Italy v Netherlands - Final Session 3

by Mark Horton

Delicately poised before the start of the third session, the match exploded into life as more than 70 IMPs changed hands in the first eight boards.

It was Italy who struck first, and as is so often the case it was the opening lead which effectively decided the outcome.

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª 10 7 5 3 © A 6 ¨ J 5 § K 6 5 4 2
ª Q 9 2 © 7 5 3 2 ¨ K 10 7 3 § A 7		ª A K 8 6 © K J 10 ¨ Q 8 6 § Q J 3
	ª J 4 © Q 9 8 4 ¨ A 9 4 2 § 10 9 8

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Schollaardt	Bocchi	Drijver	Duboin
	Pass	1NT	Pass
2§*	Pass	2ª	Pass
3¨*	Pass	3©	Pass
3ª	Pass	3NT	All Pass

South led the nine of hearts and North won with the ace and returned the suit. Declarer finessed and South won and played back the four of hearts, North matching that with the four of clubs. Declarer played a diamond to the ten and jack and North switched to the five of spades for the six, jack and queen. A diamond to the queen saw South take the ace and cash the fourth heart. That was one down and in due course North took a trick with the king of clubs, two down, -100.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Nunes	Verhees	Fantoni	Jansma
	Pass	1§	Pass
1¨	Pass	1NT	Pass
3NT	All Pass

This time South led the four of diamonds, a very good start for declarer, who took North’s jack with the queen and played back the six of diamonds to dummy’s ten. He played a heart and North made the good play of rising with the ace and returning the suit. Declarer finessed and South won and played back a heart. Declarer won and ran the queen of clubs to North’s king. North switched to the five of spades for the jack and queen and declarer played the nine of spades to his ace, a club to the ace and a spade to the eight. +400 and 11 IMPs.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Schollaardt	Bocchi	Drijver	Duboin
		Pass	1ª
2ª*	3©	4©	4ª
All Pass

West led the king of diamonds and continued with a diamond to East’s ace. The commentators were speculating on how declarer might tackle the spade suit, but they had missed an obvious inference. Suppose West had ªQJ. In that case he would have at most one club. He would have led or cashed a singleton ace at some point, or have led/switched to a singleton. When East switched to a heart declarer won in hand, cashed a top spade, crossed to dummy with a heart and finessed in spades. +620.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Nunes	Verhees	Fantoni	Jansma
		Pass	1ª
3§*	3ª	4©	4ª
Pass	Pass	5¨	Pass
Pass	5ª	All Pass

East was better placed at this table as he knew both his partner’s suits. Five Diamonds would have been a good save, but things got even better when North went on to Five Spades. That had to go one down, -100 and 12 IMPs for Italy.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Schollaardt	Bocchi	Drijver	Duboin
			Pass
Pass	1¨	Pass	1©
Pass	2§	Pass	2ª
Pass	2NT	Pass	3¨
Pass	3NT	All Pass

East led the ten of spades and declarer won with the jack and forced out the ace of diamonds to ensure nine tricks, +400.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
NunesVerhees	Fantoni	Jansma	Pass
Pass	1¨	Pass	1©
Pass	2§	Pass	3¨
Pass	3ª*	Pass	3NT
All Pass

With South as declarer the contract was much less secure. The opening lead of the four of clubs went to East’s queen and he found a switch that ensured the defeat of the contract when he returned the three of hearts. Declarer put in the jack which was allowed to hold and played the queen of diamonds. East won and played ace of hearts, heart, one down, -50 and yet another double figure swing to the Italians, this time 10 IMPs.

Things were beginning to look bleak for the Orangemen, but they kept calm and hit back, first with a 7 IMP pick up and then with something more substancial:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Schollaardt	Bocchi	Drijver	Duboin
		1§	2¨*
Pass	2NT*	Pass	3§*
Pass	4©	All Pass

East led the queen of hearts and declarer won in dummy and played back a heart to the nine. That meant one down, -50.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
NunesVerhees	Fantoni	Jansma	1NT 2§*
2¨	Pass	Pass	2©
Pass	4©	All Pass

West led a club and declarer won and played a spade. His plan was to ruff spades in dummy, and there was nothing the defenders could do about it. More to the point, there was no chance of a misguess in hearts given East’s opening bid. +420 and 10 IMPs.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Schollaardt	Bocchi	Drijver	Duboin
			1§
2©*	Pass	2ª	All Pass

South led the five of spades and declarer won in dummy and played a diamond to the king and ace. South played back a spade and declarer finessed. North won and switched to the three of hearts. South won with the ten and played back a heart. Declarer won with the ace and discarded a heart on the queen of diamonds. With ace of clubs onside he had nine tricks, +140.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
NunesVerhees	Fantoni	Jansma	1§
1ª	Pass	2§*	Pass
3ª	Pass	4ª	All Pass

To be sure of defeating Four Spades North has to lead a low heart – virtually impossible. He went for the nine of clubs and South took the ace and switched to the five of spades. Declarer won, played a diamond to the king and ace, and when South played a second spade he went up with the king and claimed, +620 and 12 IMPs.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Schollaardt	Bocchi	Drijver	Duboin
Pass	3ª	All Pass

North’s preempt stole the pot, and the defence was imperfect, East/West getting their wires crossed and allowing declarer to discard a losing club on the hearts, +140.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Nunes	Verhees	Fantoni	Jansma
Pass	3ª	Dble	Pass
4§	Pass	4¨	Pass
5¨	All Pass

This time East did not hesitate to enter the auction and the result was that his side reached a laydown game, +400 and the Italian’s were on another role, gaining 11 IMPs.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Schollaardt	Bocchi	Drijver	Duboin
	Pass	2¨*	Pass
2©*	Dble	3¨	Pass
3ª	Pass	5¨	Pass
5©	Pass	6§	Pass
6¨	All Pass

When South led the nine of clubs declarer’s goose was cooked, -100.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
NunesVerhees	Fantoni	Jansma	Pass 1¨ Pass
2ª	Pass	3¨	Pass
3NT	Pass	4§	Pass
4©	Pass	4ª	Pass
5¨	All Pass

When East/West stopped in game they collected 12 IMPs for Italy.

The situation was getting serious, but the Dutchmen collected 16 IMPs on the last three boards of the set to keep their opponents in sight, albeit at a distance of 38 IMPs.