The prophet

When Eric Kokish spotted Alfredo Versace in the VuGraph theatre just before the start of Italy’s match with Norway on Thursday, Kokish asked Versace why he and Lorenzo Lauria weren’t playing.

The team felt it was important for the new pair on the team – Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio Nunes – to gain some experience in a tough match. And, said Versace, “We never beat Norway anyway.” He was right. In a tough, well-played match, the Norwegians prevailed 27-22.

Italy, trailing 2-0, took the lead on board 3 when Norberto Bocchi made an excellent defensive play against a doubled contract for a 5-IMP gain.

Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	ª Q 9 4 2 © Q 6 4 ¨ 10 9 5 4 3 § A
ª K © 10 9 8 5 2 ¨ K J 8 § 10 6 4 2		ª A 7 6 © A K 3 ¨ A Q 7 6 § K J 9
	ª J 10 8 5 3 © J 7 ¨ 2 § Q 8 7 5 3

West	North	East	South
Brogeland	Fantoni	Saelensminde	Nunes
			Pass
Pass	2¨	Dble	Pass
2©	Pass	2NT	Pass
3NT	All Pass

Nunes led the ªJ and Erik Saelensminde was soon wrapping up 11 tricks for plus 660.

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Helness	Bocchi	Helgemo
			2ª
Pass	3©	3NT	Pass
Pass	4¨	Dble	4ª
Dble	All Pass

Geir Helgemo’s 2ª showed a two-suited hand with the black suits or the red suits. Either way, Tor Helness knew his side had a great fit – and the vulnerability was right for the sacrifice.

The Italians could have bid 4NT and pushed the board, but they did even better.

	Boye Brogeland, Norway

Giorgio Duboin started with the ¨K, switching to the ªK at trick two. He then led a heart to Bocchi’s ace, and Bocchi continued with the ªA and another spade. Helgemo won that trick in dummy and ruffed a diamond, then played a club to the ace and ruffed another diamond. When he played the ©J from hand, Bocchi made the key play – he ducked. If Bocchi had taken the ©K, he would have been forced to help Helgemo to at least two more tricks. The play of the ¨A would set up dummy’s 10, a low club would allow Helgemo to win the queen and put Bocchi back in with a club, and he would be back in the same position as before. A heart to dummy’s good queen would allow Helgemo to play a fourth round of diamonds establishing that suit.

By ducking the heart, Bocchi held Helgemo to just one more trick – a club ruff in dummy – and he finished four down for minus 800.

Norway broke back on top on the next deal as Boye Brogeland judged well in the auction to find the best spot.

Even at that, the Norwegians had to defend correctly to come out on top.

Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
	ª 7 © 8 7 6 5 ¨ 10 8 5 § 10 8 6 4 3
ª K 6 5 2 © Q 2 ¨ Q 2 § A K J 9 5		ª Q 9 8 4 © J 10 9 3 ¨ A K J 9 § 7
	ª A J 10 3 © A K 4 ¨ 7 6 4 3 § Q 2

West	North	East	South
Brogeland	Fantoni	Saelensminde	Nunes
1NT	Pass	3§	Pass
3NT	All Pass

The 3§ bid showed a 4x1 hand with a singleton club. With so much in clubs, Brogeland opted for the nine-trick game. Fantoni started with a low heart, and Brogeland was not troubled in this contract, ending with 11 tricks for plus 660.

In the open room, Duboin had some warning about a bad trump split, but he went for the spade game anyway.

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Helness	Bocchi	Helgemo
1§	Pass	1¨	Dble
1ª	Pass	4ª	All Pass

The 1¨ bid showed hearts and Helgemo’s double showed spades and diamonds.

A heart lead obviously would defeat the contract out of hand, but Helness started with the more normal diamond, giving Duboin a chance to make the contract. The ¨9 held a trick one and Duboin ran off three more rounds, discarding both of his hearts. Helness ruffed the fourth round of diamonds and exited with a heart. Duboin ruffed, cashed the two high clubs from his hand, ruffing a third club with dummy’s ªQ. Helgemo thought about his play for a time before discarding a heart. Now Duboin was short in spades in both hands, and when he played a low spade from dummy, Helgemo rose with the ace and then returned the jack to assure a total of four trump tricks for the defense.

The winning line of play is to take three rounds of diamonds at the start, discarding one heart, then play a spade from dummy – or a club to the ace followed by a spade to the queen. South can win the ªA, but if he exits with a low spade, declarer can put in a low spot. If South gets out with the ªJ, declarer has the spots to limit his spade losers to only one more. South can cash the ©A, but he is still endplayed at that point.

In the Venice Cup match between Canada and China, Francine Cimon as West found another way to 10 tricks, thanks to a defensive slip by South. Cimon won the diamond lead in dummy and played a spade at trick two. South could have assured a plus for her side by rising with the ªA to cash two hearts with one more spade trick to come. She ducked, however, and Cimon was home. She cashed the ¨Q, the §A, ruffed a low club then two took more diamonds, discarding her hearts, then played the ©J, ruffing South’s king, then played the §K, discarding a heart from dummy. South could take only three spade tricks.

Italy broke back on top on the following board with a 13-IMP swing.

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

In the closed room, Saelensminde played 4ª from the East seat, finished down two on the lead of the ¨K (it is still a makeable contract, but the opening lead could lead declarer down the wrong path).

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Helness	Bocchi	Helgemo
			1©
2§	2©	2ª	Pass
4ª	All Pass

Helgemo naturally started with a low heart to the king and ace. Bocchi played the §Q, ducked by Helgemo. Bocchi continued with the ©Q, pitching a diamond from dummy, then he ruffed a heart, cashed the ¨A and played a low club from dummy. Helness ruffed in with the 8, overruffed by Bocchi, who then ruffed a diamond and played another club from dummy, overruffing again when Helness played the ª10. A heart ruff with the ªA followed, then another club ruff in hand. That was nine tricks in and the ª9 was good for another heart ruff and plus 620.

The following board was a push, but it was a bit scary for the Italians in the closed room.

Board 26. Dealer East. All Vul.
	ª A Q 2 © Q J 4 3 ¨ J 7 4 3 § 9 8
ª 5 © 9 7 6 5 2 ¨ Q 10 9 8 6 § A 7		ª J 9 8 6 © K 10 ¨ 5 2 § J 10 6 5 4
	ª K 10 7 4 3 © A 8 ¨ A K § K Q 3 2

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Helness	Bocchi	Helgemo
		Pass	1ª
Pass	3ª	Pass	4§
Pass	4ª	All Pass

Helness’ jump raise with only three trumps looks odd, but they landed in the right spot. Duboin started with the ¨9 to Helgemo’s ace. Declarer followed with the §Q to West’s ace. Helgemo won the diamond continuation and played a spade to the ace. He played the ©Q to the king and ace, and he played a spade to the queen, followed by a club to the king and a club ruff. Helgemo cashed the ©J and ruffed a heart. He got out with a club and took the last two tricks with the ªK 10. At the other table, the Italian declarer had to take the same number of tricks to make his contract.

West	North	East	South
Brogeland	Fantoni	Saelensminde	Nunes
			1ª
Pass	2§	Pass	3§
Pass	3ª	Pass	4§
Pass	4ª	Pass	5¨
Pass	5©	Pass	5ª
All Pass

	Claudio Nunes, Italy

Brogeland started with the ¨10 to Nunes’ ace, and declarer erred by playing the ©A and a heart to the queen. Because of the bad trump split, he was then booked to lose two more tricks – two clubs or a club and a trump. The defense let him off the hook, however.

After winning the ©K, Saelensmind played a club to the king and West’s ace, and another diamond went to the king. Nune played a spade to the ace and called for the ©J. Saelensminde could have assured the defeat of the contract by ruffing. If he had done so, declarer would still have had two low clubs to deal with, and ruffing both in dummy would have given East his trump trick back, so Nune would have lost a heart, a spade and a club for down one.

Saelendsminde discarded on the ©J, however, and Nunes made it home with 11 tricks for 650 and a very nervous push.

The match was settle on the next board.

Board 27. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª A 8 4 © 8 5 3 ¨ K J 9 5 3 § 9 6
ª K 9 6 © K Q 10 7 2 ¨ A 7 § J 5 3		ª Q J 7 5 © A 9 ¨ Q 10 8 4 § Q 8 4
	ª 10 3 2 © J 6 4 ¨ 6 2 § A K 10 7 2

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Helness	Bocchi	Helgemo
			Pass
1©	Pass	1ª	Pass
1NT	Pass	2©	Pass
2ª	All Pass

A very conservative auction for a normally aggressive pair.

Helgemo started with the §A, followed by a switch to the ¨6. Declarer ducked, Helness won the ¨K and returned his club, taking a club ruff at trick four. Helness exited with a diamond to the bare ace, and Bocchi played a spade to the jack. When he continued with a spade to the king and ace, Helness played a third round of diamonds, promoting Helgemo’s ª10 to the setting trick.

In the closed room, the Norwegians took a different view of the East-West cards.

West	North	East	South
Brogeland	Fantoni	Saelensminde	Nunes
			Pass
1©	Pass	1ª	Pass
1NT	Pass	2NT	Pass
3NT	All Pass

The low diamond opening lead went to decarer’s 7, and he continued with a spade to the queen, a diamond to the ace and a second spade from hand. North won the ace, but could do no better than cashing the ¨K and playing a club, hoping South had a slightly better holding than he actually had. That was plus 400 to the Norwegians and a 10-IMP gain.