Italy v USA1 (Bermuda Bowl 7th Segment)

Italy took an 8-IMP lead into the last 32 boards of the Bermuda Bowl final and everything appeared set for another epic ending like the one two years ago in Monte Carlo.

Both teams missed an opportunity on the first deal of the day.

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

West	North	East	South
Nunes	Meckstroth	Fantoni	Rodwell
	Pass	1♣	1♠
Dble	Pass	2♦	Pass
2♠	Pass	2NT	Pass
3♠	Dble	Rdbl	Pass
3NT	Pass	4♣	Pass
4♦	Pass	4♥	Pass
4NT	Pass	5♣	Pass
6♣	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Nickell	Bocchi	Freeman	Duboin
	Pass	1♣	1♠
Dble	Pass	3NT	Pass
4♦(i)	Pass	4♠	Pass
5♦	Pass	6♣	All Pass

(i) RKCB for clubs

There are thirteen easy tricks available in clubs and, slightly less secure looking at the two hands but equally safe in practice, also in no trump. Neither E/W pair got close to seven; flat at +940.

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

West	North	East	South
Nunes	Meckstroth	Fantoni	Rodwell
			1♣
Pass	1♦	Dble	1♠
2♦	3♣	3♦	3♥
Pass	4♦	Pass	4♥
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Nickell	Bocchi	Freeman	Duboin
			1♠
Pass	1NT	2♦	2♥
3♦	Pass	Pass	3♥
All Pass

Giorgio Duboin opened 1♠ then showed his two-suiter in easy stages, and Norberto Bocchi did not have a good reason to go on to game. Nick Nickell started with a diamond to Dick Freeman’s ace and back came a second diamond to the king. Duboin started well by leading to the ♥10. Next he took the losing spade finesse and Nickell gave him a ruff and discard, the club loser going from hand as Duboin ruffed with the ♥J. He cashed the ♥K then crossed to the ♠A, cashed the ace of hearts and conceded a spade and a heart; +140.

Eric Rodwell opened a strong club and it was natural for Jeff Meckstroth to drive to game. Again the defence began with two rounds of diamonds. Rodwell followed the same line of a heart to the ten followed by a spade finesse. Claudio Nunes won the spade and returned a heart to dummy’s jack. Rodwell could cash the ♥K and cross to the ♠A, but there was a second spade to lose plus a club; down one for -50 and 5 IMPs to Italy.

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

West	North	East	South
Nunes	Meckstroth	Fantoni	Rodwell
Pass	Pass	2♠	Dble
4♠	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Nickell	Bocchi	Freeman	Duboin
Pass	Pass	2♠	Dble
3♣	3♥	3♠	4♥
4♠	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

Fulvio Fantoni’s 2♠ opening was systemically more constructive than a normal weak two-bid, and Nunes raised to game over Rodwell’s double. Four Spades was all about the opening lead. When Rodwell chose a low club, Fantoni could win and take a heart pitch on the second club winner. From there it was easy to hold the losers to three, two diamonds and one trump; +620.

Freeman’s 2♠ opening was a normal weak two but, of course, anything goes in third seat. Nickell showed his clubs, a fit-non-jump, then went on to 4♠ over 4♥, where he was doubled. Duboin found the killing lead of the ace of hearts and his club switch ensured that he would eventually come to two diamonds and a spade for down one; -200 and 13 IMPs to Italy.

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

West	North	East	South
Nunes	Meckstroth	Fantoni	Rodwell
	1♦	2♠	3♦
4♠	5♠	Dble	Pass
6♠	Dble	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Nickell	Bocchi	Freeman	Duboin
	1♦	2♠	Dble
4♠	5♣	Pass	Pass
5♦	Pass	5♠	Pass
Pass	Dble	All Pass

Two very competitive auctions saw E/W buy the contract in a high-level spade contract at both tables, doubled. N/S can make a club slam, as long as it is played by North to avoid a diamond ruff, but it is not at all clear that Meckwell were going to avoid the hopeless diamond slam, so Nunes guessed wrong by when he went on to 6♠ - from his point of view, 6♠ might have been making or his opponents might have been on the way to a making 6♣/♥. Six Spades doubled lost the two obvious tricks; -100.

In the other room, a slightly slower auction saw Bocchi double the cold 5♠ to concede 650, giving USA1 13 IMPs.

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

West	North	East	South
Nunes	Meckstroth	Fantoni	Rodwell
1♥	Pass	3♥	Dble
4♥	4♠	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Nickell	Bocchi	Freeman	Duboin
1♥	Pass	1NT	Dble
Rdbl	2♠	Pass	Pass
2NT	3♠	4♥	All Pass

Fantoni made a pre-emptive raise to 3♥ but this put momentum into the auction and his opponents bid on to 4♠ over 4♥. Nunes won the heart lead and switched to a club. Meckstroth won and played a spade to his jack then ruffed the heart loser. Next he played the ♠Q, which Nunes won with the ace. He cashed the ace of diamonds before putting dummy on play with a club. Meckstroth cashed the club winners but then had no way off the dummy so had to play the king of diamonds. Nunes’ ruff meant that the contract was down one for -50. Nicely defended.

At the other table, Freeman slowed the auction down with a forcing 1NT response. That had the effect that N/S had done all their bidding by the time that he bid 4♥ and Nickell was allowed to play there. Bocchi led a trump so Nickell cashed a second round and claimed ten tricks for +420 and 9 IMPs to USA1, taking three ruffs in the dummy.

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

West	North	East	South
Nunes	Meckstroth	Fantoni	Rodwell
	2♦	Pass	Pass
3♣	Pass	3NT	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Nickell	Bocchi	Freeman	Duboin
	2♥	All Pass

Bocchi opened with a natural weak two-bid and played there. The queen of clubs was covered by king and ace, and Nickell returned the ♣8, which held the trick. He played a third club, ruffed by Bocchi, who took the diamond finesse followed by a spade to the jack and king. Freeman exited with the ♦K to dummy’s ace, and Bocchi ruffed a diamond with the nine, losing to the ♥Q. Back came a club, trumped, and Bocchi played a spade to the queen, ruffed. He ruffed the club return with the ten and exited with the ace of spades, making one more heart at the end; down two for -100.

Meckstroth opened a multi and Rodwell had a pretty good idea what his hand-type would be, so passed. Nunes balanced with 3♣ and Fantoni guessed to try 3NT, not really knowing how strong his partner would be. Rodwell led the queen of diamonds. Fantoni won with the king and picked up the clubs. After four rounds of those, he led the ♥Q but went up with the ace and cashed out when Rodwell showed out; down two for -200 and 7 IMPs to USA1.

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	♠ K J 9 4 ♥ K Q 4 ♦ 10 7 4 3 ♣ K Q
♠ A 6 3 ♥ - ♦ Q J 9 2 ♣ A 9 7 5 4 2		♠ Q 7 5 ♥ A 9 7 6 3 2 ♦ 8 5 ♣ 10 8
	♠ 10 8 2 ♥ J 10 8 5 ♦ A K6 ♣ J 6 3

West	North	East	South
Nunes	Meckstroth	Fantoni	Rodwell
2♣	Dble	Pass	2♥
Dble	Pass	3♣	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Nickell	Bocchi	Freeman	Duboin
1♣	Dble	2♥	All Pass

Nickell opened 1♣ and Freeman made a weak-jump response over the take-out double. He was left to play there. Duboin cashed a top diamond against 2♥ then switched to a spade, ducked to the king. Bocchi switched to the king of clubs, won by dummy’s ace. Freeman cashed his two spade winners then played ace and another heart. Bocchi won, cashed the queen of clubs, and played a diamond to the ace. Duboin led the jack of clubs now and Bocchi ruffed with his queen. Duboin still had two trumps to come for down three; -150.

Nunes opened 2♣ and Fantoni had no reason to bid after the double. Being limited by his opening bid, Nunes made an aggressive take-out double of 2♥. Many of us would have passed that with ace to six trumps, but Fantoni chose to go back to 3♣, ending the auction. Meckstroth led the king of hearts to dummy’s ace, declarer erring by pitching a spade. Nunes played a diamond towards his hand, Rodwell going up with the king and switching to a club. Nunes ducked the club but won the club continuation then played a third club to Rodwell’s jack. Nunes rose with the ace on the spade switch and exited with a spade, but Meckstroth took his king and played a heart. Nunes ruffed and had to lead diamonds from hand so had two more losers; down two for -100 but 2 IMPs to Italy. So what would have happened had Fantoni judged to pass the double of 2♥? According to Deep Finesse, 2♥ doubled makes except on the improbable opening lead of the two of diamonds. Well judged by Fantoni! Italy won the set by a single IMP, 30-29, and would go into the final set with a narrow lead, 221-212.