Bulgaria v Italy

Orbis Bermuda Bowl - Round 19

What might have been

Going into the final match of the round-robin in the Orbis Bermuda Bowl, the young Bulgarian team had a chance to make the final eight, but they needed a convincing win against the experienced Italian team -- and some help from other contenders.

The Bulgarians, surprise qualifiers from Zone 1, had their chances, but it was not to be. Italy won a close match, 25-23, for a 15-15 tie in Victory Points, well short of what Bulgaria needed to move on the the next round.

The team can take heart , however, from comments by VuGraph commentator Bobby Wolff, who said that if the Bulgarians continue to work hard and play as steadily as they have in Bermuda, 'one day they will be world champions.'

If Bulgaria hoped for a set of boards with lots of potential for swings, they were disappointed.

After 14 boards, the score was only 7-7 -- just 1 IMP per board.

An Italian gadget helped them win 2 IMPs right off the bat.

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

West North East South Karaivanov DeFalco Trendafilov Ferraro 1NT Pass 2© Pass 2ª All Pass

Rumen Trendafilov started with the ¨A and a diamond to his partner's king, followed by a diamond ruff. From there, the defenders could not be prevented from taking a heart and two clubs for down one. Plus 50 for Bulgaria. At the other table:

West North East South Duboin Mihov Bocchi Nanev 1¨ 1ª(1) Pass 1NT Pass 2© All Pass

(1) 5+ hearts.

Ivan Nanev might have bid 2ª over Norberto Bocchi's gadget bid of 1ª, showing hearts (and possibly clubs), but he played it conservatively, allowing the Italians to settle in a comfortable part score. Eight tricks were duly taken for plus 110 and 2 IMPs to Italy. A subtle defensive error on the next board gave Italy another small gain.

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

West North East South Karaivanov DeFalco Trendafilov Ferraro   Pass Pass 2§ 2¨ Pass Pass 3¨ Pass 3NT Pass 4© All Pass

With spades breaking so badly, Kalin Karaivanov had no play for his contact and in fact went two down for minus 100. Declarer ruffed the opening lead of the ¨A and attempted to cash two high spades, but De Falco ruffed the ªK and exited with the ©K, removing dummy's trump. Karaivanov still had to lose three spades and a club. At the other table:

West North East South Duboin Mihov Bocchi Nanev   Pass Pass 1© 2¨ Pass Pass 3¨ Pass 4§ Pass 4© All Pass

Vladimir Mihov also led the ¨A, ruffed by Giorgio Duboin, who also tried cashing two high spades. Mihov ruffed the second spade and played the ©K.

Duboin won the ©A and pulled two more round of trumps, then got out with the §7. Mihov played the 9 and Nanev won the queen, exiting with a low club, which was ruffed by Duboin.

Mihov erred by following low on the second round of clubs, as he would soon find out.

Duboin played the ª9 to Nanev's 10, and Nanev was enplayed. He could not play another spade without giving declarer a second trick in the suit, so he had to get out with a club. Duboin read the position beautifully, however, discarding a losing spade and waiting for Mihov, now down to nothing but diamonds, to play one to dummy's good king. Duboin's other losing spade went away on that trick and he got out for minus 50.

Bulgaria took a 1-IMP lead when they nailed Duboin for 800 in 2©, when he and Bocchi ran after Duboin's weak 1NT opening was doubled (North-South in the other room posted plus 600 in 3NT).

Bulgaria had another chance for a 10-IMP swing, but they couldn't capitalize.

Board 14. Dealer East. Love All ª J 3 © J 10 4 ¨ Q J 9 7 § 8 7 6 4 ª A 5 4 ª Q 10 9 6 © A Q 9 7 6 5 © 2 ¨ — ¨ A 10 6 4 3 § J 9 3 2 § K Q 10 ª K 8 7 2 © K 8 3 ¨ K 8 5 2 § A 5

West North East South Karaivanov DeFalco Trendafilov Ferraro   1¨ Dble Rdble Pass Pass 1ª 2© Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass

Ferraro led a low spade to the jack and queen. That gave Trendafilov three spade tricks to go with three club tricks, the ¨A and two heart tricks for a total of nine and plus 400. After the spade lead, even a diamond shift after winning the §A would not have been good enough to defeat the contract. It was a different matter at the other table.

West North East South Duboin Mihov Bocchi Nanev   1¨(1) Pass 1ª Pass 2¨ Pass 3§ Pass 3NT All Pass

(1) Hearts

Nanev got off to the lead of a low heart and, although Bocchi successfully finessed dummy's queen at trick one, the lead convinced him the hearts were not breaking favorably. At trick two, he played a spade to the 9 in his hand, ducked inexplicably by Nanev. Had he won and switched to a low diamond, the contract could have been defeated. Given the auction, the diamond switch was almost impossible to find, and in any case Nanev was not on lead.

At trick three Ferraro played the §K, taken by Nanev with the ace for another club play. It was easy from there. Bocchi won and played the ªQ, smothering North's jack and giving him three spade tricks to go with three club tricks, two hearts and a diamond for plus 400 and another push. With the score tied 7-7, Bulgaria finally took the lead.

Board 15. Dealer South. NS Game ª 10 © K 10 7 3 2 ¨ A 5 4 3 2 § 7 2 ª K J 4 2 ª A 3 © A 8 4 © 6 5 ¨ Q 10 8 6 ¨ K J 9 § A 4 § Q J 10 9 6 5 ª Q 9 8 7 6 5 © Q J 9 ¨ 7 § K 8 3

West North East South Karaivanov DeFalco Trendafilov Ferraro     Pass 1¨ 1© 2§ 2ª Pass 3© 3ª Dble 3NT All Pass

Responding to Guido Ferraro's double of 3ª, de Falco led the ª10, giving Karaivanov time to build nine tricks before the defenders could get five. Plus 400 to Bulgaria.

West North East South Duboin Mihov Bocchi Nanev     Pass 1§(1) 1© 2©(2) 2ª(3) Pass 3© Dble Pass 3NT All Pass

(1) Artificial.
(2) 5+ club, 8+ HCP.
(3) Natural, with a heart fit of no worse than K x.

With Bocchi's double of 3©, Italy was in a position to collect a big number. A trump lead would have held him to six tricks -- plus 800 to the Italians. Mihov must have been greatly relieved to see 3NT in the tray when it came back to his side. Mihov led a low heart and Duboin had no chance. Plus 50 and 10 IMPs to Bulgaria.

The Bulgarians had another chance for a big gain on the next board, but they had to settle for much less.

Board 16. Dealer West. EW Game ª A K 2 © K ¨ K J 7 6 5 4 3 § J 6 ª 10 9 8 4 ª J 7 5 © 10 4 © Q J 7 6 3 ¨ A Q 10 9 ¨ 8 § 10 5 3 § Q 9 8 2 ª Q 6 3 © A 9 8 5 2 ¨ 2 § A K 7 4

West North East South Karaivanov DeFalco Trendafilov Ferraro Pass 1¨ Pass 1© Pass 2ª Pass 4§ Pass 4¨ Pass 4© Pass 4ª Pass 5¨ Pass 6¨ All Pass

Bidding a slam off the A Q 10 9 8 of trumps doesn't seem like a good idea, and de Falco went down two in the no-play contract.

West North East South Duboin Mihov Bocchi Nanev Pass 1¨ Pass 1© Pass 3¨ Pass 3NT All Pass

Duboin led the ª10, and Nanev ran it to his queen. He played a diamond to dummy's jack, followed by a low diamond. Duboin won and made the killing switch to a low club. From there, no matter what Nanev did, he had to lose three diamonds, a club and a spade or three diamonds and two clubs. Minus 50 was a 2-IMP gain, but time was running on out the Bulgarians, who needed to win by 27 IMPs but were leading by only 12 with four boards to go.

Another 2 IMPs went Bulgaria's way when they bid 7NT with 14 top tricks and the Italians in the other room played 7¨ on the same cards.

Bulgaria's hopes were dashed when they suffered an 11-IMP loss on Board 18, and they ended up losing, 25-23, when they suffered a 7-IMP loss on the final board.