Round of 16-3: USA v Italy

by Mark Horton

This match was living up to its billing and as the third session got under way it was the defending champions who were in need of IMPs.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Weinstein	Fantoni	Levin	Nunes
			Pass
Pass	1§	1ª	2§
Pass	2ª*	Pass	3§
3©	5§	Dble	All Pass

The fortunate position in hearts meant that 3NT could not be defeated, but once West had entered the auction it was asking a lot for North to select that bid. Even so, Five Clubs was very aggressive with so many losers for partner to cover.

East led the king of spades and switched to the king of diamonds. When he got back in with the ace of spades he could cash a diamond for one down, +100.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Duboin	Rosenberg	Bocchi	Zia
			Pass
Pass	1§	1ª	2ª*
Pass	3¨	Pass	4§
Pass	5§	Dble	All Pass

3NT was not in the picture at this table either. This time East cashed both his spades and played a third round so declarer could get rid of one of his diamond losers, but still had to lose a diamond, producing yet another flat board.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Weinstein	Fantoni	Levin	Nunes
1©	Pass	1ª	Pass
2©	Pass	3§	Pass
3©	Pass	4¨*	Pass
4©	Pass	4NT	Pass
5§	Pass	5¨	Pass
6©	All Pass

The fortunate position in the trump suit meant +1430 and potentially a huge swing to the USA, which would increase their lead to serious proportions.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Duboin	Rosenberg	Bocchi	Zia
1©	Pass	1NT*	Pass
2©	Pass	3§*	Pass
3©	Pass	3ª	Pass
4ª	Pass	4NT*	Pass
5§*	Dble	6©	All Pass

The Italian team had dodged a considerable bullet and they opened the scoring in the session on the next deal.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Weinstein	Fantoni	Levin	Nunes
		1NT	Pass
3§	Pass	3NT	All Pass

East had an excellent club holding to justify acceptance of the invitational bid, but there was a hole elsewhere which was exploited immediately with South on lead. After the defence had taken six diamond and the ace of hearts declarer could claim the rest, -300.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Duboin	Rosenberg	Bocchi	Zia
		1NT	Pass
2ª*	Pass	2NT*	Pass
3¨	Pass	4§	Pass
5§	All Pass

Declarer could not avoid the loss of a spade, heart and diamond, one down, -100 but 5 IMPs for Italy.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Weinstein	Fantoni	Levin	Nunes
1¨	1NT	Pass	2©*
Pass	2ª	Pass	3NT
Pass	4ª	All Pass

There was nothing to the play here, declarer losing a diamond and two hearts, +620.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Duboin	Rosenberg	Bocchi	Zia
1NT	Dble	Redble*	Pass
2§	Dble	All Pass

Two Clubs does not look very comfortable, but things improved marginally for declarer when North led a heart, allowing declarer to score a trick with dummy’s queen. A diamond went to the ten jack and ace and North switched to a spade. South made the excellent and textbook play of the queen and switched to a club. North won and played another low spade. South could win and play a club and declarer was doomed to three down, -500 and 2 IMPs for USA.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Weinstein	Fantoni	Levin	Nunes
		Pass	Pass
Pass	1NT*	Pass	2§*
Pass	2©	Pass	2NT
Pass	3NT	All Pass

3NT is a complicated affair, and although on the surface it appears that the defence should prevail there are a number of pitfalls to be avoided. They were off to a sound start when East led the four of clubs to West’s jack. Back came a low club to the ten and king. Declarer played a low heart from dummy, putting in the eight when West discarded the five of spades. East played a club to West’s queen, declarer pitching a spade, and the defence had reached a critical moment. If West had simply played his last club it would have needed a serious discarding error later on if declarer was to succeed, but his actual choice of the four of spades turned out to be fatal. It was covered by the jack, king and ace and declarer simply played off his winning hearts, which destroyed the East hand. Eventually he threw the queen of spades, hoping his partner had the ten, but declarer produced that card and claimed nine tricks, + 600.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Duboin	Rosenberg	Bocchi	Zia
		Pass	Pass
Pass	1NT	Pass	2NT
Pass	3©	Pass	3ª
Pass	3NT	All Pass

The defence went along similar lines, but this time when East got in with the queen of hearts they cashed two clubs and East exited with a heart. West, discarding after dummy, came down to ªQ ¨Q86 and the defenders had to get another trick, +100 and 12 IMPs.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª - © J 10 7 6 ¨ Q J 9 6 3 § J 7 6 3
ª Q 9 6 © A 9 4 3 2 ¨ A K 5 2 § 8		ª K 7 4 © Q 8 ¨ 10 8 4 § A K Q 5 2
	ª A J 10 8 5 3 2 © K 5 ¨ 7 § 10 9 4

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Weinstein	Fantoni	Levin	Nunes
			3ª
All Pass

That looks like a classical preempt and it was enough to silence everyone, but one imagines East must have given some thought to bidding 3NT – a contract that might well be made. West cashed the king of diamonds and switched to his club. The defenders played four rounds of that suit, declarer discarding a heart as West ruffed. The contract was four down, -200.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Duboin	Rosenberg	Bocchi	Zia
			4ª
All Pass

Zia’s more aggressive approach meant he was alevel higher and hence five down, -250 and 2 IMPs to Italy.

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	ª 6 3 © 7 ¨ J 5 4 3 2 § J 8 6 4 2
ª A 10 9 5 4 2 © 8 6 4 3 2 ¨ K Q § -		ª 8 © A 10 5 ¨ A 9 7 § A K Q 7 5 3
	ª K Q J 7 © K Q J 9 ¨ 10 8 6 § 10 9

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Weinstein	Fantoni	Levin	Nunes
1ª	Pass	2§	Pass
2©	Pass	3§	Pass
3©	Pass	4¨	Pass
4©	Pass	4NT	Pass
5§	Pass	5¨	Pass
5©	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

This was a very awkward deal for East/West once West had opened the bidding. Five Hearts was hopeless, but tipped off by the double West did not attempt to make the contract but simply played for one down. He won the trump lead in dummy, played a spade to the ace and ruffed a spade, unblocked the diamond and ruffed a spade. In due course South got his thre trump tricks, but that was all, -100.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Duboin	Rosenberg	Bocchi	Zia
1ª	Pass	2§	Pass
2©	Pass	3¨	Pass
3©	Pass	4¨	Pass
4©	Pass	4NT	Pass
5§	Pass	5¨	Pass
5©	All Pass

No double this time, so declare naturally played to try and make the contract. He won the diamond lead and played a heart to the ten and queen. South switched to the seven of spades and declarer took the ace, unblocked the diamonds and crossed to the ace of hearts. He played three rounds of clubs but South could ruff, cash a heart and two spades, down three, -150 and 2 IMPs to USA.

Italy had restricted their opponents to just 4 IMPs in the session and had regained the lead. Everyone was expecting this match to go down to the wire.