Bridge

THE second week of the European Open Championships is devoted to Open, Women's and Senior Teams and Pairs. There were 119 Open Teams, and the eventual winners were Jim Mahaffey's USA squad: Gary Cohler, Sam Lev, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell, and Jacek Pszczola from Poland.

This deal saw the biggest swing in the Open Final, where Mahaffey beat a transnational French/German team. The auctions began identically, South overcalling, then making a takeout double. The French North passed for penalties. He led his diamond to South's ace and the queen was returned, covered and ruffed. North tried a Spade, but declarer ruffed and led a diamond. North ruffed in front of partner and played ace and another heart to stop the diamond ruff in dummy. Still declarer guessed the location of queen of clubs to make eight tricks and score 670.

In the other room Rodwell removed the double to 2S, even though spades had been bid on his left. East's affronted double was no more successful. He led a trump, the four, which ran to North's five.

Rodwell played a diamond to the ace, then the queen of diamonds. West played low, but he ruffed anyway, and crossed to the king of spades to ruff another diamond. He then played ace of hearts and ruffed a heart.

That was seven tricks, and he had to score an eighth with the ace of trumps. A second +670 gave Mahaffey 16 imps.