Slippery slopes
Norway-Italy, in round three of the IOC Grand Prix, was
a rematch of last fall's Bermuda Bowl semifinal match between the
two squads. It appeared in the early going that the Italians might
gain a measure of revenge against Norway, the winner of the match
in Paris. It didn't work out for Italy, however, as the missed chances
and errors piled up like so many penalty points in ice hockey.
This deal, the first of the match, confounded every opening leader
in the event, including Giorgio Duboin and Terje Aa.
Dealer North None vul
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ª A 10 4 3 2
© K J 7 4 2
¨ A 9
§ 2 |
ª 9 7 5
© 5
¨ J 7 4 3
§ K J 10 5 4 |
|
ª K 6
© 10 9 8 6
¨ Q 8 5 2
§ Q 9 3 |
|
ª Q J 8
© A Q 3
¨ K 10 6
§ A 8 7 6 |
The contract at both tables was 6ª
by North, and it is obvious that a heart lead will defeat the slam
because West cannot be prevented from getting a heart ruff. The
deal was played 12 times, and the only North declarer to go down
was the one in 7ª.
Aa led a club after his partner, Glenn Grotheim, doubled a club
bid for the lead during a long, complex auction by Lorenzo Lauria
and Alfredo Versace. On Vugraph, Dano De Falco did not have the
chance to double for a club lead, so Duboin made the normal looking
lead of a diamond, hoping to set up a trick that would cash when
he got in with the ªK.
After the diamond lead, Tor Helness took 12 tricks for a push.
The next board provided Italy with a major opportunity, and while
they did score a double-digit gain, it could have been better.
Dealer East N/S vul
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ª Q 10 4 2
© 10 9 7
¨ 6 5 3
§ 8 7 6 |
ª K 9 8 7 3
© A Q 8
¨ J 10 8 7
§ 2 |
|
ª J 5
© 4 3 2
¨ A K Q
§ K J 10 9 5 |
|
ª A 6
© K J 6 5
¨ 9 4 2
§ A Q 4 3 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Grotheim |
Lauria |
Aa |
Versace |
|
|
1NT (1) |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
2ª |
Pass |
3NT |
All Pass |
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(1) 14-16.
Aa finished down one in his notrump game after Versace led a heart.
At the other table, Jon-Egil Furunes found himself skating on very
thin ice. Italy did not realize its potential gain, however.
West |
North |
East |
South |
DeFalco |
Helness |
Duboin |
Furunes |
|
|
1¨ |
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
1NT |
Dble |
Redbl |
2§ |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
Redble |
Pass |
2© |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
All Pass |
Furunes' decision to enter the auction at unfavorable vulnerability
was daring, if not rash, and although the route was circuitous,
the Italians put themselves in a position to make him pay dearly
for his mistake. De Falco started with his singleton club, which
went to the 9 and queen. Furunes next played the §A,
ruffed by De Falco, who could have held declarer to five tricks
by exiting with a diamond. Duboin could then have played a heart
through Furunes' hand, allowing De Falco to take two hearts out
of dummy. In with another diamond, Duboin could have played a third
around of trumps, limiting declarer to two hearts, one club and
one ace for down four and minus 1100.
Instead, De Falco, after ruffing the §A,
played the ©A and
the ©Q, allowing
Furunes to get out for two down and minus 500. It was an 11-IMP
gain for Italy, but it could have been 15.
Norway was trailing 11-0 when they made a breakthrough in an unexpected
way.
Dealer North N/S vul
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ª Q J 3
© Q 4
¨ 9 4
§ K Q J 7 6 4 |
ª 9
© J 10 9 8 2
¨ A 8 6 5 2
§ 9 2 |
|
ª 10 7 6 5 4
© A K 6 3
¨ Q J 10 3
§ - |
|
ª A K 8 2
© 7 5
¨ K 7
§ A 10 8 5 3 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Grotheim |
Lauria |
Aa |
Versace |
|
Pass |
1ª |
Pass |
2©
(1) |
Pass |
3© |
All Pass |
(1) Non-forcing.
The Italians had 25 high-card points but could not prevent Grotheim
from taking 12 tricks for a slightly awkward plus 230. The Norwegians
light opening style allowed the Italians into the bidding, but they
didn't capitalize on their chance for another bid gain.
West |
North |
East |
South |
DeFalco |
Helness |
Duboin |
Furunes |
|
1§ |
2§
(1) |
2©
(2) |
4© |
Pass |
Pass |
4ª |
Pass |
5§ |
All Pass |
|
(1) Majors.
(2) Club raise.
Italy had plus 500 within their grasp, but De Falco went quietly.
The result was a disquieting plus 200 --- a surprising 1-IMP gain
for Norway.
The Scandinavians earned a bigger gain on the next deal.
Dealer East E/W vul
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ª A 8 7 6
© Q J 4 2
¨ J
§ A Q 4 3 |
ª K 5 3
© K 7 6 3
¨ A Q 8 4
§ 6 5 |
|
ª 10 4 2
© 10 8 5
¨ K 9 7 3
§ K J 10 |
|
ª Q J 9
© A 9
¨ 10 6 5 2
§ 9 8 7 2 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Grotheim |
Lauria |
Aa |
Versace |
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
1¨ |
Dble |
1NT |
All Pass |
Versace led the ªQ against Aa's 1NT, and all Aa had to do was duck
to create what is known as a "frozen suit" --- neither
side can lead it from that point without losing. At any rate, Aa
managed eight tricks for plus 120.
West |
North |
East |
South |
DeFalco |
Helness |
Duboin |
Furunes |
|
|
Pass |
Pass |
1¨ |
Dble |
2¨ |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
Pass |
2ª |
All Pass |
|
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|
Although the spade suit was "frozen" at the other table,
De Falco, in a way, melted it - and the defense's chance of defeating
the contract - by leading a low trump against Furunes' partial.
The lead went to the 6, 10 and jack, and Furunes cashed the ©A
and played a low heart. When De Falco ducked, Furunes took full
advantage. He won the ©J
in dummy, ruffed a heart, played a club to the ace and ruffed dummy's
last heart. He then exited with a club. From there, he could not
be prevented from winning all three of dummy's trumps. Furunes won
a trump in hand, two heart tricks, two heart ruffs, three trumps
in dummy and the §A
for nine tricks, plus 140 and a 6-IMP gain for Norway.
The team went ahead on the next deal as Aa made two overtricks
in 2ª while Furunes
bid and made 4§
against De Falco and Duboin. Norway was up 14-11. Norway used superior
bidding judgment to add to their lead on the next deal.
Dealer West None vul
|
|
ª 7
© A K J 8 7 5
¨ A 10 8 5
§ J 4 |
ª A K Q 10 8 6 2
© -
¨ 9 4
§ K 9 8 2 |
|
ª 9 5 3
© Q 10 2
¨ J 7 3
§ 10 7 6 3 |
|
ª J 4
© 9 6 4 3
¨ K Q 6 2
§ A Q 5 |
West |
North |
East |
South |
Grotheim |
Lauria |
Aa |
Versace |
4¨
(1) |
4© |
4ª |
4NT |
Pass |
5¨ |
Pass |
5© |
All Pass |
|
|
|
(1) Good hand, long spades.
Lauria was unlucky to find himself with three losers, but they
were inescapable and he went quietly down one for minus 50. At the
other table, De Falco took matters into his own hands - and paid
the price.
West |
North |
East |
South |
DeFalco |
Helness |
Duboin |
Furunes |
1ª |
2© |
Pass |
4© |
4ª |
5© |
Pass |
Pass |
5ª |
Pass |
Pass |
Dble |
De Falco's unilateral bidding might have worked out, but he was
visibly annoyed when dummy appeared with a trump trick - and when
both opponents followed to the first round of trumps. His only hope
was that the opponents had no club losers. It didn't take long to
determine that the North-South limit in hearts was 10 tricks. De
Falco finished minus 300, and Norway had an 8-IMP gain.
Norway, with Geir Helgemo still to make an appearance at the IOC
Grand Prix, finished with a 24-15 win.
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