Silver medal in the World Transnational Championships!

Following the Youth European Teams Championships, the World Transnational Teams Championships took place from the 13th to 15th July in Wroclaw, Poland. I took part in those in the Girls’ category (girls of under 26 years of age), with three of my teammates from the European Championships: Constance Belloy, Elise Nugues and Wilhelmine Schlumberger, my partner in this Transnationals. ⛏️

As this Transnationals was taking place in Poland, there were a fair few Polish teams, including two that were stronger than the others, called Poland 1 and Poland 2, with some of the regular players on the Polish Girls’ team. 10 teams were participating in our category and the aim was to be among the top four after the two days of qualification, in order to fight out the final in a round robin on the third day.

The full team with our coach Wilou

A grand-slam hand to begin with!

Wilhelmine found herself in a 7♠ contract with these two hands, on the lead of a trump by East, which pushed out West’s 10 for Wil’s Jack. She then had six trump tricks, three hearts, a diamond and a club. She needed to find two tricks, the first potentially coming from the diamond finesse. Establishing the clubs would not be possible. Another possibility would be taking one or more ruffs in the hand short in Trumps. After the trump lead, she therefore had to not play a second round of Spades but to start by cashing the Ace of Diamonds and then three rounds of Hearts, on which two diamonds were discarded by the North hand. Then, a diamond ruffed by North, Ace of Clubs to get rid of the fourth heart, small club ruffed by South, diamond ruffed by North, club ruffed high before running the remaining spades.

Here, everything was working: with the Spades being 2-2, even if you did draw the trumps, you would be able to ruff a heart, discard a diamond on the Ace of Clubs and take the diamond finesse, which was working here. But the above line of play is better: it is sufficient for the Hearts to not be 6-2.

Grand slam made at our table and +11 IMPs to us since our opponents had only been playing in 6 at the other table.

An advantage of playing Cachalot!

(1) Cachalot convention: the double of 1♥ shows 4 or 5 cards in Spades.

(2) For the opponents, 2NT was showing at least an invitational hand with four hearts.

Over 4♥, with this South hand, I chose to say 4♠: as X showed at most 5 cards in Spades and I would not play at the 4-level without being sure of a fit, 4♠ showed 5♠ but also an option of another suit. Here, either a good club fit with Wil, or my own good diamond suit. So, Wil would be able to ask me which of the options suited me with a 4NT bid if she refused to play in Spades.

I then got myself doubled in 4♠, making because it was very difficult for the opponents to take their diamond ruff: after leading the Ace of Hearts, you have to switch to a diamond immediately and play a second after having risen with the Ace of Spades, guessing that I had length in Diamonds. Not easy!

Elise and Constance had been allowed to play in 4♥, which meant we got 15 IMPs on the deal!

A very delicate bid: in offence or pre-defence?

Still my hand in South. Your opponent opens a Multi 2♦ and it is your turn; you are green-against-red.

Several options: Pass because you have few HCP; 2♥, which is natural; and 4♦, which, in our system, shows a two-suiter with at least 5♥ and 5♦.

I said 4♦, as I was afraid that in saying Pass or 2♥, the auction would come back round to me in 4♠ and I would be obliged to make a decision on my own.

On the deal, that did not work out very well: I played in 5♦ down 3, whereas the opponents made 3NT on the other table (2♦* 2♥ P 3NT). And I still do not know which is the right bid!

After two days of qualification, we finished fourth in extremis by winning the final match 20-0 while the team ahead of us had a bad match. You should always apply yourself right to the very end!

All the members of the French teams present at the Transnationals, still with shirts that were either blue, white or red.

Quite an unexpected second place

We finished behind Poland 1, who had won almost all of their matches 20-0. However, we were very happy with this lovely silver medal, especially when we had thought that we could not qualify at all!

The U31 team finished first in their category, while the U26s picked up a nice third place.

A deal from the U31s, told by Pierre, who played with Esteban

“Esteban led the Ace of Hearts and then played the King, Declarer ruffed and decided to play a spade towards her Ace to avoid losing to stiff King with East. Her aim was therefore to only lose one spade and one heart.”

She then saw the Jack appear from Esteban. She continued by playing a spade towards the 10 and my Jack. Now on lead, what should I play back?

A spade was tempting to get rid of Dummy’s trump; but before hurrying to do that, a small thought: if Esteban held the Ace or King of Diamonds, we would always make a trick. However, if Declarer held the Ace and King of Diamonds, I needed to sever her communications, as I held Jack-fourth in Diamonds, in order to avoid her being able to establish a discard for a losing club. To do so, I switched to a club to Dummy’s Ace and my plan worked: Selena drew my last trump and then played Ace and King of Diamonds before crossing to the King of Clubs and cashing her Queen of Diamonds. Unfortunately for her but luckily for us, the Jack did not fall and she had to give us a club at the end. She should have cashed the Ace and King of Diamonds before giving up the trump trick, in order to avoid this situation at the end of the hand!”

I was very happy with this second-place finish at this Transnational Teams for multiple reasons: it was the first time I had played one; and it was also the first time I played an international event opposite Wil, so it was great to get a good result despite some misunderstandings due to our lack of experience as a partnership.

Aside from that, it was the first year for Elise on the French team and she really played well for us to come second playing all our matches as a four! A very good sign for her future successes on the French team.

Finally, it was great to encourage the other French teams, as well as the two Funbridge teams, who were both playing in the Junior U26 category.

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