auction here was even quicker. Doussot opened 1♠ and Pecresse jumped to 4♥ on the West hand. David Harari doubled and, based on values opposite, Doussot took a shot at slam in his long suit. Saubot closed the auction with a Lightner-style double, asking his partner to lead a minor. Pecresse guessed right, and opened a club, but dummy’s singleton was a disappointment to the defence, and declarer was soon claiming twelve tricks. N/S +1660 and an exciting 5 IMPs to SARGOS.

SARGOS won a very low-scoring match 13-6, which was close enough to keep both sides in the top half of the field. With four of the eight rounds played, this was how the leader-board looked overnight:

With such a closely-bunched field, it is still anyone’s title. We will be back soon with the best of the action from the early Sunday matches.