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 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
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.
|
![](../Graphics/photos/Bull_6/nor-15-Brogeland.jpg) |
|
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 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
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 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
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 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
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 |
|
|
|
|
![](../Graphics/photos/Bull_6/ita-06-Nunes.jpg) |
|
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 |
![Bridge deal](../../../Graphics/Hand/board3.gif) |
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.
|