Crossing the Rubicon

USA 1 v Italy

Sydney Lazard, Captain of the USAI team inspired his players by reading them the introduction to one of yesterday’s articles. With two sessions to play in this tremendous Bermuda Bowl final we offer these lines as further motivation.

Then out spake brave Lazard,
The Captain of the Gate:
‘To every man upon this earth
Death cometh soon or late.
And how can man die better
Than facing fearful odds
For the ashes of his fathers,
And the temples of his gods.

The fourth session of the final was a classic. Exciting deals with opportunities for both sides.

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	ª A Q 3 © Q J 10 3 2 ¨ - § A 10 7 6 4
ª 10 9 6 5 4 © 6 4 ¨ J 10 7 6 4 § 3		ª 8 7 2 © A K 5 ¨ Q 9 8 5 3 2 § 2
	ª K J © 9 8 7 ¨ A K § K Q J 9 8 5

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Fantoni	Meckstroth	Nunes
		Pass	1§*
Pass	3§*	3¨	4§
5¨	Pass	Pass	6§
6¨	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

Three Clubs was game forcing.

This cost –1100. A lesser player/pair might have suffered an adverse reaction, but there was no flicker of emotion. There is a lesson there for everyone.

West	North	East	South
Versace	Hamman	Lauria	Soloway
		1¨	1NT
3¨	5NT	Pass	6§
Pass	Pass	Dble	All Pass

West did not find the heart lead, but this was still –200 and 16 massive IMPs for Italy.

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

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Fantoni	Meckstroth	Nunes
			1ª
Pass	2¨	Pass	2©
Pass	2ª	Pass	2NT
Pass	3§	Pass	3ª
Pass	4§	Pass	4¨
Pass	4ª	Pass	4NT
Pass	5§	Pass	5¨
Pass	6ª	All Pass

Declarer could not avoid a loser in spades and diamonds, -50.

West	North	East	South
Versace	Hamman	Lauria	Soloway
			1ª
Pass	4ª	All Pass

Facing a limited opening North simply jumped to game and collected 11 IMPs.

Board 21. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
	ª 6 © J 10 8 4 3 ¨ 10 6 2 § 10 5 4 2
ª J 10 9 7 3 © 7 6 ¨ K 8 7 3 § Q 3		ª A 8 2 © A K Q 5 2 ¨ J 4 § K J 7
	ª K Q 5 4 © 9 ¨ A Q 9 5 § A 9 8 6

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Fantoni	Meckstroth	Nunes
	Pass	1§*	Pass
1¨*	Pass	1©	Dble
Redble	2§	Dble	All Pass

	Eric Rodwell, USA1

Nunes followed the accepted principle of passing over the strong club and then bidding on the next round to show a decent hand. He found partner with almost nothing, but the American pair had to tread carefully to defeat the contract.

East cashed the king of hearts and switched to a trump, ducked to West’s queen. Rodwell had to play back a club now and he did, declarer winning with the ace and playing back a club to East’s jack. He switched to the jack of diamonds, covered by the queen and king, and West had to switch back to hearts. He did, and from here it was relatively easy to ensure a one trick defeat, +200.

West	North	East	South
Versace	Hamman	Lauria	Soloway
	Pass	1©	Dble
Pass	2§	Dble	3§
Dble*	Pass	3NT	All Pass

The Americans flirted with danger, but they emerged unscathed when East tried for game. South led a club and North took the ace and returned the suit. Declarer won in dummy and ran the nine of spades. The defence cleared clubs and with nothing good happening the contract was two down. 7 IMPs for USA 1, gradually edging closer.

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

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Fantoni	Meckstroth	Nunes
		2NT	Pass
3§*	Pass	3NT	All Pass

There is no lead to defeat this contract, although if South leads a diamond declarer must play carefully, winning in dummy to play a club, and if that is covered by North he must win and lead a heart towards dummy. Here South led the four of hearts, so declarer won trick one with the six and was never in danger, recording ten tricks and +630.

West	North	East	South
Versace	Hamman	Lauria	Soloway
		1§*	2NT*
Dble	4¨	Dble	Pass
4ª	Pass	5§	All Pass

South led a diamond and there was no way declarer could avoid the loss of a club, a spade and a heart. –100 and 12 more IMPs to USA 1.

Board 25. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	ª 9 8 6 © A Q 3 ¨ 8 7 § A 9 7 6 4
ª K Q 7 4 © J 10 5 4 ¨ A K 4 § 10 8		ª A J 10 2 © 7 2 ¨ J 10 9 5 § K J 2
	ª 5 3 © K 9 8 6 ¨ Q 6 3 2 § Q 5 3

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Fantoni	Meckstroth	Nunes
	Pass	Pass	Pass
1¨	Pass	1ª	Pass
2ª	Pass	4ª	All Pass

Not unreasonably South led the three of clubs – but believe it or not the contract could no longer be defeated! (South must lead a red suit or a trump.) North won and tried ace of hearts followed by the queen. South made a brave try when he overtook in the hope of giving his partner a ruff, but it was not to be. +620.

West	North	East	South
Versace	Hamman	Lauria	Soloway
	Pass	Pass	Pass
1§*	Pass	1¨*	Pass
1©	Pass	1ª	Pass
2ª	Pass	4ª	All Pass

South led a trump and declarer won and played a heart to the ten. North won and played a second trump. The game of ping pong continued as declarer won and played a heart to the jack, North winning to play a third spade. The diamond finesse was right, but that still meant only nine tricks, -100 and yet another 12 USA 1 IMPs.

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

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Fantoni	Meckstroth	Nunes
			1NT
2¨*	Dble	Pass	2©
Pass	3¨	Pass	3ª
Pass	4©	All Pass

Declarer made all thirteen tricks when West led a diamond, +510.

West	North	East	South
Versace	Hamman	Lauria	Soloway
			1NT
Pass	2¨*	Pass	2©
Pass	2ª*	Pass	3©
Pass	4§*	Pass	4¨*
Pass	4ª	Pass	4NT*
Pass	5§*	Pass	5¨*
Pass	5ª*	Pass	6©
All Pass

A splendid effort. West led the king of spades but declarer simply drew two rounds of trumps and claimed twelve tricks. Another 10 IMPs and the match was now wide open.

Board 28. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	ª J 10 9 2 © Q 8 6 3 ¨ 6 § K 7 6 4
ª A © K J 10 9 7 ¨ A 8 2 § 10 9 8 5		ª K 7 6 3 © A ¨ K J 10 5 § A Q J 2
	ª Q 8 5 4 © 5 4 2 ¨ Q 9 7 4 3 § 3

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Fantoni	Meckstroth	Nunes
1©	Pass	2§*	Pass
3§	Pass	4ª*	Pass
5¨*	Pass	6§	All Pass

A very good contract with plenty of chances. South led a diamond and declarer won in hand, crossed to the ace of spade and played a club to the queen. He ruffed a spade and played a club covered by the king and ace. He could cross to dummy with a trump, get back to hand with a heart, draw the last trump and claim +920.

West	North	East	South
Versace	Hamman	Lauria	Soloway
1©	Pass	2§*	Pass
2©	Pass	2NT	Pass
3§	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Declarer made eleven tricks, but it was a fifth double figure swing to USA 1.

On Board 29 the spade suit was distributed round the table like this. Italy declarer 3ª -200 on the North/South cards, and 1ª -100 on the East/West cards to lose 7 IMPs.

	ª -
ª 7 6		ª K J 10 4 3
	ª A Q 9 8 5 2

After the debacle on Board 18 USA 1 had outscored Italy 71-6 in one of the greatest displays ever seen in the long history of the Bermuda Bowl. They led by 16 IMPs – game on!