Romeo and Ethel the Pirate’s Daughter

Synopsis

Italy v Norway, 96 boards to determine who would secure a place in the 2003 Bermuda Bowl final.

Prologue

Two teams, both alike in dignity,
In fair Monaco, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
Four pairs of star-cross'd players take their place;

Act I Scene 1 Monaco

A VuGraph Theatre

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª 10 4 2 © A K 8 7 ¨ K Q 10 9 § J 6
ª A 8 6 3 © 9 6 5 ¨ 5 § A 8 4 3 2		ª 9 5 © 10 2 ¨ A J 6 4 3 2 § Q 10 9
	ª K Q J 7 © Q J 4 3 ¨ 8 7 § K 7 5

West	North	East	South
Grotheim	Bocchi	Aa	Duboin
	1NT	Pass	2§
Pass	2©	Pass	4©
All Pass

You would not expect this game to make, but East/West failed to obtain the vital diamond ruff and declarer emerged with ten tricks. +420

West	North	East	South
Versace	Helness	Lauria	Helgemo
	1¨	Pass	1©
Pass	2©	Pass	2NT
Pass	4©	All Pass

This time South was the declarer. West led the ace of clubs and after giving the matter some thought he switched to his diamond and got a ruff. Italy were off to a promising start.

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

West	North	East	South
Grotheim	Bocchi	Aa	Duboin
1ª	Pass	2§*	Passs
2ª	Pass	3ª	Pass
4ª	All Pass

North/South had a free run when North didn’t overcall. Declarer won the opening lead of the queen of diamonds and played the queen of hearts. South, seeing an even count card from North, who was marked with reasonable values, could not believe there was a hidden six card suit and he ducked! Now declarer was in with a real chance. He played his remaining diamond and North won and tried ace of clubs and a club. Declarer went up with the king, but that was not fatal. He ruffed a heart, seeing South’s ace appear and played a trump to the ace. If had continued with spades, finessing and letting South win the fourth round dummy would have been resurrected and the club losers would vanish, but declarer though the queen of clubs was with South and he followed one of the many losing lines available. –100.

West	North	East	South
Versace	Helness	Lauria	Helgemo
1ª	2©	Dble	Pass
2ª	Pass	3NT	All Pass

South naturally led his partner’s suit, but after cashing the ace he switched to a diamond for the jack and queen. North played back a diamond to dummy’s ace and declarer naturally played for spades to provide the tricks he needed, crossing to the ace, cashing his winning hearts and then taking a spade finesse. When the suit failed to break he was three down and Norway were under way.

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

West	North	East	South
Grotheim	Bocchi	Aa	Duboin
	1¨	1©
Dble	Pass	1NT	2©
Dble	Pass	3§	All Pass

Three Clubs was an easy contract, declarer arriving at ten tricks, +130.

West	North	East	South
Versace	Helness	Lauria	Helgemo
		1§	1©
1ª	Pass	1NT	2©
Dble	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Alfredo Versace, Italy

There was a lot more at stake this time. A low heart lead would have left declarer with only eight tricks, but ran the risk that North might only have a singleton heart. So Helgemo went for a deceptive jack of diamonds. Declarer won in hand, unblocked the nine of clubs, going to dummy’s queen, and played a spade. North went in with the ace and switched to the ten of hearts, covered by the queen and king. South exited with the six of diamonds and declarer went up with the ace, crossed to hand with a club and exited with the nine of hearts, expecting South to be enplayed into eventually giving a ninth trick in hearts or by playing a spade. He was half right, but when South produced the card he could not have, the queen of diamonds, East was visibly annoyed. 6 IMPs for Norway, now ahead by 1 IMP.

On the next deal the armchair analysts had some fun, but in reality the contract was never going to be made at either table.

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

West	North	East	South
Grotheim	Bocchi	Aa	Duboin
			Pass
1NT	Pass	2§	Pass
2©	Pass	2ª	Pass
2NT	Pass	3NT	All Pass

North led the king of clubs and declarer won (ducking is obviously possible, but as long as North switches to a spade or heart the contract is still defeated) and played a diamond to the queen and king. North switched to the nine of hearts and although declarer could easily make eight tricks he had no hope of nine, and in a desperate effort he finished two down, -200.

West	North	East	South
Versace	Helness	Lauria	Helgemo
			Pass
1NT	Pass	2§	Pass
2ª	Pass	3§	Pass
3©	Pass	3NT	All Pass

As before, North led the king of clubs and declarer won and played a diamond. North switched to the jack of spades, which ran to West’s king. There are still only eight tricks and once again an attempt to find a ninth resulted in down two, no swing.

Norway suffered on the next deal:

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

West	North	East	South
Grotheim	Bocchi	Aa	Duboin
Pass	1ª	2§	4§
Pass	4¨	Pass	4ª
All Pass

East led the three of hearts and West could not read the position. When he played low declarer could establish a heart trick for a diamond discard and lost only one club and two diamonds, +620.

West	North	East	South
Versace	Helness	Lauria	Helgemo
Pass	1ª	2§	4ª
All Pass

East led the ace of clubs and continued with the nine. Declarer could draw trumps, ditch a couple of diamonds and exit with the king of hearts, but West held the vital ace and he was one down, 12 IMPs for Italy.

Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
	ª 10 5 4 © A K Q 5 3 ¨ 9 8 3 2 § K
ª Q 8 7 6 © - ¨ Q J 10 5 4 § A Q 8 7		ª J 9 2 © 9 8 4 2 ¨ K 7 6 § 6 5 2
	ª A K 3 © J 10 7 6 ¨ A § J 10 9 4 3

West	North	East	South
Grotheim	Bocchi	Aa	Duboin
	1©	Pass	2§*
Pass	2¨	Pass	2©
Pass	3§	Pass	3©
Pass	3NT	Pass	4©
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Versace	Helness	Lauria	Helgemo
	1©	Pass	2NT*
Dble	3©	Pass	4©
All Pass

Despite the 4-0 trump split Six Hearts was easy enough, as declarer could take advantage of the club position to get rid of a losing spade and then cross ruff. In the all USA semi final Hamman & Soloway deserved their swing when they bid the slam.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	ª A Q 10 5 © Q 4 ¨ K Q 9 § 9 6 5 2
ª 9 © K 10 8 2 ¨ 10 8 4 § A K Q 10 8		ª 8 6 3 © A J 6 3 ¨ 6 2 § J 7 4 3
	ª K J 7 4 2 © 9 7 5 ¨ A J 7 5 3 § -

West	North	East	South
Grotheim	Bocchi	Aa	Duboin
			Pass
1¨*	Pass	1©	1ª
2©	2NT	Pass	Pass
Pass	4ª	All Pass

This was a bad hand for Viking Precision as the all important club suit got lost. West led a top club, and had he so wished declarer could have reversed the dummy to make all the tricks. He was content with twelve, +680.

West	North	East	South
Versace	Helness	Lauria	Helgemo
			2¨*
Pass	3§*	Pass	3¨
Dble	4ª	4NT	Dble
5§	Dble	All Pass

When the early auction conformed South held the pointed suits, West was able to show the other two suits. South probably intended his double of 4NT to indicate a maximum, but it was not easy for North to bid on. Of course, declarer got the hearts right to be only one down, -100 and another big swing for Italy, who had won the first set 41-12 IMPs.