Italy vs Denmark - Juniors Round One

The first round of the Championships saw a meeting of the silver and bronze medallists from two years ago. No doubt both Denmark and Italy are hoping to do just a little bit better this time around. The match could not have started better for the Danes.

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª 5 2 © J 7 6 ¨ K Q J 8 7 4 § 10 9
ª J 10 8 4 © A K 3 2 ¨ A 5 § A 6 5		ª A K 3 © 10 9 8 5 4 ¨ 10 § K 8 3 2
	ª Q 9 7 6 © Q ¨ 9 6 3 2 § Q J 7 4

In the Open Room, Bernardo Biondo for Italy passed as dealer then made a simple overcall at his next turn. This combination looks remarkably un-junior-like to me and put no pressure at all on his opponents. Martin Schaltz and Andreas Marquardsen bid comfortably to 4© and lost the obvious three tricks for +420.

In the Closed Room, Boje Henriksen opened 3¨ and that, combined with Troels Buus Thomsen’s 4¨ raise, created a much more difficult situation for the Italians. When Stelio di Bello doubled for take-out, his brother, Furio thought that he had too much to simply bid 4©. It looks as though he intended his 5© bid to simply show a hand that was too good for 4© but, with both good trumps and a diamond control, Stelio raised to the poor slam despite having an otherwise fairly uninspiring hand. Here too the defence came to three tricks, for two down and -100. That was 11 IMPs to Denmark.

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

The Danes easily stopped in 2©, which made exactly for +110. In the Italian auction, the 2¨ response showed 8-11 with heart support and Stelio jumped to the hopeless game. He too lost the five top tricks for -200 and another 7 IMPs to Denmark.

Italy trailed by 0-18 IMPs after four boards but then they came back strongly.

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

Both Wests made the same weak jump overcall but the North players handled it very differently. Biondo bid 2NT and was raised to game by Ruggiero Guariglia. The opening lead was a low heart to the queen and king. Biondo crossed to a top club and led a spade to the nine and queen. That established his ninth trick; +600.

At the other table, Henriksen preferred to double 2© for take-out, That was fine, but when East raised pre-emptively and 3© came back round to him Henriksen doubled again. Thomsen had little option but to respond 4§ to that and the best game had been left behind. Henriksen would have been better advised to bid 3NT over 3©. Sure, that gives up on partner’s holding four spades, but he has had two opportunities already to bid spades and North can see that partner will never be able to bid 3NT over the double so will have problems if he does not have spades. Henriksen made ten tricks for +130 but 10 IMPs to Italy.

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

Stelio di Bello’s 1§ opening could have been as short as a doubleton and the 3§ response showed at least six cards and was invitational. Despite holding a minimum balanced hand for his opening bid, Stelio was sufficiently impressed with his club fit that he tried 3NT, possibly as much to make life awkward for his opponents as in the hope of making. Three No Trump could have been beaten, of course, but Henriksen imagined that declarer would be stronger than was actually the case. He cashed the top spades with the slight hope that declarer might have gambled 3NT without a spade stopper. When Thomsen showed out on the third spade, Henriksen’s only hope was that he held the ¨K. He switched to ace and another diamond but di Bello had nine tricks; +600. Of course, 3NT is beaten if North switches to a heart before cashing the third spade.

Meanwhile, Biondo doubled the weak no trump in the other room then bid his spades before admitting to diamond support. There were three aces to lose in 5¨ but -100 was worth 11 IMPs to Italy, who had moved into a 25-18 IMP lead after seven deals.

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

In the Open Room, the 2§ response was natural and Guaraglia showed discretion by passing the South cards when he might have been tempted to either overcall or make a take-out double. The Danes bid to 4ª and Schaltz made ten tricks without breaking sweat; +420.

At the other table 2§ was a game-forcing relay. There would seem to be less reason to bid on the South cards in this scenario but Thomsen could not resist a 2© overcall. The double was for penalties and the outcome was bloody indeed. Stelio led the king of spades and, when that held, switched to the king of diamonds. Declarer might have saved a trick by playing a diamond straight back after winning his ace but instead cashed the top hearts and only then played a low diamond. Stelio could win and draw all declarer’s trumps before switching to a club. The defence had the rest for five down and -1400; 14 IMPs to Italy. Ouch!

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

Game is poor on this combination and the Italians won the bidding battle by stopping in 1NT. Henriksen led the¨K against 1NT and, not liking what he saw, switched to a heart when that held the trick. The heart switch did not, as they say, exactly paralyse declarer, who won the queen with his ace and played four rounds of spades. When Thomsen won the fourth spade and returned a diamond, declarer had nine tricks for +150.

Schaltz had a two-over-one response to 1ª in his methods and when Marquardsen stretched a little to treat his hand as a strong no trump the poor game was reached. Guariglia led a low club and the defence quickly took four tricks in the suit. Guariglia switched to a diamond now and declarer won the ace and prayed for a miracle in spades plus a winning heart guess. Neither was forthcoming. When he took the heart finesse the wrong way, Guariglia won and continued diamonds. The defence had three diamond tricks to go with their four clubs and the ©Q; four down for -200 and 8 IMPs to Italy, who were building a useful lead at 54-27.

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

In the Open Room, the simple 1© response allowed South to get his hand off his chest at a comfortable level with a simple overcall. Perhaps he might have doubled 2© to compete the partscore - North/South can make nine tricks in a black suit - and when he did not Marquardsen was left to play a straightforward contract for +110.

In the Closed Room, the pre-emptive 3© response put Thomsen under real pressure. He elected to double rather than overcall and now it seemed clear for Henriksen to try 3NT. Furio di Bello led the ©Q to the ace and back came a second heart. Declarer won the king and crossed to a top spade. He led the jack of clubs, attempting to pick up a bare ten or nine offside or cxK1092 for only one loser onside. Of course, it didn’t matter how he played the clubs. When the finesse lost he had to watch as East cashed five rounds of hearts then switched to a diamond to his partner’s ace. That was four down for -400 and 7 IMPs to Italy.

The match ended in a 63-31 IMP win to Italy, translating to 22-8 in VPs.