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

Both pairs had relay auctions to slam but both selected the wrong slam, that is, one in which West was the declarer.

In the Closed Room, Lorenzo Lauria led the ace of spades and Glyn Liggins breathed a sigh of relief; +920. In the Open Room, Gunnar Hallberg knew that dummy would come down with precisely king doubleton in spades. He led the four of spades and Giorgio Duboin rose confidently with the ace! A brilliant play by declarer? Not this time. Colin Simpson had tried to lead the ten of spades out of turn and, as he was on the same side of the screen as Duboin, declarer was not tested to judge the position of the ace of spades. 1 IMP to Italy.

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

Joe Fawcett's 2§ response in the Closed Room was a game-forcing relay. When Alfredo Versace overcalled 3§, Liggins had nothing to say and passed it round to Fawcett, who now showed his diamonds. Liggins bid the inevitable 3NT and that ended the auction. A low club lead meant that Liggins had 11 easy tricks for +660.

In the Open Room, Norberto Bocchi responded 2NT, showing a game-force in diamonds. Three Clubs was a relay and, over 3¨ which showed a single-suiter, 3NT showed a minimum without diamond support. Simpson led the ten of clubs and Bocchi had an unpleasant guess for his contract. Perhaps there is an argument that players will always lead the ten from Q109 but sometimes lead low from A109? If so, Bocchi did not believe in it and after a good deal of thought he put up the king. The defence took the first eight tricks now for -400 and 14 IMPs to England.

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

Six Diamonds is a good spot with plenty of chances, and once again a series of relays saw both East/West pairs get there.

Fawcett received the lead of a trump from Versace. He won the nine, Lauria not covering, and cashed the ace of clubs, just in case South might be endplayed if he won the ace of spades at the next trick. Fawcett duly played a spade to the king and ace and back came a second trump. Fawcett won in hand and played queen of spades and ruffed one. With spades and diamonds both breaking evenly, there were 12 easy tricks; +1370.

Hallberg led a heart against Duboin. The jack of hearts was covered by the queen and ace. Duboin led a spade to the king and ace and back came a second heart to the king. Duboin ruffed a low spade then played ace of clubs and ruffed a club then ruffed another spade low. Next he played a diamond to dummy and, when everybody followed, ruffed a heart high and drew trumps; +1370 and a flat board.

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

In the Closed Room, Versace did not have an appropriate opening bid in his system, after which there was never any possibility of the Italians reaching game. Three Diamonds made exactly for +110 after a club lead. It is possible to defeat 3¨ by leading three rounds of clubs to promote a second trump trick for West.

Simpson could open with a natural weak two bid and Duboin overcalled 2©. Two No Trump was natural and non-forcing and Simpson raised to game because of his good suit. Bocchi led the queen of clubs and Hallberg won the king and went after the diamonds. Duboin won the third round and switched to a spade but declarer had ten tricks for +630 and 11 IMPs to England.

Three No Trump can also be beaten, but only by an impossible spade lead. West wins the second diamond and returns another spade, and that forces declarer to cash the diamonds and squeeze himself.

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

Hallberg saved his side from a major adverse swing with his pre-emptive 3§ overcall. He was left to play there and was three down after Bocchi led the king of diamonds and continued the suit, getting an over-ruff; -150.

Liggins/Fawcett bid up to 4© and Lauria found the most threatening lead of a low spade. Liggins won the ace of spades and played four rounds of diamonds, throwing both his spades away. Now he played a trump and Versace won and switched to his singleton club. Liggins made the mistake of finessing and when a club came back Versace ruffed for down one; -50 and 5 IMPs to Italy.

The 4-0 trump break meant that playing all four rounds of diamonds should have worked, the club finesse being a clear error. However, perhaps a better line is to play only three rounds of diamonds before playing a trump. That leaves a spade loser, but improves the chance that the fourth diamond will not be ruffed with a low trump. The idea is to pitch a club on the fourth diamond rather than a spade. On the actual hand, declarer knows that he is making his contract when the ¨J falls and North then shows out on the first round of trumps.

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

Both Norths led the king of spades. Liggins won the ace and played a heart to the nine, leading to a swift defeat. He was actually two down for -200.

Duboin ducked the spade and Hallberg switched to the nine of diamonds to the king and ace. Simpson returned a diamond and Duboin overtook his jack with the queen and played a heart to the queen, then ace and another heart. The ace of spades was in dummy to provide an entry to the diamond winners; +620 and 13 IMPs to Italy.

It must be correct for declarer to duck the first spade and best defence is probably for North to continue with a second spade at trick two, knocking out dummy's sure entry. Declarer finesses the ªJ and plays a heart to the queen and cashes the ace of hearts. Now he plays a diamond to dummy. If South ducks, declarer can throw his second diamond on the ace of spades and is on a club guess for his contract. If South wins the first diamond and switches to a club, declarer can succeed by rising with the ace and crossing to dummy with a diamond. One club goes away on the third diamond and then even if South had begun with ¨A9xx, the ace of spades would provide the other discard. So it appears that declarer can always succeed once South has three or four diamonds, never being worse than a winning club view for his contract.

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

Would you overcall 1¨ with the North cards? The suit is pretty weak, and Hallberg's money bridge background does not encourage that sort of bid. He passed and his opponents bid up to 3NT. Hallberg led a low diamond to dummy's queen and Duboin ran the ten of hearts to the ace. Did Hallberg read Simpson's ©3 as some kind of a suit preference card? If not, his switch to the ten of clubs looks a brave choice - not that it mattered. The club was covered all round and Duboin returned a club, running it to South's nine. He had nine tricks now with the marked heart finesse and that was +400 and 7 IMPs to Italy, regaining the lead at 32-25.

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

When Liggins opened 2NT, Fawcett asked for five-card majors and heard that his partner did not have one, but did have a four-card major. Four Diamonds showed both majors but no slam interest and Liggins picked the final contract. Even the 5-0 trump split could not threaten the contract thanks to all the spare values at declarer's disposal; +420.

Duboin's 2¨ was either a2NT opening or a weak two in a major. Two No Trump was ostensibly a good hand and asked about the opening hand. Three Hearts showed hearts and the balance dhand and Bocchi signed-off in game. Unfortunately for him, Duboin expected a better hand for the constructive 2NT response. He cuebid 4ª then went on to slam over the second sign-off.

Double dummy, 12 tricks may be possible, but it is pretty unlikely in real life. Hallberg led a club into declarer's tenace. Duboin won and cashed the ace of trumps, getting the bad news. He continued with the ace of diamonds then the ace of spades and a spade to the jack and queen. Simpson returned a spade to dummy and Duboin led a club, which Simpson ruffed. A passive heart exit meant that Simpson still had to come to a diamond for two down; -100 and 11 IMPs to England. They were back in the lead at 36-32.

Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
	ª A Q 2 © K 9 4 2 ¨ Q 6 2 § Q 6 5
ª J 9 © Q 8 7 6 ¨ J 7 4 § K J 3 2		ª K 8 6 5 4 © A J 3 ¨ 8 5 § 10 9 4
	ª 10 7 3 © 10 5 ¨ A K 10 9 3 § A 8 7

After a spade lead, Lauria misjudged the play in the Closed room and went one down; -100.

Having overcalled 1ª, Bocchi tried a different opening lead, the ten of clubs. That ran to the king and back came a second club, which Hallberg won in hand with the queen. Hallberg ran the diamonds now and both defenders threw their clubs, while declarer threw a spade and a heart. The ©10 was covered by the queen, king and ace, and East was endplayed to give the ninth trick; +600 and 12 IMPs to England.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	ª 10 9 7 © K Q 8 4 ¨ J 8 5 4 § Q 3
ª A Q 6 4 © 7 6 3 ¨ A K 6 3 2 § 10		ª K J 8 2 © A J 10 ¨ 10 9 7 § A K J
	ª 5 3 © 9 5 2 ¨ Q § 9 8 7 6 5 4 2

Another relay auction saw the Italians bid their third slam of the set. Hallberg led the king of hearts to dummy's ace and Duboin played a diamond to the queen and ace then drew three rounds of trumps. He played a diamond from dummy, hoping to see the jack appear, but when Simpson showed out he was still very much alive. Duboin won the king of diamonds and played a club to the jack then two more rounds of clubs to throw his heart losers. Finally, he played a third diamond. Hallberg could win but was endplayed. If he played a heart, he would establish a trick in dummy, while if he played a diamond dummy could ruff and the last diamond would be established; 12 tricks for +980.

Liggins/Fawcett also reached the slam and Liggins received the same opening lead. He won and played three rounds of spades then took the club finesse without testing diamonds. He pitched his heart losers on the clubs then played ace and a low diamond. Once again, North could win but was then powerless to hurt declarer; +980 and a flat board.

Notice that at both tables the lead of a low heart to trick one would have defeated the contract because North would have been able to play a heart when in with the ¨J - at both tables forcing declarer so that he could not enjoy the fifth diamond.

A lively set of deals ended with England the happier team, ahead by 53-32. As the underdogs against many people's favourites for the title, it was important that they started well and they had done so. This could prove to be a long hard match for the Italians against a team playing in form and full of confidence.

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