Italy v USA1 (Bermuda Bowl)

All Quiet On The Estoril Front - by Mark Horton

The third set of the final was a quiet affair, with only 45 IMPs changing hands over the sixteen deals. Still, when these two sides meet there is always something to savour.

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	♠ 10 7 6 4 ♥ Q ♦ J 10 9 6 4 ♣ J 10 2
♠ K Q 5 2 ♥ A J 4 3 ♦ K 5 3 ♣ A Q		♠ A 9 8 3 ♥ 9 6 2 ♦ Q 7 2 ♣ 8 7 6
	♠ J ♥ K 10 8 7 5 ♦ A 8 ♣ K 9 5 4 3

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Versace	Hamman	Lauria	Soloway
	Pass	Pass	1♥
Dble	Pass	1♠	Pass
2♥	Pass	3♥	Pass
4♠	All Pass

In isolation, Four Spades is not much of a contract, but the cards were disposed in such a way as to give declarer a chance, especially as South had a difficult lead. (Perhaps the jack of spades is the least of four evils - but declarer can still prevail.)

Here the start was ace of diamonds, diamond, and declarer won in hand and played two top spades from dummy, South discarding a club. Then came two more spades, declarer taking the marked finesse as South pitched a heart and a club, then a heart, ducked to North's queen. Declarer won the diamond return, played a heart to the jack, cashed the ace of hearts and exited with a heart to force South to make declarer a present of the club finesse; +420 - not a bad way to start the session for both declarer and the spectators. Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Fantoni	Meckstroth	Nunes
	Pass	Pass	2♥*
Dble	2NT*	Pass	3♣*
Dble	Pass	4♠	All Pass

South showed a limited heart-club two-suiter but it did not stop his opponents reaching game - indeed, I doubt any method can be devised to halt the Meckwell train.

South led ace and another diamond. Declarer won with dummy's king, cashed the top spades, played a diamond to the queen, took a winning club finesse, cashed the ace of clubs, played a spade to the nine, ruffed a club, cashed the ace of hearts and claimed; +420. As an aside, in the Venice Cup the French declarer went down in Four Spades - a combination of misreading the deal after the lead of the jack of spades and some fine defensive play by their opponents - while Germany played in 3NT from the West chair. That contract is pretty much a certainty on the bidding and lie of the cards, but when North led the jack of clubs declarer inadvertently won with the ace. Apparently she realised before she had released the card from her hand, but by law it was certainly played. I mentioned this to Grattan Endicott - it seems illogical for declarer not to be allowed to change the card in this situation - and he told me that the Laws Commission has not yet addressed the matter of card play, so it will be brought up at a meeting in the future.

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

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Versace	Hamman	Lauria	Soloway
Pass	1♣*	2♣	2♠
4♣	Pass	Pass	Dble
Pass	4♠	All Pass

The pass and pull approach adopted by North usually suggests some slam interest, but the intervention had made life difficult and the American pair stopped in game. With nothing at stake, declarer did not go flat out and took eleven tricks; +450.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Fantoni	Meckstroth	Nunes
Pass	1♥	Pass	2♠*
Pass	3♠	Pass	3NT
Pass	4♣	Pass	4♦
Pass	4♥	Pass	4NT
Pass	6♠	All Pass

In the context of having at least five spades and 10+ points, South showed a minimum hand and an even number of key cards.

West led a low club, and East won and returned the suit, forcing dummy to ruff. Declarer played a spade to the king, a heart to the ace, then a spade. When East discarded a club declarer won, crossed to the king of hearts and ruffed a heart with the jack of spades. When a diamond to the jack held declarer tabled his cards - he could draw the last trump and ruff a heart to establish his twelfth trick; +980 and 11 IMPs to Italy.

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

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Versace	Hamman	Lauria	Soloway
		Pass	1NT
2♣*	Pass	2♦*	Dble
2♠	3♣	All Pass

Are you surprised East didn't double Three Clubs? (A very aggressive West might also come again.) East led a heart, and West won, cashed the top spades and gave his partner a spade ruff. That was two down; -200 - no double, no trouble.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Fantoni	Meckstroth	Nunes
		Pass	1♣*
1♠	Pass	Pass	1NT
2♥	3♣	Dble	All Pass

Here the defenders started with three rounds of spades, East ruffing and returning a heart. Now another spade from West promoted a trump trick for East; down three, -800 and 12 IMPs for USA I.

There was soon more double trouble for the trailing team:

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	♠ J 9 2 ♥ J 9 8 4 ♦ K 9 2 ♣ 8 6 3
♠ 8 ♥ Q 7 6 3 ♦ A J 10 5 4 ♣ Q 5 4		♠ 7 4 ♥ K 10 5 ♦ Q 7 6 3 ♣ K J 7 2
	♠ A K Q 10 6 5 3 ♥ A 2 ♦ 8 ♣ A 10 9

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Versace	Hamman	Lauria	Soloway
Pass	Pass	1♣*	4♠
Dble	All Pass

West led a club. Declarer won, drew trumps and played a diamond towards the king with gratifying effect; +790.

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Fantoni	Meckstroth	Nunes
Pass	Pass	Pass	1♠
Pass	2♠	Pass	2NT
Pass	3NT	Pass	4♠
All Pass

Two Spades promised 0-7 and 3NT was 4-3-3-3, not minumum. No problem making the contract but 5 IMPs for USA I.

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

Open Room

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

North led the seven of hearts and declarer simply drew trumps and forced out the ace of clubs; - +420.

The most challenging defence is to start with three rounds of spades, but declarer can still get home, by cashing winners and playing on cross-ruff lines, thanks to the ten of hearts being well placed. Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Fantoni	Meckstroth	Nunes
		3♣	All Pass

Just in case there are any doubters out there, even Tacchi would open Three Clubs on the East hand. Enough said. Declarer made ten tricks; +130 and Italy picked up 7 IMPs so trailed by 31 IMPs overnight.