Back to the Future

12th Bermuda Bowl 1963 - St Vincent, Aosta, Italy

Enthusiastic Italian audiences packed the bridgerama theatre at the Grand Hotel Billia as the formidable Blue Team marched to their sixth consecutive Bermuda Bowl triumph. The format of the two previous Bermuda Bowls was repeated here, with teams playing a 144-board match spread over three days against each of the other three. Three 16-board stanzas were played each day.

The four competing teams were Italy, the defending champions, and one from each of the other WBF zones. France had won the European Championships in Beirut, Lebanon, the previous September. Argentina won a play-off made necessary by a three-way tie with Brazil and Uruguay in the South American Championships. The North American team comprised the three pairs who had led the International Trials held in Phoenix, Arizona, in November 1962.

The Italian squad contained five members of the team which had won in 1961 and 1962. The newcomer was Camillo Pabis Ticci from Florence, replacing Walter Avarelli who had withdrawn because of business commitments. The other five Italians were familiar names, with 22 world championships between them: Giorgio Belladonna, Pietro Forquet, Benito Garozzo, Massimo d'Alelio and Eugenio Chiaradia.

There was one significant change for this championship. The modern IMP scale was in use for the first time, replacing the more limited version produced by the Europeans and used in several previous championships. The Italians and the Americans recorded relatively easy victories over both France and Argentina. France also pounded the South Americans, to leave them still seeking their first win in a Bermuda Bowl match in this, their fifth appearance.

The match between Italy and North America was the one the huge crowds of partisan spectators wanted to see. They were not to be disappointed, either by the level of tension or, eventually, by the outcome. The fireworks began immediately. Italy led 7-0 after the first hand, and North America 10-7 with two boards played. The lead went backwards and forwards throughout the first two sets. Part way through set three Italy led by just 7 IMPs. Then the wind suddenly changed and it was all one-way traffic:

Board 41. Dealer North. EW Game ª A K 10 4 © 10 5 2 ¨ K J 4 § K 9 4 ª Q J 8 5 ª 3 2 © J 8 6 3 © K Q 9 7 4 ¨ Q 6 5 ¨ 10 9 § 8 2 § Q J 10 6 ª 9 7 6 © A ¨ A 8 7 3 2 § A 7 5 3

West North East South Robinson Belladona Jordan d'Alelio 1§(1) Pass 2¨(2) Pass 2ª(3) Pass 3§(4) Pass 5¨ Pass 6¨ All Pass

(1) Roman Club - 12-16 balanced or various strong hands
(2) Natural positive
(3) 12-16 balanced with spades the best suit
(4) Canapé

Robinson led a heart around to declarer's ace. D'Alelio finessed the jack of diamonds, drew trumps ending in his hand, and led the nine of spades. Robinson covered with the queen and declarer won dummy's ace. A club to the ace was followed by the seven of spades, covered by the eight and ten. D'Alelio ruffed a heart back to hand and tried the six of spades, but Robinson covered again. D'Alelio won the king of spades and played king and another club. Jordan won and cashed his second club trick; North America +50.

Had the four and five of spades been switched, the contract would have made. Even as it was, declarer would have succeeded on an even club break. Having said that, it was not a good slam, needing a trump break with the queen onside, as well as a very favourable spade position to give declarer any chance. But, would the American North/South pair find a making contract?

West North East South Forquet Schenken Chiaradia Leventritt 1ª Pass 2¨ Pass 3¨ Pass 3© Pass 3NT Pass 4ª All Pass

The Americans had avoided the six level, but had they reached a making game?

Schenken won the heart lead in dummy, finessed the jack of diamonds and ruffed a heart. He then re-entered his hand with the king of clubs and ruffed his last heart. The two top trumps came next, and then the king and ace of diamonds. The ace of clubs brought declarer's total to ten tricks, and a fourth round of diamonds promoted the ten of spades into an overtrick; North America +450 and 11 IMPs to the Americans, extending their lead to 13.

A series of small swings (a making partscore in both rooms, followed by Two Spades making by Schenken while Belladonna went three down vulnerable in the same contract at the other table) saw the Americans forge ahead in the final eight boards of the day, outscoring their opponents 36-1.

North America won the third stanza 60-12 and with a third of the match completed they found themselves ahead by 37 (118-81), the largest lead for either side up to this point.

You could be sure the Azurri would not relinquish their title without a considerable fight. On the fourth board of the second day, a bidding misunderstanding between Robinson/Jordan gave renewed hope to the majority of the spectators and left a considerable dent in the American lead:

Board 52. Dealer West. Game All ª K Q 7 6 © K Q 9 7 ¨ 7 6 4 § 7 4 ª A 4 ª J 10 8 5 © — © 8 3 2 ¨ J 9 8 3 2 ¨ K Q 5 § A K Q 8 6 5 § 10 9 2 ª 9 3 2 © A J 10 6 5 4 ¨ A 10 § J 3

West North East South Forquet Schenken Garozzo Leventritt 2§ Pass 3§ 3© 5¨ All Pass

Declarer ruffed the opening heart lead, drew trumps, and lost the two obvious tricks for what seemed like a normal result; Italy +600.

West North East South Jordan Belladonna Robinson Pabis-Ticci 1§ Pass 1ª 2© 3§ 3© Pass Pass 3NT All Pass

It is hard to believe that Jordan considered his void an adequate stopper after the opponents had bid and supported hearts, so one can only assume that he was trying to show the diamonds with his Three No Trump bid. Robinson was not on the same page of the script though.

Belladonna was not talked out of the heart lead, and the defenders took the first seven tricks; Italy +300 and 14 IMPs from nowhere. The Americans regained 10 of those IMPs in one shot when Schenken/Leventritt bid and made a cold vulnerable game missed by Belladonna/Pabis Ticci.

The Americans won a very quiet fourth stanza by 32-29 and led by 40. Italy then recovered 11 IMPs by bidding a grand slam that was a shade better than a finesse, but by the halfway point the American lead was up to 58.

North America had the better of the remainder of the set but Italy had won it by 49-33 and trailed by only 20 (216-196) with two-thirds of the match played.

The Italians gained 2 IMPs on the first board of the final day, but on the second board they committed a mechanical error:

Board 98. Dealer East. NS Game ª — © A 10 5 ¨ Q 9 4 3 § K J 10 6 5 2 ª A 8 7 2 ª K Q 10 9 5 4 3 © K Q J © 9 3 ¨ A ¨ 8 2 § A 9 8 7 4 § Q 3 ª J 6 © 8 7 6 4 2 ¨ K J 10 7 6 5 § —

West North East South Forquet Schenken Chiaradia Leventritt   2ª(1) Pass 3§ Dble 4ª 5¨ Pass Pass Dble 5© Dble All Pass

(i) Natural weak two opening

This rather strange-looking auction needs some explanation. After Forquet's natural and forcing Three Club bid, Chiaradia rebid before North had acted. This bid out of turn silenced West for the next round of the auction. Schenken doubled, presumably intending to show clubs and, expecting his partner to have either a good hand or a fit, Chiaradia jumped to game in his strong suit.

Perhaps concerned that Forquet's Three Club bid was semi-psychic based on a good spade fit, Leventritt felt he had to come in, just bidding his longest suit. Chiaradia doubled, protecting his partner's enforced pass, and Leventritt removed himself (unwisely, as it turned out) to hearts, perhaps hoping that Schenken's double had been a take-out double of spades and that dummy would produce a good heart holding. With the penalty for the bid out of turn paid, Forquet was permitted to express an opinion at this point, which he did with a double.

Forquet kicked off with the ace of spades, ruffed in dummy. Declarer played a diamond to the ace and Forquet switched to the king of hearts. Declarer won the ace and returned a trump. Forquet took the trick, cashed a spade trick, and later made his other high trump for two down; Italy +500.

West North East South Jordan Belladonna Robinson Pabis-Ticci   3ª Pass 6ª All Pass

It was unfortunate that this table was in the Closed Room. Had the huge crowds of spectators watching on bridgerama been able to watch events here unfold as they happened, there is little doubt that the betting would have been that the inevitable double-figure swing would go in favour of the Americans.

However, both Italian defenders rose magnificently to the occasion. Pabis Ticci led the seven of hearts. Belladonna took his ace and switched smartly to the king of clubs. Pabis Ticci ruffed and the contract was one down; Italy +50 and 11 IMPs - just 7 behind now.

When the dust had cleared at the end of the stanza, the Americans had not only retained their overnight lead, but had added to it. They won the segment 39-38 and were now 21 IMPs in front with 32 boards remaining. The home fans were starting to get edgy.

The Italian fans need not have worried. Great champions always seem to find an extra gear when the pressure is on and the Italians shifted up for the penultimate set.

Since this was the pivotal stanza of the match, we would like to have brought you more of the hands. However, the whole set was a succession of fairly dull partscore deals. There was only one double-figure swing, but the Italians picked up a couple of IMPs on just about every board. They won the set 44-5, turning the Americans' 21 IMP lead into an 18 IMP advantage for the home team with just one 16-board stanza to play.

In the final set the Italian lead began to grow immediately - 7 IMPs on the first board and 5 IMPs on the third, now 30 ahead with 13 boards remaining. North America stopped the rot when they recovered 6 IMPs on the fifth board.

The fingernails of the hundreds of Italians packing the bridgerama theatre were fast disappearing. Italy gained 3 IMPs on each of the next two boards - 17 ahead with eight deals left.

Board 137. Dealer North. EW Game ª K 2 © A Q 10 8 3 ¨ A Q 8 § 10 5 3 ª J 10 9 4 3 ª 8 5 © J 5 © 7 4 2 ¨ 10 9 3 ¨ K J 7 § 8 6 2 § Q J 9 7 4 ª A Q 7 6 © K 9 6 ¨ 6 5 4 2 § A K

West North East South Pabis-Ticci Schenken Belladonna Leventritt 1NT Pass 4NT All Pass

Belladonna led a club. Declarer won in dummy, cashed two top hearts, and took a diamond finesse. East won with the king of diamonds and played a second club. Schenken cashed his winners, but no squeeze materialized and he had to concede the last trick; North America +460.

West North East South Jacoby Forquet Nail Garozzo 1© Pass 2¨ Pass 2© Pass 2ª Pass 3NT Pass 4© Pass 4ª Pass 4NT Pass 5¨ Pass 6§ Pass 6© All Pass

A much more controlled auction carried the Italians to Six Hearts, against which Nail led the eight of spades. Forquet cashed dummy's ace and king of clubs and then played the king of hearts and a second round of trumps to his ace. After ruffing his club loser with dummy's last trump, Forquet re-entered his hand with the ace of diamonds and drew the outstanding trump. He ran his remaining trumps, but with the king of diamonds and the spade guard split, there was no squeeze and declarer conceded the last trick; Italy +980 and 11 IMPs, 28 ahead with seven boards left, and the American coffin was just about nailed shut. The remaining hands were mostly flat (or close to it). The Americans gained 13 IMPs on the very last deal of the match, but it was too little, too late, and simply reduced the Italian margin of victory.

The Blue Team had won the Bermuda Bowl for the sixth consecutive time. Indeed, they had not lost a single match in that time. Since 1957, they had played a total of 14 matches in Bermuda Bowl competition, and they had won every one of them. (But for the loss to the USA in 1951, Italy could have claimed a 100% record in Bowl matches). Indeed, the 19 IMP victory over the American team in St Vincent was the Italians' smallest winning margin in any of those matches!