Germany - Italy (Venice Cup Round 15)

by Brian Senior

Going into their Round 15 clash in the Venice Cup qualifying round robin, Italy was lying sixth, Germany ninth, both in with a good chance of making it through to the knockout stages but neither by any means secure. This then was a crucial match for both teams.

Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	♠ Q 9 4 ♥ ♦ K Q J 9 8 6 5 2 ♣ 6 3
♠ K 8 3 ♥ A J 10 8 6 3 2 ♦ 3 ♣ 8 7		♠ J 6 ♥ K 9 5 ♦ A 7 ♣ K J 10 9 5 2
	♠ A 10 7 5 2 ♥ Q 7 4 ♦ 10 4 ♣ A Q 4

For Germany, Annaig Della Monta made a weak jump overcall of 3♥, which looks right for that West hand at this vulnerability, and Barbara Hackett raised to game over Gabriella Olivieri’s 4♦ call. Gianna Arrigoni made a forcing pass and Olivieri showed her spade support. At the prevailing vulnerability, it seems normal for East/West to think that they have done their bidding and should pass now, as they did.

Della Monta led her singleton diamond and was given her ruff and now switched to a club. That wasn’t good enough. Arrigoni could win the club and play a low spade. Della Monta won the king and played a second club but Arrigoni could win and draw trumps ending in dummy to run the diamonds; +420.

After ruffing at the second trick, Della Monta needs to play a heart, forcing dummy, and if declarer leads a club to the queen and a low spade towards the queen, go up with the king and lead another heart. Declarer cannot use the diamonds now and must fail.

Caterina Ferlazzo made a simple 2♥ overcall and Sabine Auken jumped to 5♦. Gabriella Manara was pushed into bidding at the five level and 5♥, of course, must fail on this lay-out. But Auken could not know that and, once Daniela von Arnim could not double 5♥, Auken felt that she had to take out some insurance by bidding 5♠, doubled by Ferlazzo.

There was potential for a substantial penalty if the best defence could be found but, once again, Ferlazzo led her singleton, collected the ruff, and switched to a club. Von Arnim won and played ace and another spade; down one for 100 and 11 IMPs to Italy.

Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul.
	♠ 9 4 2 ♥ K Q J 9 7 5 4 ♦ 5 4 3 ♣
♠ 8 7 ♥ 10 3 2 ♦ K 9 7 ♣ A Q 9 8 2		♠ A Q 5 3 ♥ A 8 ♦ 10 8 ♣ K 10 6 4 3
	♠ K J 10 6 ♥ 6 ♦ A Q J 6 2 ♣ J 7 5

It appears that the Italian North/South pair had a misunderstanding on this one. Clearly, Olivieri meant 3♥ to be natural, similar to a 3♥ opening, while Arrigoni took it as heart shortage with a diamond fit. When Arrigoni rebid 4♦, Olivieri, quite logically, expected a strong hand with long diamonds so, with three-card support and a decent hand in context, cuebid her club control. Hackett/Della Monta took full advantage of their opponents’ error, Hackett doubling 5♣ and that convinced Della Monta that she could afford to double 5♦.

Della Monta led the ace of clubs, ruffed. Arrigoni led the king of hearts to Hackett’s ace and Hackett found the best return of a trump. Arrigoni won the ace, ruffed a club, threw her last club on the ♥Q and played a spade, unblocking the jack under Hackett’s ace. Hackett led a club, forcing declarer to ruff, and Arrigoni played the ♦Q to the king, ruffed the club return and cashed the ♦J to draw the last trump. Hackett threw a spade on this trick so when Arrigoni now played king and another spade could win and lead a club; down three for 800.

Von Arnim opened 1♠ in her partnership’s canapé style and Auken responded 2♦, invitational plus in a major. With no interest facing hearts, von Arnim simply bid 2♥ and Auken had an easy pass. After a heart lead to the ace and diamond switch, von Arnim rose with the ace, crossed to dummy with a club ruff and pulled the outstanding trumps, coming to ten tricks for +170 and 14 IMPs to Germany.

Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	♠ 5 3 ♥ J 5 4 ♦ 9 7 6 5 3 ♣ Q J 7
♠ 10 6 2 ♥ A 10 9 8 6 ♦ K 2 ♣ A 9 3		♠ A Q 9 8 4 ♥ K Q 2 ♦ 4 ♣ K 8 4 2
	♠ K J 7 ♥ 7 3 ♦ A Q J 10 8 ♣ 10 6 5

Arrigoni overcalled 2♦ it isn’t much of a hand with 11 HCP and a 3-2-5-3 shape, but the suit is good and many players would agree with her decision. Della Monta showed a constructive spade raise and Olivieri took an advance save in 5♦. Though she had almost nothing, she did have five-card diamond support and probably thought that it would be difficult for her opponents to double with their short diamond holdings. She was mistaken, as Hackett judged well to double despite her singleton diamond, ending the auction.

Della Monta led the two of spades. Hackett won the ace and switched to the king of hearts then the ♣2. Della Monta won the ace and switched back to hearts, playing ace and another. Though declarer could ruff that, there was still a diamond and a club to be lost; down for for a second 800 in three boards.

Von Arnim did not overcall. Ferlazzo showed an at least invitational hand with three-card spade support and Manara jumped to game.

Four Spades can be beaten but that requires that the defence lead clubs early, so it is also easy to let it through. However, von Arnim got the defence right, starting with the six of clubs, Polish style. Manara won the ace of clubs and ran the ten of spades to the jack. Von Arnim continued with a second club to Manara’s king. She cashed the ace of spades then played three rounds of hearts, hoping to get her diamond away. No luck von Arnim ruffed the third heart, cashed the ace of diamonds and led a club to Auken; down one for 100 and 14 IMPs to Germany.

Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
	♠ Q 8 7 3 ♥ Q 8 ♦ 4 2 ♣ Q J 8 6 4
♠ A 2 ♥ J 6 5 ♦ A K 9 3 ♣ A K 9 7		♠ J 9 ♥ A K 10 9 4 3 ♦ 10 7 5 ♣ 10 3
	♠ K 10 6 5 4 ♥ 7 2 ♦ Q J 8 6 ♣ 5 2

Opening style played a part in this one. Manara opened with a multi 2♦ and showed a minimum with hearts in response to the 2NT asking bid. Ferlazzo had an automatic 4♥ bid now. Auken led the queen of clubs. Ferlazzo won, drew trumps and gave up a club, establishing two discards for the spade and diamond losers; 12 tricks for +680.

Hackett opened with a natural weak two bid then showed a maximum with a good suit. Della Monta made the mildly aggressive decision to ask for key cards then, on finding two but no trump queen, to bid the small slam. The contract would have been far better had the maximum contained a minor-suit queen, but it was still playable. You will read elsewhere about the play options on a neutral lead, but Hackett’s job was made easier by Arrigoni’s choice of the jack of diamonds. Hackett had an easy time coming to 12 tricks for +1430 and 13 IMPs to Germany.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	♠ 9 6 3 ♥ K Q 9 8 5 4 ♦ K 9 8 ♣ 5
♠ J ♥ A 10 7 3 2 ♦ 10 7 6 5 2 ♣ Q 2		♠ Q 10 8 7 5 4 ♥ ♦ Q J ♣ A K J 9 7
	♠ A K 2 ♥ J 6 ♦ A 4 3 ♣ 10 8 6 4 3

Things were looking bleak for Italy but this deal gave them a little respite from the battering.

Both Wests overcalled 1♥ and I wonder how many did so across the three championships and how many preferred to pass. It looks like the sort of hand where I might bid one day and pass the next, depending on my mood. Both Easts responded 1♠, but that was where things changed.

Ferlazzo was facing a non-forcing 1♠ bid so, while not thrilled with spades, passed to avoid giving partner the idea that she had a better hand. One Spade made exactly for +80.

Hackett’s 1♠ response was forcing so Della Monta naturally showed her second suit. Now I think Hackett did too much on what looked to be a misfit. Her sequence of 3♣ followed by 3♠ effectively forced to game and Della Monta clearly took it that way as she raised 3♠ to 4♠. Now Olivieri doubled on her undisclosed eight-count and heart stack.

Arrigoni led a club. That gave Hackett a moment’s hope, as she could win the queen and get rid of a diamond loser on the ace of hearts before playing the ♠J. But that hope was swiftly dashed as Arrigoni gave her partner a club ruff, got back in with the ace of diamonds and gave a second ruff. There was still a second trump to be lost so the contract was down two for 300 and 9 IMPs to Italy.

Board 16. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
	♠ 7 3 ♥ K J 7 4 ♦ A K Q 7 4 3 ♣ 2
♠ K Q J 8 4 2 ♥ Q 10 ♦ 10 8 6 ♣ 10 6		♠ A 10 9 5 ♥ A 8 3 ♦ J 2 ♣ J 8 7 5
	♠ 6 ♥ 9 6 5 2 ♦ 9 5 ♣ A K Q 9 4 3

If Board 15 was good news for Italy, the final deal featured a great team effort from the Germans. First, Della Monta opened a natural weak 2♠ and Hackett jumped to game over Olivieri’s overcall, giving Arrigoni a tough problem against vulnerable opponents who must be assumed to expect to not go many down. Arrigoni solved this by bidding her strong six-card suit.

Della Monta led the king of spades. Hackett knew what to do so made certain by overtaking with the ace and cashing the ace of hearts before reverting to spades. Arrigoni ruffed and cashed the top clubs but found that there was a loser there; down one for 50.

At the other table, Ferlazzo opened with a multi and now Manara could not pre-empt in the same way on the East hand. Auken overcalled 3♦ and Manara passed. That gave von Arnim the opportunity to make the truly inspired bid of 3♥, which suited Auken very nicely as she raised to game. Von Arnim must have awaited the appearance of dummy with some trepidation might the raise be on only honour-to-three hearts? No, that was a very nice dummy, thank you very much partner.

Ferlazzo led the king then queen of spades, ruffed, and von Arnim led a heart to the ten and jack. Manara ducked and von Arnim continued with a low heart off the dummy. Manara took her ace this time and must have been surprised to see partner follow with the queen. No matter, it was only the overtrick. Von Arnim had 11 tricks now for +450 and 11 IMPs to Germany. They won the match by 57-21 IMPs, 23-7 VPs. That moved Germany up to seventh and dropped Italy to eighth with six rounds of qualifying to go.