USA1 v Netherlands (Bermuda Bowl)

American Campaigns

Vugraph on Friday night was to have been USA1 versus the Netherlands in the Bermuda Bowl, but technical difficultiesinterrupted that plan, at least for a period. The standby match was USA2 versus Italy. Given the wild set of boards, there was great entertainment no matter which match was being shown.

USA1 started off poorly as Jeff Meckstroth and Eric Rodwell missed a virtually laydown grand slam on the first board.

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	♠ 8 2 ♥ J 10 8 7 4 ♦ 6 3 ♣ Q 9 4 2
♠ K Q 9 5 4 ♥ A K 5 ♦ A 10 ♣ K 7 6		♠ A 10 7 ♥ 3 ♦ K Q 9 5 2 ♣ A 8 5 3
	♠ J 6 3 ♥ Q 9 6 2 ♦ J 8 7 4 ♣ J 10

Both tables went through lengthy bidding sequences (Meckstroth and Rodwell took 14 bids), but the Americans stopped in 6♠ for an 11-IMP loss. USA2 and Italy both bid the grand in the other match.

The second board featured a good slam in diamonds that happens to go down on a bad trump split, but USA1picked up 3 IMPs when the Dutch in the Closed Room bid 6NT and went three down. The third board was a push (3NT making three at bothtables), but the Dutch scored heavily on this deal.

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

How Louk Verhees and Jan Jansma got to 6♠ was not shown because the Open Room transmission was still out, but the auction must not have been as revealing as in the Closed Room.

West	North	East	South
De Wijs	Hamman	Muller	Soloway
Pass	1♣	2♣	2♥
Pass	2♠	Pass	4♣
Pass	4♠	All Pass

It was clear to Bauke Muller that Bob Hamman did not have a diamond control – he almost certainly would have cuebid if he had. Muller started with the ♦K, and the defenders took the first two tricks, declarer ruffing high on the third round of diamonds.

At the other table, Meckstroth started with the ♣7 against the spade slam, allowing Muller to take 13 tricks for an IMP gain of the same number. In the USA2-Italy match, the contract was 5♥ by South at both tables – and the auction in each case led to the killing opening lead. Open Room

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Moss	Bocchi	Gitelman
Pass	1♠	Pass	2♥
Pass	3♥	Pass	3♠
Pass	3NT	Pass	4♥
Pass	5♣	Pass	5♥
All Pass

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Hampson	Fantoni	Greco	Nunes
Pass	1♠	Pass	2♥
Pass	3♥	Pass	4♣
Pass	4♠	Pass	5♥
All Pass

To expert players, the two auctions made it clear neither North nor South had a control in diamonds, so the opening lead of a low diamond by West stood out – and it was the killer both times. The two Easts – Norberto Bocchi and Eric Greco – won with their kings at trick one and returned the suit, earning a trump promotion for the defense with a third round of the suit. That was one down at both tables.

USA1 lost 3 IMPs on Board 5 – passed out at one table and two down in 2♠ at the other – leaving them behind 27-3. The next two deals brought the Americans right back into the match.

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

In the Open Room, Meckstroth and Rodwell played in 3♠, one down for Minus 100. The Dutch in the Closed Room had higher ambitions, which proved costly on this occasion.

West	North	East	South
De Wijs	Hamman	Muller	Soloway
		1NT	Pass
2♥	Pass	2♠	Pass
3♠	Pass	4♠	Pass
Pass	Dble	All Pass

Muller’s 1NT showed 12½ to 15. Simon De Wijs’s invitation to game was aggressive, but one is supposed to push for game when vulnerable. Hamman was only too happy to take a piece of 4♠, which suffered a two-trick set on the lead of the ♣A and another club by Paul Soloway.

The next deal produced another 13 IMPs for USA1.

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

At three tables in the two matches involving the American teams, the contract was 4♥, two down each time. Meckstroth and Rodwell, however, found just the right spot – 3NT (Meckstroth’s bid as East after three passes to him). The foul breaks did not threaten this contract thanks to the singleton ♦Q in the South hand, and Meckstroth as East emerged with nine tricks for Plus 600.

The next deal was another distributional freak that produced swings in both matches.

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

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Moss	Bocchi	Gitelman
Pass	1♠	2♣	4♠
Pass	Pass	Dble	Pass
5♣	All Pass

Fred Gitelman started with the ♠A, ruffed, and Bocchi plunked down the ♣A at trick two – one down. In the other match, the bidding was the same, but the opening lead from Jansma was a low diamond (which probably looked a lot like a singleton), so Meckstroth played trumps as Bocchi did and suffered the same fate. It was an 8-IMP loss compared to 4♠ doubled, two off for Minus 300 by his team –mates in the other room.

Greco, with a different auction to consider, made his club game.

West	North	East	South
Hampson	Fantoni	Greco	Nunes
Pass	1NT	2NT	Pass
3♦	Pass	4♣	Pass
5♣	All Pass

Greco ruffed the opening lead of the ♠A and considered what Fulvio Fantoni could have for his 12-14 1NT opener. After due consideration, Greco entered dummy with a diamond to the jack, then played the ♣Q. Fantoni ducked smoothly, but Greco stuck to his guns and let it ride. Next came the ♥Q, covered this time, and Greco was able to claim for the loss of one trick each in hearts and clubs. A well-earned 10 IMPs by Greco.

Board 13 was another wild deal that, surprisingly, did not produce many swings. There was one in USA2 versus Italy, however.

Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
	♠ 3 ♥ – ♦ K 7 6 5 3 2 ♣ K 10 7 6 5 3
♠ – ♥ K Q J 8 5 4 2 ♦ A Q 8 ♣ J 8 2		♠ A K J 10 8 6 4 2 ♥ 10 7 ♦ 10 ♣ Q 4
	♠ Q 9 7 5 ♥ A 9 6 3 ♦ J 9 4 ♣ A 9

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Verhees	Meckstroth	Jansma
	Pass	4♠	Pass
Pass	4NT	Pass	5♦
Dble	All Pass

In USA1 versus the Netherlands, South played in 5♦ doubled in both rooms, but without a spade to lead, West cannot find the killer against 5♦. Rodwell started naturally enough with the ♥K, and Jansma discarded dummy’s spade. He considered his next play carefully before leading a low diamond to the eight and king. Next he played a club from dummy, winning Meckstroth’s queen with the ace and running the ♣9. He lost only two diamond tricks for Plus 750, the result achieved by Hamman and Soloway in the other room.

It was different in USA2 versus Italy.

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Moss	Bocchi	Gitelman
Pass	2♦	4♠	Dble
Pass	5♣	Pass	5♦
Dble	All Pass

Unfortunately for Moss and Gitelman, Moss’s weak 2♦ opening made him declarer, so Bocchi was able to get the spade trick that was not taken at most other tables (South achieved Plus 750 35 times in the Bermuda Bowl, Venice Cup andSeniors Bowl).

The next deal was a push in USA1-Netherlands as both North players judged well to assure a plus.

Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
	♠ Q J 2 ♥ K Q J 7 ♦ K ♣ A Q 10 6 5
♠ 10 5 ♥ 9 ♦ J 9 8 6 ♣ K J 7 4 3 2		♠ 9 7 3 ♥ 10 8 4 3 2 ♦ 10 5 4 3 2 ♣ –
	♠ A K 8 6 4 ♥ A 6 5 ♦ A Q 7 ♣ 9 8

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Verhees	Meckstroth	Jansma
		Pass	1♠
Pass	2♣	Pass	2NT
Pass	3♣	Pass	3NT
Pass	4♣	Pass	4♦
Pass	7♠	Dble	Pass
Pass	7NT	All Pass

Despite the fact that all the club bids by Verhees were relays, Rodwell would not have been troubled to find the correct opening lead against 7♠ doubled. There was no such lead against 7NT.

West	North	East	South
De Wijs	Hamman	Muller	Soloway
		Pass	1♣
2♣	Pass	Pass	Dble
Pass	3♣	Pass	3♠
Pass	4NT	Pass	5♦
Pass	7NT	All Pass

On the bidding – West’s 2♣ was natural – Hamman could easily envision a club void in the East hand – and he knew as well that if a club finesse was needed, it was going to work.

When USA2 and Italy played the deal, Greco also doubled 7♠ after a long, tortuous auction, prompting Fantoni to pull to 7NT. At the other table, the double came at a different spot in the auction, and that made a huge difference in the outcome.

West	North	East	South
Duboin	Moss	Bocchi	Gitelman
		Pass	1♠
Pass	2♣	Pass	2NT
Pass	3♠	Pass	4♦
Pass	4♥	Pass	4NT
Pass	5♣	Dble	5♦
Pass	5♥	Pass	5NT
Pass	7♠	All Pass

Bocchi’s double of the response to Blackwood was clever, and it appears Gitelman did not consider that it might be a void. The club lead sank the grand and gave Italy a 17-IMP swing.

Most of the deals in the set involved the wild distribution of the hands. Board 15 showed Meckstroth playing well in a bad contract.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	♠ A 7 6 5 4 ♥ 8 7 4 2 ♦ K J 3 ♣ J
♠ 3 ♥ K Q 9 6 5 ♦ 10 9 8 7 5 ♣ K 9		♠ K Q 9 8 2 ♥ J ♦ 4 ♣ A Q 10 8 7 5
	♠ J 10 ♥ A 10 3 ♦ A Q 6 2 ♣ 6 4 3 2

The contract in the Closed Room was a normal 3♣ by East for Plus 130.

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Verhees	Meckstroth	Jansma
			Pass
2♦	Pass	2♥	All Pass

Meckstroth’s response to his partner’s Multi 2♦ indicated that was as high as he wanted to be if hearts was Rodwell’s suit.

Jansma started with the ♠J, taken by Verhees with the ace. Verhees continued with the ♠7 to Meckstroth’s king, and he continued with the ♠9, ruffed by Jansma with the ♥10. Meckstroth discarded a diamond from dummy rather than overruffing, and Jansma could have scuttled the contract by playing the ♥A. Instead, Jansma played a club to the jack and queen. Meckstroth continued with the ♠8 to the ♥3 and ♥5 in dummy. The ♣K was ruffed, and Verhees switched to a diamond. Jansma won with the ♦Q and tried to cash the ace, but Meckstroth ruffed and played the ♠Q. Jansma could have ruffed with the ace and played a club to promote another trump trick for Verhees, but he discarded. Meckstroth pitched dummy’s last diamond, ruffed a club with the ♥K and played the low heart from dummy to achieve a strange Plus 110, losing 1 IMP instead of 4. USA1 was down 57-25 and in need of some good news. They got it on the penultimate board.

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

In the Closed Room, East/West managed 11 tricks in 3♦ for Plus 150.

West	North	East	South
Rodwell	Verhees	Meckstroth	Jansma
			Pass
Pass	Pass	1♣	2♥
Dble	Pass	3♦	Pass
3NT	All Pass

The 1♣ bid was strong and artificial, and 2♥ showed ‘weak hearts or weak spades.’ Rodwell’s double showed a smattering of values, and he tried for the nine-trick game over his partner’s diamond bid. Verhees had to guess what to lead, and he inferred from his strong spade holding that the weakness in his partner’s hand was in hearts. It didn’t take long for Rodwell to claim 10 tricks with five diamonds, four hearts and the ♣A. That was 10 IMPs for USA1 to close out a disappointing set for them. The Dutch prevailed 60-35 (20-10). In the other match, Italy also collected 60 IMPs versus USA2, who scored 44. The VP score was 18-12 for Italy.