One of the pairs to record a good first session were Zia Mahmood and Jill Meyers. As the Casa Nostra invited them to be their guests today, most of their successes appear elsewhere in this issue in Italian. For the convenience of the unhappy few who do not master the language spoken and written by our near neighbours (in fact, Menton became part of France only in 1878, having belonged to the Italian speaking world before) we will present some more Zia deals in English below.

In Round 3, they had to face Rodwell and Levine, and this was the first deal:

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

West	North	East	South
Zia	Rodwell	Meyers	Levine
	1¨	1©	Dble
Redble	1ª	2©	Pass
2ª	Dble	Pass	Pass
3¨	Pass	3©	All Pass

Ten tricks were easily made, so one might say that EW were talked out of their game by Rodwell’s light opening bid followed by Levine’s super-light double. NS –170.

Two boards later, NS have a perfectly good spade fit to play in, but it got lost on many occasions.
Two examples:

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

West	North	East	South
Zia	Ryman	Meyers	Ryman
			Pass
1¨	1©	Dble	Pass
1NT	All Pass

As the double denied four spades, Zia’s rebid was obvious. There are always 7 tricks as the heart intermediates eventually provide a stopper. EW +90.

At another table, we saw:

West	North	East	South
Lesniewski	Hallberg	Harasimowicz	Ryman
1§	1©	Dble	Pass
1NT	Pass	2§	All Pass

For Hallberg, a first-round take-out double was certainly even less attractive than it had been in the example above. Again, double denied four spades and 2§ proved a solid enough contract in spite of the threatening diamond ruffs. Another way for EW to chalk up +90.

The magician was at work on board 9:

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

West	North	East	South
Zia	Attanasio	Meyers	Manara
	1¨	Pass	Pass
1ª	Pass	2§	Pass
3§	Pass	3¨	Pass
3NT	All Pass

North led the ©Q, South giving count with the 4. The ©K was allowed to win the next trick. The ¨A was next cashed and a low heart went to the ace. On the run of the clubs North did not hang on to his two red suit winners, so the contract proved to be made in the end. Another top score to Zia-Meyers.

Aggressive action by South might easily have saved the Italians here, for this is what happened at another table:

West	North	East	South
Levenko	Chagas	Sanders	Pain
	1¨	Pass	3¨ (!)
3ª	Pass	4ª	All Pass

Not enough room for EW to investigate anything at all. Down only one, but far from a good score for EW.

On the board below, it was Jill Meyers’ turn to shine:

Board 21. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
	ª Q 10 9 8 © 6 4 ¨ J 10 7 5 4 § 9 7
ª K J 7 3 © A 9 8 2 ¨ A 9 6 3 § J		ª 6 5 4 © Q 7 3 ¨ Q § K Q 10 6 5 3
	ª A 2 © K J 10 5 ¨ K 8 2 § A 8 4 2

West	North	East	South
Zia	Fallenius	Meyers	Bertheau
	Pass	Pass	1NT
2§	Pass	2©	All Pass

Though 2§ showed the majors, it might as well have become the final contract. It will take good defence to beat this, as we shall see later. In the meantime, let’s turn our attention first to the fate of 2©. Bertheau led a diamond which Meyers ran to her blank queen. A club to dummy’s jack held and a spade went on the ¨A. A diamond was ruffed and the §K was covered and ruffed. Another diamond was ruffed with the queen and overruffed with the king, and the return of the ©5 was covered by dummy’s eight which held the trick. South was put in again with the ©A and another, and had to give the last trick to dummy’s ªK. Just made but well done, EW +110.

At another table, we saw a demonstration of the way to beat 2§:

West	North	East	South
Armstrong	Chagas	Smith	Pain
	Pass	3§	All Pass

A club preempt would not be everybody’s choice, but at least it had the advantage of silencing everyone. Pain led the ªA and another, which proved very effective. The king won and the §J held the next trick. A heart then went to the queen and king and the heart return was won by the ace. Chagas then ruffed the third heart and cashed the ªQ, Pain throwing a diamond. The ª10 was ruffed by declarer with the queen, South pitching a diamond again. Now she could win the §K and put declarer in dummy by exiting with the ¨K. Nicely defended, two down, NS +100.