Getting even

After the fifth set of their match with Norway in the Bermuda Bowl semi-final, the Italians were back on their heels, having seen Norway come from 52 IMPs down to only 14 with 16 boards to play. Would Norway prevail, as they did in the Bermuda Bowl semi-final in Paris two years ago?

It literally was not in the cards for the Norwegians, as a flat set of boards gave them little to work with, while the two Italian pairs played nearly error-free bridge on the way to a 31-9 win and a berth in the championship round.

The second deal gave 5 IMPs to Italy.

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	ª 10 5 © A J 8 ¨ Q 10 5 § A J 10 8 4
ª K Q 8 7 6 © 10 9 7 6 4 2 ¨ - § 7 5		ª J 9 © Q ¨ A K 9 8 7 3 2 § K Q 6
	ª A 4 3 2 © K 5 3 ¨ J 6 4 § 9 3 2

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Saelensminde	Bocchi	Brogeland
		1¨	Pass
1©	Pass	3¨	All Pass

Giorgio Duboin was not inclined to try to improve the contract with his scant values. The contract could have been defeated if the defenders never led clubs, but Norberto Bocchi did manage nine tricks for plus 110.

West	North	East	South
Helgemo	Lauria	Helness	Versace
		1¨	Pass
1ª	Pass	3¨	Pass
3©	Pass	3NT	Pass
4©	Pass	4ª	All Pass

	Erik Saelensminde, Norway

That’s a lot of bidding with no fit and a paucity of high-card points. Lorenzo Lauria started with the §A, continuing with the §J to the king. Geir Helgemo played the ©Q to Lauria’s ace, and the ¨Q was returned. Helgemo discarded three hearts on the top diamonds and §Q, ruffed a diamond to hand and ruffed his next-to-last heart in dummy. He needed some luck in the trump suit (the ªA 10 with South, for example), but he didn’t get it. When Helgemo played a good diamond from dummy, Alfredo Versace ruffed low. Helgemo overruffed with a low spot, but Lauria was there with the ª10. The trump return left Helgemo with a second heart loser and minus 100. That was only 5 IMPs to Italy, but it was Norway who needed the swings.

They simply weren’t coming. Whenever Boye Brogeland and Erik Saelensminde tried to create action in the closed room, Bocchi and Duboin simply passed and took their plus scores.

At one point, there were four pushes in a row, not what Norway needed for the win. This was a tough one for Norway.

Board 23. Dealer South. All Vul.
	ª Q J 10 4 2 © Q 9 6 3 2 ¨ 2 § 5 4
ª A 8 5 © J 8 ¨ Q J 8 6 5 § J 10 2		ª 7 6 3 © K 5 4 ¨ K 10 3 § A K Q 7
	ª K 9 © A 10 7 ¨ A 9 7 4 § 9 8 6 3

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Saelensminde	Bocchi	Brogeland
			Pass
Pass	1ª	Dble	Redbl
2¨	2©	Pass	Pass
Dble	Pass	2ª	Pass
2NT	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Saelensminde lead a low heart, and there was no stopping the notrump game as it was South with the ace, not North. The Italians easily scored up plus 630 despite Saelensminde’s opening and free bid with 4 HCP.

West	North	East	South
Helgemo	Lauria	Helness	Versace
			1§
1¨	2¨	Dble	Pass
Pass	2ª	3¨	All Pass

All the bidding with scant values did seem to slow down Helgemo and Helness, who settled for the diamond partial, which was an 11-IMP gain for Italy, looking more and more solid as the match wore on.

The following deal was a small gain for Italy, but it showed how things were going for Norway.

Board 25. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	ª 5 2 © J 10 9 7 6 ¨ 4 § Q 10 4 3 2
ª 9 7 6 © 8 3 ¨ A 8 2 § K 9 8 7 5		ª A Q 10 © A Q 5 4 2 ¨ Q J 7 6 § 6
	ª K J 8 4 3 © K ¨ K 10 9 5 3 § A J

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Saelensminde	Bocchi	Brogeland
	2©	Pass	Pass
Pass

South, looking at his own cards, must have liked his partner’s chances in 2©, but Saelensminde managed only five tricks for minus 150.

West	North	East	South
Helgemo	Lauria	Helness	Versace
		1©	3§
Pass	3ª	All Pass

Versace’s 3§ showed a two-suiter with diamonds and spades. Lauria did well to go off one for minus 100, but it was still 2 IMPs to Italy, who were pitching a shutout until late in the match. By then, it was too late for Norway, whose medal hopes had turned from gold to bronze.