Too close for comfort

As if scripted for the vugraph audiences, Poland and Italy completed the penultimate set in the Olympiad Open series only 19 IMPs apart, meaning the title was still up for grabs. Italy led by 40 IMPs going into set seven, but Poland won by 21 to pull to 233-214 with 16 deals to play.

It was a swinging set, with 93 IMPs changing hands, starting with a major swing to Poland on the second board.

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

North led the [2 and it was over quickly, as West lost two tricks for plus 450.

On the opening spade lead, Alfredo Versace had no choice but to duck, hoping against hope that North had the [K. It was not to be, so Italy lost 11 IMPs. Versace's 4} cuebid seems unduly ambitious, but if East had the ]A instead of the }A, slam would have been a near certainty.

Poland earned another 5 IMPs when Norberto Bocchi and Giorgio Duboin doubled Adam Zmudzinski in 4[ and could not beat it, while Piotr Tuszynski and Krzysztof Jassem did not disturb the vulnerable game.

There was another 5-IMP swing for Poland when Tuszynski and Jassem stopped in 1NT with 25 high-card points, making nine tricks, while Bocchi and Duboin bid the normal game and went down.

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

The 1NT rebid must have a broad range indeed (or Tuszynski took an exceedingly dim view of his 21 HCPs), but it worked out very well on this deal. Lorenzo Lauria led a low diamond to the queen and king and Tuszynski played a spade to the queen, followed by a club to the queen. Lauria won the }K and exited with a low heart, no doubt underestimating the strength of the North hand. The ]J held in dummy and declarer played a club to the ace and a club to the jack. He then ran spades, putting unbearable pressure on Lauria, who eventually discarded the ]Q, making it easy for Tuszynski to exit with the ]K. Lauria could cash the }10, but had to give declarer another trick in diamonds. Bocchi and Duboin had a more reasonable auction but they were disappointed in the result.

Cezary Balicki led a low diamond to the queen and king, and Bocchi played the }A and }Q. Balicki won the }K and played a club right back. Bocchi misguessed by putting up the jack. He the played the ]J to Balicki's queen and Balicki wasted no time cashing his two red aces and the }10 for down one.

Poland earned 6 more IMPs when both East-West pairs got to 3], made by Balicki but not by Lauria.

Poland shaved the margin to 12 IMPs with an 8-IMP gain on this deal, but it could have been more.

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

Zmudzinski led the [3 to his partner's ace, took his spade ruff and cashed his two minor-suit aces for down one and plus 50.

Tuszynski led a heart to the queen, followed by the ace, which was ruffed. Versace, prompted to bid 5} by his partner's double of 3}, thought he had a chance to make the contract, so he played a low diamond from hand to South's 8. Versace ruffed the heart continuation and played the }9 from hand, letting it ride to South's queen. Jassem shifted to the [K, taken with the ace, and Versace played a diamond to the ace and a diamond from hand. Tuszynski followed with the king and Versace erred by ruffing with dummy's }5. Jassem overruffed with the 6 and, losing focus, continued with the [Q, letting Versace off with down two and minus 300. It should not have been difficult to work out that no spade loser was going away from Versace's hand, but he might have another diamond loser to ruff in dummy. An 11-IMP gain was reduced by 3 IMPs.

Good judgment in the bidding helped Italy to 12 IMPs on the next deal.

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	ª K Q © J 9 8 6 ¨ 9 6 2 § K 7 6 5
ª J © A K 7 5 3 2 ¨ A K 8 4 § Q 8		ª 10 9 6 4 © Q 10 4 ¨ Q J 10 7 3 § 4
	ª A 8 7 5 3 2 © -- ¨ 5 § A J 10 9 3 2

One diamond trick was the limit for the defense and Duboin scored up plus 950.

As you can see, North-South can make 7} if East chooses the wrong opening lead, but that was an academic issue after 6{ was doubled. Note that Versace's bid of 4{ was of enormous value when the auction heated up, as East was able to judge the strong offensive potential and lack of defense of the two hands. Tuszynski led the [K and switched accurately to a heart after Jassem played the discouraging [8. The }A was the last trick for the defense, and Italy had a well-earned 12-IMP gain.

An aggressive preempt by Tuszynski paved the way for another gain by Poland on the last deal of the set.

Board 16. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
	ª Q 6 2 © 6 ¨ J 8 3 § A K 8 6 4 2
ª J 7 4 3 © A K J ¨ 10 7 6 4 2 § 9		ª K 5 © 10 9 8 5 4 3 2 ¨ A K Q § J
	ª A 10 9 8 © Q 7 ¨ 9 5 § Q 10 7 5 3

It seems Bocchi would have been happier had he bid 3} instead of doubling 2}. It no doubt was difficult for Duboin to envision six clubs in the North hand. At any rate, the defense took only one trick after the lead of a diamond by South. Plus 680.

Versace no doubt thought about raising hearts. After all, he was looking at three honors in the suit that his partner had bid at the three level. The inference was strong that the rest of Lauria's hand would have some useful cards, but Versace would be sorry if those cards were useful in defense rather than offense. After considering his decision for some time, Versace took the safe course and doubled 5}. The contract was down two tricks for plus 300, but it was a 9-IMP gain for Poland.

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