Traditionally, the reigning Open Champions appear on vugraph in the opening match of the championships. Italy had only one pair remaining from two years ago, Norberto Bocchi and Giorgio Duboin but could still be expected to challenge for the medals in Malta. They started their campaign against Austria, always a dangerous team. This time, however, almost everything went the way of the Italians.

Board 4. Dealer West. Game All ª Q 10 4 3 2 © Q J 5 4 3 ¨ 8 7 2 § — ª 5 ª K 9 © K 9 © 7 6 2 ¨ A K J 10 9 ¨ Q 6 4 3 § K 9 7 6 2 § Q J 8 3 ª A J 8 7 6 © A 10 8 ¨ 5 § A 10 5 4 Closed Room West North East South Umshaus De Falco Babsch Ferraro 1¨ Pass 1NT 2ª 3§ 4ª All Pass

Declarer took each major-suit finesse in turn and soon had eleven tricks; +650.

I¨ was either natural or a balanced 19-20, and 1© showed 4-11 with less than four hearts. Getting diamond support at the four-level, it seemed clear to Duboin to bid 5¨ over 4ª, but 5¨ was booked for -800 and the Austrians had no difficulty in taking their tricks. The lead was a spade to the king and ace and Terraneo switched to ace and another club to give his partner a ruff. Back came the ©Q and Terraneo won and gave the second ruff; 4 IMPs to Austria.

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

Austria led by 9-7 IMPs going into this deal but now Italy took control of the match with a series of big gains.

Both Souths played in 6© after making artificial responses to strong club openings on this one but on different leads. Ferraro received a diamond lead. He saw an extra chance if he had a trump loser that he might be able to ruff out the ¨Q in three rounds to dispose of both of dummy's spade losers, so started with the ©A, after which he had no problems, of course; +1010. Terraneo received a trump lead. It was open to him to take the same extra chance as Ferraro, rising with the ©A and unblocking the diamond before playing a heart to the king and testing the diamonds. However, he preferred to play low on the heart and Bocchi played the queen. At trick two, Terraneo returned the ©8 and ran it to the jack and Bocchi wasted no time in cashing the ace of spade; down one and 14 IMPs to Italy.

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

Austria picked up a couple of overtrick IMPs on Board 7 then Italy scored big again. As the cards lie, North/South can always make nine tricks in no trump, though that doesn't mean they will always do so.

Feichtinger/Terraneo bid it: 1© - 2§ - 2NT - 3NT, making North declarer. The lead was a low spade to the ace and back came a second spade, won with the king. Feichtinger ducked a heart at trick three, basically playing for hearts 3-3, and when West returned a third spade and hearts failed to oblige there was no way to avoid five losers; -50.

De Falco/Ferraro bid: 1© - 2§ - 2¨ - 2© - 2ª - 2NT - 3© - 3NT, making South declarer. The lead was again a low spade. The simple route to nine tricks is to find the ªJ onside and Ferraro played low from dummy. Had East risen with his jack, there would still have been some work to do but the club position would have meant success. However, East put in the ª8, reasonably enough, and the ten scored. Ferraro returned his remaining spade and would have had a tough guess had west played low smoothly, however, he actually rose with the ace so Ferraro had three spade tricks and nine in all; +400 and 10 IMPs to Italy.

Dealer . Game All ª 9 8 4 © A 7 ¨ 10 4 2 § Q J 10 7 2 ª J 7 3 ª A Q 10 5 © J 8 6 5 3 © K 10 9 2 ¨ 5 ¨ A 8 7 3 § A 9 5 § 8 ª K 6 © Q 4 ¨ K Q J 9 6 § K 6 4 3 Closed Room West North East South Umshaus De Falco Babsch Ferraro Pass 1¨ 1NT Pass 2§ Pass 2¨ Pass 2NT All Pass

A heart lead led to a swift two down for Ferraro's 2NT contract; -100. In the other room, 2¨ showed 5-11 with at least 4-4 in the majors, encouraging Bocchi, who could see a double fit, to invite game.

Duboin raised himself to 4©, ending the auction. He won the diamond lead, crossed to the ace of clubs and led a heart to the nine and queen. Back came a club, ruffed. Fearing a possible 3-1 heart break, Duboin did not play a second trump yet in case it was won and dummy's last trump drawn. Instead, he ruffed a diamond, ruffed a club, and only then played a heart. He had to loose a spade but that was +620 and 11 IMPs to Italy.

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

It is rarely a good idea for the same team to attempt the same contract at both tables and this deal proved to be no exception. In the Closed Room, Babsch/Umshaus bid 1ª - 1NT - 2§, and now De Falco reopened with a double on the North cards. Ferraro passed that and led a diamond and the contract drifted a couple off, perhaps slightly disappointingly from declarer's point of view; -500.

In the Open room, it also began 1ª - 1NT, but Feichtinger doubled immediately and Terraneo responded 2§ as South, where he was left to suffer. The lead was the singleton spade, which ran to the queen. Terraneo took the heart finesse then played a club to his king and a low club back. Bocchi won the second club with the jack and played a heart to dummy's jack. Terraneo tried the ©A now but Bocchi ruffed with the ace of trumps and played ace and another spade for Duboin to ruff. He switched to the ¨Q and the defense took two diamond tricks and still had the §Q to come; two down for -200 and 12 IMPs to Italy, who led by 54-11 IMPs at the half-way point in the match.

Italy picked up another 5 IMPs on the next board when Feichtinger/Terraneo reached a hopeless game while Ferraro/De Falco stayed at a safe level, then the boards got lively again.

Board 12. Dealer West. NS Game ª 8 © K J 10 9 2 ¨ Q 6 5 § A Q J 2 ª A K 10 9 7 6 5 ª Q J 4 3 2 © 7 4 © — ¨ A J ¨ 10 9 8 4 3 § 10 8 § K 9 4 ª — © A Q 8 6 5 3 ¨ K 7 2 § 7 6 5 3 Closed Room West North East South Umshaus De Falco Babsch Ferraro 1ª 2© 4ª 4NT 5ª Dble Pass 6© Pass Pass 6ª Pass Pass Dble All Pass

Facing a 2© overcall, it was never likely that South was going to let his opponents play a spade contract below slam, and even though De Falco doubled 5ª, Ferraro went on to 6©. It is pretty tough for East to defend 6© and Babsch chose to take the safety first option of saving in 6ª, which was doubled for one down; -100.

Feichtinger preferred a takeout double of 1ª but it made no difference as Terraneo bid on to 6© over 5ª when offered the choice by Feichtinger's pass. Again, it was very hard for East not to bid 6ª and that was doubled once again for a flat board.

Board 14. Dealer East. Love All ª K 10 5 © 5 3 2 ¨ 9 4 § Q 10 9 5 3 ª Q 8 7 3 ª A J 9 © 9 6 © Q 7 ¨ A J 10 3 2 ¨ K Q 8 7 6 5 § J 8 § K 7 ª 6 4 2 © A K J 10 8 4 ¨ — § A 6 4 2 Closed Room West North East South Umshaus De Falco Babsch Ferraro 1¨ 1© 1ª 2© 2ª 3ª Pass 3NT Pass 4© All Pass

Ferraro started with a simple overcall then took a strong route to 4© and was allowed to play there. He covered the spade lead and East could do nothing to hurt him. One spade loser went on the long club; +420.

In the other room, 1¨ was again opened but could have been strong and balanced. Terraneo overcalled 4© and Duboin made a negative double, which Bocchi passed. Again, there was no defense. Terraneo ruffed the opening diamond lead, drew trumps and played ace and another club; +590 and 5 IMPs to Austria, who needed them.

Board 15. Dealer South. NS Game ª Q 5 © A K Q 7 ¨ 9 7 § A J 8 6 3 ª 3 ª A K 7 6 4 © 10 9 5 4 3 © J ¨ Q 10 8 6 5 ¨ A K 3 § K 10 § Q 7 5 4 ª J 10 9 8 2 © 8 6 2 ¨ J 4 2 § 9 2 Closed Room West North East South Umshaus De Falco Babsch Ferraro Pass Pass 1© Dble Pass 2¨ Pass 2ª Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass

Most of the English-speaking world would no doubt overcall 1ª with that East hand but that style is less popular in Europe and Babsch chose to double then bid his spades. It isn't clear that he then had sufficient to spare to go on to game but the lure of a game bonus was too much to withstand and bidding 3NT would only be seriously wrong if there were precisely eight tricks available (or 3NT got doubled). This was one of those times when there were just eight tricks, alas, so Umshaus was one down; -50.

Feichtinger opened 2§, natural, and Bocchi overcalled 2ª. Looking at a maximum 2§ opener, Feichtinger reopened with a double and Terraneo decided to bid 3§ rather than try a tight penalty pass. It looks as though 2ª doubled would have gone down, but perhaps only one. Given the result in 3§, that would have been a lot better for Austria. Bocchi cashed a top spade, then two diamonds, then the other spade. A third diamond was ruffed and declarer tried to cash his heart winners, the second one being ruffed. Now Bocchi switched to a trump for the king and ace and Feichtinger played his remaining top heart. Bocchi ruffed but could only now come to the §Q before having to give dummy a spade trick on which declarer could pitch his heart loser; three down for -300 and 8 IMPs to Italy.

Board 20. Dealer West. Game All ª 6 3 © K J 6 ¨ A J 10 5 3 2 § 5 4 ª K J 10 4 ª A Q 8 7 2 © A 10 9 © Q 8 ¨ Q 8 ¨ K 9 § K Q 7 3 § 10 9 6 2 ª 9 5 © 7 5 4 3 2 ¨ 7 6 4 § A J 8 Closed Room West North East South Umshaus De Falco Babsch Ferraro 1NT Pass 2© Pass 3¨ Dble 3© Pass 3ª Pass 4ª All Pass

Duboin broke the transfer, showing his doubleton in the process, and Bocchi retransferred the raised to game. A club went to the ace and Terraneo switched to a heart. Duboin took his ace, drew trumps and soon claimed ten tricks; +620.

1¨ could have been as short as a doubleton and Umshaus rebid 1NT to show his strength and handtype - the Austrians sometimes respond 1ª to 1¨ with only three cards so this was not quite so odd as it looks. Somehow the length of the spade fit never got resolved and they alighted in 3NT after Ferraro had encouraged a diamond lead by not doubling 3¨. De Falco duly did as suggested and led the ¨10, so the defense had six tricks when declarer lost a club; down two for -200 and 13 IMPs to Italy.

Everything had gone the way of the defending champions who made the perfect start to the defense of their title, winning by 88-16 IMPs, or 25-2 VPs.