The United States has a long and rich history in the Bermuda Bowl. The team captained by Nick Nickell is part of that history. In fact, they entered the Paris tournament as the defending Bermuda Bowl champions and were among the favorites to contend for another medal.

That is one of the reasons why their quarterfinal defeat by the Italian Olympiad champions was such a shocker - not the defeat itself but the thoroughness of the thrashing.

USA I had fallen behind early in the 96-board match but had rallied in the third and fourth sets to pull to within 1 IMP of Italy. Thus the Vugraph match Monday morning held considerable interest.

It was no contest. Italy outscored USA I 57-0 in the fifth set and followed that with a 67-9 drubbing in the final set for a shocking 262-146 victory. Think about it - the team of Bob Hamman-Paul Soloway and Jeff Meckstroth-Eric Rodwell scored all of 9 IMP over 32 boards.

It wasn't that the Americans played badly - the Italians were just that good. It was a remarkable performance and earned the team revenge for their quarterfinal loss to the same team in Bermuda in 2000.

The score was 138-137 in favor of Italy when the fifth set started and in the early going it looked as though it was going to be a close match.

The teams pushed the first two board as Meckstroth-Rodwell and Giorgio Duboin-Norberto Bocchi bid to a normal 6© which went down on a bad trump break. Next was another push on a normal 3NT with only eight tricks. On Board 3, both North-South pairs bid well to reach game, then played accurately to make it.

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

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Hamman	Bocchi	Soloway
			Pass
1©	1ª	3©	Pass
Pass	Dble	Pass	4ª
All Pass

Bocchi led the ¨9, ducked to Giorgio Duboin's jack. A heart was returned to the ace, and Hamman played a spade to the queen and Duboin's king. The §K was retuned, and when trumps proved to be 3-3, Hamman ducked a diamond to West and claimed 10 tricks.

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

(1) Heart raise.

Rodwell also started with the singleton diamond, but Alfredo Versace put in the queen, losing to the king. A heart was returned to the ace, and a spade went to Meckstroth's king. When Meckstroth returned a low club, Versace put in the queen and soon was claiming his game.

The first of four major swings that buried USA I occurred on the next deal.

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

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

The 2NT bid showed a hand with extras and long diamonds.

Duboin led the ªJ. Soloway won in hand, played a heart to dummy and took the diamond finesse. When he cashed the ¨A and West showed out, Soloway abandoned diamonds and could scramble only four more tricks. That was one down and plus 100 to Italy.

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

Lorenzo Lauria might have had the same problems Soloway did, but he benefited from a more favourable lead. Meckstroth started with the §10 (Rusinow), which went to Rodwell's queen and Lauria's king. Lauria started diamonds from his hand, cashing the ace and following with the queen. Rodwell won the ¨K, cashed the §A and then went into a long huddle. Finally, apparently in the hope that Meckstroth had led from a four-card club suit, Rodwell cashed the ¨J and continued with a third round of clubs. Lauria was able to claim at that point for plus 600. Italy's lead had grown to 13 IMPs.

The Italians added another double-digit swing on the next deal.

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

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Hamman	Bocchi	Soloway
	1§ (1)	2© (2)	2NT
4©	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

(1) Strong and artificial.
(2) Majors.

Duboin took advantage of the vulnerability to bid the maximum with his good heart fit. Hamman and Soloway could take only four tricks for plus 100.

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

The artificial auction landed the Italians in a precarious spot - 3NT can be defeated with a heart lead, while 5§ is cold. The problem for USA I was that Meckstroth had a natural diamond lead, not a heart. On the lead of the ¨5, Lauria was soon claiming plus 660. Italy's lead had grown to 161-137.

Both pairs bid to 3NT and took 10 tricks on the next deal, but Italy scored again on Board 7.

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

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Hamman	Bocchi	Soloway
			2ª
Dble	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Soloway started with the ª7 to the 10 and jack. That was all the help Bocchi needed, and he rang up plus 600 for Italy.

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

Lauria avoided the spade lead, giving Rodwell no chance to make his contract. Lauria started with the ¨6, which went to the king and ace. Back came the ª10 to the jack and queen. Lauria got out with another diamond, taken by Rodwell with dummy's queen. Desperately hoping to put South on lead, Rodwell played a third round of diamonds. Versace won the ¨J and scuttled with the contract with another spade through Rodwell's hand. That was 12 more IMPs for Italy, now leading 173-137.

Both North-South pairs missed game on Board 8, taking 11 tricks in 3ª. Pushes is not what the USA needed, and the next deal didn't help matters.

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

Both East-West pairs conducted complicated, artificial auctions - a total of 26 bids between the two - and both managed to make West declarer in a heart contract. The difference was that Bocchi-Duboin were in slam, while Meckstroth-Rodwell stopped in game.

Duboin got the lead the ªJ against his slam. Duboin won, cashed the ©A and played another heart, claiming plus 1430 when the friendly lie was discovered.

Meckstroth saved an IMP by taking all the tricks. Versace led the ©9, ducked to Meckstroth's 10. Meckstroth cashed the §K and ªA and ruffed a spade low, following with the ©Q, pinning North's jack. Meckstroth then cashed the §A, pitching a diamond, and ruffed a club. He was soon claiming plus 710, but it was still a 12-IMP loss. Italy was rolling, 185-137. The Vugraph audience could not believe that powerful USA I was being shut out.

Even when an Italian misplayed, it didn't seem to hurt the cause.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª A J 9 4 3 © K J 9 5 ¨ 6 5 § 5 2
ª K 10 8 5 2 © 8 ¨ J 10 7 3 § 10 9 8		ª 7 6 © Q 7 6 4 2 ¨ A K 4 § K 6 4
	ª Q © A 10 3 ¨ Q 9 8 2 § A Q J 7 3

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

Meckstroth led the ©8 to the jack, 7 and 3. Lauria followed with a club to the queen. He then led the ªQ to the ace and finessed in clubs again. Meckstroth followed on the second round of clubs with the 10, apparently convincing Lauria that he had started with a doubleton. At this point. Lauria had nine tricks via five clubs, three hearts and a spade, but he made the curious play of the ¨9 from his hand.

Meckstroth won the ¨10 and continued the suit. Rodwell cashed his two diamonds, gave Meckstroth a heart ruff and took a diamond ruff with the §K. Nine tricks had turned into eight and USA I scored plus 50. Could it be a small gain? Not on this day.

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Hamman	Bocchi	Soloway
			1¨
Pass	1ª	Pass	2§
Pass	2¨	All Pass

Soloway did what he could in the 4-2 fit, but he was short of ammunition and finished one down for minus 50 and another push.

The following deal represented only a 4-IMP swing for Italy, but it shows how accurate the Italian card play was.

Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
	ª 9 8 4 3 © 7 ¨ A K 10 9 8 § J 9 2
ª J 10 5 © 8 4 ¨ J 6 4 2 § A Q 8 6		ª A 7 2 © A K 9 6 5 2 ¨ 5 3 § 4 3
	ª K Q 6 © Q J 10 3 ¨ Q 7 § K 10 7 5

The auction was the same in both rooms.

West	North	East	South
Meckstroth	Versace	Rodwell	Lauria
Duboin	Hamman	Bocchi	Soloway
		1©	Pass
1ª	Pass	2©	All Pass

Soloway started with the ªK, making things easy for Bocchi, who lost one spade, two hearts and two diamonds for plus 110.

Lauria started with the ©Q. Rodwell won the ace and played a diamond from his hand. Lauria went up with the queen, but Versace overtook with the king to play the ª9 through. Rodwell ducked, Lauria won the queen and continued with a diamond to Versace's 9. Another spade was played and Rodwell went up with the ace. He could have made his contract from that point by finessing in clubs, ruffing a club and exiting with a spade to Lauria's king. Rodwell could then ruff the club return and play a low heart from hand, endplaying South.

Rodwell did not read the diamond situation accurately, however. After winning the ªA, he played a club to the queen and ruffed a diamond. Lauria overruffed, cashed his spade winner and exited in clubs. He still had a trump trick coming and Rodwell was down. Italy tacked on another 6 IMPs on Board 15 when Meckstroth and Rodwell overbid to 3NT, down one, while the Italians in the other room played 1NT making 10 tricks. The devastating session finished with a push and the Italians had a 185-137 lead. The Americans had 16 boards to try to put together a rally. They had gone to bed Sunday night with momentum apparently on their side, but everything had changed with the new day.

Rodwell Eric, USA

The start to the final set was not what USA I wanted: Versace and Lauria bid and made 4ª at their table for plus 450 while Meckstroth and Rodwell could collect only plus 300 from 2§ doubled. Another 4 IMPs to Italy.

After being held scoreless for 17 straight boards in sets five and six, the Americans finally put some points on the board.

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

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Meckstroth	Bocchi	Rodwell
		Pass	1NT
Pass	2¨	Pass	2ª
Pass	3¨	Pass	3©
Pass	4©	All Pass

Rodwell had 10 easy tricks for plus 620. At the other table, Hamman and Soloway found an unusual save.

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Versace	Soloway	Lauria
		Pass	1NT
3¨	3ª (1)	Dble	4§
4ª	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

Versace led the §K, overtaken by Lauria with the ace. He knew his partner was short in diamonds, possibly void. Lauria cashed two high hearts and gave his partner a diamond ruff. Versace cashed the §Q, but that was it for the defense - Hamman could use his diamonds to pick up North's trumps. Down three, minus 500, and 3 IMPs to the Americans. The needed them in bigger bunches, but it was a start.

On Board 4, Hamman got busy with the diamond suit again, and it appeared he had helped his team to another gain. It did not turn out that way, however.

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

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

Versace took only 11 tricks, but it was easy to see that if he had been in slam he would no doubt have made his contract. There was hope, therefore, among USA partisans that there was a 13-IMP gain in the offing. It was not to be. Meckstroth and Rodwell climbed all the way to 7NT, which had no play, so Italy added another 13 IMPs to their IMP total instead of losing 13.

On the next deal, 13 tricks were made by both declarers in a spade contract. Neither got past 4ª, however. It was another lost opportunity for USA I.

On this deal, a reasonable bid by Soloway turned out badly for his team, as the Americans' fortunes grew worse by the minute.

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

Meckstroth and Rodwell reached 4© by South, but on the trump lead from Duboin Rodwell had only nine tricks. He could engineer a club ruff to enter dummy, then double finesse in spades, but the only way to do that would be to use a trump, and he would not be able to avoid losing a spade.

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Versace	Soloway	Lauria
			1©
2¨	2©	2ª	3ª
Pass	4©	All Pass

After Soloway's spade bid, Hamman naturally started off with that suit. Unfortunately for USA I, that gave Lauria all the timing he needed to make the contract. The opening lead went to the jack and ace, and Lauria cashed two high hearts, then got out with a club. Soloway won, played the ¨K and a diamond, but Lauria ruffed, and played another club. When he got to dummy with the club ruff, he was able to finesse in spades and ruff his loser. That was 10 tricks for Lauria and 12 IMPs to Italy. The surprising IMP total was now 224 for Italy, 140 for USA I.

Matters only got worse from there, as Hamman and Soloway underdefended a doubled spade contract, defeating it only two tricks when the same contract was down three in the other room. Meckstroth and Rodwell bid to a no-play club slam while Lauria and Versace stopped in 3NT, taking 10 tricks.

Just about everything the Americans did turned out poorly, while the Italians could hardly pull a wrong card - from the bid box or from their hands.

The final score was Italy 262, USA I 146.