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 | | ♠ 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 |
West | North | East | South
|
Duboin | Hamman | Sementa | Zia
|
| | 2♠ | 4NT
|
Pass | 5♣ | Pass | Pass
|
Dble | All 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.
West | North | East | South
|
Rodwell | Fantoni | Meckstroth | Nunes
|
| | 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 | | ♠ 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 |
West | North | East | South
|
Duboin | Hamman | Sementa | Zia
|
| | | Pass
|
1♠ | 2♥ | 2♠ | Dble
|
Pass | 3♣ | 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.
West | North | East | South
|
Rodwell | Fantoni | Meckstroth | Nunes
|
| | | Pass
|
1♠ | 2♥ | 3♠ | Dble
|
Pass | 4♥ | All 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 | | ♠ 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 |
West | North | East | South
|
Duboin | Hamman | Sementa | Zia
|
| | 1♣ | 1♦
|
2♥ | Pass | 2♠ | 3♦
|
Dble | Pass | 4♠ | 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.
West | North | East | South
|
Rodwell | Fantoni | Meckstroth | Nunes
|
| | 1♦ | Pass
|
1♠ | Pass | 2♠ | 3♦
|
3♥ | Pass | 4♠ | 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 | | ♠ 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 |
West | North | East | South
|
Duboin | Hamman | Sementa | Zia
|
| 1♣ | 1♦ | 1♥
|
1♠ | 2♣ | 2♠ | 3♥
|
Pass | 4♥ | All 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 | | ♠ 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 |
West | North | East | South
|
Duboin | Hamman | Sementa | Zia
|
| | | Pass
|
Pass | 1NT | Pass | 3NT
|
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.
West | North | East | South
|
Rodwell | Fantoni | Meckstroth | Nunes
|
| | | Pass
|
Pass | 1NT* | 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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