Italy v USA1 (Bermuda Bowl)

Battle Royal

I don’t know how long Saturday night’s match between USA I and Italy will be talked about, but it was a privilege to be a member of the vugraph audience and witness such a terrific demonstration of why we all love bridge. Almost every result from either room was greeted with cheering and applause from the spectators who filled every corner of the theatre. (If these two teams meet in the final I would book your seat now!)

Before the match I congratulated Giorgio Duboin on Italy’s winning the Round Robin exhibition and asked him who would finish second. He wasn’t sure, but thought Italy might choose India in the quarter-finals (they did). When Bob Hamman came to the microphone I asked him how it felt to be the second-ranked player in the world, but he reckoned he was a lot lower than that! Bob revealed that a couple of days ago his company had lost $1,000,000 when a young Canadian kicked a 50-yard field goal in a sports promotion event. Unperturbed, Bob said he was looking forward to playing Italy in a repeat of the thrilling final in Monte Carlo. So are we if this encounter is anything to go by! Join me now for a white-knuckle roller-coaster ride. After a few minor exchanges Italy, hoping for a big win that might just eliminate one of their most dangerous rivals, trailed 5-7. Then the IMP-fest began in earnest.

Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
	♠ A 3 ♥ Q J 9 8 5 ♦ K J 7 6 ♣ Q 4
♠ K 10 9 2 ♥ 10 ♦ Q 10 4 2 ♣ J 7 5 2		♠ J 7 5 4 ♥ 6 3 ♦ A 9 3 ♣ A 9 8 6
	♠ Q 8 6 ♥ A K 7 4 2 ♦ 8 5 ♣ K 10 3

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Bocchi	Soloway	Duboin
	1♥	Pass	2♣
Pass	2♦	Pass	2♥
Pass	3♣	Pass	4♥
All Pass

East led the four of spades and declarer put up the queen, winning with the ace when West produced the king. Declarer drew trumps and played a club to the queen and ace. East cashed the jack of spades and played another spade. Declarer ruffed, crossed to the king of clubs, ruffed a club, went to dummy with a heart and played a diamond. After some suitable deliberation Bocchi put in the jack; +620.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Versace	Rodwell	Lauria	Meckstroth
	1♥	Pass	2NT*
Pass	3♣*	Pass	4♥
All Pass

Play started on similar lines, but when Rodwell had to decide he put up the king of diamonds; 100 and 12 IMPs for Italy.

Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
	♠ J 5 ♥ K 8 ♦ Q 10 9 4 ♣ K J 7 6 5
♠ A K Q 8 ♥ J 10 7 6 5 ♦ 8 6 ♣ 10 4		♠ 9 6 3 2 ♥ Q 9 ♦ A K J 5 3 ♣ A 3
	♠ 10 7 4 ♥ A 4 3 2 ♦ 7 2 ♣ Q 9 8 2

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Bocchi	Soloway	Duboin
		1NT	Pass
2♣*	Pass	2♠	Pass
4♠	All Pass

South led the seven of diamonds, which simplified declarer’s task. He took the queen with the ace, cashed two top spades, played a diamond to the king, drew the last trump and played a heart to the queen. When that was ducked declarer claimed +650.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Versace	Rodwell	Lauria	Meckstroth
		1NT	Pass
2♦*	Pass*	2♥*	Pass
3♥*	Pass	4♣*	Pass
4♥	Pass	4♠	All Pass

Here South led a more challenging club. Declarer won with the ace, drew trumps in three rounds and played a heart to the queen. Meckstroth ducked and there was no reason for declarer to do anything other than play on diamonds. He cashed the ace and king and played a third round. When South discarded declarer threw a club from dummy but North won and played a club. Declarer could make only two more tricks; 100 and 13 IMPs for USAI as a result of Meckstroth’s lead and subsequent defence.

Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul.
	♠ A J 6 4 2 ♥ 10 9 4 2 ♦ 3 ♣ A 8 7
♠ Q 8 3 ♥ ♦ A K Q J 10 9 6 4 ♣ 3 2		♠ 10 7 ♥ K Q J 8 6 5 ♦ 5 2 ♣ Q J 5
	♠ K 9 5 ♥ A 7 3 ♦ 8 7 ♣ K 10 9 6 4

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Bocchi	Soloway	Duboin
			Pass
1♦	1♠	Dble*	2♣
3♦	Pass	3♥	Pass
4♦	All Pass

North cashed the ace of clubs and switched to the ten of hearts. Declarer ruffed South’s ace and played a club. East won and when the defenders cashed their spade tricks declarer claimed the rest; 100.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Versace	Rodwell	Lauria	Meckstroth
			1♦*
5♦	Dble	All Pass

The defence was perfect. North led the ten of hearts,declarer ruffing and playing a spade. South won and switched to a trump, won by declarer who played the queen of spades. North won and underled his ace of clubs, enabling South to win and play a second trump. That was down three; 800 and USAI led 32 17.

Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	♠ 10 9 7 3 ♥ A Q J 9 ♦ K 7 5 ♣ 5 4
♠ ♥ 8 ♦ A J 9 8 6 4 3 ♣ A K Q 10 8		♠ Q J 5 4 ♥ 10 7 6 3 ♦ - ♣ J 9 7 6 3
	♠ A K 8 6 2 ♥ K 5 4 2 ♦ Q 10 2 ♣ 2

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Bocchi	Soloway	Duboin
	Pass	Pass	1♠
2NT*	3♣*	4♣	4♥
5♣	5♠	Dble	Pass
6♣	Dble	All Pass

When Bob Hamman bid Five Clubs he was baiting the hook, Soloway’s double put the fish on the line, and Hamman’sretreat to Six Clubs reeled him in. South led the ace of spades and declarer claimed +1740.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Versace	Rodwell	Lauria	Meckstroth
	1♦*	Pass	2♠*
3♦	4♠	Pass	Pass
5♣	Dble	All Pass

Here North was on lead. He chose the nine of spades sodeclarer recorded +1150 and lost 11 IMPs.

Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.
	♠ A Q J 10 7 6 4 ♥ 8 7 6 3 ♦ A ♣ 5
♠ 3 2 ♥ 9 4 ♦ Q J 9 ♣ A Q J 10 9 6		♠ K 9 8 ♥ Q 2 ♦ 10 6 5 4 3 2 ♣ K 8
	♠ 5 ♥ A K J 10 5 ♦ K 8 7 ♣ 7 4 3 2

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Bocchi	Soloway	Duboin
		Pass	1♥
2♣	2♠	3♣	Pass
Pass	3♥	Pass	3♠
Pass	4♣	Pass	4♦
Pass	4♥	All Pass

West led the queen of diamonds. Declarer won in dummy, drew trumps, pitched a club on the king of diamonds and took a spade finesse; +680.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Versace	Rodwell	Lauria	Meckstroth
		Pass	1♥
2♣	4♣*	Dble	Pass
Pass	4♦*	Pass	4♠*
Pass	5♦*	Pass	6♥
All Pass

West cashed the ace of clubs and continued with the queen, ruffed by declarer, who played a heart to the ace and took a losing spade finesse. That would be the start of a winning line if the king was with West and East held three trumps, but this time it led to two down, East winning and returning a diamond. Declarer won in dummy and played spades allowing West to ruff; -200 and 13 IMPs for Italy.

Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
	♠ A Q 9 ♥ J 10 9 4 3 ♦ J 10 7 ♣ K 5
♠ 10 8 7 5 3 ♥ Q 5 2 ♦ Q 4 ♣ J 10 3		♠ K 4 2 ♥ K 8 7 6 ♦ 9 8 6 3 ♣ 4 2
	♠ J 6 ♥ A ♦ A K 5 2 ♣ A Q 9 8 7 6

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Bocchi	Soloway	Duboin
		Pass	1♣
Pass	1♦	Pass	2♦
Pass	2♠*	Pass	3♣
Pass	4♣	Pass	4♦
Pass	4NT	Pass	6♣
All Pass

Six Clubs was not unreasonable, but there was no reason for declarer to take a winning view and he lost a spade and a diamond; -50.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Versace	Rodwell	Lauria	Meckstroth
		Pass	1♣*
Pass	1♠*	Pass	2♦*
Pass	2♥*	Pass	2NT*
Pass	3NT	All Pass

On the lead of the three of spades declarer made eleven tricks; +460 and 11 IMPs for USAI.

The American team had a strong hold on the match and they emphasized their superiority over the closing boards.

Board 16. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
	♠ 10 9 8 4 3 ♥ A 9 6 ♦ 10 7 4 ♣ 8 5
♠ 6 5 ♥ K 3 ♦ A K Q J 5 3 ♣ Q 9 3		♠ K Q 7 2 ♥ 7 5 ♦ 6 2 ♣ A J 7 6 4
	♠ A J ♥ Q J 10 8 4 2 ♦ 9 8 ♣ K 10 2

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Bocchi	Soloway	Duboin
1♦	Pass	1♠	2♥
2NT	Pass	3NT	All Pass

When North led the eight of clubs Hamman shrugged his shoulders, went up with the ace and cashed his diamonds. That gave him seven tricks; -200.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Versace	Rodwell	Lauria	Meckstroth
1♦	Pass	1♠	3♥
3NT	4♥	4NT	All Pass

When North led the eight of clubs Versace shrugged his shoulders, finessed and took five tricks; -500, adding 7 IMPs to the total of USAI.

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	♠ 9 6 ♥ Q 6 ♦ K 10 9 6 4 3 2 ♣ 6 2
♠ K J 5 4 2 ♥ 9 7 5 3 2 ♦ 5 ♣ A 7		♠ 10 7 3 ♥ A J 8 ♦ J 8 ♣ K Q 10 9 4
	♠ A Q 8 ♥ K 10 4 ♦ A Q 7 ♣ J 8 5 3

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Bocchi	Soloway	Duboin
		Pass	1NT
2♦*	Pass	2♥	Pass
Pass	3♦	3♥	All Pass

As the cards lie you can make Three Hearts, but when South led a club declarer won with dummy’s ace and played two more rounds of the suit discarding the losing diamond. North ruffed and switched to a diamond, forcing dummy to ruff.Declarer played a heart to the queen and ace, a spade to the jack and a hopeful heart. South won, cashed another heart and played the ace of diamonds. The contract was four down;200.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Versace	Rodwell	Lauria	Meckstroth
		1♣	1NT
2♣*	3♦	Pass	3NT
Dble	All Pass

East’s opening bid did not guarantee clubs, so there was no reason for West to start with the ace. He led the two of spades and declarer won with the queen and cashed his diamonds. He finished with eleven tricks; +1150 and 14 IMPs.

Do you remember the old line about ‘things could only get worse?’ Well, they did.

Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	♠ 8 2 ♥ K 5 ♦ A 6 3 2 ♣ A 9 8 6 4
♠ A Q 10 9 6 ♥ - ♦ 4 ♣ K Q J 7 5 3 2		♠ 7 4 ♥ A 10 8 7 2 ♦ K Q J 10 9 7 ♣ -
	♠ K J 5 3 ♥ Q J 9 6 4 3 ♦ 8 5 ♣ 10

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Bocchi	Soloway	Duboin
			Pass
2♣	Pass	2NT	3♥
3♠	4♥	Dble	All Pass

Put South’s intervention down to the state of the match and general depression. It was a bloody affair. West led the king of clubs and East ruffed and switched to the king of diamonds. Declarer won in dummy and played the seven of hearts to the nine. He tried the king of spades and West won and played a top club, East discarding a spade and South a diamond. East ruffed the spade switch and cashed the ace of hearts. That was four down; 800.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Versace	Rodwell	Lauria	Meckstroth
			2♦*
Pass	2♥	Pass	Pass
3♥*	Dble	Pass	Pass
5♣	All Pass

North led the king of hearts and declarer won, pitching his losing diamond, and played a spade to the queen. That was the last piece of good news and he was down three; 300 and another 15 IMPs worse off.

Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
	♠ J 7 4 ♥ 8 7 4 3 ♦ 8 6 4 3 ♣ 4 2
♠ 9 6 ♥ A K 10 9 6 5 2 ♦ Q 10 ♣ K 5		♠ Q 2 ♥ Q ♦ 9 7 5 2 ♣ A Q 9 8 7 3
	♠ A K 10 8 5 3 ♥ J ♦ A K J ♣ J 10 6

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Bocchi	Soloway	Duboin
1♥	Pass	2♣*	2♠
3♥	Pass	4♥	All Pass

North led the four of spades and South cashed out for one down; +100.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Versace	Rodwell	Lauria	Meckstroth
1♥	Pass	1NT	Dble
3♥	Pass	4♥	4♠
All Pass

West cashed the ace of hearts and switched to the six of spades. Declarer took East’s queen with the ace and played the jack of clubs. West won with the king and played another spade. Declarer won in dummy and played a diamond to the two, ace and ten.

The ten of clubs went to East’s ace and back came the five of diamonds. Declarer went up with the ace to land his contract; +620 and 11 IMPs. USAI had prevailed by 107-40 and had served notice that they did not intend to give up their crown lightly.