39th World Team Championships Page 7 Bulletin 15 - Saturday evening 12 September 2009


Italy - USA2 (Bermuda Bowl Final 5)

Long road - by Brent Manley

Entering the fifth of eight sets in the Bermuda Bowl final, USA2 had a 159.33-107 lead against Italy. The first board was a push, then came a swing to Italy.

Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
 ♠ J 4 3
K 7 5 3 2
8 6
♣ Q 5 3

♠ 8 6
A Q 9 6 4
A J 4
♣ K 6 2
Bridge deal
♠ A K 9 7 5 2
J 10 8
5 2
♣ 7 4
 ♠ Q 10

K Q 10 9 7 3
♣ A J 10 9 8

WestNorthEastSouth
DuboinHammanSementaZia
  2♠4NT
Pass5♣PassPass
DbleAll Pass   

Zia Mahmood did have two chunky suits, but committing to the five level with the South hand risked what actually happened. Antonio Sementa naturally led a club. Bob Hamman ducked and Giorgio Duboin took the king to play a second round of trumps. Hamman won in hand and played a diamond to the king and ace. A third round of trumps left Hamman with three more losers for three down and minus 800.

WestNorthEastSouth
RodwellFantoniMeckstrothNunes
  2♠3
All Pass    

Claudio Nunes had to lose two spades, two diamonds and a club, but minus 100 was good enough for a 12-IMP gain. Italy had pulled closer at 159-119.

The Italians gained another swing on the next deal.

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

♠ K Q 9 8 5 4 2
K 10
9 7
♣ Q 2
Bridge deal
♠ A J 3
Q 8 5
Q 6 5
♣ 7 6 5 3
 ♠ 10 7
7 6
A K J 4 2
♣ J 9 8 4

WestNorthEastSouth
DuboinHammanSementaZia
   Pass
1♠22♠Dble
Pass3♣All Pass  

Hamman managed 10 tricks in the 4-3 club fit. At the other table, Fulvio Fantoni also took 10 tricks, but in a better strain.

WestNorthEastSouth
RodwellFantoniMeckstrothNunes
   Pass
1♠23♠Dble
Pass4All Pass  

Meckstroth led the ♠A, then switched to a club: jack, queen ace. With the club suit providing a discard for a diamond from his hand, Fantoni simply cashed the A and played a second heart. He gave up two trump tricks and a spade but had plus 420 for another 7 IMPs to Italy.

On board 6, Rodwell outplayed his counterpart in a difficult contract, gaining 9 IMPs despite going down.

Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
 ♠ Q 9 8 4 2
K 10 9 4
9
♣ 9 6 4

♠ K 10 5 3
8 6 5
A 7
♣ A 8 5 3
Bridge deal
♠ A J 7 6
A J 7 2
J 8 2
♣ Q 10
 
Q 3
K Q 10 6 5 4 3
♣ K J 7 2

WestNorthEastSouth
DuboinHammanSementaZia
  1♣1
2Pass2♠3
DblePass4♠Dble
All Pass    

Zia led the K. Sementa won in dummy and played a heart to the 10, jack and queen. Zia cashed the Q, Hamman discarding a club, and played the 3. Sementa pitched a heart from dummy as Hamman ruffed. Sementa then cashed the A and ruffed a heart. Declarer followed with a club to the 10 and Zia’s jack, and he won the ♣K continuation with the ace, then played a spade to his jack and ruffed his last heart. Now when declarer played a club, Hamman inserted the ♠9, forcing the ace. The defense took a diamond, a club, a heart and two spade tricks for plus 500.

WestNorthEastSouth
RodwellFantoniMeckstrothNunes
  1Pass
1♠Pass2♠3
3Pass4♠All Pass

Fantoni led the 9 to the jack, queen and ace. Rodwell played the ♠K, noting the discard from South, then played a diamond to Claudio Nunes’ 10. When Nunes continued with the K, Rodwell pitched a heart from hand, Fantoni a club. Now the Q from South was ducked, and Rodwell took the heart continuation with the ace when Fantoni played the king. Rodwell cashed the J and ruffed a heart, the played the ♣A and a club. Fantoni was down to all trumps at that point, so he had to ruff and play a trump from his Q 9 8. Going one down was worth 9 IMPs to USA2, now leading by 50 IMPs.

It was 181-131 for USA2 when lucky number 13 came along.

Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
 ♠ 6
A J
A Q 10 4
♣ Q 10 9 8 5 2

♠ J 8 7 3 2
7 2
3 2
♣ A K J 7
Bridge deal
♠ A Q 4
9 8 3
K J 9 6 5
♣ 6 4
 ♠ K 10 9 5
K Q 10 6 5 4
8 7
♣ 3

WestNorthEastSouth
DuboinHammanSementaZia
 1♣11
1♠2♣2♠3
Pass4All Pass  

Duboin led the 3. Zia went up with the ace and played a spade at trick two. Sementa took the ♠A and returned a club to Duboin’s ace. Duboin got out with a trump, but Zia took the J in dummy, played the ♣Q and ruffed, then played the ♠10 from hand. When Duboin covered with the ♠J, the game was home. Zia ruffed with the A, ruffed a club to hand and claimed plus 620, losing only a diamond at the end.

At the other table, Rodwell was allowed to play 2♠, off one for minus 100, but 11 IMPs to USA2.

The next-to-last deal brought more good news for the Americans.

Board 15. Dealer South. None Vul.
 ♠ 9 4 3
A K
A Q 7
♣ J 10 9 7 6

♠ K Q 7 6
Q 7 6
J 10 6 5
♣ 8 5
Bridge deal
♠ J 10 2
J 10 9 2
K 4 3
♣ K 3 2
 ♠ A 8 5
8 5 4 3
9 8 2
♣ A Q 4

WestNorthEastSouth
DuboinHammanSementaZia
   Pass
Pass1NTPass3NT
All Pass    

Hamman upgraded his hand to a 15-17 1NT opener, and Zia didn’t bother with Stayman with his dull shape and weak major. With the club finesse working, Hamman had an easy nine tricks for plus 600.

WestNorthEastSouth
RodwellFantoniMeckstrothNunes
   Pass
Pass1NT*All Pass  

1NT 12-14

Fantoni played skilfully to land an overtrick. He won the 10 lead in hand, played the ♣J to the king and ace, cashed the rest of his clubs, then played a spade from hand to the 8 and Rodwell’s queen. He won the heart return in hand, then played a spade to the ace, exiting dummy with a heart to Meckstroth, who had to lead a diamond into the A-Q at the end. Plus 180 was well done, but it cost 9 IMPs. USA2 ended the set ahead 207-131.



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