Cave In Four Spades Redoubled Italy was in need of some big wins at the end of the Schools Championship since they were in mid-table. Keeping that in mind, Guiseppe Delle Cave took a sensible opportunity when it arrived. Italy faced Poland in Round 11 and this was the last board: Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.   ♠ 10 9 8 4 ♥ A K 7 5 3 2 ♦ K Q ♣ K ♠ A K Q J 6 5 3 ♥ 4 ♦ 3 ♣ A 8 7 6 ♠ 7 2 ♥ J 10 9 ♦ A 8 7 5 4 ♣ 9 4 3   ♠ - ♥ Q 8 6 ♦ J 10 9 6 2 ♣ Q J 10 5 2 West North East South Delle Cave Poland Fellus Poland 1♠ 2♥ Pass Pass 3♥ Dble 4♦ Dble 4♠ Dble Pass Pass Rdbl All Pass     Delle Cave reopened with 3♥ and thereby forced his partner to make a sound, so Robin Fellus bid his diamonds. Holding a solid spade suit Delle Cave corrected to 4♠. When North doubled, Delle Cave proved there were no mice but men in the Schools as he redoubled. The defence have four tricks to win, one heart and three clubs. North led the ace of hearts then tried to take the next trick with the king, but declarer ruffed. Delle Cave’s only hope was for the clubs to split 3-3, so instead of running trumps right away he played the eight of clubs. North won the trick but for some reason South played the queen. All of a sudden Delle Cave had a finessing position in clubs. The defence can still defeat the contract, though, by returning a diamond, which will break the communications for declarer. If declarer wins the diamond with dummy’s ace then a club finesse won’t succeed as North can ruff. In real life North tried to shorten declarer’s trumps, thus he exited with a heart. Delle Cave could ruff it, draw trumps, cross to dummy’s ace of diamonds, and then run the nine of clubs. South had to win another trick, but a happy declarer counted to ten tricks for the unusual score of +1080. At the other table the Polish pair played 4♠ undoubled, down one for –100. Italy therefore gained 15 IMPs on this board and this major gain helped them to win the match quite comfortably by 69-41 IMPs, 21-9 VPs.

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