Match of the Day Italy - Russia


This was very much a case of a team on the up meeting one on the way down. Russia reached their peak after this deal:

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

With Five Clubs cold, would you expect to score well for playing in 4ª down two? Russia reached that spot like this:

Open Room
West North East South
Biondo Matouchko Intonti Lobov

1¨ Pass 4¨ Dble
Pass 4ª All Pass

Declarer ruffed the lead of the king of diamonds and played on hearts. Eventually he manoeuvered to ruff all his diamonds in the dummy and escaped for -200. Meanwhile in the Closed Room this was the auction:

Closed Room
West North East South
Doubinine Pagani Krasnosselski Marino

1¨ Pass 1ª Dble
1NT Pass 2¨ Dble
Pass 2© 3¨ 4©
All Pass

The name Marino always conjures up a picture of the Miami Dolphins famous American Football quarterback Dan Marino. His Italian namesake failed to 'touchdown' on this board. Of course he had a difficult hand to deal with, but it looks more natural to mention the club suit rather than double for a second time. Repeated diamond leads put the contract four down to give Russia five IMPs.

Congratulations to the pairs who managed to reach Five Clubs, especially in the match between Sweden and Turkey where they did it at both tables. At this point in our featured match, Russia held a lead of 10 IMPs but it was downhill all the way from here.

Dealer North. NS Game
ª 10 4 2
© K Q 8
¨ A K J 10 6 3
§ A
ª A Q J 8 6 5 ª K 3
© 4 2 © A 9 7 6 5 3
¨ 9 5 4 ¨ 8
§ J 9 § K 8 7 6
ª 9 7
© J 10
¨ Q 7 2
§ Q 10 5 4 3 2

In the Open Room Russia played quietly in 3¨ on the North-South cards and scored +130.

Closed Room
West North East South
Doubinine Pagani Krasnosselski Marino

1§ 3© Pass
Pass 3NT All Pass

As so often happens a preemptive bid pushed the opponents into a contract they would have been unlikely to reach under their own steam. East led a heart and declarer won and returned the suit. East took his ace and at this point one would have expected the king of spades to fall out of his hand. However, he woodenly continued with another heart and declarer claimed nine tricks.

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

Both tables played in 3NT, the difference being that the Italians played it from West, the Russians from East. You might regard that as appropriate in a geographical sense.

Against Krasnosselski the lead was a heart ducked to North's jack and the spade return was ducked to South's king. Marino now exited accurately with the jack of diamonds. Declarer took his tricks in that suit, but no one was inconvenienced and he was one down.

The Russian North led the two of hearts. South's queen held the trick and he returned the suit, North winning with the jack. He switched to a spade and South was in with the king. When he unwisely played a heart declarer put in the eight and was able to claim when the diamonds broke.

Russia trailed 16-29 at half time but the Italians then raced away at the start of the second half, not without a certain amount of luck.

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

The Russians played in 3NT that made in comfort. Italy was more ambitious.

Open Room
West North East South
Biondo Matouchko Intonti Lobov

1©
Dble Pass 2© 3©
3ª Pass 4© Pass
5§ Pass 6ª All Pass

The Italians were obviously not on the same wavelength about what values and/or the number of spades West had shown with his 3ª bid. The hand has some attractive features, but it still looks normal to pass over Three Hearts and leave the next move to partner. Still, just like the golfer who 'drives for show and putts for dough' you 'bid for show' and then try and bring home your contract.

On a heart lead declarer won with the ace and led a spade to his ten. Simple! 11 IMPs to Italy. There was more luck for Italy on this deal.

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

Riccardo INTONTI

{short description of image}Russia played in Four Hearts by East. South led the ª6 and declarer won and took a club finesse. that lost to the king and South returned a club for North to ruff.

The obvious diamond return meant North could get another ruff and that meant one down.

Italy played in 3NT when East didn't explore for a heart fit. On a spade lead declarer took a club finesse and when it lost he needed the diamond ace to be onside. So, +13 IMPs when on another day it might have been -12.

Russia missed a good slam on Board 15. It was bid in the other room and when someone doubled the cost went up to 14 IMPs. This was a mirror image of the first board we featured.

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

Closed Room
West North East South
Doubinine Pagani Krasnosselski Marino

1¨ Pass 1ª Pass
2§ Pass 2© Pass
3¨ Pass 4§ Pass
5§ All Pass

North led the ace of hearts and switched to the ace of diamonds and another diamond. That was a quick three down. In the Open Room the auction was a little different.

Open Room
West North East South
Biondo Matouchko Intonti Lobov

1¨ 1© Dble 4©
Pass Pass 4ª All Pass

Intonti thought he was showing four good spades and whatever Biondo thought he saw no reason to convert. The contract had play but after a heart lead to the king and a spade switch declarer ducked to South's jack. A second spade left South in control and the contract went five down. 5 IMPs to Russia. The final board was a comedy of errors.

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

Closed Room
West North East South
Doubinine Pagani Krasnosselski Marino

1© 1© Dble 4©
All Pass

Four Hearts went two down, a triumph if EW could reach 4ª and make it.

Open Room
West North East South
Biondo Matouchko Intonti Lobov

1NT Dble Pass 2©
Pass Pass Dble Pass
2ª 3© 4ª All Pass

Georgi MATOUCHKO

{short description of image}The opening bid was in the range of 12-15 and North's double was conventional. After leading the ace of hearts North switched to his singleton diamond. Declarer finessed and South returned… a club! Biondo got that one right and was soon making a claim.

Although the situation was obviously not clear to South, the application of yet another Bols Bridge Tip would have saved him.

Derek Rimington's suggestion that the lead of a King followed by an immediate switch can often be construed as being to a singleton would have resolved South's dilema.

Nine more IMPs to the Italians who won 25-5. They had had an excellent day.

Results Contents
Juniors Round 8 Match of the Day Italy v Russia
My New Partner by Morten Lund Madsen
Norway v Israel



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