Rose Meltzer, the first woman to win the Bermuda Bowl, will not return to the event to defend the championship she won in Paris in 2001, but she is able to keep things in perspective, and she has brought her team to Menton to try to win another prestigious title.

Going into the final round of the qualifying for the Mixed Teams, the Meltzer team was in first place in their group but was taking nothing for granted against the Almirall squad, which was in second place in the same group.
The Meltzer team made the most of their opportunity, defeating their opponents 41-6 to cruise into the Swiss teams segment of play on Sunday.

The Americans took the lead on the first board of the set.

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

West	North	East	South
Lanzarotti	Weichsel	Gianardi	Sanborn
			1©
Pass	1NT	Pass	2§
Pass	3©	All Pass

Kerri Sanborn had nothing in reserve, and even if she had known about the double fit in the majors, she likely would have declined Peter Weichsel’s invitation to game.

Massimo Lanzarotti started with a low spade to the jack and ace, and Sanborn played a heart to the jack and queen at trick two. A spade came back to Sanborn’s king and she pulled trumps, ending in her hand.

Next came the ¨8 to the queen and king, and East (Carla Gianardi) was endplayed. She tried the §K, but Sanborn ducked, then ruffed the ¨A and gave up a spade to West for plus 140.

At the other table, North-South were more ambitious.

West	North	East	South
L. Stansby	Ventin	J. Stansby	Almirall
			1©
Pass	1ª	1NT	2ª
Pass	3NT	Pass	4ª
All Pass

The natural 1NT by Jo Anna Stansby did not slow down Ventin and Almirall, who reached the reasonable game that, on the lie of the cards, had no play.

Jo Anna started with the ¨K, switching to the §K, ducked, at trick two. She played a low spade at trick three, and declarer played low, losing to the queen. A club was returned to declarer’s ace, and the ¨A was ruffed out for a club pitch, but there was no way to pick up the heart suit without a loser, so North was one off for minus 50 and a 5-IMP gain for Meltzer.

Two pushes followed, and then Meltzer won a part score battle for another gain.

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

West	North	East	South
L. Stansby	Ventin	J. Stansby	Almirall
		1NT	Pass
Pass	2©	Pass	Pass
2ª	All Pass

The Stansbys play 1NT openers as 12-14, which made it slightly more difficult for North-South to compete. When 2© came back around to him, Lew Stansby took a chance that if the opponents had a fit, his side did, too.
North started with a low heart, ducked to South’s king. A spade was returned to the jack , king and ace. Lew lost three clubs and a diamond from there, but he had plus 100 in 2ª.

West	North	East	South
Lanzarotti	Weichsel	Gianardi	Sanborn
		1§	Pass
1¨	1©	Pass	1NT
Dble	Pass	Pass	2©
All Pass

The interference was enough to cause Lanzarotti and Gianardi to lose their spade fit, which was unfortunate for them. 1NT was going down at least two tricks, so Sanborn did well to pull to her partner’s suit.

East started with the ¨7, and Weichsel won the ace, following with the §J to the queen and ace. Weichsel at that point had four club tricks but he could not untie them, so he settled for cashing dummy’s three winners, pitching a diamond, and throwing his third diamond on the losing §6.

East won and continued with the ¨4, ruffed by Weichsel. He then played a heart to the king and a second round, giving up two hearts two spades and a club for plus 110 and a 6-IMP gain.

Sanborn and Weichsel missed a pretty good game on the next deal, but they ended up with a profit anyway, thanks to accurate defense by their teammates.

West	North	East	South
Lanzarotti	Weichsel	Gianardi	Sanborn
			1ª
Pass	1NT	Pass	2ª
All Pass

Lanzarotti started with the §A, switching to a low spade at trick two. Sanborn won in dummy perforce and played a heart to her king, ducked by Lanzarotti. Sanborn then played the top two spades from her hand, claiming 12 tricks when the suit proved to be 3-3. She had six spades, five clubs and one heart.

There was a lot more bidding at the other table.

West	North	East	South
L. Stansby	Ventin	J. Stansby	Almirall
			1ª
Pass	1NT	Pass	2§
Pass	3§	3¨	3ª
4¨	4ª	All Pass

Lew started with the §A, as Lanzarotti did, but with more urgency to find an entry in partner’s hand, continued at trick two with the ©A. This was followed by the ¨8 to partner’s ace, and Jo Anna had no difficulty putting a club on the table for a ruff and down one. That was 8 IMPs to the Meltzer team.

Good bidding at both tables helped the team to a 10-IMP gain on board 18.

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	ª A 9 5 © K Q 7 6 2 ¨ 2 § K Q 4 2
ª K Q 6 © J 9 5 4 ¨ K Q 6 5 § 6 5		ª 7 2 © 10 3 ¨ A J 10 8 7 4 § J 10 7
	ª J 10 8 4 3 © A 8 ¨ 9 3 § A 9 8 3

West	North	East	South
Lanzarotti	Weichsel	Gianardi	Sanborn
		Pass	Pass
1¨	1©	3¨	Dble
Pass	4¨	Pass	4ª
All Pass

Gianardi’s 3¨ was weak. Sanborn’s double indicated the black suits (or enough values to manage the auction). Weichsel appreciated the value of his hand on the bidding, so he gave his partner a choice of games. Sanborn had no trouble in 4ª, losing a diamond and two trump tricks for plus 620.

At the other table, North-South were never in the auction.

West	North	East	South
L. Stansby	Ventin	J. Stansby	Almirall
		3¨	Pass
5¨	All Pass

This contract was down three for minus 150 and a 10-IMP gain for Meltzer. The last board of the set produced another setback for Almirall.

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

West	North	East	South
L. Stansby	Ventin	J. Stansby	Almirall
1§	Pass	1¨	Pass
1ª	Pass	1NT	All Pass

Almirall started with the ¨A, switching brilliantly at trick two to the ª9. Jo Anna was taken in, inserting dummy’s 10 and losing to the jack. Back came the ¨9, and the defense had the first six tricks. That was it, however, and Jo Anna scored up plus 90.

At the other table, East-West bid too much and Sanborn made them pay.

West	North	East	South
Lanzarotti	Weichsel	Gianardi	Sanborn
1§	Pass	1¨	Pass
1ª	Pass	3¨	Pass
3NT	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

Weichsel duly led the ¨9 and it was over quickly as Sanborn won three diamonds and two spades for plus 200 and a 7-IMP gain.