The match between an Italian team captained by Alfredo Versace and a British team led by David Burn was our focus for the second round of the Vivendi Rosenblum Teams round-robin. Each team scored 3 IMPs over the first four deals, but the Italians went well ahead on Board 5.

Board 5. Dealer North. NS Game ª K 10 8 © K 9 8 3 ¨ K 10 9 6 3 § 3 ª A J 7 4 ª 6 5 3 2 © A J 4 © 7 6 5 ¨ 5 4 ¨ 8 2 § 8 7 5 2 § A K J 4 ª Q 9 © Q 10 2 ¨ A Q J 7 § Q 10 9 6 West North East South Versace Callaghan Sementa Burn Pass Pass 1¨ Pass 1NT Pass Pass Dble 2¨ Dble Pass 2ª Pass Pass 3¨ All Pass

Antonio Sementa scored exactly nine tricks - plus 110. But the auction was quite different at the other table.

Joe Fawcett doubled suggesting an opening lead, but Glenn Liggins decided to try a club partial with his four-card support. Andrea Buratti led a trump, and Liggins took the ace and led a spade. Massimo Lanzarotti put up the queen and Liggins took his ace. When he led another club, he was unhappy to see North show out. He won the ace and led another spade, his jack losing to the king. Buratti returned a heart to the queen and ace, and Liggins reverted to spades, losing to North's 10. A diamond switch netted two more tricks, and Lanzarotti pushed a heart through declarer. That gave the defence two more tricks, and the Italians still had to come to two more trump tricks. Down four, minus 800, 12 IMPs to Italy.

The Italians took a successful save on the next deal.

Board 6. Dealer East. EW Game ª 9 7 5 © 8 ¨ A Q 10 5 4 § 8 5 4 2 ª K 10 6 2 ª 3 © A K Q J 10 © 7 6 5 4 3 ¨ 8 ¨ 9 7 2 § K 10 9 § A Q 7 6 ª A Q J 8 4 © 9 2 ¨ K J 6 3 § J 3 West North East South Versace Callaghan Sementa Burn Pass 1ª Dble 2ª Dble Pass 4© All Pass

Versace had no problem making five, losing just two aces.

Lanzarotti lost the normal tricks - two clubs, a heart and two trumps - for minus 300. That was another 8 IMPs to Italy.

Board 7. Dealer South. Game All ª A 2 © 5 ¨ A K 10 9 7 2 § A 10 7 5 ª Q J 10 9 7 3 ª K 8 4 © A K © Q J 10 9 4 2 ¨ J 8 3 ¨ 6 4 § 8 6 § J 2 ª 6 5 © 8 7 6 3 ¨ Q 5 § K Q 9 4 3 West North East South Versace Callaghan Sementa Burn Pass 1ª 2¨ 2ª Dble Pass 3NT All Pass

Brian Callaghan, the declarer, was wide open in hearts, but it didn't matter - look how solidly the hearts are blocked. He won the opening spade lead and rattled off 11 minor suit tricks to score plus 690. The British also bought the hand in the other room.

Liggins was interested in getting to game East-West, but Fawcett passed him in 3ª. The opening heart lead went to the queen and ace, Buratti rose with the ace when Liggins led the trump jack. He cashed the ¨K and the §A, then underled his ¨A to Lanzarotti's queen. Lanzarotti shot back a heart for partner to ruff, and the defence still had to come to another club trick for down two - minus 200. But that was good enough for a 10-IMP gain for the Brits.

Fawcett and Liggins arrived in the wrong game contract on Board 9, and it cost heavily.

Board 9. Dealer North. EW Game ª 7 6 © A K Q J 4 ¨ 7 4 § 8 6 4 3 ª 3 ª A K Q 9 8 4 2 © 8 5 3 © 10 2 ¨ K 10 8 3 2 ¨ J 5 § K Q 9 7 § A J ª J 10 5 © 9 7 6 ¨ A Q 9 6 § 10 5 2 West North East South Versace Callaghan Sementa Burn Pass 1ª Pass 1NT 2© 3© Dble Rdble Pass 3NT Pass 4ª All Pass

With the ¨A onside, Sementa had no problem chalking up 10 tricks. But this was the bidding at the other table:

Fawcett's gamble for nine quick tricks in notrump did not work. Buratti of course quickly took his five heart tricks, then led a diamond to partner's ace for a two-trick set - another 12 IMPs to Italy.

The Italians stayed out of trouble on the final deal to complete an impressive victory.

Board 10. Dealer East. Game All ª A 6 4 © 7 2 ¨ A 10 7 5 4 2 § 10 6 ª K 10 7 3 2 ª 9 8 5 © 9 8 © A Q 6 ¨ K J 9 8 ¨ 6 3 § Q 8 § K J 9 7 4 ª Q J © K J 10 5 4 3 ¨ Q § A 5 3 2 West North East South Liggins Buratti Fawcett Lanzarotti Pass 1© 1ª Dble 2§ 2© Pass Pass 2ª Pass Pass 3¨ Pass 3© All Pass

Liggins led the §Q to the ace, and Lanzarotti countered with a club to Fawcett's jack. Fawcett led a heart, and Versace guessed to play the jack. When he then led a club, Liggins ruffed in and switched to the ¨K. Declarer won this, ruffed a diamond, ruffed a club and got back to his hand by ruffing another diamond. The ªJ was allowed to hold, but the queen was covered and won with the ace. Then declarer ruffed another diamond and gave up the last two tricks to score plus 140.

The opening spade lead rode to the queen, and Burn passed a club to East's jack. Another spade went to the jack, king and ace, and declarer ruffed a spade. He cashed the §A and led another club, ruffed by Versace with the 9. He switched to the ¨K, taken by the ace, and declarer ruffed a diamond to try to score a club ruff. But Versace was able to ruff with his 8, and the defense still had two trump tricks coming for a two-trick set. Eight more IMPs to the Italians.

Versace and Co. won the match, 42 IMPs to 11, which translates to 24 Victory Points for the Italians and 6 for the Brits.