Italy v Scotland

Round 1 Open Series
This proved to be nip and tuck encounter with the lead changing hands several times. Scotland gave a good account of themselves and the match was in the balance until the final deal. Here are some of the highlights.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Whittaker	Bocchi	Steel	Duboin
		Pass	Pass
1¨	Dble	1ª	Pass
2ª	Dble	Pass	3§
Pass	4©	All Pass

Bocchi while thinking

Given the auction, Bocchi was perhaps unlucky to find that his partner's only high card was in spades. East led the queen of spades which was covered by the king and ace. West decided a switch was in order and he selected the three of hearts. Bocchi gave this a long look, clearly considering the winning possibility of playing low and then finding West with §Ax. Eventually he rejected it in favour of a possible §J10. He had to go one down, -100.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Ferraro	Cuthbertson	De Falco	Matheson
		Pass	Pass
1¨	Dble	1ª	Pass
2ª	3©	All Pass

By stopping a level lower, Scotland ensured a swing. Given how little North needs to find in the South hand to make game I think Bocchi was nearer the mark but it was Scotland who collected the IMPs, six of them in this case.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Whittaker	Bocchi	Steel	Duboin

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Ferraro	Cuthbertson	De Falco	Matheson

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Whittaker	Bocchi	Steel	Duboin
		Pass	2¨*
Pass	2NT*	Pass	3§*
Pass	3ª	Pass	4ª
All Pass

It was odds on that North was facing a weak two in hearts but he went in search of game. Some pairs managed to make one, with 3NT by North having fair chances, as the defenders are quite likely to attack with two rounds of clubs, giving nine easy tricks. Here East also led a club and West took the ace and switched to a trump. That worked well enough here, as although declarer could win, cash the king of clubs and ruff a club, East was able to ruff the second round of hearts to hold declarer to nine tricks, -100. However, if North's shape had been 6-0-4-3, West's failure to switch to diamonds would have been expensive.

Willie Whittakker, Scotland

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Ferraro	Cuthbertson	De Falco	Matheson
		Pass	2©
All Pass

Once again Scotland stayed low. West led the eight of spades and declarer won in dummy and cashed his top hearts, getting the bad news. He reverted to spades, pitching a diamond on the third round as West ruffed. he switched to a diamond and the defenders played three rounds, declarer ruffing. When South played a club West put up the ace for one down, -100 and a flat board.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª Q 7 © K Q 7 5 4 ¨ K J 9 6 2 § J
ª K 6 4 3 2 © 6 ¨ Q 8 5 § 7 6 4 2		ª A 10 8 5 © 3 2 ¨ A 3 § 10 9 8 4 3
	ª J 9 © A J 10 9 8 ¨ 10 7 4 § A K Q

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Whittaker	Bocchi	Steel	Duboin
			1©
Pass	3NT	Pass	4©
All Pass

West led the three of spades and the defence took two rounds of the suit and West exited with a club. Declarer won, drew trumps, cashed two clubs pitching diamonds and played a diamond to dummy's nine. +420

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Ferraro	Cuthbertson	De Falco	Matheson
			1©
Pass	4§*	Pass	4©
All Pass

Play developed along similar lines, but declarer played a diamond to the king. That would have been the winning play in various situations, but was the wrong one this time.
There was a clue in the sense that West did not overcall One Spade, a bid that he might well have made looking at five spades and the ace of diamonds.
That game swing to Italy was soon cancelled out.

Board 16. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
	ª A © 10 7 6 ¨ A 5 § A K 10 8 6 5 4
ª Q J 2 © J 9 8 5 3 ¨ K Q J § Q 2		ª 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 © - ¨ 10 9 7 2 § J 9
	ª K 3 © A K Q 4 2 ¨ 8 6 4 3 § 7 3

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Whittaker	Bocchi	Steel	Duboin
1©	2§	Pass	2¨
Pass	2©	Pass	2NT
Pass	3NT	All Pass

Declarer won the opening diamond lead in dummy and cashed the top clubs, thirteen tricks and +520.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Ferraro	Cuthbertson	De Falco	Matheson
1©	Dble	2ª	3NT
Pass	4§	Pass	4¨
Pass	4ª	Pass	4NT
Pass	6NT	All Pass

Declarer ducked the opening diamond lead, won the continuation, crossed to hand with a heart and played a club. West put up the queen and declarer won with dummy's ace, returned to hand with a heart and played a second club. When West produced the two declarer was not fooled, going up with the king to score +990.

Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
	ª K Q J 9 8 7 4 © 9 ¨ A K 10 § 9 7
ª - © A K 10 8 ¨ 9 7 6 5 4 2 § A 4 2		ª 10 5 3 2 © Q J 6 5 2 ¨ - § J 10 5 3
	ª A 6 © 7 4 3 ¨ Q J 8 3 § K Q 8 6

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Whittaker	Bocchi	Steel	Duboin
1¨	4ª	Pass	Pass
Dble	All Pass

When West doubled East decided to stand his ground. He led the queen of hearts and West did not rise to the occasion in every sense of the word by allowing it to hold. In the cold light of day it is easy to say it is obvious to overtake and play a diamond, but the contract was made at several tables. East played a second heart so declarer could claim eleven tricks, +990.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Ferraro	Cuthbertson	De Falco	Matheson
1¨	4ª	Pass	Pass
Dble	All Pass

This time East led the jack of hearts - his standard choice from this holding and also from J10 combinations, but with the ten of hearts in his hand West overtook it and returned the two of diamonds. Two ruffs and the ace of clubs later that was one down, +200 and further proof that Italy are a tough team to beat.

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