USA I vs ARGENTINA

Bermuda Bowl - Round 6

Going into the sixth-round match between the defending Bermuda Bowl champions, USA I, and Argentina, there was considerable interest in the youngest person ever to play in a world bridge championship, 14-year-old Agustin Madala. In fact, Madala and partner Pablo Ravenna (not exactly a greybeard at 26) were on Vugraph against veterans Bob Hamman and Paul Soloway. As it happened, the set was fairly dull - at one point there were six pushes in a row - but the consensus from observers was that Madala acquitted himself well in the glare of the spotlight.
In the match, the Americans prevailed 36-17.
There were only three major swings in the set. The first occurred on Board 3.

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

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Ravenna	Soloway	Madala
			Pass
1©	Pass	2NT	Pass
3§	Pass	3©	Pass
4©	All Pass

Soloway's Two Notrump bid was natural and forcing to game. Apparently deterred by Hamman's bid of Three Clubs, Ravenna started the defense with the diamond jack - not the killing thrust. Hamman won the diamond king in hand and played the spade nine. Ravenna grabbed the spade ace and continued with a spade. In dummy, Hamman played a heart to the eight and Ravenna's jack. A third round of spades put Hamman in dummy again, and he took another unsuccessful finesse in trumps. Too late, Ravenna switched to the club king, but Hamman was in control. He won the club ace, pulled the last trump and took the diamond finesse. Hamman had already discarded a club on the third round of spades, and he had two good diamonds for further club discards. That was plus 620 for USA I.
At the other table, Ernesto Muzzio also played Four Hearts from the West seat, but Jeff Meckstroth started proceedings with the club king. When Muzzio played trumps the same way Hamman did, he ended up a trick short, losing two hearts, a club and the spade ace. That was 12 IMPs to USA I.
Madala had a key decision to make on the following deal, and while it didn't work out well, at least it was a push.

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

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Ravenna	Soloway	Madala
3ª	Dble	Pass	Pass
Pass

You can't blame Madala for passing. If he could made 3NT (a possible alternative to passing), then Three Spades should go down. Unfortunately for his side, Three Spades doubled could not be defeated.
Ravenna started with the heart queen, which Hamman ducked in dummy to ruff, shortening his trumps. At trick two, Hamman played the club 10 and Ravenna won the ace, continuing with a club to dummy's king. Hamman then cashed the top hearts, discarding diamonds from his hand, and ruffed another heart He played a diamond to dummy's ace and ruffed a fifth round of hearts before exiting with his losing diamond. At that point, Hamman and Madala were both down to four trumps. Madala won the diamond queen and got out with his spade deuce, but Hamman, who already had seven tricks in, inserted the jack and was home with plus 530.
Madala couldn't know it at the time, but the board was a push as Muzzio also brought home nine tricks in Three Spades doubled. Madala, with the demeanor of a veteran, seemed unfazed by the minus score.
Two boards later, Madala played his first contract on Vugraph, a reasonable but hopeless Four Hearts which resulted in two down. Again, the result was duplicated at the other table for a push.
On this deal near the end of the match, Madala again found himself in the driver's seat in a no-play contract. It could have been worse.

Board 17. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª 8 6 3 © K 10 9 6 5 ¨ K § K 8 7 2
ª Q J 10 © A 8 ¨ A Q 10 9 7 6 § A 5		ª A 9 7 2 © 4 3 ¨ 8 4 3 2 § Q 9 4
	ª K 5 4 © Q J 7 2 ¨ J 5 § J 10 6 3

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Ravenna	Soloway	Madala
	Pass	Pass	1©
2¨	4©	All Pass

Ravenna took Madala's frisky One Heart opening seriously, but the jump to game prevented Hamman and Soloway from accurately judging their assets, otherwise one of them might have doubled. Madala could not avoid six losers, finishing at minus 150. This looked like a potential gain, but it turned into a 5-IMP loss.

West	North	East	South
Muzzio	Meckstroth	Villegas	Rodwell
	Pass	Pass	Pass
1¨	1©	Dble	3©
3NT	All Pass

Muzzio did well in the bidding, but he failed to guess the singleton diamond king offside, and after a heart lead he had only eight tricks. That was minus 50.
On the penultimate deal, Madala had one more chance for glory, but it didn't work out.

Board 19. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	ª K Q 9 5 © A K 7 5 ¨ J 9 7 5 § 10
ª 10 6 4 2 © J 9 4 3 ¨ 8 2 § 9 3 2		ª A J 8 3 © 10 8 6 ¨ 10 § K Q J 7 4
	ª 7 © Q 2 ¨ A K Q 6 4 3 § A 8 6 5

West	North	East	South
Hamman	Ravenna	Soloway	Madala
			1¨
Pass	1©	Dble	2¨
Pass	2ª	Pass	3NT
All Pass

A bid of Three Diamonds on the second round would not have been out of bounds, but Madala chose a more conservative Two Diamonds. From there, it was tough to get to the cold diamond slam. Three Notrump produced 10 tricks for plus 430, but it was an 11-IMP loss because Meckstroth and Rodwell at the other table came up with this auction:

West	North	East	South
			1¨
Pass	1©	Dble	3¨
Pass	3ª	Pass	4§
Pass	4ª	Pass	4NT
Pass	6¨	All Pass

Rodwell took all 13 tricks after the opening lead of a low club, discarding his spade loser on a heart.