The Friendly Game

Sweden vs Italy

By Peter Ventura

Both Italy and Sweden had just the first place in the group to play for, as they already had a place in the semi-finals. Therefore this was more like a friendly game.

The first 12 boards did not contain any huge swings, but Sweden were on their feet winning almost all part scores. Here is an exception – a 2 IMPs win for Italy.

Board 2 - E/NS
	ª J 8 5 2 © A J ¨ Q § K 10 7 4 3 2
ª K 9 6 3 © Q 10 8 3 2 ¨ A 10 § A 9		ª 4 © 4 ¨ K 9 8 7 5 4 2 § Q 8 6 5
	ª A Q 10 7 © K 9 7 6 5 ¨ J 6 3 § J

West	North	East	South
Nystrom	Angelini	Bertheau	Sementa
		4¨	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Versace	Sylvan	Lauria	Sundelin
		3¨	Pass
3NT	Pass	4¨	All Pass

With a 2-2 split in diamonds declarer has a good chance to collect nine tricks in 3NT. Lauria did not like his chances and went for a diamond contract instead. The jack of clubs was led at both tables and South got his ruff. When Sementa exited with a diamond Bertheau had to lose one more club. In the other room Lauria got a heart continuation and could play a low club towards the dummy. 2 IMPs to Italy.

In the match Norway/Bulgaria Furunes and Helgemo found themselves on a level far too high.

West	North	East	South
Iporski	Furunes	Kovatchev	Helgemo
		3¨	Pass
Pass	4§	Pass	4¨
Pass	4ª	Pass	Pass
Dble	All Pass

4ª is not the ideal contract as the cards lay and Furunes went two down; 500 to Bulgaria. At the other table North/South let East/West play 3¨ and that was a big swing for Bulgaria.

Board 3 - S/EW
	ª K J 7 3 © 3 2 ¨ A 4 § A Q 10 8 3
ª A Q © A 9 8 5 ¨ J 7 § 9 7 5 4 2		ª 10 9 6 4 © J 10 4 ¨ K 9 6 5 3 § J
	ª 8 5 2 © K Q 7 6 ¨ Q 10 8 2 § K 6

West	North	East	South
Nystrom	Angelini	Bertheau	Sementa
			Pass
1¨	2§	Pass	2NT
Pass	3NT	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Versace	Sylvan	Lauria	Sundelin
			Pass
1§	1ª	Pass	2§
Pass	2ª	All Pass

In the Closed Room Sylván overcalled 1ª with only four cards and made nine tricks after a club lead.
With no five card major Nyström had to open 1¨ at the other table. After Angelini’s aggressive 2§ overcall the Italians reached a sensible game. Nyström found a nice heart lead but the declarer can find a winning line anyway. Sementa won with the king and continued with a spade to queen and king. Declarer now entered the hand with §K but when he played another spade, instead of finessing in clubs, he was doomed to go down. Sementa did not have an entry to his hand and the defence took five tricks – one down. Nyström defended nicely by playing ªQ on the second trick, since ªA would have made life a lot easier for declarer. Five IMPs to Sweden.

Board 6 - E/EW
	ª A 4 3 © J 5 ¨ J 7 6 5 4 § 7 5 3
ª J 10 8 6 2 © A K 7 ¨ K 8 3 § K 2		ª Q 9 7 © Q 8 4 ¨ 10 9 2 § A Q 8 6
	ª K 5 © 10 9 6 3 2 ¨ A Q § J 10 9 4

West	North	East	South
Nystrom	Angelini	Bertheau	Sementa
		Pass	Pass
1ª	Pass	2©*	Pass
2NT	Pass	3§	Pass
3¨	Pass	3NT	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Versace	Sylvan	Lauria	Sundelin
		Pass	Pass
1ª	Pass	2ª	All Pass

This was the only big swing in the first half of the match and it went to Sweden. In the Closed Room Sylván found the only lead to defeat a game in spades: ©J. But when Versace/Lauria stopped in 2ª Sylván got his heart ruff, holding the contract down to nine tricks. In the Open Room Sementa could have giving Nyström a hard time in his no trump game by playing ¨Q on Angelini’s diamond lead. When Sementa erred by playing his ace then played the queen, Nyström simply could play low twice and make his contract as diamonds were blocked. 10 more IMPs to Sweden.

Board 12 - W/NS
	ª Q 8 7 5 © A Q 7 3 ¨ 7 5 § Q 9 5
ª J 3 © 10 8 5 4 ¨ A Q J 2 § A 7 3		ª K 9 2 © 9 6 ¨ K10 8 6 3 § J 6 2
	ª A 10 6 4 © K J 2 ¨ 9 4 § K 10 8 4

West	North	East	South
Nystrom	Angelini	Bertheau	Sementa
1NT*	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Versace	Sylvan	Lauria	Sundelin
1¨	Pass	3¨	Pass
Pass	Dble	Pass	3ª
All Pass

Sylvan found the take-out-double and that was the key to another swing for Sweden. Versace led ©2 to the king and Sundelin now solved the spade suit for only one loser by playing spade up to the queen, then the ace on the heart continuation. When he later judged the club suit correctly as well he made an overtrick.
In the Open Room Bertheau, for once holding the West cards, opened 1NT (weak) and all passed. He won the spade lead and cashed all diamonds and in the end he even got an extra trick and that was worth 7 IMPs to Sweden who were in leading position by 36-8 at half time.