Page 6 VBA Bulletin September 2012
BOOK REVIEW Dlr: North J832 Vul: E/W 8654
K87 This book is a 96 detailed AQ95 N K10764 exposition of the Q7 103 bidding system W E Q65 J1032 used by Italian J1085 S 73 stars Fulvio Fantoni and - Claudio Nunes. AKJ92 This pair has A94 been remarkably AKQ42 successful at the highest level: West North East South they are still at Fantoni Nunes it, last July Pass Pass 1 winning the Pass 2 Pass 3 Spingold teams Pass 4 Pass 6 in the USA. Pass Pass Pass
Jacobs sets out the bidding machinery in At the other table the English auction began comprehensive detail. This last adjective is the same, North dredging up a raise opposite well-merited - 95 auctions are indexed in the a non-forcing opener. His partner also last pages. Players thinking of trying a new splintered 3 , but North, having already and successful system can start right here. overstretched, signed off in 4 . Although auctions can become complicated, beginners can ease themselves in. Jacobs (2) the second Fantunes specialty is that uses sign-posts to show where a treatment is opening 2-bids are natural (again) and show optional. a 5+-suit in the range 10-13 HCP, and unbalanced. Jacobs is convinced that they Other readers may be primarily interested in give Fantunes a remarkable edge, since they the structure of bidding systems. Jacobs lay claim to the 2-level yet are semi- certainly is. The foundations of Fantunes are constructive. The weak opening 1NT assists. (1) Natural opening bids of 1 in a suit are unlimited and forcing, though 1 contains Here is a 2-bid in action, against some balanced hands as well as clubs. This distinguished opposition: does away with the need in most natural systems to dedicate a special opening bid, Dlr: South Q873 2, to showing a very strong hand. Vul: All A43 J The strong natural openings give an edge QJ864 over this artificial 2 and also the opening AKJ104 N 965 strong 1 of systems such as Precision in 102 Q765 W E that if intervening opponents begin a Q982 A10654 competitive auction, the Fantuner has K10 S 2 announced his suit. 2 KJ98 This deal is the first in the book, from the K73 very top level, the World Mind Sports Games A9753 2008. (See top of next column)
West North East South After the unlimited opening, Nunes' raise Hamman Nunes Zia Fantoni showed support and 3-6 HCP. Fantoni 2 splintered and Nunes could cue-bid, having 2 3 4 Pass shown a very weak raise. Nunes slammed. Pass D’ble All Pass
VBA Bulletin September 2012 Page 7
Nunes with a 10-card fit committed to the 4- Problem 1 level, and Zia, perhaps hoping for a Dlr: South A misguided sacrifice, competed to 4 , which Vul: E/W 10965 cost 500 against 130 for 4 . The opening bid J9876 had obliterated the one-level, leaving East- Q103 West with little room to manoeuvre. At the J10973 N KQ62 other table South opened 1 , West J74 AQ3 overcalled 1 and North bid 1NT. North- W E 532 10 South played in the club partial. J7 S K8653
Jacobs' enthusiasm for Fantunes' opening 854 bids is supported by his statistical tables on K82 pp. 140-1, which show analyses of deals AKQ4 played by Nunes - Fantoni on BBO's Vugraph A94 sessions. They opened the bidding in the range 1 to 2 on 2,723 hands, and gained You should start, logically enough, by playing an average of 0.67 IMPs per deal. Jacobs K to trick 1, passing on the good news. adjusts this tidily for superior card play, to Declarer plays A, K, Q; partner had 3. arrive at an estimate of 0.29 attributable to What did you discard? superior bidding. Playing Q would serve to clarify, though you It was fitting that I should write this review. could leave that a while, trick 1 told enough. In the 1960s, when Italian teams dominated, The faster you get Q on to the table the Fred Altman and I taught ourselves Blue Club better. To blazes with count/attitude, this is from a little book on the Italian systems by bridge. Partner has to be told to cling to Edgar Kaplan. This took us all the way to an clubs. Olympiad, where we had the privilege of Problem 2 meeting, and beating, Italy, who won the championship. Fantunes is a better system Dlr: North AK6 than Blue Club, and Jacobs' book is more Vul: All Q76 extensive. QJ2 J974 Fantunes is the future - follow the star. I 10 N 9842 regret that a failing memory means that I am 92 A543 W E left behind. K1087643 9 852 S AKQ6 Fantunes Revealed is available from QJ532 http://www.bridgeshop.com.au/ , $16.99 KJ108 digital or $22.95 softcover. A5 … Ian McCance 103
There is no winning defence, but you can make it very hard for declarer. Don't win Q. SETTING TRICK – SOLUTIONS K is probably best, to suggest Q in West. Ian McCance You must switch at once to that diamond. That's where the setting trick must lie. If he runs it he's dead - partner will win K and Correction: The solution I gave for last give you a diamond ruff for 2 down. The month’ s second problem was second-best. winning play for declarer is to win A and Ben Thompson points out that if East cashes play 10. You would win and having no more A before exiting a club, declarer is trapped diamonds would return a trump. South can in dummy and must fail. play Q, then to K and trump-finesse clubs for a discard. If you show him AKQ at trick 1 he can rise on 9 and go for the discard. If he's good enough. If you cash 2 clubs you make it much easier. Now the winning play is much more obvious (and appealing).