NZ vs Italy

The following is a report of the NZ vs Italy match from the Bermuda Bowl round robin. I don't have much experience in formatting bridge hands in HTML so let me know if it doesn't look good in your browser. The relevant system cards can be located here.

The first board was a cold 3NT at both tables - no swing.

Bd: 18 ♠ J3 Dlr: E ♥ AKJ984 Vul: N/S ♦ Q ♣ A1043 ♠ K8542 ♠ 1097 ♥ 1062 ♥ 53 ♦ J52 ♦ A643 ♣ Q5 ♣ 9872 ♠ AQ6 ♥ Q7 ♦ K10987 ♣ KJ6 NT ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ W 1 4 1 3 1 N 11 8 11 10 11 E 1 4 1 3 1 S 12 9 12 10 12

N E S W Cornell Sementa Bach Duboin P 1NT P 2♦ P 2♥ P 3♣ P 3NT P 5♥ P 6♥ P P P ♠2 ♠3 ♠9 ♠Q ♦7 ♦5 ♦Q ♦A ♠7 ♠A ♠4 ♠J ♦8 ♦2 ♥8 ♦3 ♥A ♥3 ♥7 ♥2 ♥4 ♥5 ♥Q ♥6 ♦9 ♦J ♥J

A 13 IMP swing to NZ from a combination of judgment and systemic differences, where the systemic differences were more luck than superior methods.

6H is a good contract by South, but not by North, so the strong notrump worked better. 4H by Cornell would have been a mild slam try, as with just game values he would bid 4H over 2H. Bach would probably have passed this, but was happy to go on to slam over the more strongly invitational 5H with help in partner's long suits along with primary cards in his short suits.

Bd: 19 ♠ K543 Dlr: S ♥ Q86 Vul: E/W ♦ AK105 ♣ KJ ♠ J10976 ♠ A82 ♥ K4 ♥ A102 ♦ 7 ♦ J64 ♣ AQ632 ♣ 10854 ♠ Q ♥ J9753 ♦ Q9832 ♣ 97 NT ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ W 6 9 4 4 10 N 6 4 8 8 3 E 6 9 4 4 10 S 6 4 8 8 3

N E S W Cornell Sementa Bach Duboin 2♥ 2♠ 4♥ 4♠ P P Dbl P P P ♦K ♦4 ♦8 ♦7 ♦A ♦6 ♦9 ♠6 ♠7 ♠3 ♠2 ♠Q ♦Q ♠9 ♦5 ♦J ♣A ♣J ♣4 ♣7 ♣2 ♣K ♣T ♣9 ♥Q ♥2 ♥3 ♥K ♠T ♠4 ♠8 ♥5 ♣Q ♥8 ♣8 ♥7 ♣6 ♠5 ♣5

N E S W Fantoni Whibley Nunes Ware P 1♠ 1NT Dbl 2♦ P 2♥ 2♠ 3♦ 3♠ 4♥ Dbl P P P ♣5 ♣7 ♣A ♣J ♦7 ♦T ♦J ♦Q ♥3 ♥4 ♥Q ♥A ♦6 ♦2 ♥K ♦K ♣2 ♣K ♣4 ♣9 ♥8 ♥2 ♥5 ♠6 ♥6 ♥T ♥J

New Zealand is probably the most aggressive preempting team in the competition and Italy the most conservative.

On this hand Bach's threadbare 2H opening led everyone to stretch and Dubion/Sementa ended up too high in 4S, though both their actions are understandable. The contract is not bad just looking at the E/W cards, but the bidding made bad breaks likely and a forcing defence meant the contract was unmakeable. Dubion might have escaped for one down with good guessing but ended up two down for -500.

At the other table, Nunes passed and N/S took a while to find their heart fit allowing E/W to communicate their (lack of) values at a lower level. Fantoni's final 4H bid is clearly too much, though without knowing their style it's possible that Nunes's 3D was the main culprit. On a club lead and diamond switch, this might also have gone two down but Ware failed to rise with KH on the trump lead from dummy so could only ruff with the winning trump. KH would be wrong if East might double with Jxx of hearts plus AS and KC.

12 IMPS to NZ. NZ 25, Italy 0.

Bd: 20 ♠ J84 Dlr: W ♥ Q1082 Vul: All ♦ Q852 ♣ 109 ♠ K1076 ♠ AQ93 ♥ 764 ♥ J5 ♦ J10 ♦ 93 ♣ 8432 ♣ KQJ75 ♠ 52 ♥ AK93 ♦ AK764 ♣ A6 NT ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ W 3 8 2 3 8 N 9 5 11 10 5 E 3 8 2 3 8 S 9 5 11 10 5

N E S W Cornell Sementa Bach Duboin P P 1♣ 1NT P P P ♣3 ♣T ♣J ♣A ♦4 ♦T ♦Q ♦3 ♦2 ♦9 ♦A ♦J ♦6 ♥6 ♦5

N E S W Fantoni Whibley Nunes Ware P P 1♣! Dbl P 1♥ P 2♣ P 2♦ P 4♥ P P P ♣K ♣A ♣2 ♣9 ♥A ♥4 ♥2 ♥5 ♥3 ♥6 ♥Q ♥J ♥8 ♣7 ♥K ♥7 ♦4 ♦J ♦Q ♦3 ♦2 ♦9 ♦A ♦T ♦K ♠6 ♦5

Another combined system/judgment swing, this time to Italy. Over East's 1C opening, Bach chose a 1NT overcall which ended the auction while Nunes doubled and reached a successful 4H game.

My view is that South is both too strong and too suit-oriented for a 1NT overcall. Bids with one flaw often succeed, but with two flaws you are better off trying something else. Here the options are 1D or dbl. Heavy overcalls are not my style so I would double, though 1D is possible and would be the choice of many experts.

After the double I prefer a 3H raise to Nunes's cue bid followed by 4H. South has a good hand but with loads of space available there is no need for him to essentially bid game on his own. North's two working queens are enough continue if invited and both are needed to make game good.

10 IMPS to Italy. NZ 25, Italy 10.

Bd: 21 ♠ AKJ762 Dlr: N ♥ 96 Vul: N/S ♦ QJ5 ♣ Q8 ♠ ♠ 83 ♥ KJ52 ♥ Q8743 ♦ AK1086 ♦ 32 ♣ J943 ♣ K765 ♠ Q10954 ♥ A10 ♦ 974 ♣ A102 NT ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ W 4 4 10 8 9 N 8 9 3 5 3 E 4 4 10 8 9 S 8 9 3 5 3

N E S W Cornell Sementa Bach Duboin 1♠ P 4♠ Dbl P 5♥ Dbl P P P ♠4 ♥2 ♠6 ♠8 ♦A ♦5 ♦3 ♦4 ♦K ♦J ♦2 ♦7 ♦6 ♦Q ♥7 ♦9 ♥3 ♥T ♥K ♥6 ♣3 ♣8 ♣K ♣A ♠5 ♥5 ♠2 ♠3 ♣4 ♣Q ♣7 ♣2 ♠A ♣5 ♠9 ♥J ♣J ♥9

N E S W Fantoni Whibley Nunes Ware 2♠! P 4♠ P P P ♥3 ♥A ♥2 ♥6 ♠T ♦6 ♠A ♠3 ♠7 ♠8 ♠9 ♦8 ♥T ♥K ♥9 ♥8 ♦K ♦5 ♦2 ♦4 ♦A ♦J ♦3 ♦7 ♦T ♦Q ♣5 ♦9 ♣8 ♣7 ♣A ♣3 ♣2 ♣4 ♣Q ♣K

NZ gained 9 IMPS when Ware judged a high level competitive auction better than Dubion. The 2S opening by Fantoni was intermediate so both Wests were in a similar position. Ware passed and collected 100 against 4S (though 200 was possible). Dubion doubled and Sementa in 5HX chose to play 'safely' for -300 rather than hope for 2-2 trumps and risk losing control. Bach also helped to create the swing with his heavy 4S jump. Unlike Nunes, he was facing an unlimited opener.

I think double is the percentage action with West, but it can obviously be wrong as it is here. East's 5H is also reasonable though passing the double is an option as well.

9 more IMPS to NZ. NZ 34, Italy 10.

Bd: 22 ♠ KJ976 Dlr: E ♥ J643 Vul: E/W ♦ 84 ♣ 86 ♠ 104 ♠ AQ53 ♥ Q1092 ♥ K ♦ Q32 ♦ AJ105 ♣ 10975 ♣ AQJ3 ♠ 82 ♥ A875 ♦ K976 ♣ K42 NT ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ W 9 7 7 9 10 N 4 6 6 3 3 E 9 7 7 10 10 S 4 6 6 3 3

N E S W Cornell Sementa Bach Duboin 1♣ 1♥ P 1♠ P 2♦ P 2♥ Dbl P 3♣ P P P ♠8 ♠T ♠J ♠Q ♥K ♥A ♥2 ♥3 ♦6 ♦Q ♦4 ♦5 ♣5 ♣6 ♣A ♣2 ♣3 ♣4 ♣T ♣8 ♣7 ♦8 ♣Q ♣K ♠2 ♠4 ♠6 ♠A ♠3

N E S W Fantoni Whibley Nunes Ware 1♣! P P P ♠2 ♠4 ♠9 ♠Q ♥K ♥A ♥2 ♥3 ♥5 ♥9 ♥J ♣3 ♣A ♣2 ♣5 ♣6 ♣J ♣4 ♣7 ♣8 ♠A ♠8 ♠T ♠7 ♠3 ♥7 ♣9 ♠6 ♦Q ♦4 ♦5 ♦K ♣K ♣T ♥4 ♣Q

This is a pretty good 3NT that might have been reached after an offshape 2NT opening. Both Easts, however, opened 1C and played a club partscore. I agree with the 1C opening which makes it much easier to reach a minor suit game or slam (or partscore) and the risk of missing a game is small.

Italy gained 1 IMP for an extra overtrick. NZ 34, Italy 11.

Board 23 was a routine 3NT and Italy gained another overtrick IMP. NZ 34, Italy 12.

Bd: 24 ♠ Q652 Dlr: W ♥ J1065 Vul: None ♦ K984 ♣ Q ♠ K9743 ♠ J10 ♥ AQ2 ♥ K983 ♦ 2 ♦ AQJ103 ♣ 9842 ♣ 63 ♠ A8 ♥ 74 ♦ 765 ♣ AKJ1075 NT ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ W 6 8 8 8 6 N 7 5 4 5 7 E 6 8 8 8 6 S 7 5 4 5 7

N E S W Cornell Sementa Bach Duboin P P 1♦ 2♣ 2♠ P P 3♣ P P P ♦2 ♦4 ♦T ♦6 ♣3 ♣5 ♣2 ♣Q ♥5 ♥3 ♥7 ♥Q ♥A ♥6 ♥8 ♥4 ♣4 ♠2 ♣6 ♣7 ♣A ♣8 ♠5 ♦3 ♣K ♣9 ♦8 ♦J ♣T ♠7 ♥T ♥9 ♣J ♠4 ♥J ♠J ♠A ♠3 ♠6 ♠T ♠8 ♠K ♠Q ♦Q ♥2 ♦9 ♥K ♦5 ♦A ♦7 ♠9 ♦K

N E S W Fantoni Whibley Nunes Ware P P 1♦ 2♣ Dbl P 2♥ P 2♠ P P P ♣Q ♣3 ♣K ♣2 ♠8 ♠3 ♠Q ♠T ♠5 ♠J ♠A ♠4 ♣A ♣4 ♥6 ♣6 ♣T ♣8 ♥T ♦3 ♣J ♣9 ♥5 ♥3 ♣7 ♠K ♥J ♦T

Both West's, oddly I think, chose to commit their side to 2S on what could easily have been a singleton opposite their K9xxx. I prefer either to pass 2C or make a negative double and pass partner's 2H.

As it happens, 2S is makeable though Ware went down after Nunes found the excellent small trump switch from Ax at trick two. The defence then took the first six tricks. For South's overcall, he could easily have KD and QS instead of AS but whether he would have found the same switch from Qx is open to question of course.

Bach chose to bid 3C over 2S though I prefer pass. With the wide range of hands partner may hold, it's better to let him decide rather than go on just because I have a bit extra. I would expect either 2S or 3C (and possibly both) to usually fail if partner cannot raise my overcall or make a negative double.

4 IMPS to Italy. NZ 34, Italy 16.

Bd: 25 ♠ AJ Dlr: N ♥ AQ7 Vul: E/W ♦ J942 ♣ J653 ♠ 542 ♠ K86 ♥ 9654 ♥ K1082 ♦ AK8 ♦ Q1076 ♣ A104 ♣ 98 ♠ Q10973 ♥ J3 ♦ 53 ♣ KQ72 NT ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ W 7 5 8 7 5 N 6 7 4 6 8 E 7 5 8 7 5 S 6 7 4 5 8

N E S W Cornell Sementa Bach Duboin 1♣ P 1♥ P 1NT P 2♣ P P Dbl 2♠ P P P ♦A ♦2 ♦6 ♦3 ♦K ♦4 ♦7 ♦5 ♦8 ♦9 ♦T ♠3 ♠7 ♠4 ♠J ♠K ♦Q ♥3 ♥6 ♦J ♠6 ♠9 ♠2 ♠A ♣3 ♣8 ♣Q ♣A ♥4 ♥A ♥2 ♥J ♣5 ♣9 ♣K ♣4 ♠Q

N E S W Fantoni Whibley Nunes Ware 1NT! P 2♥! P 2♠ P P P ♣9 ♣Q ♣A ♣5 ♣4 ♣6 ♣8 ♣K ♥3 ♥4 ♥Q ♥K ♦7 ♦3 ♦K ♦2 ♣T ♣J ♠6 ♣2 ♦6 ♦5 ♦A ♦4 ♥5 ♥7 ♥2 ♥J ♠3 ♠2 ♠A ♠8 ♠J ♠K ♠7 ♠4

Another partscore swing. Fantoni/Nunes, playing a weak notrump, declared 2S by North after a transfer sequence. Cornell/Bach, playing a strong notrump, ended in 2S by South. Since East had a doubleton club and a trump entry, the Italians were one down while NZ just made.

4 IMPS to NZ. NZ 38, Italy 16.

Bd: 26 ♠ AQJ85 Dlr: E ♥ AQ43 Vul: All ♦ J ♣ Q73 ♠ 9762 ♠ K103 ♥ 5 ♥ J109876 ♦ A752 ♦ 94 ♣ AJ105 ♣ K4 ♠ 4 ♥ K2 ♦ KQ10863 ♣ 9862 NT ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ W 4 6 6 4 5 N 8 5 6 7 8 E 4 6 6 4 5 S 8 5 6 7 8

N E S W Cornell Sementa Bach Duboin P 3♦ P 3♠ P 3NT P P P ♣J ♣Q ♣K ♣2 ♣4 ♣8 ♣T ♣3 ♣A ♣7 ♥J ♣6 ♠6 ♠Q ♠K ♠4 ♥T ♥2 ♥5 ♥Q ♦J ♦4 ♦Q ♦A ♠2 ♠A ♠3 ♦3 ♠J ♠T ♦6 ♠7 ♥3 ♥6 ♥K

N E S W Fantoni Whibley Nunes Ware 2♥ P P 2♠ P 3♦ P 3NT P P P ♥J ♥2 ♥5 ♥Q ♦J ♦4 ♦K ♦2 ♦Q ♦A ♥3 ♦9 ♣5 ♣3 ♣K ♣2 ♣4 ♣6 ♣A ♣7 ♠7 ♠A ♠3 ♠4 ♥4 ♥6 ♥K ♦5

Style again helped create a swing as NZ opened with a preempt at both tables.

After opening 3D, Bach ended in 3NT by South and was down fairly quickly after the JC lead and later spade switch established five tricks for the defence. Fantoni declared 3NT by North. He won the heart lead in hand then overtook the JD and continued diamonds, knocking out the ace and happily noting the fall of the 9. Though there are now 9 tricks on top, the blockage in hearts means a spade switch followed by a heart back would beat the contract. Ware instead tried a low club but Fantoni guessed correctly to play low and had no further problems.

4 IMPS to Italy. NZ 38, Italy 28.

Bd: 27 ♠ A85 Dlr: S ♥ AQ63 Vul: None ♦ 1085 ♣ A96 ♠ 7642 ♠ Q9 ♥ 72 ♥ KJ54 ♦ 94 ♦ AKQ7 ♣ KJ1085 ♣ Q72 ♠ KJ103 ♥ 1098 ♦ J632 ♣ 43 NT ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ W 7 6 6 6 9 N 6 7 7 7 4 E 7 6 6 6 8 S 6 7 7 6 4

N E S W Cornell Sementa Bach Duboin P P 1♣ 1NT P P P ♥T ♥2 ♥A ♥5 ♥3 ♥K ♥9 ♥7 ♣7 ♣3 ♣J ♣6 ♣T ♣9 ♣2 ♣4 ♠2 ♠5 ♠Q ♠K ♥8 ♣5 ♥6 ♥J

N E S W Fantoni Whibley Nunes Ware P P 1NT! Dbl P! P P ♦K ♦2 ♦4 ♦5 ♥5 ♥8 ♥2 ♥3 ♦3 ♦9 ♦T ♦Q ♣7 ♣3 ♣K ♣6 ♥7 ♥A ♥4 ♥9 ♦8 ♦A ♦6 ♠7 ♣Q ♣4 ♣5 ♣9 ♣2 ♥T ♣J ♣A ♠A ♠9 ♠3 ♠2 ♠5 ♠Q

Whibley doubled Fantoni's weak notrump and Ware chose a characteristically aggressive pass, rather than 2C. Double dummy this can be defeated if East leads clubs which declarer must duck twice allowing West two entries to push hearts through. In practice though, it was always going to be a question of overtricks and Fantoni managed eight tricks for +280.

Cornell/Bach play a strong notrump so East overcalled Cornell's 1C with 1NT. He appears to have misread the heart position after the 10H lead but the defence failed to take their tricks so another +90 to Italy and 9 IMPS.

NEW ZEALAND: 38, ITALY: 37.

Bd: 28 ♠ Q972 Dlr: W ♥ Q65 Vul: N/S ♦ 8 ♣ J6432 ♠ J ♠ AK108653 ♥ K10984 ♥ J72 ♦ A942 ♦ K5 ♣ Q98 ♣ 5 ♠ 4 ♥ A3 ♦ QJ10763 ♣ AK107 NT ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ W 6 9 9 5 3 N 6 4 4 7 9 E 7 9 9 6 3 S 6 4 4 7 9

N E S W Cornell Sementa Bach Duboin P P 1♠ 2♦ 2♥ P 2♠ 3♣ P 4♣ P 5♣ P P P ♠J ♠Q ♠K ♠4 ♥2 ♥3 ♥K ♥5 ♥T ♥6 ♥7 ♥A ♦T ♦A ♦8 ♦5 ♥9 ♥Q ♥J ♦3 ♣2 ♣5 ♣A ♣8 ♦6 ♦2 ♣3 ♦K ♣J ♠3

N E S W Fantoni Whibley Nunes Ware P P 4♠ P P P ♣A ♣8 ♣J ♣5 ♦Q ♦A ♦8 ♦5 ♠J ♠2 ♠3 ♠4 ♣9 ♣6 ♠8 ♣T ♠A ♦6 ♥4 ♠7 ♦K ♦3 ♦2 ♠9 ♥5 ♥2 ♥A ♥8 ♥3 ♥9 ♥Q ♥7

Preempting style again caused a swing here. Whibley opened 4S in third seat on the East cards and Nunes chose to which was correct on this hand as 4S failed by one trick with the bad trump break and QH offside. Meanwhile Sementa was content to open 1S and Cornell/Bach reached an optimistic 5C which had some play single dummy but no chance on the actual hand with Qxx of trumps offside and KH also badly placed. This failed by two tricks for a 6 IMP swing to Italy.

NEW ZEALAND: 38, ITALY: 43.

Bd: 29 ♠ AK1064 Dlr: N ♥ AK4 Vul: All ♦ Q102 ♣ K2 ♠ J975 ♠ Q832 ♥ 9 ♥ J10 ♦ AJ73 ♦ 85 ♣ AJ64 ♣ 98753 ♠ ♥ Q876532 ♦ K964 ♣ Q10 NT ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ W 2 4 1 3 6 N 10 7 11 9 5 E 2 5 1 3 7 S 10 7 11 10 5

N E S W Cornell Sementa Bach Duboin 2NT P 3♦ P 3♥ P 5♥ P 5♠ P 6♦ Dbl 6♥ P P P ♦8 ♦4 ♦A ♦T ♣A ♣2

N E S W Fantoni Whibley Nunes Ware 1♠! P 1NT! P 2♣! P 2♦! P 2♥! P 3♠! P 4♣! P 4♦! P 4♥ P 4NT! P 5♠! P 6♥ P P P ♥J ♥2 ♥9 ♥A ♠4 ♠2 ♥Q ♠5 ♥8 ♣4 ♥K ♥T ♠A ♠3 ♣T ♠7 ♠K ♠8 ♣Q ♠9 ♦2 ♦5 ♦K ♦A ♦3 ♦T ♦8 ♦4

A flagrant violation of Burn's law with both tables reaching a slam off two aces. However Italy made the slam and New Zealand did not.

I don't claim to fully understand the Fantoni-Nunes auction but if Nunes intended his 4NT as RKCB, he would have been disappointed to find himself too high after North showed two key cards and the heart queen!

Cornell chose to upgrade his 19 to a 2NT opening and Bach was understandably very interested in slam. I don't know whether they have a way to agree hearts and initiate cue bidding, but once the auction took a quantitative route it was always going to end too high as the hands fit poorly and have considerable wastage.

Obviously a lead of either minor suit defeats the contract. There is some justification for Whibley's trump lead as North will have short trumps plus a ruffing value and East has some useful spade cards that will limit the discards from South on good spades. However declarer will still usually get the ruffs they need and North's fifth spade at least will be established eventually. There's probably not enough of a reason to depart from the usual practice against a slam of making an aggressive lead to try and set up a trick.

Quite a lot of luck was involved in this swing, not only on the lead but also in finding the jack of diamonds and the fact that Fantoni/Nunes were able to declare from North without the benefit of a transfer sequence.

17 IMPs to Italy anyway. NEW ZEALAND: 38, ITALY: 60.

The last three boards were more or less flat with NZ gaining another 2 IMPS and Italy 3 IMPS for extra undertricks. So the final score was New Zealand 40 and Italy 63, or 20-10 in VPs.