Benito Garozzo Tells Us an End Play

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    The 1976 Olympiads. The Italian team (the “BLUE TEAM”) of Messrs. Belladonna, Garozzo, Forquet, d’Alelio and Vivaldi, captained by Mr. Perroux, pose with the Chairman of the Monaco Bridge Federation, Mr. Pierre Crovetto and Messrs. Bathélemy Gastaldi and Michel Guglielmi.
    The 1976 Olympiads. The Italian team (the “BLUE TEAM”) of Messrs. Belladonna, Garozzo, Forquet, d’Alelio and Vivaldi, captained by Mr. Perroux, pose with the Chairman of the Monaco Bridge Federation, Mr. Pierre Crovetto and Messrs. Bathélemy Gastaldi and Michel Guglielmi.
    Arturo Franco
    Arturo Franco

    Video: B.Garozzo 6th European Open Bridge Championships;  Ostend, Belgium • 15 – 29 June 2013 By Fribourg2012

    CsbNews note from Wikipedia: The Blue Team (Italian: «Squadra azzurra«) represented Italy in international contract bridge tournaments, winning sixteen world titles from 1957 through 1975. From 1964 to 1969 and during a 1972 comeback, the team comprised three regular pairs: Walter Avarelli–Giorgio Belladonna,Pietro Forquet–Benito Garozzo, and Massimo D’Alelio–Camillo Pabis Ticci. Eugenio Chiaradia and Guglielmo Siniscalco played in early years; Dano De Falco, Arturo Franco, and Vito Pittalà in late years. The spiritual father, long-time coach, and non-playing captain through 1966 was Carl’Alberto Perroux.

    Blue team 1975
    Blue team 1975
    Source: www.scuolabridgemultimediale.it

    32nd European Bridge Championships 1975, Brighton

    Wednesday, July 16 1975

    This was Board 31 of the match between Italy and Belgium , and I think you will agree that with Arturo Franco in the driving seat the hand was complete handled. (He has been made South for convenience).

     

    A Q 7
    Q 4 3
    10 4 2
    J 7 3 2

    10 9 3 2
    10 8 5
    A 9 6
    10 6 4

     

    K J 4
    9 7 6 2
    J 8 7 5
    A Q

     

    8 6 5
    A K J
    K Q 3
    K 9 8 5

    South West North East
    1NT Pass 2 Pass
    2 Pass 2NT Pass
    3NT The End    
           

    West led a low spade which was allowed to run to East’s J, and East returned a heart won by North’s Q. A low club went to the queen and King, and the 8 was taken by the A.

    East exited with another heart and franco entered dummy with the J (East discarded a heart) in order to lead a diamond to the Q and A.

    A second spade lead came from West and Franco showed his quality going up with the A, cashing the last club, exiting with a spade to force East to lead away from his J to the 10 on the table. Franco thus made one spade, three hearts, two diamonds, three clubs and his contract.

    In the other room the final contract was 2NT , just made.