Secondo Piatto

By Mark Horton

Refreshed by England’s victory over Paraguay and a quantity of the local water it was back to business where I found a suitable resting place at the table occupied by the Italian/Swiss combination that had scored heavily in the opening session.

Board 21. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
	♠ 10 8 4 2 ♥ Q 9 ♦ 4 2 ♣ K Q 8 7 5
♠ 7 5 ♥ K 7 5 2 ♦ K Q 10 9 7 3 ♣ 10		♠ K Q 9 6 ♥ 6 ♦ J 8 6 ♣ A J 6 4 3
	♠ A J 3 ♥ A J 10 8 4 3 ♦ A 5 ♣ 9 2

West	North	East	South
Casadei	Versace	Pavan	Haemmerli
	Pass	Pass	1♥
3♦	Pass	Pass	3♥
Pass	Pass	4♦	Pass
Pass	4♥	All Pass

South appeared to flirt with a dangerous reopening double before settling for the more obvious action of rebidding her robust suit. When East not unreasonably took the push North/South had the chance to go plus, but North went on to the doomed game. Indeed, on this layout declarer could make no more than eight tricks, -200 – as usual the kiss of death at matchpoints.

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

West	North	East	South
Casadei	Versace	Pavan	Haemmerli
		1NT	Pass
2♥*	Pass	2♠	Pass
3♥	Pass	3♠	Pass
3NT	All Pass

East paid a heavy price for failing to bid the obvious Four Spades over 3NT, as with South on lead a club gave declarer no chance and the contract was quickly two down – the boot was on the other foot this time, so the round was just about tied.

Board 23. Dealer South. All Vul.
	♠ 8 6 4 3 2 ♥ K J 8 6 ♦ J 8 ♣ 9 7
♠ A Q J 5 ♥ Q 5 ♦ A Q 7 6 5 ♣ J 10		♠ 10 7 ♥ 10 7 3 2 ♦ K 9 3 2 ♣ Q 8 5
	♠ K 9 ♥ A 9 4 ♦ 10 4 ♣ A K 6 4 3 2

West	North	East	South
Bianchini	Versace	Trevisani	Haemmerli
			1♣
1♦	1♠	2♦	Dble
Pass	2♥	Pass	2♠
All Pass

The defenders started with two rounds of diamonds and then East switched to the seven of hearts for the queen and king. Declarer tried a spade to the king but West won, cashed the queen and played a diamond. He was in control now and declarer had to settle for seven tricks, -100. Still, with +110 available in diamonds it was a promising result.

Board 24. Dealer West. None Vul.
	♠ A 3 ♥ K 10 8 ♦ Q J 6 3 2 ♣ A K 5
♠ K 5 ♥ A J 9 7 2 ♦ A K 9 4 ♣ 10 4		♠ Q 9 7 4 2 ♥ 4 ♦ 7 5 ♣ Q J 7 6 2
	♠ J 10 8 6 ♥ Q 6 5 3 ♦ 10 8 ♣ 9 8 3

West	North	East	South
Bianchini	Versace	Trevisani	Haemmerli
1♥	1NT	Pass	Pass
2♦	Pass	Pass	2♠
Pass	2NT	All Pass

Two Diamonds was not exactly the ideal spot on the East/West cards, but South came to the rescue with her remarkable Two Spades. North retreated and was not slow to congratulate his partner on her bravery when the dummy appeared.

East/west started with three rounds of diamonds and declarer won, cashed a diamond and exited with a low spade, East putting up the queen and switching to a heart, which ran to the jack and declarer’s king. Back came the ten of hearts ducked and now declarer cashed the last diamond and the ace of spades. East had parted with one club too many, so declarer took the last three tricks in that suit for a majestic +150. That was a great round, but the next one was not quite so good, with a very poor result being only slightly offset by a reasonable one.

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

One Diamond was a typical third in hand gambit, but when North doubled West’s overcall South was on the spot. When the hand was over North appeared to think there was a case for bidding Two Hearts, and given South’s bidding on the previous board it was clearly a possibility, but eventually South decided to go quietly and hope for the best.

North led the four of hearts and South won with the queen. A club switch now would be effective, but is not that easy to find and South played a second heart ducked again by declarer, who won the next round of the suit, discarding a spade, and played the eight of diamonds. South went in with the ace and switched to a small spade. Declarer could win and give up a diamond, ensuring his contract, +180.

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

West	North	East	South
Roche	Versace	Stewart	Haemmerli
		Pass	Pass
Pass	2♦*	Pass	2♠
Pass	2NT	Pass	3NT
All Pass

I don’t know if they noticed, but this board was rotated, making North the hand with all the points. The spade position meant declarer had an easy route to 12 tricks, +690.