Battle royal

The first set of the Italy-USA match in the round of 16 was a close affair led for much of the set by USA before Italy surged at the end for an 18-11 lead after 16 deals.

The Americans were hoping to produce some momentum against one of the favourites to win the championship, and they came through with a 54-27 win.

USA held a 22-18 lead after three boards, but it all went away on this deal.

Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
	ª J 9 3 © 5 2 ¨ Q 8 6 4 2 § K Q 9
ª K 10 8 7 © 10 ¨ K 9 § A 8 7 4 3 2		ª A 6 © Q J 8 7 6 ¨ A 7 3 § J 10 5
	ª Q 5 4 2 © A K 9 4 3 ¨ J 10 5 § 6

West	North	East	South
Weinstein	Lauria	Levin	Versace
Pass	Pass	1©	Pass
1NT	All Pass

Lorenzo Lauria started with a low diamond. Weinstein won and played a club to the ace and another club. Soon the diamonds were cleared and Weinstein ended with only five tricks for minus 200. You can see by what happened in the other room what a difference it can make to have a different person on opening lead.

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Rosenberg	Bocchi	Zia
1§	Pass	1¨	Pass
1ª	Pass	2¨	Pass
3§	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Norberto Bocchi’s first diamond bid showed hearts, and the second diamond bid was fourth-suit forcing., and the very aggressive notrump game was reached.

Zia Mahmood started with a low heart despite the bidding and was unlucky to find the ©10 in dummy. Bocchi immediately went after clubs, playing the ace and a second club. Michael Rosenberg won the §Q and continue the assault on hearts, but the defenders had lost the timing and Bocchi finished with nine tricks for plus 600 and a 13-IMP gain.

The Italians extended their lead to 20 IMPs with the right view on this deal.

Board 22. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
	ª 4 © A 9 8 ¨ K 7 5 § K J 9 8 6 3
ª K J 10 © 6 3 2 ¨ 10 9 8 4 3 § 5 4		ª A Q 7 © K Q J 10 7 5 4 ¨ Q J § Q
	ª 9 8 6 5 3 2 © - ¨ A 6 2 § A 10 7 2

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Rosenberg	Bocchi	Zia
		1©	1ª
Pass	2§	3©	5§
All Pass

Twelve tricks were trivial for Rosenberg – plus 420.

West	North	East	South
Weinstein	Lauria	Levin	Versace
		1©	1ª
Pass	2§	2©	4©
Dble	Redbl	Pass	4NT
Pass	6§	All Pass

Whereas a 4© bid by Zia would not necessarily have shown shortness in hearts because of Bocchi’s jump, Alfredo Versace had room over 2© to make the splinter and the slam was duly bid for another 11 IMPs to italy.

USA began coming back two boards later.

Board 24. Dealer West. None Vul.
	ª 4 © K 6 3 ¨ A 10 9 8 4 § Q 10 9 2
ª A J 7 5 3 2 © Q J 9 ¨ 7 5 § 7 3		ª - © A 8 4 2 ¨ K Q J 2 § A K 8 6 5
	ª K Q 10 9 8 6 © 10 7 5 ¨ 6 3 § J 4

West	North	East	South
Weinstein	Lauria	Levin	Versace
2ª	Pass	Pass	Pass

With all the power Bobby Levin put down in dummy, Steve Weinstein was able to take eight tricks in his spade part score despite the 6-1 split in the trump suit after Lauria started proceedings with a low heart. That was plus 110 to USA.

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Rosenberg	Bocchi	Zia
2ª	Pass	2NT	Pass
3NT	All Pass

Zia started with the ª10, and Bocchi played the ace to continue with a diamond to the king. A low heart went to the queen and king. The §10 was taken by the ace and a heart was played to the jack, followed by a low diamond to the jack. Desperately hoping for some luck in diamonds, Bocchi got out with a low diamond. Rosenberg won the 10 and cashed two more in the suit before exiting with a club. Bocchi finished minus 100 for a 4-IMP swing to USA.

The Americans surged back to within 1 IMP on the following slam swing.

Board 26. Dealer East. All Vul.
	ª 10 7 6 5 4 © 7 6 4 ¨ A § 10 9 6 2
ª - © A K J 8 3 2 ¨ Q 10 8 5 4 § K 4		ª 8 3 © Q 10 ¨ K 9 7 6 § A Q J 8 7
	ª A K Q J 9 2 © 9 5 ¨ J 3 2 § 5 3

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Rosenberg	Bocchi	Zia
		1§	1ª
3©	4ª	Pass	Pass
5¨	5ª	6¨	All Pass

Rosenberg considered his opening lead for a long time before selecting a spade. Giorgio Duboin ruffed as Zia falsecarded with the ªA. How should declarer play trumps in this situation? The bidding indicated that North was probably shapely and without a lot of high cards and so was more likely to be short in diamonds and missing the ace of the suit.

Duboin made the reasonable play of a club to the queen and a low diamond from dummy, playing the queen. That was down one.

West	North	East	South
Weinstein	Lauria	Levin	Versace
		1§	1ª
2©	4ª	Pass	Pass
4NT	Pass	5§	Pass
5¨	Pass	6¨	All Pass

Both East players did well to raise to the slam. Lauria started with a low spade to the jack and a ruff. Weinstein considered his next play carefully before starting with a low trump from hand. If the king lost to the ace, Weinstein could then consider whether to finesse against South’s possible J-x or play for the drop. As the cards lay, Weinstein did not have to make that decision. When Lauria’s ¨A popped up, Weinstein could claim his slam and a 16-IMP swing.

More aggressive bidding by the Italians produced more IMPs for the USA on the following deal.

Board 28. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	ª K 6 5 © 9 6 2 ¨ K J 9 3 2 § 6 2
ª A 10 3 2 © 10 7 5 4 3 ¨ 10 8 § 8 3		ª 9 8 7 © A K J 8 ¨ A 6 4 § K Q 5
	ª Q J 4 © Q ¨ Q 7 5 § A J 10 9 7 4

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Rosenberg	Bocchi	Zia
Pass	Pass	2§	Pass
2¨	Pass	3©	Pass
4©	All Pass

Bocchi’s 2§ purported to show 18-19 high-card points in a balanced hand, and Duboin’s 2¨ showed hearts. It was normal for Bocchi to superaccept the transfer, and it could have worked out for Duboin to raise to game, but this one had no play barring a defensive miscue, which did not happen. One down and plus 50 to USA.

West	North	East	South
Weinstein	Lauria	Levin	Versace
Pass	Pass	1NT	Pass
2¨	Pass	2©	All Pass

With his flat shape, Levin didn’t get excited by the transfer, and the easy part score produced an overtrick and another 5 IMPs to USA.

The score was 55-44 USA when the final swing of the match produced another 10 IMPs for the Americans in a spectacular way.

Board 31. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	ª A J 4 © 7 5 4 ¨ K Q 9 § A 10 5 3
ª 9 7 6 5 2 © Q J 10 8 6 3 ¨ 5 § K		ª K Q 8 3 © K 2 ¨ A J 10 4 2 § 7 2
	ª 10 © A 9 ¨ 8 7 6 3 § Q J 9 8 6 4

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Rosenberg	Bocchi	Zia
			Pass
Pass	1§	1¨	3ª
Pass	4ª	Pass	5§
All Pass

This was one level too high – note that 3NT by either North or South is on ice – and the Italians soon recorded plus 100, avoiding a double game swing considering what happened at the other table.

West	North	East	South
Weinstein	Lauria	Levin	Versace
			Pass
Pass	1§	1¨	2§
Dble	2NT	3ª	Pass
Pass	3NT	Pass	Pass
4ª	Dble	All Pass

Weinstein’s double showed the other two suits, and he no doubt believed he was saving against the vulnerable 3NT by Lauria. As you can see, however, 4ª cannot be defeated, and indeed Levin made the contract with ease. Versace started with the ©A, switching to a club at trick two. A second club was played at trick three, ruffed in dummy. A spade went to the 4, king and 10, and dummy was entered again with a diamond ruff. The defenders got only the trump ace and USA had a 10-IMP gain and a 21-IMP lead going into the third set.