How the Mighty Fall

The powerful Nick Nickell team is always among the favorites in any event they enter, and their record in major ACBL and world championships speaks for itself.

No team, however, is unbeatable, which was demonstrated yet again in the Power Rosenblum round of 16 when the Italian Attanasio squad upset Nickell in a high-scoring match to move into the quarterfinals.

Nickell led 59-52 after one quarter but fell behind when the Italians posted a 62-21 second quarter. As expected, Nickell stormed back in the third quarter 68-31 to enter the last set ahead by 3 IMPs.

In the open room, Jeff Meckstroth and Eric Rodwell faced Stelio Di Bello and Mario D'Avossa. In the closed room, Bob Hamman and Paul Soloway faced Giampaolo Rinaldi and Ruggero Pulga. It was a wild set right from the beginning.

Attanasio scored first.

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

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	D'Avossa	Meckstroth	Di Bello
			Pass
1§ (1)	3¨	3©	5¨
Pass	Pass	Dble	All Pass

(1) Precision.

Any strong club system is vulnerable to the kind of interference the Meckstroth and Rodwell encountered. Rodwell had a great hand but he had yet to show his spade suit and the auction was at the five level by the time he had his second chance to bid. You can see Rodwell's dilemma. He has no support for his partner's suit and no guarantee that bidding spades would be any better.

Meckstroth and Rodwell exacted the full penalty against D'Avossa. Meckstroth led the ªQ to the king and ace, and Rodwell switched to his singleton heart. A third round of hearts was ruffed with the ¨A and there were still two club tricks and the ¨K to come. That was down five for plus 1100 but still an 8-IMP loss since East-West at the other table found their way to the unbeatable spade slam.

Aggressive bidding earned another 11 IMPs for the Italians on this deal.

Board 23. Dealer South. All Vul.
	ª A J 9 4 © 9 7 6 5 3 ¨ J 8 7 § 5
ª K 10 6 5 © A 2 ¨ 5 3 2 § J 9 4 3		ª Q 7 2 © J 10 4 ¨ K 6 § K 10 8 7 2
	ª 8 3 © K Q 8 ¨ A Q 10 9 4 § A Q 6

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	D'Avossa	Meckstroth	Di Bello
			2§ (1)
Pass	2¨ (2)	Pass	2©
Pass	3ª (3)	Pass	4§
Pass	4©	All Pass

(1) Balanced 18-20.
(2) Puppet to 2©.
(3) Five or more hearts, four or more spades.

Rodwell led a club to the king and ace and Di Bello played the ©Q to Rodwell's ace. A diamond play picked up Meckstroth's king and Di Bello was able to claim 11 tricks after cashing the ©K - dummy's spades were going on the §Q and two diamonds.

At the other table, Hamman and Soloway played 3¨ making four for plus 130.

The next board was another tough one for Meckstroth and Rodwell.

Board 24. Dealer West. None Vul.
	ª 9 © 6 4 3 ¨ 10 9 6 5 4 3 § K 9 2
ª A K 8 6 3 2 © 5 2 ¨ K Q J § 10 3		ª Q J 10 7 5 © A Q 10 ¨ A 7 § J 7 4
	ª 4 © K J 9 8 7 ¨ 8 2 § A Q 8 6 5

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	D'Avossa	Meckstroth	Di Bello
1ª	Pass	2NT (1)	3©
4¨	Pass	4© (2)	Dble (3)
Pass	Pass	Redbl (4)	Pass
4NT	Pass	5ª	Pass
6ª	All Pass

(1) Limit raise or better, usually four trumps.
(2) "Last train" slam try.
(3) Okay not to lead hearts.
(4) Confirming heart control.

Perhaps Rodwell envisioned Meckstroth with a singleton or void in hearts and some useful cards in clubs. Once he passed the four level, however, Rodwell was destined for a minus. Even after the opening lead of a diamond, Rodwell had nowhere to put his losers and he was down two for an 11-IMP loss since the contract was a more reasonable 4ª, making, at the other table.

The Italians picked up another 6 IMPs on this deal when Di Bello played boldly to land an aggressive 3NT not bid at the other table.

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

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	D'Avossa	Meckstroth	Di Bello
	1ª	Pass	2§
Pass	2©	Pass	3NT
All Pass

The Italians' light opening style paid off on this deal when Di Bello risked down four to bring home the shaky game.
Rodwell led the ¨6. Di Bello pitched a heart from dummy and took Meckstroth's jack with the king. He played a club to dummy's king as Meckstroth played the 5. A low club from dummy fetched the 2 from Meckstroth and Di Bello asked the significance of the high-low. Rodwell explained that he and Meckstroth play reverse Smith echo, so Meckstroth was indicating he did not like diamonds.

Di Bello could have taken the club finesse to protect his diamond holding, but he didn't have enough tricks if the finesse lost, so he boldly went up with his ace, felling the queen for plus 400. Hamman and Soloway didn't get past 3§, making five for plus 150.

Attanasio was now leading 182-153.

Nickell gained 2 overtrick IMPs on the next deal, then struck for 11 on this one.

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

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	D'Avossa	Meckstroth	Di Bello
			1©
1ª	2©	Dble	3©
Pass	Pass	Dble	All Pass

Meckstroth's first double was responsive, the second simply showing a good hand. Rodwell did not envision 6-6 in the minors with his partner, nor, apparently, did Di Bello in the play.

Rodwell started with the ¨Q, overtaken by the king. Meckstroth cashed the ¨A, then the ªA, continuing with the ¨10. Di Bello ruffed with the ©K and played a heart to the ace, followed by a spade to the queen and king. De Bello won the spade continuation in dummy and played a club. Meckstroth went in with the ace and played a fourth diamond. Rodwell's heart spots were not good enough to earn promotion, but the defense still had seven tricks for plus 500.
At the other table:

West	North	East	South
Rinaldi	Hamman	Pulga	Soloway
			2©
2ª	3©	4¨	Pass
4ª	Pass	6§	All Pass

Soloway started with the ©K, a brilliant stroke. Declarer ruffed and entered dummy with ¨Q. On Soloway's lead, declarer figured him for the ©A K, so it was more likely that Hamman held the §K. Accordingly, Pulga ran the §Q to Soloway's king. A spade went to declarer's bare ace, and he ruffed a diamond to play a club to his 10. That was plus 50 and 11 IMPs to Nickell, now down by 16 IMPs.

Another swing went Nickell's way when Hamman and Soloway recorded plus 1100 against 2ª doubled while Di Bello and D'Avossa took 10 tricks in 3NT for plus 630. That was 10 more to the Americans, trailing by only 6 IMPs at that point with two boards to go. Nickell took the lead on the next-to-last deal with a 13-IMP swing thanks to a defensive slip by Di Bello.

Board 30. Dealer East. None Vul.
	ª - © J 8 7 3 ¨ A K Q 9 8 4 § 8 7 2
ª J 6 2 © A 10 6 ¨ J 7 § K J 10 5 3		ª K 9 7 5 4 © K 9 4 ¨ 10 5 2 § A Q
	ª A Q 10 8 3 © Q 5 2 ¨ 6 3 § 9 6 4

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	D'Avossa	Meckstroth	Di Bello
		1ª	Pass
1NT	2¨	Pass	Pass
2ª	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

Di Bello led the ¨6 and the defense got off to a good start when D'Avossa played three rounds of diamonds, allowing Di Bello to pitch a low club. Meckstroth ruffed in dummy, played a club to his ace and put a low spade on the table. This was the moment of truth for Di Bello, and he erred by playing low. Meckstroth made him pay for the slip, winning the ªJ, then cashing the §K and §J, pitching a heart from his hand. Di Bello ruffed and got out with the ©Q, but it was too late for the defense as Meckstroth won in hand, played a heart to the ace, ruffed a heart and exited with a low trump. Di Bello had nothing but trumps left, so he had to give Meckstroth his eighth trick with the ªK. That was plus 470.

Di Bello could have defeated the contract by playing the ªQ at trick five. He could then cash the ªA, defensive trick number four, and exit with a club. He would still have a natural trump trick coming, plus a heart trick or a club ruff. At the other table, the contract was 3ª doubled, but Soloway didn't slip on defense and he and Hamman collected all their tricks for plus 300.

Nickell had surged into the lead at 189-192 with one board to play. It turned out to be Nickell's undoing.

Board 31. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	ª 10 9 8 6 5 © - ¨ Q 4 § A 10 8 7 5 2
ª 4 © K 9 7 3 2 ¨ A J 7 2 § Q J 3		ª Q J © A J 10 6 ¨ 10 9 6 5 3 § K 9
	ª A K 7 3 2 © Q 8 5 4 ¨ K 8 § 6 4

In the closed room, the Italian East-West played 5© doubled, going one down for minus 100.

In the open room:

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	D'Avossa	Meckstroth	Di Bello
			1ª
Dble	3ª	4©	Pass
Pass	4ª	Dble	All Pass

The defenders had only two tricks against this contract, and Di Bello racked up plus 990. That was 13 IMPs to Italy, enough to send them into the quarterfinal round.

Meckstroth complained to the directors after the match that D'Avossa had broken tempo before bidding 4ª and that he had also engaged in some histrionics designed to make it appear he had a bridge problem he clearly did not have with the North hand. D'Avossa denied breaking tempo or in any charade designed to deceive Meckstroth.

The matter went to an appeals committee, but the result was allowed to stand and Nickell, one of the pre-tournament favorites, was on the sidelines. The final score was 195-189 for the Italians.