Gems from Friday Night

Italy were scheduled to play on VuGraph again in the last match on Friday, this time against the Czech team that had done so well earlier in the week. Once again, they lived up to their reputation of bidding every hand up to the limits, but they also showed some restraint from time to time. As the result of this match was never in doubt after four boards, we decided to just show you some of the most beautiful boards played in this match, by either side.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Duboin	Zadrazil	Bocchi	Vozabal
			Pass
Pass	2¨	Pass	2©
Pass	2NT	Pass	3§
Dble	3¨	Pass	3©
Pass	3ª	Pass	4ª
All Pass

A strong NT-variety and a Puppet sequence led to the perfectly normal final contract. East made the lead of the §2, as every East on lead all over the room did. North won and now made the mistake of playing the ¨AK before leading a diamond to the king followed by a diamond to West's ace. Of course, a top club came back for East to ruff, but Bocchi could cash the ªQ now and safely exit in hearts. With the necessary extra entry to dummy gone, diamonds could not be established and enjoyed so the contract was two down. Italy +100.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Volhejn	Lauria	Svoboda	Versace
			Pass
Pass	2NT	Pass	3§
Dble	3¨	Pass	3©
Pass	3ª	Pass	4ª
All Pass

Mainly the same auction and of course the same lead. Lauria was one of the declarers who showed how to play this hand. In fact, quite a number of them had gone down in the other matches too. He won the club, crossed to the ªK and led a diamond to the king and a diamond to West's ace. It should be noted that by not cashing his ªA, he kept control of the hand. The club continuation was ruffed by East, but now East found himself endplayed. He played the ¨Q making life very easy for declarer. Lauria ruffed the ¨Q, cashed the ªA and ruffed a heart to continue with winning diamonds. Whenever East would ruff, he would be endplayed in hearts again. Italy +420.

If East leads a heart declarer will make the same tricks in a slightly different order.

The next board was among the most sensational of these Championships, even more so when looking at the results in the women's and seniors series.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Duboin	Zadrazil	Bocchi	Vozabal
Pass	Pass	1ª	2¨
4§	Pass	4¨	Pass
4ª	5¨	Pass	Pass
5©	Pass	6ª	All Pass

It is difficult to understand why North did not raise diamonds at once, but it paved the way for the Italians to once again show their reverse double convention. 4¨ was a cuebid and 4ª denied heart control. The pass of 5¨ was forcing, so Duboin could show a third round heart control freely now. That was all Bocchi needed. Italy +1430.

This score was reached at many tables all over the Palazzo Congressi. In most matches in the Open Series, the hand was a push at either 1430 or 680.

But one can expect that will not be the case when Versace-Lauria are dealt the NS hands.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Volhejn	Lauria	Svoboda	Versace
Pass	2ª	Pass	2NT
Pass	3§	3ª	4ª
5ª	Pass	Pass	6¨
All Pass	(??!!)

2ª showed minors, and that's all Versace needed to know with his big double fit. As neither side could judge exactly what was going on, the final contract did not even get doubled. Not that it mattered very much, as the double would only have saved 2 IMPs. As it was, Versace went two down when Volhejn led the ªA and duly switched to a heart. Italy 15 IMPs.

In the other two series, we saw a number of 1540's on the score sheets. In the Open Series, there was only one instance of this score (as far as we know). Our congratulations therefore go to Dimitris Kalavanas of Cyprus who induced his opponent to lead the §9.

More little gems occurred a number of boards later, and this time it was the Czechs' turn to shine.

Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
	ª A K Q 10 7 6 3 © 8 7 ¨ K 7 § J 5
ª J 9 © 10 9 6 2 ¨ A 8 5 3 § 10 9 6		ª 4 2 © A J 4 3 ¨ Q 9 6 § K Q 7 3
	ª 8 5 © K Q 5 ¨ J 10 4 2 § A 8 4 2

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Duboin	Zadrazil	Bocchi	Vozabal
	1ª	Dble	Redble
1NT	All Pass

For once, North resisted the temptation to bid as high as possible and quietly passed 1NT, awaiting developments that never came. Down four without any serious effort.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Volhejn	Lauria	Svoboda	Versace
	1ª	Dble	Pass
2©	3ª	Pass	3NT
All Pass

Well, had Volhejn led a heart, not an uncommon thing to do when partner doubles an opening bid of 1ª, Versace would have chalked up another impossible 3NT. Not wanting to be too altruistic (the score was 52-0 at this point) Volhejn opted for a diamond, which created an interesting option for declarer. Had he put up the king and played a heart, he would even have made an overtrick, but when he played low in dummy, Svoboda could win his ¨Q and switch to the §K to set the contract. One down and 11 IMPs to the Czechs.

Two boards later the Czechs created another swing, this time by falling back into their old habit:

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	ª K 10 9 7 6 5 © J ¨ 9 5 § Q 10 9 2
ª 3 © K Q 9 8 6 4 3 ¨ Q 6 § J 5 3		ª A J 8 4 © A 7 5 ¨ J § A K 7 6 4
	ª Q 2 © 10 2 ¨ A K 10 8 7 4 3 2 § 8

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Duboin	Zadrazil	Bocchi	Vozabal
			3NT
Pass	4§	Dble	4¨
4©	All Pass

Well, a semisold eight-card suit is as good as a solid seven-card so why not try and bid as high as possible at the first attempt? Well timed it was anyway, as it kept the Italians out of a cold slam. Italy +480.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Volhejn	Lauria	Svoboda	Versace
			4¨
4©	Pass	4NT	Pass
5¨	Pass	6©	All Pass

Versace showed this time that he can bid even higher than his opponents, but this quickly backfired when EW got the inspiration to bid up to the cold slam. Of course, 4NT is automatic when partner can overcall 4©. Needless to say that after drawing trumps and ruffing his diamond loser, declarer can ruff out South's spades to isolate the menace in that suit and proceed to inexorably squeeze North out of his black suit guards. So the Czechs scored a fine 980 here to reduce the deficit to 63-22 (on board 14 Versace had managed to steal another 3NT from them).