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		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		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		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		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		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		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.