There will be many big match-ups during the course of the Mixed Teams Championship, but one of the biggest came in the first round when Paul Chemla's French squad met the strong Italian team led by Dario Attanasio. It proved to be a match full of swings, as you will see.

Board 1. Dealer North. Love All ª K 7 © K 8 7 ¨ K 9 5 4 § A K 9 6 ª Q 10 6 2 ª 9 8 5 4 © Q 3 © J 9 5 2 ¨ A 3 ¨ Q 8 6 § Q J 7 4 2 § 5 3 ª A J 3 © A 10 6 4 ¨ J 10 7 2 § 10 8

One Club was strong and One spade showed 8+HCP with either a balanced hand or at least four diamonds in an unbalanced hand. Catherine D'Ovidio led the two of hearts to the four, queen and king. Enrico Guerra played back the heart eight, covered by the jack and ace, then ran the jack of diamonds to the queen. D'Ovidio switched to a spade to the king and Guerra played the ©7, running it when D'Ovidio played low. Next he played the ¨K to Paul Chemla's ace. Chemla switched to the queen of clubs to the ace, declarer unblocking dummy's ten. When declarer cashed his red winners, Chemla was squeezed in the black suits so that the ªQ fell under the ace and there was no need of the club finesse; 11 tricks for +460.

What a difference a lead makes! Gabriella Manara selected the eight of spades, which went to the ten and king. Jean-Christophe Quantin crossed to the ace of hearts to run the jack of diamonds to the queen.

Manara played a spade to the jack and queen and Dario Attanasio cleared the suit. Now Quantin played a diamond to the ace and Attanasio switched to a low club without cashing the spade winner.

From declarer's point of view, the spades were 5-3 and he could not afford to let East into the lead. He rose with the ace of clubs and crossed to dummy with a diamond to lead a low heart. When the queen came up he ducked it, hoping that the suit was dividing evenly. Alas, Attanasio now cashed the spade which he was not supposed to have for one down; -50 and 11 IMPs to ATTANASIO.

A classical deceptive play had beaten an unbeatable contract. If West cashes his spade earlier, declarer has no hope other than the double club finesse as he has already lost two diamonds and two spades, and, of course, the club play succeeds. What a way to start a European Championship!

Board 2. Dealer East. NS Game ª 8 7 6 4 3 © — ¨ Q 4 § A J 9 8 5 4 ª A K ª Q J 9 © A K Q 9 8 4 3 © J 7 6 2 ¨ J 10 6 2 ¨ 9 7 3 § — § 10 6 2 ª 10 5 2 © 10 5 ¨ A K 8 5 § K Q 7 3

One No Trump was 12-15 and redouble was a transfer to clubs. Guerra led a spade against Four Hearts. Chemla won, drew trumps and cashed the spades. He fiddled around for a while but the defence did not crash the diamond honours so he was held to ten tricks: +420.

Quantin made a negative double of Four Hearts - a good decision if South could be relied upon to remove it. Alas, Anne-Fred Favas held a balanced minimum and thought that she was more likely to go plus on defence than if she bid. The defence took their diamond winners but that was all; +590 and 5 IMPs to CHEMLA.

Board 3. Dealer South. EW Game ª 10 7 © K Q 10 9 7 6 ¨ J 6 § K 4 3 ª K J 6 4 ª Q © 8 4 2 © A J ¨ Q 3 ¨ A K 10 9 8 5 4 § A 8 5 2 § J 10 9 ª A 9 8 5 3 2 © 5 3 ¨ 7 2 § Q 7 5

Three Diamonds has quite a wide range, particularly in the balancing seat, but Three No Trump is just the sort of bid we all have to make, and hope that partner has sufficient to allow it to make. Chemla duly did so and, on the king of hearts lead, was well pleased with the sight of dummy. He won the heart immediately, cashed the queen of diamonds and, when everyone followed, claimed a slightly lazy nine tricks; +600.

Favas did not consider her hand to be suitable for a weak two bid - the French style is much sounder than that in some other countries - leading to a slightly different auction. Quantin opened with a weak two bid in his suit and, of course, Manara overcalled. Attanasio asked for a heart stopper and was happy to hear his partner show one. Favas led a heart against Three No Trump and Manara ducked. Quantin could see that he would have no entry if he established his suit so switched to a club. That gave Manara ten tricks; +630 and 1 IMP to ATTANASIO.

Board 4. Dealer West. Game All ª A 8 6 © J 8 5 ¨ 9 7 § A J 10 4 3 ª J 7 3 ª K Q 9 5 4 © K 10 6 © 3 2 ¨ 8 5 3 ¨ K J 4 § K Q 7 5 § 9 2 ª 10 2 © A Q 9 7 4 ¨ A Q 10 6 2 § 8

Two No Trump showed both red suits and double and redouble just some general values. Clearly, Guerra intended his Double then Three Heart combination to be invitational, but Simonetta Paoluci did not think she had anything to spare for her two-suited overcall so passed. Guerra won the spade lead, took the diamond finesse, played ace and ruffed a diamond, then passed the jack of hearts; 11 tricks for +200.

Given a free run, The French pair bid their game. Favas won the club lead and played a diamond to the queen, cashed the ace, on which the king dropped, and ruffed a diamond with the jack. She had two trump losers now but her contract was safe; +620 and 9 IMPs to CHEMLA.

Board 5. Dealer North. NS Game ª Q © 6 5 4 ¨ K Q 10 9 8 7 § 7 4 2 ª K 7 4 ª A J 5 2 © 9 8 7 3 © K Q J ¨ 5 4 ¨ J 6 § K 8 5 3 § A Q 10 6 ª 10 9 8 6 3 © A 10 2 ¨ A 3 2 § J 9

Double showed three hearts and Redouble some values. Paoluci followed up her Redouble by competing with Three Diamonds and D'Ovidio left the Italians to play there despite her 18 HCP, seeing nowhere to go once Chemla had denied a fifth heart. D'Ovidio led a heart and the defence came to their five tricks easily enough for -100.

Four Spades had three top losers in the side suits so required trumps to be 3-3 with the queen onside. Well, the queen was onside, but that was the limit of declarer's good fortune. There were two trump losers and the contract was two down; -100 and 5 IMPs to CHEMLA, closing to trail by only 14-17 IMPs.

Board 6. Dealer East. EW Game ª A 4 © A Q 9 8 4 3 ¨ A 3 § A K 6 ª 9 8 2 ª J 10 6 3 © 7 5 2 © J 10 6 ¨ J 7 ¨ 10 9 5 2 § J 9 8 3 2 § 10 4 ª K Q 7 5 © K ¨ K Q 8 6 4 § Q 7 5

Both North/South pairs bid confidently to the excellent grand slam, the French quickly, the Italians after a little more exploration. Had hearts not divided, there might have been some interest to the play, as declarer has to sort out which squeeze to play for, but in practice everything was very easy; +1520 and a flat board.

Board 7. Dealer South. Game All ª K Q 9 2 © K J 9 ¨ Q 9 § A 8 5 2 ª A 6 5 ª J 10 8 7 © Q 10 2 © 8 7 3 ¨ 8 ¨ A 5 3 2 § K Q 9 6 4 3 § J 10 ª 4 3 © A 6 5 4 ¨ K J 10 7 6 4 § 7

The Italians did very well to reach the only game that had a chance of success. D'Ovidio led the jack of clubs and Guerra won and played the ¨Q, which D'Ovidio ducked. She also ducked the next diamond so Chemla ruffed and played a top club to force the dummy. Guerra played a spade up, ducked to his king, then led a low club. D'Ovidio ruffed in with the seven and dummy pitched its remaining spade. Now D'Ovidio played a trump to the queen and king. Declarer had no option but to play for the remaining trumps to split. He played a heart to the ace and gave up a diamond for +620.

When Quantin doubled the natural Two Club opening, Favas made the slightly cautious jump response of Three Diamonds, ending the auction. With North not holding four hearts, no game is especially good, but as we have seen, Four Hearts can be made on the 4-3 fit. Favas made 11 tricks in Three Diamonds, but +150 was not enough; 10 IMPs to ATTANASIO.

Board 8. Dealer West. Love All ª K 9 8 5 © Q 10 5 4 3 ¨ 8 7 2 § 2 ª J 10 7 ª A Q 4 3 2 © K 9 8 6 2 © J ¨ Q J ¨ 9 5 3 § A Q 10 § K 8 4 3 ª 6 © A 7 ¨ A K 10 6 4 § J 9 7 6 5

The two auctions were effectively identical, with the Two No Trump and Two Heart overcalls both showing the minors. There was a difference in the play at the two tables, however.

Paoluci led a top diamond and cashed the second diamond before switching to a club. D'Ovidio put in dummy's queen and led the jack of spades for a finesse, then the ª10, for the king and ace. She ruffed her diamond loser then played a low heart to the jack and ace. There was just a trump to lose from here; +140.

At the other table, Favas also led a top diamond, but she switched to a club at trick two. Gabriella Manara could either draw three rounds of trumps to hold the club ruffs to one, but then be unable to ruff a diamond in dummy, or she could go for the diamond ruff but then see Attanasio get two club ruffs. There was no escape and she was down one for -50 and 5 IMPs to CHEMLA.

Board 9. Dealer North. EW Game ª 10 6 4 © 9 6 3 ¨ A J 3 § 7 6 5 4 ª A K 7 ª Q 3 2 © A 5 © 10 4 2 ¨ K 10 8 4 ¨ Q 9 7 6 § 10 9 8 2 § A K Q ª J 9 8 5 © K Q J 8 7 ¨ 5 2 § J 3

The same contract was again reached at both tables, but the auctions were different and that made the defence easier at one table than the other.

Where D'Ovidio opened One Club and Paoluci overcalled, the defence was in control. Paoluci led the queen of hearts and D'Ovidio won the ace, crossed to a top club and led a diamond to the king and ace. Guerra returned a heart and that was one down; -100.

At the other table, Favas had not overcalled and the choice of opening bid made it less easy for north to see the danger of the club suit. Again the opening lead was a heart honour to dummy's ace. Manara led a low diamond off the dummy at trick two and Quantin did not realise that this was his only chance to beat the contract. When he played low, the queen scored and Manara ran for home; nine tricks for +600 and 12 IMPs to ATTANASIO.

Board 10. Dealer East. Game All ª 4 3 2 © K Q 3 2 ¨ 6 5 2 § A 6 2 ª 9 8 7 5 ª K Q 6 © A 10 8 © J 9 7 6 ¨ Q J 10 4 ¨ 8 § K 5 § J 9 8 4 3 ª A J 10 © 5 4 ¨ A K 9 7 3 § Q 10 7

Both Wests led the queen of diamonds, which was allowed to hold the trick. The bidding made a difference again, as Chemla had no reason to suspect the diamond position and continued with the ¨4 at trick two. Paoluci had four diamond tricks and could establish two hearts and two spades to go with the ace of clubs; +150.

Attanasio switched to a spade at trick two and Favas had a little more work to do. She made seven tricks for +90 but 2 IMPs to ATTANASIO.

ATTANASIO had started with a very useful 41-19 IMP, 21-9 VP win against tough opposition and seemed to be in good form.

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