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Home , Bermuda Bowl, Bob Hamman, Overcall, Screen (bridge), Vugraph

45 44 The Bowl 2003 in Monaco

By Pietro Campanile

he is one of the quarter finals opponents, but had a much Then came 120: oldest and most valued bridge tougher fight on their hands when they Dealer West – None vulnerable trophies, equivalent in status faced respectively the USA2 team with ♠ K74 to the World Cup in football. and with Helgemo. ♥ J874 TIt was first played in Bermuda in 1950 They eventually both managed to win ♦ AJ965 and was such a success that it soon their semifinals and so it was that Italy ♣ Q became the most prestigious bridge and USA1 stood to battle it out in the 128 ♠ 105 ♠ A6 trophy. Over the last two decades the boards final to adjudicate the coveted ♥A96 ♥KQ32 increased the trophy. ♦ 107 ♦ Q32 teams participating in the event to allow The match opened with the Italians ♣AJ9732 ♣K1065 each part of the world to be represented. quickly making up ground and leading at ♠QJ9832 Twice Israel managed to win a medal, the end of the first 48 boards by 109-79 ♥ 105 both times bronze, in 1974 (Lev, Shaufel, and that included the -13 carry-over they ♦ K84 Frydrich, Hochzeit, Romik and Levit) and had started with. ♣ 84 in 1985 (Lev, Shaufel, Frydrich, Hochzeit, The Americans came back strong and led Closed Room Zeligman and Birman). by as much as 62 IMPs halfway through The 2003 edition took place at the start of the session before last, when it almost West North East South November in the fashionable settings of looked like we might witness a blow-out, Duboin Rodwell Bocchi Meckstroth the independent principality of Monaco, and finished 28 IMPs in front with 16 Pass 1♦ Pass 1♠ on the French Riviera. The only Israeli hands to go. 2♣ Dbl Rdbl 2♠ team participating was competing in On to the last session which will turn up Dbl Pass 3NT All Pass the Seniors event and included Nissan to be the most thrilling ever played at this In the closed room Bocchi-Duboin came in Rand, Shalom Zeligman, Adrian Schwarz, level. "This match will go down in history late in the auction after the usual feather- Shaya Levit and Pinkhas Romik. They as one of the most dramatic, exciting and light Meckwell opening and were allowed were in contention for a medal till their controversial bridge championships of all to play in 3NT, making 10 tricks for +430. last round loss to USA2. More about time," commented , a gold their performance in our next issue; the medalist with Canada's national bridge Open Room same goes for the Ladies event won by team for many years, who organized an West North East South the USA1 team of Sokolow, Molson, Wei- online video-stream that allowed a global Hamman Lauria Soloway Versace Sender, Kennedy, Picus and Levin. audience of up to 6000 to monitor the Pass Pass 1NT 2♦* In the Open Championship Italy won the action on bridgebase.com, helped by the 3NT 4♥ Dbl 4♠ round robin with a clear margin, but with expert commentary of , Pass Pass Dbl All Pass a heavy loss in the match vs USA1 of 6- Larry Cohen and many others. 24 resulting in a negative “carry-over” of Italy pulled immediately back 11 on the * a long major 13 IMPs which will prove to be a decisive first board of the set (board 113) when Here Lauria made the great call of 4♥ factor later on. Hamman-Soloway had a complex auction asking Versace to pass/correct to his The tournament favorites, USA1 and Italy, to a no-play slam. The gap got even major, a decision which should save quite managed to dispose rather comfortably smaller when the Americans missed a cold a few imps since 4♠ is only one or two off. of Chinese and Australia, their slam in board 116: USA1 – Italy 272-266. However Hamman led the ♠5 to Soloway’s 45 44

♠A and the whole theatre went had always been the main characteristic had dropped further behind. Italy-USA1 up in a scream when they saw that he of their opponents, Meckstroth-Rodwell, 290-282. returned a small spade instead of trying whose style of pressure bridge is After board 125 turned to be a flat 3♥ to cash out. Now Versace had a chance exemplified by the efforts to always strain contract, well needed to allow tranquillizers to make if he guessed the diamonds. The to find game contracts with very light and blood pressure pills to be distributed Italian champion took the right inference values. to the audience, on we go to the explosive from the fact that Soloway had played The swings and the excitement were once last three boards of the Championship. back a , something he would not again in the open room: Board 126 - Dealer East - None vul. likely do if he thought the diamonds would West North East South ♠ QJ10754 run and, after a very long pause he called Hamman Lauria Soloway Versace ♥ KJ94 for the ♦J and let it run from dummy to ♦ AK6 2♣ 2♠ 3♣ Dbl the dismay of the USA supporters in the ♣- audience and the obvious delight of their 3♠ Pass 3NT Dbl ♠ AK983 ♠ - Italian counterparts. 15 IMPs to Italy which 4♣ Pass Pass Pass ♥- ♥107532 was now leading 281-278. The bidding in this hand resembled the ♦ Q84 ♦ 973 A few imps changed hands in the next scene from one of those sixties movies ♣AKQ103 ♣96542 three boards and the score was now Italy- where the brat-pack organizes a crash ♠62 USA1 283-282 with five boards to go. race, with two cars driving towards each ♥ AQ86 other at break-neck speed to see who is ♦ J1052 the bravest driver, the one who doesn’t ♣ J87 blink and waits till the last moment before Closed Room turning away from the collision. Here after Hamman’s 2♣ opening showing long West North East South clubs and opening values, Lauria came Duboin Rodwell Bocchi Meckstroth in at adverse vulnerability with a good Pass Pass contender for the prize of “the most 1♠ Pass Pass Dbl disgusting of the year”, Soloway Rdbl 2♠ Pass 3♦ bid a competitive 3♣ and Versace 4♣ 4♥ 5♣ Pass doubled to show values. Hamman Pass 5♦ Pass Pass continued by showing his spade control, towards 3NT, an invitation promptly taken Dbl Pass Pass Pass Board 124 next, dealer W and N/S vul up by Soloway. Versace who, despite The closed room had finished by now ♠ J10942 being the youngest at the table, was not and the players joined the audience in ♥ 653 born yesterday, must have felt that the the VuGraph theatre, for them it will be a ♦ AQJ8 Americans were trying to gamble on 3NT grueling experience to witness what will ♣ 5 making and given his top heart honors, unfold shortly in the open room in the last ♠ A73 ♠ K85 the Qx in partner’s suit and the fact that three boards. The result here would seem ♥2 ♥Q10987 Lauria made a vulnerable 2♠ overcall, to be another potential plus to Italy, since ♦ 742 ♦ K109 quite naturally doubled the contract. The 5♣ does not make and the Italians got 500 ♣AKQJ107 ♣82 VuGraph audience was once again in an for 5♦ -3 doubled. ♠Q6 uproar: what was deemed to be a huge Open Room: AKJ4 ♥ board for the Italians was now turning into West North East South ♦ 653 a surprising loss, since declarer could not Hamman Lauria Soloway Versace ♣ 9643 be stopped from taking 9 tricks. At the Pass Pass table however Versace’s double created a Closed Room 1♣* 1♠ Pass Pass West North East South big problem for Hamman, who had heard his Italian opponents show values and 2♣ Dbl 5♣ Dbl Duboin Rodwell Bocchi Meckstroth strength during every round of the bidding. Pass 5♥ Pass Pass 1♣ 1♠ Dbl Rdbl To the astonishment of the spectators the 6♣ Dbl All Pass 3♣ Pass 3NT Pass great American champion, the most titled Once again the Italians run to the edge of a Pass Pass player in activity, “blinked” and pulled precipice, only to be rescued by the most In the closed room Italy found the 3NTX to 4♣. The contract made after unlikely of saviors: . After unbeatable 3NT spot with 22 points on Versace “misclicked” and failed to cover Hamman’s strong club opening and rebid the line, thanks to a daring action of the second round of hearts from dummy of 2♣, Soloway jumped immediately to Bocchi-Duboin who did something which but the +130 score still meant that USA1 game on his zero count, due to his strong 43 42

distributional values. Versace doubled board. down and Italy would again take home the and Lauria bid 5♥, offering a choice of Board 128 - Dealer West - EW vul. cup after 28 years. But Lauria, perhaps games. Soloway, happy about the spot ♠ 2 continuing with the pressure bidding which the Italians reached and unsure as to how ♥ AJ93 had worked so well in the earlier part of the 5♠ would fare, passed to avoid alerting ♦ KQ109865 set and confident that he would find some Italians about the bad split. Hamman’s ♣ 5 good cards in Versace’s hand because of turn to bid and a double here would fetch ♠ J10 ♠ A6543 his earlier double, surprised everyone by the USA at least 300. ♥542 ♥KQ1086 bidding 5♦ , quickly doubled by Soloway. But the American made another surprising ♦ A7 ♦ 42 The contract appeared destined to go two decision and put 6♣ on the table, promptly ♣K107642 ♣A or three off on barely competent defense doubled by Lauria for another 300 to the ♠KQ987 thus ensuring a big enough score for USA Italians and a total score of Italy-USA1 ♥ 7 to bring them victory: despair and dismay 303-282 with two boards to go. ♦ J3 amongst the pro-Italy audience, cheers Board 127 - Dealer South - NS vul. ♣ QJ983 and joy on the pro-USA side. Closed Room ♠ 765 ♥ 7 West North East South ♦ A9652 Duboin Rodwell Bocchi Meckstroth ♣ 8632 Pass 1♦ 2♦* Pass ♠ Q8432 ♠ AJ 2♥ 3♦ Pass Pass AKJ109652 ♥- ♥ 3♥ Pass 4♥ Pass ♦ KQ103 ♦ J8 Pass Pass ♣AQ104 ♣7 *Michaels ♠K109 ♥ Q843 Result: 4♥-4 = 400 to USA1 ♦ 74 ♣ KJ95 The previous scores may well have unsettled Hamman-Soloway, but this board must have cheered them up when they stopped in 4H and noticed the bad trump split which dooms any higher level contract as Bocchi-Duboin found out after investigating slam and stopping in 5♥, However, this was not a normal day and one off once declarer declined to take the Open Room the players were also not in a normal club , not yet aware of the bad split West North East South frame of mind. Destiny conspired to drag in the red suits. Hamman Lauria Soloway Versace the drama on. First, Versace walked away, Italy-USA1 303-292 Pass 1♦ 2♦* Dbl after putting down his cards, leaving Last board of the match, USA1 needed a Lauria to play the dummy . Soloway 2♥ 3♦ Pass Pass 500 positive score to make up the 11 IMPs started by cashing the ♣A and paused it trailed by. Bocchi-Duboin here had the 3♥ 5♦ Dbl Pass while looking at the dummy; everyone only bad slip up of the set when Duboin Pass Pass predicted a diamond return; instead what played 4♥ on East-West, for an amazing Bidding started quietly in the Open Room came out is the ♥Q! Lauria took it with 4H-4 vul and +400 to USA already marked with Lauria opening 1♦ and Soloway his ♥A and started thinking. Thanks to on the VuGraph . This meant that bidding a Michaels 2♦, followed by this return he had a chance to escape Italy would win with any plus score or another very marginal double by Versace, for one down by playing a spade, which if they managed to lose less than 100. which was explained at the table as will be taken by Soloway’s ♠A and who The match would go into an eight-boards negative. Hamman gave preference with will now be forced to return a diamond to play-off if the USA get a 100-190 plus 2♥ and Lauria continued to show his Hamman’s ♦A. That will ensure an score, but they win with any bigger plus shapely hand with 3♦, passed round to to dummy and allow him either to pitch on score. Once again the huge factor of that Hamman who balanced with 3♥. This the top spades or to cash a spade and +13 carry-over for USA1 looms over the caused the Italian supporters in the a heart for 1 down, +100 to USA and the proceedings: without that handicap Italy VuGraph audience to coo with approval at match would go into a tie. could already claim the trophy without the relatively restrained auction: it really Lauria realized that this line could backfire having to suffer through the next and last looked like that the bidding might die on a different layout, leading to three 43 42

The winning team and their coach (from left to right: Nickell, Meckstroth, Soloway, Hamman, Freeman, Kokish and Rodwell)

down, and, obviously unaware of the ruffed the ♥J in dummy earlier perhaps online looked on in disbelief: was it a current match standing, he settled to play fooled him into thinking that Lauria was mechanical error or a mental lapse by an safely for 2 down by trying to ruff hearts out of hearts and that maybe Hamman exhausted player on the very last board of in dummy. After ruffing two hearts and could ruff spades; everybody watched such a dramatic match? two clubs high, the following position was open mouthed as Soloway played a spade Easy to guess what happened next: reached: back providing Lauria with an un-hoped loud exchanges, Lauria throwing away ♠ 2 for entry to dummy’s ♠Q winner for a heart his cards, the Tournament Director ♥ 9 discard: once again 1 down and a tie!! summoned to pacify and clarify the ♦ KQ1065 The VuGraph operator instinctively played situation and her ruling that the ♠7 is ♣ - the ♠Q but Lauria, sure that Soloway a played card. The Italians appealed but ♠ J10 ♠ A65 must be cashing his winning heart, the committee let the result stand: 5♦-2 X = ♥5 ♥108 reached for the ♠7 and called it for the 300 for USA for a final score of USA – Italy ♦ A7 ♦ 42 benefit of the table-scorer, Hamman 304-303, while without the carry-over Italy ♣K10 ♣ - quickly followed with the ♠10 and now, would have won 303-291!! The Bermuda ♠KQ987 realizing his mistake, Lauria made a grab Bowl will fly back across the Atlantic ♥ - for the ♠Q. Hamman pointed out to him with the Nickell team. After such a highly ♦ - that he had already called and touched emotional conclusion it is good to note ♣ QJ the ♠7 while Lauria demanded that he that at the prize-winning ceremony there Lauria played the ♠K from dummy, be allowed to play the ♠Q, as surely it was a much more relaxed atmosphere Hamman followed with the ♠J and would be illogical for him to play any other with well deserved congratulations Soloway took his ♠A. Long pause: card on the spade played by Soloway. A being exchanged between the top two meanwhile the VuGraph audience and pandemonium of jeers and shouts, anger teams who had gifted us with such an 6000 online spectators were close to and dismay, erupted among the VuGraph unforgettable final. nervous breakdown.. The fact that Lauria audience. Around the world, spectators