Romeo and Ethel the Pirate’s
Daughter
Synopsis
Italy v Norway, 96 boards to determine who would secure a place
in the 2003 Bermuda Bowl final.
Prologue
Two teams, both alike in dignity,
In fair Monaco, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
Four pairs of star-cross'd players take their place;
Act I Scene 1 Monaco
A VuGraph Theatre
Board 1. Dealer North. None
Vul. |
|
ª 10 4 2
© A K 8 7
¨ K Q 10 9
§ J 6 |
ª A 8 6 3
© 9 6 5
¨ 5
§ A 8 4 3 2 |
|
ª 9 5
© 10 2
¨ A J 6 4 3 2
§ Q 10 9 |
|
ª K Q J 7
© Q J 4 3
¨ 8 7
§ K 7 5 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Grotheim |
Bocchi |
Aa |
Duboin |
|
1NT |
Pass |
2§ |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
|
|
|
You would not expect this game to make, but East/West failed to
obtain the vital diamond ruff and declarer emerged with ten tricks.
+420
West |
North |
East |
South |
Versace |
Helness |
Lauria |
Helgemo |
|
1¨ |
Pass |
1© |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
|
This time South was the declarer. West led the ace of clubs and
after giving the matter some thought he switched to his diamond
and got a ruff. Italy were off to a promising start.
Board 4. Dealer West. All
Vul. |
|
ª 9
© 10 8 7 5 4 3
¨ K Q 3
§ A Q 5 |
ª K J 10 5 3 2
© Q
¨ A J
§ 9 6 4 3 |
|
ª A 4
© K J 9 6
¨ 10 7 6
§ K J 7 2 |
|
ª Q 8 7 6
© A 2
¨ 9 8 5 4 2
§ 10 8 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Grotheim |
Bocchi |
Aa |
Duboin |
1ª |
Pass |
2§* |
Passs |
2ª |
Pass |
3ª |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
|
North/South had a free run when North didn’t overcall. Declarer
won the opening lead of the queen of diamonds and played the queen
of hearts. South, seeing an even count card from North, who was
marked with reasonable values, could not believe there was a hidden
six card suit and he ducked! Now declarer was in with a real chance.
He played his remaining diamond and North won and tried ace of clubs
and a club. Declarer went up with the king, but that was not fatal.
He ruffed a heart, seeing South’s ace appear and played a
trump to the ace. If had continued with spades, finessing and letting
South win the fourth round dummy would have been resurrected and
the club losers would vanish, but declarer though the queen of clubs
was with South and he followed one of the many losing lines available.
–100.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Versace |
Helness |
Lauria |
Helgemo |
1ª |
2© |
Dble |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
South naturally led his partner’s suit, but after cashing
the ace he switched to a diamond for the jack and queen. North played
back a diamond to dummy’s ace and declarer naturally played
for spades to provide the tricks he needed, crossing to the ace,
cashing his winning hearts and then taking a spade finesse. When
the suit failed to break he was three down and Norway were under
way.
Board 10. Dealer East. All
Vul. |
|
ª A 8 5 3
© 10 6
¨ 9 5 4 3
§ 10 6 3 |
ª J 10 9
© 7
¨ A 10 8 7
§ K Q 8 4 2 |
|
ª K 7 2
© Q 9 8 5
¨ K 2
§ A J 9 7 |
|
ª Q 6 4
© A K J 4 3 2
¨ Q J 6
§ 5 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Grotheim |
Bocchi |
Aa |
Duboin |
|
1¨ |
1© |
|
Dble |
Pass |
1NT |
2© |
Dble |
Pass |
3§ |
All Pass |
Three Clubs was an easy contract, declarer arriving at ten tricks,
+130.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Versace |
Helness |
Lauria |
Helgemo |
|
|
1§ |
1© |
1ª |
Pass |
1NT |
2© |
Dble |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
|
|
Alfredo Versace,
Italy |
|
There was a lot more at stake this time. A low heart lead would
have left declarer with only eight tricks, but ran the risk that
North might only have a singleton heart. So Helgemo went for a deceptive
jack of diamonds. Declarer won in hand, unblocked the nine of clubs,
going to dummy’s queen, and played a spade. North went in
with the ace and switched to the ten of hearts, covered by the queen
and king. South exited with the six of diamonds and declarer went
up with the ace, crossed to hand with a club and exited with the
nine of hearts, expecting South to be enplayed into eventually giving
a ninth trick in hearts or by playing a spade. He was half right,
but when South produced the card he could not have, the queen of
diamonds, East was visibly annoyed. 6 IMPs for Norway, now ahead
by 1 IMP.
On the next deal the armchair analysts had some fun, but in reality
the contract was never going to be made at either table.
Board 11. Dealer South. None
Vul. |
|
ª J 10 8 3
© Q 9
¨ K J 5
§ K Q 10 2 |
ª K Q 4 2
© A K 7 2
¨ Q 6
§ J 9 8 |
|
ª 9
© J 4 3
¨ A 9 7 4 3
§ A 6 5 4 |
|
ª A 7 6 5
© 10 8 6 5
¨ 10 8 2
§ 7 3 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Grotheim |
Bocchi |
Aa |
Duboin |
|
|
|
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2§ |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
North led the king of clubs and declarer won (ducking is obviously
possible, but as long as North switches to a spade or heart the
contract is still defeated) and played a diamond to the queen and
king. North switched to the nine of hearts and although declarer
could easily make eight tricks he had no hope of nine, and in a
desperate effort he finished two down, -200.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Versace |
Helness |
Lauria |
Helgemo |
|
|
|
Pass |
1NT |
Pass |
2§ |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
3§ |
Pass |
3© |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
As before, North led the king of clubs and declarer won and played
a diamond. North switched to the jack of spades, which ran to West’s
king. There are still only eight tricks and once again an attempt
to find a ninth resulted in down two, no swing.
Norway suffered on the next deal:
Board 12. Dealer West. N/S
Vul. |
|
ª A 9 7 6 5 3
© K
¨ K J 6
§ K J 8 |
ª 10 4 2
© A 10 9 8
¨ 10 5 2
§ Q 7 3 |
|
ª -
© 6 5 3 2
¨ A Q 9
§ A 10 9 6 4 2 |
|
ª K Q J 8
© Q J 7 4
¨ 8 7 4 3
§ 5 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Grotheim |
Bocchi |
Aa |
Duboin |
Pass |
1ª |
2§ |
4§ |
Pass |
4¨ |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
|
|
East led the three of hearts and West could not read the position.
When he played low declarer could establish a heart trick for a
diamond discard and lost only one club and two diamonds, +620.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Versace |
Helness |
Lauria |
Helgemo |
Pass |
1ª |
2§ |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
|
|
East led the ace of clubs and continued with the nine. Declarer
could draw trumps, ditch a couple of diamonds and exit with the
king of hearts, but West held the vital ace and he was one down,
12 IMPs for Italy.
Board 13. Dealer North. All
Vul. |
|
ª 10 5 4
© A K Q 5 3
¨ 9 8 3 2
§ K |
ª Q 8 7 6
© -
¨ Q J 10 5 4
§ A Q 8 7 |
|
ª J 9 2
© 9 8 4 2
¨ K 7 6
§ 6 5 2 |
|
ª A K 3
© J 10 7 6
¨ A
§ J 10 9 4 3 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Grotheim |
Bocchi |
Aa |
Duboin |
|
1© |
Pass |
2§* |
Pass |
2¨ |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
3§ |
Pass |
3© |
Pass |
3NT |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
|
|
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
Versace |
Helness |
Lauria |
Helgemo |
|
1© |
Pass |
2NT* |
Dble |
3© |
Pass |
4© |
All Pass |
|
|
|
Despite the 4-0 trump split Six Hearts was easy enough, as declarer
could take advantage of the club position to get rid of a losing
spade and then cross ruff. In the all USA semi final Hamman &
Soloway deserved their swing when they bid the slam.
Board 15. Dealer South. N/S
Vul. |
|
ª A Q 10 5
© Q 4
¨ K Q 9
§ 9 6 5 2 |
ª 9
© K 10 8 2
¨ 10 8 4
§ A K Q 10 8 |
|
ª 8 6 3
© A J 6 3
¨ 6 2
§ J 7 4 3 |
|
ª K J 7 4 2
© 9 7 5
¨ A J 7 5 3
§ - |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Grotheim |
Bocchi |
Aa |
Duboin |
|
|
|
Pass |
1¨* |
Pass |
1© |
1ª |
2© |
2NT |
Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
4ª |
All Pass |
|
This was a bad hand for Viking Precision as the all important club
suit got lost. West led a top club, and had he so wished declarer
could have reversed the dummy to make all the tricks. He was content
with twelve, +680.
West |
North |
East |
South |
Versace |
Helness |
Lauria |
Helgemo |
|
|
|
2¨* |
Pass |
3§* |
Pass |
3¨ |
Dble |
4ª |
4NT |
Dble |
5§ |
Dble |
All Pass |
|
When the early auction conformed South held the pointed suits,
West was able to show the other two suits. South probably intended
his double of 4NT to indicate a maximum, but it was not easy for
North to bid on. Of course, declarer got the hearts right to be
only one down, -100 and another big swing for Italy, who had won
the first set 41-12 IMPs.
|