Fighting back

After being stunned in the first two sets of the Bermuda Bowl final by a collective score of 88-46, USA I had been rocked back on their heels. They needed some good news in the third segment. Although they lost again, the score was close.

The first significant swing of the third set went to the Americans.

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

West	North	East	South
Versace	Rodwell	Lauria	Meckstroth
1¨	1©	Dble	Pass
2¨	Pass	2ª	Pass
2NT	Pass	3¨	All Pass

Jeff Meckstroth and Eric Rodwell let a trick slip away on a low heart lead, and Alfredo Versace finished with plus 130.

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Bocchi	Soloway	Duboin
1©	Pass	1ª	Pass
2¨	Pass	3¨	Pass
3NT

Bob Hamman, Italy

Bob Hamman and Paul Soloway open four-card majors with some canapé rebids, so Bocchi did not overcall. Against the notrump game, Norberto Bocchi led a low heart. Dummy’s ©9 held, and Hamman continued with the ªK Bocchi could see there was no point in ducking, so he won the ace and switched to a club to Giorgio Dubon’s ace. Hamman had no trouble nine more tricks for plus 630 and an 11-IMP gain.

Part of that swing went back to Italy when Bob Hamman and Paul Soloway stopped in 3ª, making four, while Versace and Lauria got to game.

Another 8 IMPs were scored by Italy on the following deal.

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

West	North	East	South
Versace	Rodwell	Lauria	Meckstroth
	1¨	1©	1NT
Dble	2§	Pass	Pass
2©	3§	3©	All Pass

Lauria, with Meckstroth’s 1NT bid to guide him, managed nine tricks for plus 140. Hamman and Soloway got way overboard.

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Bocchi	Soloway	Duboin
	1§	1©	Pass
2§	Pass	2©	Pass
3©	Pass	4©	All Pass

There would a variety of opinions as to which bid – Hamman’s 3© or Soloway’s 4© – would win the booby prize. Even he had guessed the trump suit – he did not – Soloway had four losers against any competent defenders. The result was minus 200 and 8 IMPs to Italy.

Soloway had a chance for a 10-IMP gain on the following board, but it didn’t work out.

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

West	North	East	South
Versace	Rodwell	Lauria	Meckstroth
1§	1ª	2§	2ª
Pass	Pass	3©	Pass
4©	All Pass

Lauria took the normal view in hearts – king, then low to the jack – so he had a loser in each suit for minus 50.

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Bocchi	Soloway	Duboin
Pass	Pass	1NT	Pass
3NT	All Pass

Alfredo Versace, Italy

Hamman didn’t consider Stayman with his dull hand pattern, and Soloway was in a maker, if he could work out how to play hearts successfully.

Duboin led the §10, and Soloway passed the first test by playing low from dummy. He now had four club tricks. Bocchi switched to a low spade, ducked to Duboin’s queen. Bocchi ducked to maintain communication when his partner returned the ª10. Soloway had to figure out the heart suit, but first he ran some winners. After dummy’s clubs were cashed, the ¨Q (in case North had the king and was tempted to cover) went to Soloway’s ace, and Soloway played the last club. On each club, Bocchi discarded diamonds, giving Soloway a count of his hand.

Soloway had seen five diamonds, one club and, by inference, five spades with the North hand. Bocchi had, therefore only two hearts. With three hearts to North’s two, South was more likely to have the queen. Soloway was apparently suspicious of Bocchi’s willingness to give so much information about his own hand, so after considerable thought, Soloway played the ©J to the king and a low heart to the 10. Duboin scooped up the ©Q, cashed the ¨K and played a spade to Bocchi’s ace for two down and a 2-IMP gain for Italy.

Italy dropped 6 IMPs on a game swing on the final deal or the margin would have been worse. As it was, Italy were leading after three rounds 107-79.