47th European Bridge Team Championships Page 3 Bulletin 5 - Thursday, 24 June  2004


Bulgaria vs Italy – Open Round 9

The new young Bulgarian team had made a reasonable start to the tournament but on Tuesday evening they faced the might of Italy – and the champions were coming into the match on the back of two 25s earlier in the day. Early on it seemed that the Bulgarians were well up to the task of holding their illustrious opponents. Bulgaria struck first on the opening deal of the match:

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
  ª A J 7 2
© 9 4 2
¨ A Q 10 9
§ 10 9
ª 9 6
© A K Q J 5 3
¨ 7
§ K Q 4 3
Bridge deal ª K Q 10 3
© 8 7
¨ 8 2
§ J 8 7 6 2
  ª 8 5 4
© 10 6
¨ K J 6 5 4 3
§ A 5

West North East South
Aronov Fantoni Stefanov Nunes
  1NT Pass 2NT
4© All Pass    

West North East South
Duboin Karakolev Bocchi Zahariev
  1¨ Pass 1NT
Dble Pass 2ª 3¨
3© All Pass    

When Claudio Nunes transferred to diamonds, Victor Aronov had no space in which to describe his hand accurately so made a practical jump to the heart game. A club lead and continuation allowed him to avoid a diamond loser; eleven tricks for +450.

In the other room, Giorgio Duboin could double then bid hearts to show a strong overcall, but Norberto Bocchi had no heart fit and insufficient values to go on to game; +170 after a club lead and diamond switch, and 7 IMPs to Bulgaria.

Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
  ª A 7 5
© K J 10 5
¨ 9 2
§ A J 4 2
ª K Q J 10 6
© A 6 4
¨ 10 7
§ 10 9 8
Bridge deal ª 8 4 3
© Q 7
¨ A K Q J 6 3
§ K Q
  ª 9 2
© 9 8 3 2
¨ 8 5 4
§ 7 6 5 3

West North East South
Aronov Fantoni Stefanov Nunes
  1NT Dble Pass
Pass Rdbl Pass 2§
2ª All Pass    

West North East South
Duboin Karakolev Bocchi Zahariev
  1¨ 1NT Pass
3© Pass 4ª All Pass

Italy leveled the match by reaching a game that was missed at the other table. It does look as though Aronov should have done more, facing a double of 1NT. Anyway, both declarers made eleven tricks for +200 to Bulgaria but +450 to Italy and 6 IMPs.

Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul.
  ª 10 7
© A Q 3
¨ K Q J 7
§ J 10 8 2
ª Q 6 4
© K 8 7 6
¨ 9 6 5 2
§ 7 4
Bridge deal ª 9 8
© J 10 9 5 2
¨ 10 4 3
§ K 6 3
  ª A K J 5 3 2
© 4
¨ A 8
§ A Q 9 5

West North East South
Aronov Fantoni Stefanov Nunes
      1ª
Pass 2§ Pass 3§
Pass 3¨ Pass 3ª
Pass 4§ Pass 4¨
Pass 4© Pass 4ª
Pass 5§ Pass 6§
All Pass      

West North East South
Duboin Karakolev Bocchi Zahariev
      1§
Pass 1NT Pass 2ª
Pass 2NT Pass 3§
Pass 3¨ Pass 3ª
Pass 4© Pass 5¨
Pass 6§ All Pass  

Both North/South pairs sailed into the small slam. After a heart lead into the ace-queen, Fantoni won the ©Q, ruffed his low heart and played ace and another club, holding himself to twelve tricks for +1370. On a heart lead through the ace-queen, Zahari Zahariev won the ace and immediately took the trump finesse; +1390 and 1 IMP to Bulgaria.

That IMP moved the score on to 8-7 to Bulgaria after seven boards, then came two swings to Italy.

Board 8. Dealer West. None Vul.
  ª K J 6 4 2
© J 10
¨ Q 9 3
§ K 5 4
ª A 7 5 3
© K 9 7 2
¨ A J 10 6
§ 10
Bridge deal ª 8
© Q 8 6 3
¨ 7 2
§ Q J 9 8 7 3
  ª Q 10 9
© A 5 4
¨ K 8 5 4
§ A 6 2

West North East South
Aronov Fantoni Stefanov Nunes
1¨ 1ª 2§ Dble
Pass 2ª All Pass  

West North East South
Duboin Karakolev Bocchi Zahariev
1¨ Pass 1© Pass
2© All Pass    

 
 
Zahary Zahariev, Bulgaria
Fantoni’s normal overcall worked out better than Georgi Karakolev’s cautious pass as Italy won the auction at both tables.

In 2ª, Fantoni received the lead of a diamond to the ten and queen. He played a spde to the nine, ducked, and the ª10, also ducked. Fantoni led a diamond to West’s jack and Aronov led the §10 to Fantoni’s king. Aronov won the next diamond play and got out with his last diamond, Fantoni pitching his heart loser. Now Fantoni played dummy’s last spade and had nine tricks for +140.

Zahariev led a low heart against 2©. That went to the ten and queen and Bocchi led the §8 to dummy’s ten and North’s king. Back came the ©J to the ace and Bocchi unblocked the king so as to win the next trick in hand with the ©8 over dummy’s seven. The ruffing club finesse worked, of course, and Bocchi soon had ten tricks for +170 and 7 IMPs to Italy.

Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
  ª 9 6 5 2
© 5 4
¨ K Q J 5
§ 8 6 4
ª A J
© A Q 9 7 3
¨ 10 6 2
§ Q 9 2
Bridge deal ª Q 10 8 7
© K 10 6 2
¨ 9 3
§ K J 3
  ª K 4 3
© J 8
¨ A 8 7 4
§ A 10 7 5

West North East South
Aronov Fantoni Stefanov Nunes
  Pass Pass 1NT
All Pass      

West North East South
Duboin Karakolev Bocchi Zahariev
  Pass Pass 1¨
1© Dble 2¨ Pass
2© Pass Pass 2ª
All Pass      

Nunes’ weak no trump was passed out and Aronov led a heart. The defence took their hearts but slipped a trick in the ending so Nunes got out for one down; –50.

Zahariev’s 1¨ opening led to a quite different auction, at the end of which he judged to compete in the known four-three spade fit. This was not a success. Duboin led a diamond to dummy’s king and Zahariev tried a spade to his king and the ace. Duboin switched to a low club for king and ace and Zahariev led a second spade to the jack. Ace and another heart now put Bocchi in to draw the remaining trumps and the defence had three more hearts and two clubs to come; down six for –300 and 6 IMPs to Italy.

Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
  ª Q 6 2
© 8 6 5
¨ Q 7 5
§ 10 6 4 2
ª A 8 4
© A K
¨ K 4 3
§ A J 9 8 3
Bridge deal ª J 9 5 3
© 4
¨ J 10 9 6
§ K Q 7 5
  ª K 10 7
© Q J 10 9 7 3 2
¨ A 8 2
§ -

West North East South
Aronov Fantoni Stefanov Nunes
    Pass 2©
Dble Pass 2ª 3©
Dble All Pass    

West North East South
Duboin Karakolev Bocchi Zahariev
    Pass 1©
Dble Pass 1ª 3©
3NT All Pass    

Italy led by 25-12 when this board arrived and it was to be the one that decided the match in their favour. Zahariev opened 1© and, despite his free 3© rebid, Duboin tried 3NT. He was under pressure but really had little option but to bid this, I think. Duboin won the heart lead and cashed the clubs then played a diamond to his king and ran for home; +400.

Nunes opened 2©, 10-13 with at least five hearts in an unbalanced hand and he too took another free bid at the three level because of his extra distribution and solid hearts. Aronov chose to double for a second time and, having already shown his spades, it looked reasonable for Julian Stefanov to pass that out. Reasonable, perhaps, but the big East/West club fit meant that they had less defence than they had hoped and the contract proved to be an easy make. Aronov cashed the top hearts then tried the ace of clubs. When that got ruffed he must have already begun to worry. Nunes played a diamond to the queen then ace and another diamond. Aronov got out safely with a club, ruffed, but Nunes simply led a spade to the queen and one back to his ten; nine tricks for +530 and 14 IMPs to Italy.

The match ended in a 47-12 IMP win to Italy, converting to 22-8 VPs, and completing a 72 VPs out of 75 day as the Italians stormed into the lead in the Championship.



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