From Tuesday onwards, the Mixed Teams Championship is scheduled. Below we will take a look at some of the interesting things that happened at table 1 on the first day.

In the second round, RUSSO of Italy would play VOLINA of Russia.

After a flat board 1 on which both EW pairs were overboard in 4ª, the real action started on the next board.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Gromov	Guerra	Gromova	Paoluzi
		Pass	3©
All Pass

NS play transfer preempts. Gromov made the excellent lead of the ©Q, but there was no way to prevent declarer from making ten tricks. RUSSO +170.

At the other table, they had more orthodox ideas.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Golin	Kholomeev	Moritsch	Volina
		Pass	2¨
Pass	2©	Pass	2ª
Pass	4©	All Pass

With his spade void, Kholomeev could be pretty sure that Volina held spades, so it was safe to bid the way he did. 4© looks a bit of a gamble, but he found a very useful dummy and made an overtrick after a diamond lead. VOLINA +650 and 10 imps.

A phantom save on the next board brought the score back to almost level.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Gromov	Guerra	Gromova	Paoluzi
			Pass
Pass	Pass	1ª	Pass
2ª	All Pass

Nine easy tricks, VOLINA +140.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Golin	Kholomeev	Moritsch	Volina
			Pass
Pass	3§	3ª	Pass
4ª	Pass	Pass	5§
Dble	All Pass

Preempts in third position do no longer guarantee a reasonable suit, but this time Volina found her partner with too much unwanted defensive strength. RUSSO +500 for down three and 8 imps back.

The most beautiful board of the set came next.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Gromov	Guerra	Gromova	Paoluzi
1©	2§	Dble	Pass
2ª	Pass	3¨	Pass
3©	Pass	5¨	All Pass

On the lead of the §K there were 11 easy tricks. Without that lead, declarer can establish his hearts for a club discard for an easy enough 12 tricks.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Golin	Kholomeev	Moritsch	Volina
1©	2§	2¨	Pass
2©	Pass	4¨	Pass
4©	Pass	4ª	Pass
4NT	Pass	6¨	All Pass

After West had shown an even number of aces Cristina Golin bid the slam with some confidence. Right she was, for even with the §K lead the contract can be made. Win the §A and run seven trumps. Both defenders will have to hold on to two hearts and a club, so they both will have to come down to two spades. Next cash the ªA and ruff a spade before exiting with a club. South may win her §8 if she kept it, or North may win a higher club, but either defender will have to open up the heart suit now. Declarer missed this play at the table, so a possible gain of 12 imps turned into a 12-imp loss for Russo.

There was little in the next five boards, but the last board caused a swing again.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Gromov	Guerra	Gromova	Paoluzi
		2©	3§
3©	Dble	Pass	3ª
Pass	4ª	All Pass

A Polish-style 2© did not deter the Italians from finding their spade fit at the right level. RUSSO +650.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Golin	Kholomeev	Moritsch	Volina
		Pass	2§
Pass	2¨	Dble	2ª
Pass	3¨	Pass	3NT
Pass	4ª	Pass	5©
Pass	6ª	Dble	All Pass

A nice auction in which the inspired 5© cuebid saw the Russians launch themselves into a thin slam. Basically, it's on the clubs and the spades behaving. When Golin doubled, Moritsch had little trouble in finding the club lead into the tenace for his partner to ruff. The loss of the ace of trumps could not be avoided. RUSSO + 13 imps to square the match at 25-26.

In Round 3, table 1 was to be occupied by BLOUQUIT v. FIGB 1. So we would see a second team from Italy playing against a French squad.

On the first board, it was slam time again.

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

In the Open Room, there were no problems as this was the auction:

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Masucci	Bompis	Capriata	Blouquit
			1ª
Pass	2§	2©	3§
Pass	3ª	Pass	4¨
Pass	4©	Pass	4ª
Pass	5ª	Pass	6ª

Completely natural and straightforward. BLOUQUIT +980.

In the Closed Room, too much care was taken.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Masse	Zenari	Lejuste	Fransos
			1ª
Pass	2§	Pass	2¨
Pass	2©	Dble	2NT
Pass	3ª	Pass	4§
Pass	4¨	Pass	4©
Pass	4ª	All Pass

We leave it to you to decide who was most at fault here…11 imps to BLOUQUIT.

The Italians equalised on the very next board:

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	ª 10 4 2 © K Q J 8 7 2 ¨ 8 4 § 5 3
ª 9 8 3 © A 5 ¨ Q 7 § K Q J 8 4 2		ª Q J 7 © 10 6 3 ¨ A 10 5 § A 9 7 6
	ª A K 6 5 © 9 4 ¨ K J 9 6 3 2 § 10

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Masucci	Bompis	Capriata	Blouquit
2§	Pass	2¨	Dble
Pass	2©	3¨	Pass
3NT	All Pass

On the lead of the ¨8 declarer had no problems, but as North is entryless even a heart lead will not do any harm. FIGB 1 +400.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Masse	Zenari	Lejuste	Fransos
1§	2©	Dble	Pass
3§	Pass	Pass	3¨
Pass	Pass	4§	All Pass

Here, the French first missed game and then fell overboard at their second attempt. FIGB1 +50 and 10 imps back.

The most interesting board of this set again was the fourth:

Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
	ª K Q J 7 3 2 © A 3 2 ¨ 10 § 10 7 2
ª A © K J 8 7 5 ¨ K Q 8 3 § 6 5 4		ª 10 9 5 © Q 9 6 4 ¨ A J 7 6 5 4 § -
	ª 8 6 4 © 10 ¨ 9 2 § A K Q J 9 8 3

As you can see, EW are cold for 6©, but neither pair got anywhere near it.

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Masucci	Bompis	Capriata	Blouquit
		Pass	1§
1©	1ª	4©	Pass
Pass	4ª	All Pass

At least the defence was very good here: heart lead to the ace, heart ruff, spade to the ace, club ruff, low diamond and another club ruff. FIGB 1+50.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Masse	Zenari	Lejuste	Fransos
		Pass	3NT
Pass	4¨	Pass	4©
Pass	5§	All Pass

The bidding very much looked like a misunderstanding: 4© was clearly intended as showing an outside control but North was not asking for it by bidding 4¨, he had explained. Anyway, East led a spade to West's ace, North contributing the jack, and West had to find a return. Had he played a diamond, he might have got his ruff, but when he returned a heart declarer had the rest. FIGB 1 another +420 and 10 imps.

Beautiful declarer play we saw on the penultimate board:

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

A simple auction at both tables: South opened 1NT and reached 4ª after a Stayman sequence. Both Wests led a low club. With the actual layout the only legitimate way to come to ten tricks is a finesse of the diamond jack in the end. In the Closed Room, Marina Fransos played that way, having got a good picture of the hand when East doubled North's Stayman 2§.

In the Open Room, ten tricks were made when East panicked and cashed the A after winning the ªA.

The scores were level when the last board appeared.

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

The EW hands were a triumph for the Strong Club played by the Italians. West opens 1§ and East responds 1©, denying three controls. Slam is out of the question now. FIGB 1 kept cool and scored 620.

In the Closed Room, West could not resist temptation when East responded 1© over his 1¨ opening bid. South overcalled 1ª and West rebid 4NT, entering the Down Zone because the ©K failed to cooperate. So another likely draw at table 1 had turned into a 19-11 win for FIGB 1.