36th World Team Championships, Monte Carlo, Monaco Saturday Evening, 15 November 2003

The March of Time

Session 5

The fifth session of the Bermuda Bowl final gave the teams no pause for breath, as they were confronted by several tricky deals, with plenty of potential for swings.

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

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

This must be a rare example of an eight card fit proving to be superior (perhaps we should say luckier?) than a ten card one. Four Hearts cannot be defeated, as there is no defensive ruff. +620 for USA 1.

West North East South
Nickell Bocchi Freeman Duboin
2¨* 2ª 3¨ 4ª
All Pass      

Nickell’s weak two meant that hearts were never in the picture. East led a diamond, West took the king and ace and switched to the ten of hearts. East took the ace and delivered the ruff, -100 and 12 IMPs.

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

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

On this layout 3NT would have made easily enough, but Four Spades had chances. When East led a trump declarer eventually discarded a losing diamond on a club, +420.

West North East South
Nickell Bocchi Freeman Duboin
    Pass Pass
Pass 2¨* Pass 2©*
Pass 2ª Pass 3§*
Pass 4ª All Pass  

Here East led the queen of diamonds, and declarer won and played a spade to dummy followed by a club to the king. When that held he drew trumps ending in dummy. He will get home if he now plays a club, but when he played a heart West went in with the ace and played a diamond, establishing a fourth defensive trick. 10 IMPs for USA 1.

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

West North East South
Versace Rodwell Lauria Meckstroth
      Pass
Pass 2ª* Dble Pass
2NT Pass 3© Pass
4§* Pass 4¨* Pass
4© All Pass    

An easy eleven tricks, +650.

West North East South
Nickell Bocchi Freeman Duboin
      Pass
Pass 1ª 2© Pass
4© Pass 4ª* Pass
5§* Pass 5© Pass
6© All Pass    

A slam on a finesse through the opening bidder is always a reasonable proposition, but this time the all important card was wrong. 13 IMPs for Italy, who certainly needed them.

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

West North East South
Versace Rodwell Lauria Meckstroth
  1§* 1© Dble
1ª 2§ Dble* 3§
4ª 5§ All Pass  

East led the king of spades and declarer won with the ace, and immediately played a diamond. East took the ace and played a spade. In due course the defenders had to make a heart trick for one down, +50.

West North East South
Nickell Bocchi Freeman Duboin
  1§* 1© 1ª*
Dble* 2©* Pass 3§
3© 3ª Pass 4§
Pass 4¨ Pass 5§
All Pass      

Here East led the king of hearts. That meant that declarer had time to lead towards the king of diamonds to establish a discard for his losing spade. +400 and 10 more IMPs to aid the Italian’s cause.

Session 6

Triumph and Disaster

 
 
Lorenzo Lauria, Italy
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
You'll be a Man, my son!

The last session of day two of the Bermuda Bowl final contained one of the most dramatic deals in the history of this event. Before we see it, here is a deal where a contract played much better from one side than the other.

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

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

South led the five of spades (the nine avoids some unblocing problems, but might be difficult to read). Declarer put up the king and attacked diamonds. North took his ace on the second round and played a spade. South won with the queen and switched to a club. Declarer was going nowhere from here, and finished two down, -200.

West North East South
Hamman Bocchi Soloway Duboin
1§* Pass 1¨* Pass
1© Pass 2¨ Pass
3NT All Pass    

Played by West, 3NT is almost certain to make, as it can only be defeated by two impossible leads, the jack of spades or the singleton heart. North led a low spade and declarer took the queen with the king and attacked diamonds. North won the third round and played the jack of spades. Declarer held up the ace, won the next spade and played a heart. Now he had ten tricks, +630 and 13 IMPs.

Board 22. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
  ª A J 2
© 10 6
¨ A Q J 3 2
§ Q 10 3
ª 10 7 6 4
© K J 2
¨ 10 6
§ K 9 6 5
Bridge deal ª -
© 8 3
¨ K 8 7 5 4
§ A J 8 7 4 2
  ª K Q 9 8 5 3
© A Q 9 7 5 4
¨ 9
§ -

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

Declarer ruffed the opening club lead and played ace of hearts and a heart, claiming twelve tricks. However, that was adjusted to eleven when West pointed out that if he now played the king of hearts declarer would undoubtedly ruff high and lose a trump trick.

West North East South
Hamman Bocchi Soloway Duboin
    Pass 1ª
Pass 2§* Pass 2©
Pass 2ª Pass 3¨
Pass 3© Pass 3ª
Pass 4¨ Pass 4©
Pass 4ª Pass 5§
Pass 5¨ Dble Pass
Pass Rdble Pass 5©
Pass 6ª Dble Rdble
All Pass      

This was a huge opportunity for Italy. West led the ten of diamonds and declarer won the ace and without cashing a high spade in dummy played a heart. The commentators were expecting a finesse, but declarer put up the ace and played a second heart. West won with the jack and immediately put the king of hearts on the table. Declarer ruffed with the jack and played the ace of spades. You can imagine how he felt when East produced the two of clubs, and he conceded one down, losing twelve IMPs when he could have gained 16.

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

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

There was no stopping this, +400.

West North East South
Hamman Bocchi Soloway Duboin
      2ª
2NT Pass 4¨ Dble
4© All Pass    

There was no making this, -100. 11 IMPs to Italy.


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