Power Rosenblum Quarter-final Set One

Lavazza v Kowalski

The pick of the quarter-final matches in the Power Rosenblum looked to be the encounter between the powerful Lavazza team from Italy and Kowalski's Polish squad. The first session on vugraph featured some excellent bridge, particularly from Bocchi/Duboin for Italy.

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª K Q 10 9 4 © 8 ¨ K Q 5 2 § J 6 4
ª A 7 © 9 3 2 ¨ J 9 7 § A 9 8 5 2		ª J 8 6 3 2 © K J 10 ¨ A 8 4 § K 7
	ª 5 © A Q 7 6 5 4 ¨ 10 6 3 § Q 10 3

West	North	East	South
Szymanowski	Bocchi	Romanski	Duboin
	1ª	Pass	1NT
Pass	2¨	Pass	2©
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Versace	Tuszynski	Lauria	Kowalski
	1ª	Pass	1NT
Pass	2¨	Pass	2©
Pass	2ª	Pass	3¨
All Pass

We clearly play a different game as both Norths gave serious consideration to bidding over 2© and Piotr Tuszynski actually did so, when in normal style pass is completely routine. It appears that 2© is a much better spot than 3¨, which drifted two off in the Closed Room, but Szymanowski/Romanski defended beautifully to flatten the board.

Marek Szymanowski led the §5 against 2© and Jacek Roamnski won the king and returned the seven. Though Giorgio Duboin falsecarded twice with the ten and queen, Szymanowski judged correctly to give his partner a club ruff. Now it was essential to take the diamond entry out of dummy to prevent declarer's third diamond going away on a spade. Sure enough, Romanski switched to the ¨8 for the ten, jack and queen. Duboin played a heart to the queen then cashed the ©A before leading a spade up. Szymanowski went up with the ace and led the ¨9 and the defence took two diamond tricks for down two; no swing.

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

West	North	East	South
Szymanowski	Bocchi	Romanski	Duboin
Versace	Tuszynski	Lauria	Kowalski
		1©	Pass
3©	Dble	4©	All Pass

That looks like a pre-emptive raise to me, but the problem with raising on such weak hands is that partner is sometimes tempted to go on in case you just have a little more. That is what happened at both tables. For the Poles, Apolinary Kowalski led a spade, and now there was no way to avoid down two for -100. Duboin led a diamond honour. Romanski won the ace and drew trumps before playing his remaining diamond towards the dummy. Duboin got it right, playing low, so the defensive diamond winner was lost but there were still four black winners to come; down one for -50 but 2 IMPs to KOWALSKI.

There were one or two tables at which 4© was let through after the lead of a diamond honour when South failed to duck at trick four.

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

West	North	East	South
Szymanowski	Bocchi	Romanski	Duboin
	2ª	Dble	Pass
3©	Pass	4©	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Versace	Tuszynski	Lauria	Kowalski
	2ª	2NT	3§
Pass	3¨	Pass	Pass
3©	All Pass

Tuszynski's 2ª opening was weak with spades and another, so Kowalski competed with a pass or correct 3§ over Lorenzo Lauria's 2NT overcall. Alfredo Versace waited to see which second suit was held on his left then competed in turn with 3©, where he played. Tuszynski led his singleton club to the ten and queen. Versace led a heart to the king and ace and Kowalski, needing something very good to happen if he were to beat 3©, cashed the ªK then switched to the ¨Q. From here Versace could arrange to pitch a club on the ¨10 and take a club ruff in dummy; +170.

Norberto Bocchi's 2ª was simply a weak two bid in spades. Szymanowski's response to the double showed some values, so Romanski raised to 4©. The lead was again the four of clubs to the ten and queen. Szymanowski led a heart to the king but Duboin allowed that to hold. From there is seems that the contract cannot be made. Even supposing that declarer gets the diamond position right to allow a club discard, he cannot do everything without letting the defence in, and now South can simply play ace and a low heart to prevent the ruff, without giving up his second trump trick. In practice, Szymanowski played ¨A then ¨J, covered. He continued with a heart to the queen and ace and was one down for -50 and 6 IMPs to LAVAZZA.

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

West	North	East	South
Szymanowski	Bocchi	Romanski	Duboin
	Pass	1ª	Pass
2©	Pass	3©	Pass
4©	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Versace	Tuszynski	Lauria	Kowalski
	Pass	1ª	Pass
2©	Pass	2NT	Pass
3§	Pass	3¨	Dble
Pass	Pass	3NT	All Pass

The entirely normal looking Polish auction to 4© left the fate of the contract in the hands of the opening leader. Bocchi found the diamond lead and three rounds allowed him to ruff. He switched to a club to Duboin's ace and now came the fourth diamond to the ©8 and ©K. Szymanowski had to finesse against the ©J10 now and, not surprisingly, failed to do so, and was down two; -200.

Lauria/Versace started naturally but 3§ and 3¨ were artificial. When Kowalski doubled 3¨, Lauria saw an advantage in becoming declarer to protect his diamond holding. The low club lead gave a trick away but 3NT was always secure. Lauria made ten tricks for +630 and 13 IMPs to LAVAZZA.

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

West	North	East	South
Szymanowski	Bocchi	Romanski	Duboin
		1¨	Pass
1ª	Pass	2§	Pass
2¨	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Versace	Tuszynski	Lauria	Kowalski
		1¨	Pass
1ª	Pass	2§	Pass
3¨	Pass	3©	Pass
3NT	Pass	5¨	All Pass

Natural methods do not handle this combination well, as we can see from the fact that neither E/W pair were able to get to a heart contract. Facing a limited opening, Szymanowski chose a cautious 2¨ preference over the 2§ rebid and hearts were never mentioned at all. After ace and another heart lead, Romanski played a trump to the king and ace. Duboin got his heart ruff and returned his remaining trump, restricting declarer to one club ruff in dummy and nine tricks in all; +110.

Versace made an invitational jump to 3¨ in the other room and Lauria tried 3© but, of course, that was fourth-suit-forcing. When Versace showed his heart stopper, could Lauria have bid 4© on the way to 5¨ to complete his pattern, or would that have been a cuebid? In practice he jumped to the diamond game and that seemed doomed to failure when Kowalski cashed the ace of hearts. However, he did not like what he saw and switched to the ten of spades for the jack, ace and ruff. Now Lauria could play to ruff one club in the dummy and discard one on the ªK; +600 and 10 IMPs to LAVAZZA.

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	ª A K 8 6 4 © 3 ¨ A K 10 5 § A 4 3
ª Q 10 7 5 2 © 6 5 ¨ Q 9 6 4 2 § 5		ª 9 © K 10 9 2 ¨ J 7 3 § K J 8 7 6
	ª J 3 © A Q J 8 7 4 ¨ 8 § Q 10 9 2

West	North	East	South
Szymanowski	Bocchi	Romanski	Duboin
Pass	1ª	Pass	1NT
Pass	2§	Pass	2¨
Pass	3§	Pass	3¨
Pass	3NT	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Versace	Tuszynski	Lauria	Kowalski
Pass	1§	Pass	1©
1ª	Pass	Pass	3©
Pass	4©	All Pass

The Italian auction was artificial, with 2§ showing either clubs or a good hand and 2§ being a relay which promised game values facing the latter type. Three Clubs showed four diamonds and 3¨ was a further relay. When Bocchi now bid 3NT to show his exact shape, Duboin left him to play there. The lead was a low spade, run to the jack, and Duboin basically made the hand with his play to the next two tricks - §A and a club to the nine. He crossed to the ªA to play a third club to the king. Romanski returned a club and Duboin cashed out for nine tricks; +600.

In the other room, the 1§ opening was Polish, often a weak no trump but this time the artificial strong version. One Heart showed four hearts and normal responding values and Tuszynski passed over that as he had no good descriptive call available. Kowalski jumped to 3©, invitational facing a weak no trump type, and Tuszynski judged to raise to game rather than try 3NT from his side. When Versace led his singleton club, declarer's first play was critical. Ducking would have led to a ruff and one down, as there are also two trump losers. But Kowalski rose with the §A and took the heart finesse. After cashing the ©A he could use his dummy entries to lead up to the clubs and had ten tricks for +620 and 1 IMP to KOWALSKI. Well done.

The set ended with LAVAZZA ahead by 48-10 IMPs after a strong display in both rooms.