Italy vs Iceland

Open Round 9

Have these Championships already reached a stage in which it's more interesting who will finish second than who will win? One would certainly be inclined to think so after watching the match on Vugraph between the two leading teams at that moment, Italy and Iceland. Not for the first time in the matches played by Italy so far, it was one-way traffic to their favour. For a change, however, the Italian not so much outbid their opponents; they rather outplayed them on a number of crucial boards.

Board 2, after a simple push on board 1, was an early example of the pattern of this match.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Johansson	Bocchi	Jonsson	Duboin
		Pass	Pass
1©	1ª	4©	4ª
5©	5ª	Dble	All Pass

JOHANNSSON Stefan, Iceland

With 5© not on, Bocchi for once had made the wrong decision by going on to 5ª. How was he to know that spades were 5-0? On any other break the contract has reasonable to good chances. The play was interesting however, as Bocchi had to avoid going down more than one. He ruffed the heart lead and led a spade up. East immediately took his ace and led a spade back, not a heart, so Bocchi could stay in control by playing minor suit winners and just lost two more trump tricks. One down, Iceland +200, still a good result for them.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Versace	Ingimarsson	Lauria	Einarsson
		Pass	Pass
3©	Dble	4©	Dble
Pass	4ª	All Pass

With the play in the Open Room in mind, one might think 4ª would make. East had not sent a warning to declarer, so who can blame him for ruffing the heart lead and leading a spade up? When Lauria correctly ducked, the king in dummy won but declarer had a problem. He tried his best by ruffing hearts in hand, using the §A as an entry, but as he could not afford to play even one more round of trumps, he had to go one down. Italy+100 so only 3 IMPs to Iceland where it might have been 9 IMPs had the defence in the Open Room adopted the same strategy.

On the next board, the bidding gave away the show:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Johansson	Bocchi	Jonsson	Duboin
			Pass
1§	Pass	1ª	Pass
1NT	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Bocchi led a diamond. Declarer won the third round, crossed in clubs and ran the ©J. One down. He might have decided to play spades up to dummy's KQ first; with the ace doubleton onside this line would have been successful, though you might as well go down if South ducks the first spade, which he will do as a matter of routine. Anyway, Italy +100.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Versace	Ingimarsson	Lauria	Einarsson
			2¨
Dble	Redble	3NT	All Pass

Two Diamonds showed four diamonds and a longer major in a weak hand. The redouble should confirm diamonds but Lauria bid 3NT anyway. Whgen South led a spade to the ace the hand was over. Italy another +630 and 12 IMPs.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Johansson	Bocchi	Jonsson	Duboin
	Pass	1©	2©
Pass	3§	4¨	Pass
4©	All Pass

Please note that Bocchi did not double the final contract. A club was led to the ace and declarer, once again not having received a warning, played a low heart to the queen and king. A club came back, declarer ruffing, and the diamond continuation was won by South who persisted with clubs. As Bocchi now held one more trump then declarer he had to come to two more tricks for one down, Italy +50.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Versace	Ingimarsson	Lauria	Einarsson
	Pass	1©	2©
Pass	2ª	4¨	Pass
4©	Dble	All Pass

Here, North had been kind enough to issue a warning, so Lauria won the spade lead and first drove out the ¨A. He ruffed the next spade and crossed to the ¨10 in dummy to advance the ©Q. This was covered by the king and ace, and South showed out. Lauria now could cross to dummy's ¨9 and play another trump through North. Next came the ©A and a top diamond, North ruffing. As Lauria would exit in diamonds to endplay North in trumps again, the contract was home. Italy +590 and another 12 IMPs for an already ominous-looking lead of 24-6 after five boards.

After two more pushes, a bluff by Versace paid off:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Johansson	Bocchi	Jonsson	Duboin
1§	1©	Dble	Pass
2§	2©	All Pass

All of a sudden, EW had lost their diamond fit. Bocchi made an overtrick for 140 to Italy.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Versace	Ingimarsson	Lauria	Einarsson
1§	1©	Dble	Pass
1NT	2©	3NT	All Pass

Well, Qx very much looked like an additional stopper in hearts. When Lauria bid 3NT over 2© in convincing style, North decided this was not the moment to play hearts from the top. He led the ©8 which ran to declarer's queen to present him with his 9th trick. Italy another +400 and 11 IMPs. They led by 36-7.

Then we saw for once a swing to Iceland.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Johansson	Bocchi	Jonsson	Duboin
	1ª	Pass	2©
Pass	2ª	Pass	2NT
Pass	3§	Pass	3¨
Pass	3ª	Pass	3NT
All Pass

Here, Bocchi-Duboin had a long sequence duly avoiding all the good games, including 3NT from the right position (North). In the VuGraph theatre everybody was discussing which diamond West should lead against Duboin's 3NT. Someone suggested the nine to avoid a blockage in the suit if declarer would play low from dummy. However, East, who might think that West led from his doubleton, could consider a first round duck. The lead of the jack would have solved this problem, but at the same time have created another one, since East might think that his partner had J109 and therefore after winning the ace, might continue with a small diamond. In real life West led the four and Duboin very understandably inserted the king won by East. A small diamond back and four other ones resulted in a quick down two.

BOCCHI Norberto, Italy

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Versace	Ingimarsson	Lauria	Einarsson
	1ª	Pass	2©
Pass	3§	Pass	4§
Pass	4¨	Pass	4©
Pass	4ª	Pass	5§
All Pass

Here, the Icemen reached the reasonable game of 5§. East started with the ¨A and later the declarer handled the trumps for all the tricks. Plus 420, Iceland +11 IMPs.

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

At both tables NS played in 4© which basically comes down to picking up the diamonds for no loser. These were the auctions, with one significant difference between them:

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Johansson	Bocchi	Jonsson	Duboin
			Pass
Pass	1©	Dble	3©
Pass	4©	All Pass

East found the good lead of the ©8. Bocchi won the ace, cashed another high trump and fooled around a little in the black suits. Meanwhile he closely paid attention to count signals. This, in combination with the fact that West did not bid 4§, which he might have done with six cards in clubs, convinced him that clubs were 5-5. Therefore Bocchi was pretty sure that East, who for his take out double should have four spades, had started with a 4-2-2-5. This meant that West originally had three diamonds. The ªK and the ©9 meant two entries of which Bocchi happily made use to finesse the diamonds twice. Contract made.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Versace	Ingimarsson	Lauria	Einarsson
			Pass
Pass	1©	Pass	2©
Pass	4©	All Pass

Here, something strange happened. East kicked off with the ¨5, a very unlucky lead for his side, because now it seems that declarer's diamond problem has vanished. The first trick went small from dummy, the six by West and the eight by North. Declarer cashed two rounds of hearts, exited with a club, ruffed the club return with the ©J and strangely enough cashed ¨A. When the king did not drop, declarer had to accept down one. Another 10 IMPs to Italy.

On the board below, we saw a remarkable difference in approach. Johansson boldly jumped to 5¨ whereas Duboin carefully bid 1¨ to suggest some defensive values as well.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Johansson	Bocchi	Jonsson	Duboin
		Pass	1§
5¨	Dble	All Pass

The preempt here was an easy prey for Bocchi with his three trump tricks. On careful defence the contract went the maximum four down, Italy +800.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Versace	Ingimarsson	Lauria	Einarsson
		Pass	1§
1¨	1©	Pass	2§
3¨	3NT	Pass	Pass
4¨	Dble	All Pass

Of course, NS have a game on in hearts, but South preferred to respect his partner's double of 4¨. When North led a spade a defensive tricks got lost, so Duboin only lost 300 for another 11-IMP gain to the Azzurri.

The final nail went into the Icelanders' coffin when Bocchi-Duboin found a save before their opponents realised they had a game on:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Johansson	Bocchi	Jonsson	Duboin
		Pass	Pass
1¨	1ª	Dble	2ª
3©	Dble	Pass	4ª
All Pass

One down when the spade finesse was wrong, Iceland +100.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Versace	Ingimarsson	Lauria	Einarsson
		Pass	Pass
1¨	1ª	Dble	2ª
4©	All Pass

When Versace put on the pressure by jumping to 4©, the Iceland NS pair was not tempted. 4© might well be a thin affair, and in fact it was. Diamonds had to be 2-2 with the ace onside, but when this materialised and the club honours were split, declarer could not go down any more. In fact his life was made easy by a diamond lead to the ace followed by a spade switch to the ace. So Italy chalked up an enterprising +420 and saw the score go up to 67-20 now.

Little happened on the last two boards, Italy winning by 70-21, another 25-5 to them. Who will be able to stop them from winning their fifth successive title with a day to spare?