Italy v USA1 (Seniors Bowl)

Memories

In the pre-match vugraph interviews, the subjects were Alan Sontag and Benito Garozzo, who faced each other in 1983 in Stockholm in the Bermuda Bowl final won by the United States.

In Estoril, the two warrriors were meeting again in Round 11 of the qualifying matches for the Seniors Bowl, Sontag playing for USA1 and Garozzo for Italy, despite the fact that the Florida resident has been a naturalized U.S. citizen for several years. Asked about Power Precision, the system published in book form, Sontag said that when he and Peter Weichsel reformed their partnership in 1998 after a 15-year hiatus, they reviewed the Power Precision system and wondered how they could have won anything playing those methods. Garozzo was asked to comment on the differences between bridge now and back when he was in the Bermuda Bowl final. He smiled and said, “There are more singletons and voids today.” Early on, it was looking as though the interviews were going to be the highlight of the match. Most of the boards were flat and dull, although the vugraph audience was amused when the camera focused on a sleeping Garozzo, who was lulled into brief unconsciousness by Weichsel’s excessive study at trick one of a hopeless 3NT contract. On Board 12, Garozzo eventually awoke, and he and Dano De Falco took their tricks for a 2-IMP gain (the contract was the same but one down at the other table). Italy led 4-3 on overtricks here and there when this deal came up.

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

West	North	East	South
Sontag	De Falco	Weichsel	Garozzo
	Pass	1♣	Pass
1♦	Pass	1♥	Pass
1♠	Pass	1NT	Pass
2♥	Pass	3♠	Pass
4♠	All Pass

Weichsel’s 1♣ was strong, and the 1♥ bid over the negative 1♦ was a relay to 1♠, after which 1NT showed the equivalent of a standard 2NT opener. That had the effect of making West declarer in 4♠, so a heart lead would have defeated the contract, but De Falco started with the normal ♦J. Sontag won with the queen, cashed two rounds of spades, then another two rounds of diamonds, followed by a spade to Garozzo’s jack.

Garozzo could see what was coming, so he exited with the ♣K, eliminating Sontag’s loser in that suit. Garozzo could have forced dummy’s last trump with the ♦9, but Sontag would have had two routes to his contract. He could cash the ♣A and exit with a club to Garozzo’s king, putting him on play with nothing but hearts to lead to dummy. Another plan that would have worked would be a low club from dummy. If Garozzo goes up with the king, Sontag unblocks the queen. Garozzo would have the choice of playing on hearts or leading into dummy’s ♣A 10. Either way, the game was making.

West	North	East	South
Sbarigia	Bates	Mosca	Stansby
	Pass	2NT	Pass
3♥	Pass	4♣	Pass
4♠	All Pass

After Carlo Mosca showed his balanced powerhouse, Silvio Sbarigia tried to transfer to spades, but Mosca cuebid to show the excellent fit. Again, West was declarer and vulnerable to a heart lead. Roger Bates also started with the ♦J, however.

Sbarigia did not fare as well in the play. He won the diamond lead in dummy, played two rounds of spades and another two diamonds before cashing the ♣A and playing a low club. That left Lew Stansby with the ♦9 as his out-card, so the contract failed. USA1 had taken the lead 14-4 (somehow, Sontag was credited with 11 tricks for Plus 450, giving USA1 an 11-IMP gain instead of 10 IMPs). The Americans came to another 10 IMPs on Board 9.

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

West	North	East	South
Sontag	De Falco	Weichsel	Garozzo
	Pass	1♦	Pass
1♠	Pass	1NT	Pass
2♦	Pass	3♣	Pass
4♠	All Pass

Weichsel and Sontag had no difficult arriving at the vulnerable game via the game-forcing 2♦ checkback. De Falco started with a low heart. After winning the second heart, he solved the club problem for Sontag by switching to a low club. Sontag took two finesses in spades and cruised in with 10 tricks for Plus 620.

Sbarigia and Mosco did not bid the game, thanks to interference from Stansby and Bates (not to mention Mosca’s conservative pass in second seat).

West	North	East	South
Sbarigia	Bates	Mosca	Stansby
	Pass	Pass	1♥
1♠	3♥	3♠	All Pass

Stansby did well not to start with 2♥, as some might. That might have given East/West the impetus to bid more than they did. As it was, the pre-emptive heart raise by Bates blew the Italians out of the water. USA1had upped their lead to32-5.

Another 5 IMPs went to the Americans on this deal.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	♠ 5 4 ♥ K 8 7 ♦ A 6 3 ♣ A K Q J 5
♠ K Q J 10 8 7 ♥ A 4 2 ♦ 7 2 ♣ 10 6		♠ A 9 3 2 ♥ Q 10 9 3 ♦ 10 9 5 4 ♣ 9
	♠ 6 ♥ J 6 5 ♦ K Q J 8 ♣ 8 7 4 3 2

West	North	East	South
Sontag	De Falco	Weichsel	Garozzo
			Pass
1♠	Dble	3♥	Pass
3♠	Pass	Pass	3NT
Pass	4♣	All Pass

Weichsel’s 3♥ was a spade raise. Garozzo’s pass of 3♥ seems very conservative – and it was a costly decision. De Falco managed only 10 tricks – Weichsel underled his ♠A on the go, and Sontag played a low heart, ducked, at trick two – but he probably would have played differently in game.

West	North	East	South
Sbarigia	Bates	Mosca	Stansby
			Pass
1♠	2♣	4♠	5♣
5♥	Dble	Pass	Pass
5♠	Dble	All Pass

The defense took four tricks for Plus 300 and a 5-IMP gain. USA1 was up 37-7.

The Italians ended the more or less dull set with a bit of a bang, and they earned 8 IMPs in the bargain.

Board 16. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
	♠ K Q 2 ♥ A J 7 5 ♦ 10 8 5 4 ♣ J 8
♠ J 10 8 ♥ Q 10 9 2 ♦ K 2 ♣ Q 10 3 2		♠ A 6 ♥ K 8 6 4 3 ♦ A Q 3 ♣ A 6 5
	♠ 9 7 5 4 3 ♥ – ♦ J 9 7 6 ♣ K 9 7 4

West	North	East	South
Sbarigia	Bates	Mosca	Stansby
Pass	Pass	1♥	Pass
3♥	Pass	4♥	All Pass

Stansby started with a low club, and Mosca put up dummy’s queen. He played the ♥10 putting up his king when Bates played low. Another heart went to the nine and jack, and Mosca won the club continuation with the ace. He played the ♥8 to North’s ace, took the continuation of the ♠K with the ace, played a heart to the queen in dummy and gave up a spade to North’s queen. Mosca now had a parking place for his losing club – and Plus 620.

Sontag and Weichsel never found their heart fit in the Open Room.

West	North	East	South
Sontag	De Falco	Weichsel	Garozzo
		1NT	Pass
Pass	Dble	Pass	2♣
Dble	Rdbl	Pass	2♠
Dble	All Pass

Weichsel started with 1NT, no doubt because if he opened a forcing 1♣, the auction would become uncomfortable if Sontag responded 1♦. A rebid of 1NT would show more than Weichsel had, while 1♥ would be a relay to 1♠ with more complications from there.

Sontag started accurately with the ♠J. Garozzo put up the king and won the spade return with the queen. He then played a low diamond from dummy, ducked by Weichsel. Sontag won with the ♦K, cashed the ♠10 and exited with the ♥10. Garozzo played low and ruffed when Weichsel put up the king. Another diamond went to the queen, and Weichsel played a low club, ducked to Sontag’s queen. Weichsel won the club return with the ace and played a third round. Garozzo went up with the king and played a third round of diamonds. At least he was able to get to dummy with a diamond to discard his losing club. That was two down, minus 300 but8 IMPs, Italy’s best score of the day in a 37-15 loss.