Norway-Italy, in round three of the IOC Grand Prix, was a rematch of last fall's Bermuda Bowl semifinal match between the two squads. It appeared in the early going that the Italians might gain a measure of revenge against Norway, the winner of the match in Paris. It didn't work out for Italy, however, as the missed chances and errors piled up like so many penalty points in ice hockey.

This deal, the first of the match, confounded every opening leader in the event, including Giorgio Duboin and Terje Aa.

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

The contract at both tables was 6ª by North, and it is obvious that a heart lead will defeat the slam because West cannot be prevented from getting a heart ruff. The deal was played 12 times, and the only North declarer to go down was the one in 7ª. Aa led a club after his partner, Glenn Grotheim, doubled a club bid for the lead during a long, complex auction by Lorenzo Lauria and Alfredo Versace. On Vugraph, Dano De Falco did not have the chance to double for a club lead, so Duboin made the normal looking lead of a diamond, hoping to set up a trick that would cash when he got in with the ªK. After the diamond lead, Tor Helness took 12 tricks for a push.

The next board provided Italy with a major opportunity, and while they did score a double-digit gain, it could have been better.

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

West	North	East	South
Grotheim	Lauria	Aa	Versace
		1NT (1)	Pass
2©	Pass	2ª	Pass
3NT	All Pass

(1) 14-16.

Aa finished down one in his notrump game after Versace led a heart. At the other table, Jon-Egil Furunes found himself skating on very thin ice. Italy did not realize its potential gain, however.

West	North	East	South
DeFalco	Helness	Duboin	Furunes
		1¨	Pass
1ª	Pass	1NT	Dble
Redbl	2§	Pass	Pass
Dble	Redble	Pass	2©
Pass	Pass	Dble	All Pass

Furunes' decision to enter the auction at unfavorable vulnerability was daring, if not rash, and although the route was circuitous, the Italians put themselves in a position to make him pay dearly for his mistake. De Falco started with his singleton club, which went to the 9 and queen. Furunes next played the §A, ruffed by De Falco, who could have held declarer to five tricks by exiting with a diamond. Duboin could then have played a heart through Furunes' hand, allowing De Falco to take two hearts out of dummy. In with another diamond, Duboin could have played a third around of trumps, limiting declarer to two hearts, one club and one ace for down four and minus 1100.

Instead, De Falco, after ruffing the §A, played the ©A and the ©Q, allowing Furunes to get out for two down and minus 500. It was an 11-IMP gain for Italy, but it could have been 15.

Norway was trailing 11-0 when they made a breakthrough in an unexpected way.

Dealer North N/S vul
	ª Q J 3 © Q 4 ¨ 9 4 § K Q J 7 6 4
ª 9 © J 10 9 8 2 ¨ A 8 6 5 2 § 9 2		ª 10 7 6 5 4 © A K 6 3 ¨ Q J 10 3 § -
	ª A K 8 2 © 7 5 ¨ K 7 § A 10 8 5 3

West	North	East	South
Grotheim	Lauria	Aa	Versace
	Pass	1ª	Pass
2© (1)	Pass	3©	All Pass

(1) Non-forcing.

The Italians had 25 high-card points but could not prevent Grotheim from taking 12 tricks for a slightly awkward plus 230. The Norwegians light opening style allowed the Italians into the bidding, but they didn't capitalize on their chance for another bid gain.

West	North	East	South
DeFalco	Helness	Duboin	Furunes
	1§	2§ (1)	2© (2)
4©	Pass	Pass	4ª
Pass	5§	All Pass

(1) Majors.
(2) Club raise.

Italy had plus 500 within their grasp, but De Falco went quietly. The result was a disquieting plus 200 --- a surprising 1-IMP gain for Norway.

The Scandinavians earned a bigger gain on the next deal.

Dealer East E/W vul
	ª A 8 7 6 © Q J 4 2 ¨ J § A Q 4 3
ª K 5 3 © K 7 6 3 ¨ A Q 8 4 § 6 5		ª 10 4 2 © 10 8 5 ¨ K 9 7 3 § K J 10
	ª Q J 9 © A 9 ¨ 10 6 5 2 § 9 8 7 2

West	North	East	South
Grotheim	Lauria	Aa	Versace
		Pass	Pass
1¨	Dble	1NT	All Pass

Versace led the ªQ against Aa's 1NT, and all Aa had to do was duck to create what is known as a "frozen suit" --- neither side can lead it from that point without losing. At any rate, Aa managed eight tricks for plus 120.

West	North	East	South
DeFalco	Helness	Duboin	Furunes
		Pass	Pass
1¨	Dble	2¨	Pass
Pass	Dble	Pass	2ª
All Pass

Although the spade suit was "frozen" at the other table, De Falco, in a way, melted it - and the defense's chance of defeating the contract - by leading a low trump against Furunes' partial.

The lead went to the 6, 10 and jack, and Furunes cashed the ©A and played a low heart. When De Falco ducked, Furunes took full advantage. He won the ©J in dummy, ruffed a heart, played a club to the ace and ruffed dummy's last heart. He then exited with a club. From there, he could not be prevented from winning all three of dummy's trumps. Furunes won a trump in hand, two heart tricks, two heart ruffs, three trumps in dummy and the §A for nine tricks, plus 140 and a 6-IMP gain for Norway.

The team went ahead on the next deal as Aa made two overtricks in 2ª while Furunes bid and made 4§ against De Falco and Duboin. Norway was up 14-11. Norway used superior bidding judgment to add to their lead on the next deal.

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

West	North	East	South
Grotheim	Lauria	Aa	Versace
4¨ (1)	4©	4ª	4NT
Pass	5¨	Pass	5©
All Pass

(1) Good hand, long spades.

Lauria was unlucky to find himself with three losers, but they were inescapable and he went quietly down one for minus 50. At the other table, De Falco took matters into his own hands - and paid the price.

West	North	East	South
DeFalco	Helness	Duboin	Furunes
1ª	2©	Pass	4©
4ª	5©	Pass	Pass
5ª	Pass	Pass	Dble

De Falco's unilateral bidding might have worked out, but he was visibly annoyed when dummy appeared with a trump trick - and when both opponents followed to the first round of trumps. His only hope was that the opponents had no club losers. It didn't take long to determine that the North-South limit in hearts was 10 tricks. De Falco finished minus 300, and Norway had an 8-IMP gain.

Norway, with Geir Helgemo still to make an appearance at the IOC Grand Prix, finished with a 24-15 win.