italy   v   south africa    -    bb qf session 6

Fall of Eagles

by Mark Horton

Fall of Eagles is the BBC's stunning 1974 dramatisation of the declining years and final collapse of three of the most powerful European dynasties – the Hapsburgs, Romanovs and Hohenzollerns – between the mid-19th century and the end of the First World War. The series focuses on the tempestuous reigns of Emperor Franz Josef of Austria-Hungary, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany.

If South Africa, leading by 152.7 – 115 IMPs (which was rounded up to 153 on the online scoreboard) could maintain their lead over the reigning Bermuda Bowl champions, another mighty European house would be toppled.

Apart from the packed VuGraph audience, there were more than 6,000 spectators following every bid and play on BBO.

If the South African players and supporters were hoping for a few quiet deals to calm the nerves, they were quickly disavowed:

Board 17. Dealer North. None Vul.
	♠ 9 6 2 ♥ K 7 5 ♦ 8 4 3 ♣ K Q 6 2
♠ K J 8 5 ♥ 4 ♦ A 10 9 5 2 ♣ 8 7 4		♠ 10 ♥ A 10 9 8 6 3 2 ♦ K 6 ♣ 10 5 3
	♠ A Q 7 4 3 ♥ Q J ♦ Q J 7 ♣ A J 9

Open Room

Three no trump had no realistic chance.

East led the ten of hearts. Declarer won in dummy and cashed the ace of spades. His hopes may have risen when East’s ten appeared, but West won the next spade with the jack and switched to a diamond. East took the king, cashed the ace of hearts and went back to diamonds. Declarer could arrive at no more than eight tricks, -50.

Closed Room

Here South preferred to overcall and it turned out badly becaus when North raised, West had enough, especially at the state of the match, to venture a double.

West led his heart. East won and returned the ten of hearts for West to ruff. A diamond to East’s king was followed by another heart ruff, the ace of diamonds, a diamond ruff and a heart. When the smoke had cleared the contract was four down, -800 and 13 IMPs to Italy – just the start they needed.

They picked up three more on the next deal, but then handed back half of the points they had recovered on the following board:

Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	♠ A 7 6 ♥ Q 10 6 3 ♦ 5 4 2 ♣ 6 4 3
♠ K 9 3 2 ♥ A 7 4 ♦ K 8 ♣ A K 9 7		♠ 10 8 4 ♥ K J 5 ♦ Q 10 9 7 6 ♣ 8 5
	♠ Q J 5 ♥ 9 8 2 ♦ A J 3 ♣ Q J 10 2

Open Room

The fickle nature of the choice of no trump range was revealed when South’s weak no trump was doubled and North/South had nowhere to go.

West led the two of spades. Declarer won with the queen and advanced the queen of clubs. West won and switched to the four of hearts. East won with the jack and switched to the ten of diamonds. When that held, he played another diamond and declarer’s jack lost to the king. West played the seven of hearts to West’s king, and the spade switch ensured the defenders took all their tricks, down three, -500.

Closed Room

North led the three of hearts. Declarer won in hand with the ace and played the king of diamonds. When that was ducked, he played a diamond to the ten, South winning the jack and switching to the queen of clubs. Declarer won with the ace, finessed the jack of hearts and knocked out the ace of diamonds. South switched to the queen of spades, covered by the king and ace. When North played back a spade, declarer had nine tricks, +150 but 8 IMPs to South Africa.

Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
	♠ A 5 4 ♥ Q J ♦ 10 4 ♣ A K J 10 7 2
♠ Q 6 3 2 ♥ K 10 7 3 ♦ Q 7 3 ♣ Q 5		♠ K J 10 8 ♥ 8 5 ♦ A J 6 5 ♣ 9 8 4
	♠ 9 7 ♥ A 9 6 4 2 ♦ K 9 8 2 ♣ 6 3

Open Room

1♦ 0-11 4+♥

East led the jack of spades, and when that held, he continued with the ten. Still on lead, he played the eight of spades, East following in turn with the two, three and six.

After considerable thought (was declarer reflecting on any possible suit-preference inferences from the play of the eight of spades?), Fantoni played a diamond to the king. (Cue loud Italian cheers.) When that held, he played a club to the jack. A heart to the ace was followed by another club, +600.

One advantage of declarer’s line of play was that he could pick up ♣Qxxx with West.

Closed Room

Once again East led the jack of spades. Declarer ducked, won the next spade and took the heart finesse. West won and went back to spades, so East cashed out for one down, +100 and 12 IMPs to Italy.

Board 22. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
	♠ 6 4 2 ♥ 10 ♦ 9 6 ♣ A K J 10 9 6 4
♠ A Q 9 3 ♥ A K J 7 ♦ 10 8 4 2 ♣ 3		♠ 8 7 5 ♥ Q 9 4 3 2 ♦ A J 3 ♣ 8 5
	♠ K J 10 ♥ 8 6 5 ♦ K Q 7 5 ♣ Q 7 2

Open Room

This time the weak no trump scored a goal as West never entered the fray.

West led the king of hearts, and when East encouraged with the two, he continued with the seven of hearts, blocking the suit. East won with the queen and taking no chances cashed the ace of diamonds before playing back a heart. West won and cashed his major-suit winners for two down, -100.

Closed Room

North’s jump to 4♣ made it certain that East/West would reach 4♥ – a contract that would have probably made – so South’s decision to sacrifice saved some points.

Board 25. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	♠ J 10 6 5 ♥ K J 6 2 ♦ K Q 8 ♣ 5 3
♠ 3 ♥ A Q 10 ♦ A 9 6 4 3 2 ♣ A K Q		♠ K Q 2 ♥ 9 8 7 3 ♦ 10 7 ♣ 9 8 7 6
	♠ A 9 8 7 4 ♥ 5 4 ♦ J 5 ♣ J 10 4 2

Open Room

South’s 2♠ was notionally 10-13, but could be weaker in third seat, and Fantoni wisely kept his preemption to a minimum.

South led the jack of clubs. Declarer won in dummy and played ace of diamonds, diamond. North won and played back a club. Declarer won in dummy and ruffed a diamond with the seven of hearts, South discarding the four of spades. With the trump position marked, declarer tried the queen of spades but South won and played a club for North to ruff. There were still two trump tricks to lose, down two, -200.

Closed Room

South was a spade short for his weak two, and North’s more aggressive raise gave East/West an opportunity they did not miss.

There was nothing to the play, declarer losing a spade, a heart, a diamond and two clubs, down two, -300.

Those 11 IMPs gave Italy the lead by 0.3 of an IMP!

At this stage the South African pair in the Open Room looked visibly deflated, and it seemed as if Italy might cruise to victory. But then came a stunning deal that gave the underdogs new hope:

Board 26. Dealer East. All Vul.
	♠ Q 5 ♥ A K Q 8 7 5 3 ♦ Q 8 ♣ A 7
♠ K J 10 9 7 4 2 ♥ 4 2 ♦ 9 ♣ 10 4 2		♠ 8 6 3 ♥ 9 6 ♦ A K 4 3 2 ♣ Q 8 3
	♠ A ♥ J 10 ♦ J 10 7 6 5 ♣ K J 9 6 5

Open Room

2♦ 10-13 5+♦ unbalanced
2♥ Relay, invitational plus

What went wrong?

It seems from the explanations written North that he thought 4♠ promised a void, so when South showed a key card in response to 4NT, North thought he could drive on the grand slam.

East did not double, led the ace of diamonds and, when that held, he played a low diamond for East to ruff, down two, -200.

Closed Room

North’s gamble that his partner could cover enough of his losers did not pay off – East cashed his top diamonds for +200 – and amazing flat board.

Board 27. Dealer South. None Vul.
	♠ K Q 9 6 ♥ ♦ K 10 7 5 4 ♣ A 10 5 3
♠ 8 5 4 ♥ 9 6 4 2 ♦ A Q 9 6 ♣ J 2		♠ J 7 3 2 ♥ K Q 10 5 3 ♦ 3 2 ♣ K Q
	♠ A 10 ♥ A J 8 7 ♦ J 8 ♣ 9 8 7 6 4

Open Room

The opening bid that was the prelude to the disaster on the previous deal appeared again. It was systemically possible for North to be weaker than 10-13 in third position and that (and perhaps the result on the previous deal) may have influenced the subsequent bidding. (No double of 3♥ from either player.)

3♥ doubled would have been a bloody affair – and quite possibly a match winner.

South led the jack of diamonds, putting declarer up the ace and playing a heart to the king. If South had won and simply played another diamond, four down was pretty much certain, but South ducked, which ended up costing his side a trick. Declarer played the king of clubs, and North won and switched to the king of spades. South won the next spade and played a diamond. North won with the ten, cashed the queen of spades and played the king of diamonds, ruffed by the ten and overruffed.

That was three down, -150.

Closed Room

The lack of high cards did not prevent North/South from bidding game.

West led a heart, and declarer discarded a diamond from dummy, ducked East’s queen, won the next heart with the jack, and played a club to the ace and a club, ensuring nine tricks, +400 and 6 IMPs that put South Africa back in the lead.

Could Italy recover?

Board 30. Dealer East. None Vul.
	♠ Q 7 2 ♥ K Q 10 4 2 ♦ Q 9 5 4 3 ♣
♠ K 9 6 4 ♥ 9 ♦ A J 10 7 6 ♣ 7 5 2		♠ 8 ♥ J 8 7 3 ♦ K 2 ♣ A Q J 8 4 3
	♠ A J 10 5 3 ♥ A 6 5 ♦ 8 ♣ K 10 9 6

Open Room

4♣ had to go one down, -100.

Closed Room

Here it was North/South who went past their safety level.

East led his spade, declarer putting up dummy’s ace and playing a diamond.

West found the difficult play of the ten of diamonds, and North covered, East winning with the king. A trump switch now would hold declarer to eight tricks, but that was a terribly difficult play to find.

East returned a diamond and declarer ruffed, trumped a club and played a diamond. East ruffed in with the seven, forcing dummy’s ace. Declarer ruffed another club and played another diamond. East ruffed with the eight and played a trump, so West had to score a spade and a diamond for one down, +100 and 5 IMPs to Italy, reducing the margin to 0.7 of an IMP.

Board 31. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	♠ Q 10 8 7 6 ♥ Q 8 2 ♦ Q ♣ K Q 7 2
♠ 9 4 2 ♥ 10 9 4 3 ♦ A K 7 ♣ A 9 3		♠ J 5 3 ♥ K J 6 ♦ 9 8 3 2 ♣ J 10 8
	♠ A K ♥ A 7 5 ♦ J 10 6 5 4 ♣ 6 5 4

Open Room

Facing the 12-14 no trump, North enquired and then bid an invitational 2NT.

West led the three of hearts (cue cheering from a certain faction in the audience) and East’s jack forced the ace. Declarer played a club, and West went in with the ace, cashed the king of diamonds and played the ten of hearts. Declarer’s goose was cooked, down one, -100.

Closed Room

Not for the first time in the set, the difference in no trump ranges produced a swing.

West led the four of hearts and as before South took the jack with the ace. He played a diamond, West winning and playing the ten of hearts. The defenders cashed three heart tricks and West switched to the three of clubs. Declarer won with dummy’s queen, cashed the top spades in hand and played a club. East had followed to the first club with the jack, so West took a shot at beating the contract by playing low. Declarer was not fooled; he put up the queen and had an overtrick, +120.

6 IMPs to South Africa ahead by 6.7.

Would the last deal offer any hope to Italy?

Board 32. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
	♠ A 7 6 5 ♥ A K ♦ K 9 4 2 ♣ K Q 10
♠ J 3 ♥ Q 10 7 6 4 ♦ 8 7 6 3 ♣ J 4		♠ 10 4 2 ♥ 9 8 5 2 ♦ 10 ♣ A 8 6 3 2
	♠ K Q 9 8 ♥ J 3 ♦ A Q J 5 ♣ 9 7 5

Open Room

1♣ 14+ (good 12/13) 4+♣ or 15+ unbalanced
1♥ 0-11 4+♠

South agonized for an eternity over 4♠.

When he passed the South African supporters raised the roof.

Closed Room

On another day there might have been a club ruff, or two club losers. But this was not Italy’s day – that belonged to the magnificent South African team.