Vanderbilt 2016 – Final by Maurizio Di Sacco

Reno, March 20, 2016

LAVAZZA – CAYNE 2nd Quarter

Both teams changed line-up: for LAVAZZA, Duboin-Zia took over for Bianchedi-Madala, for CAYNE Sementa-Tokay replaced Lauria-Versace. The two fresh pairs faced each other in the Open Room, while Bocchi-Brenner and Cayne-Seamon resumed their battle in the Closed Room.

The second quarter was the opposite of the first: there a total of 96 IMP, evenly divided, had changed hands, with double-digit swings pouring over, here less than the half of those, with just one double-digit number, and for the rest mostly overtricks.

The first board was a notable push: both teams correctly judged to bid five hearts, vulnerable, over the opponents’ four-spades save (bidding five spades would have been worth 3 IMP, for three down, but also a violation of one the golden “Hamman rules”: the five level belongs to the opponents).

LAVAZZA drew the first blood in the next hand, thank to have played the same three no-trump from the right side, thus avoiding the heart lead, which kept Sementa to nine tricks, opposite Bocchi’s eleven. 2 IMP.

A different lead, once more against three no-trump, but this time from the same holding, gave 1 IMP back to CAYNE.

A dull board followed, the third three no-trump in a row, then LAVAZZA scored 3 IMP thank to an undertrick less in a vulnerable one no-trump.

The spectators were yawning, when finally some action woke them up.

Board 21 Dealer North. NS Vul.

	8 6  Q 7  8 4 3 2  8 6 5 4 3
A K J 7  8 4 3 2  10 9  A 9 7		Q 10 9 3  A J 10 6  Q J 7  J 2
	5 4 2  K 9 5  A K 6 5  K Q 10

Open Room:

Closed Room:

West	North	East	South
Brenner	Cayne	Bocchi	Seamon
	Pass	11	1NT
Dbl	Rdbl	Pass	2
Dbl	End

Zia could avoid ending up two down, while in the other room two clubs proved to be unbeatable, and CAYNE recorded 9 IMP, and took the lead after long time.

Another dull board followed (four spades), then LAVAZZA got back into the lead thank to the only major swing of the quarter, a lead which never gave back.

Board 23 Dealer South. All Vul.

	Q 4 3 2  7 4  7  A K J 10 7 6
K J 10  10 9 3 2  Q 7 5  Q 5 4		8 7  A Q J 6  A K 9 8 3  8 2
	A 9 6 5  K 8 5  J 10 6 2  9 3

Open Room:

West	North	East	South
Sementa	Duboin	Tokay	Zia
Pass	1	1	1
2	2	Dbl	Pass
2NT	Pass	3NT	Dbl
End

Closed Room:

West	North	East	South
Brenner	Cayne	Bocchi	Seamon
Pass	Pass	1	Pass
1	2	3	End

After Cayne’s decision to go conservative and not to open with North’s cards, the auction timed very differently in the two rooms. Sementa-Tokay mildly overbid, and were heavily punished by the very unfriendly layout (which, first of all, is what convinced Zia to double the final contract). In the other room, Brenner could have made his contract, refusing to finesse in hearts, but he took a different view and ended up down one. Still, LAVAZZA lost 100 in one room and collected 800 in the other for a gain of 12 IMP.

CAYNE scored two consecutive single overtricks in two otherwise dull boards, closing to within 5 IMP, then LAVAZZA got 6 IMP when Cayne-Seamon went overboard going one down in an impossible four hearts.

The following board gave CAYNE just 1 IMP, but it is worth a look.

Board 27 Dealer South. None Vul.

	Q J 10 4  9 6  A J 10 7 6  5 2
K 9 8 3 2  A K 8 4  3  8 4 3		7  Q 10 7 2  K Q 5  K Q J 9 6
	A 6 5  J 5 3  9 8 4 2  A 10 7

Open Room:

West	North	East	South
Sementa	Duboin	Tokay	Zia
			Pass
Pass	1	Pass	1NT
Dbl	2	Dbl	2
Dbl	3	3	End

Closed Room:

West	North	East	South
Brenner	Cayne	Bocchi	Seamon
			Pass
Pass	Pass	11	Pass
12	Pass	2	Pass
2	Pass	2NT	Pass
4	End

Both teams lost the chance for a midium-size swing here, missing a decent game. Duboin’s classic third-in-hand opening bid messed up the situation for Sementa-Toaky: Tokay last call looks entirely reasonable facinf a passed.hand partner and with (presumably) wasted values in diamonds. In the pther room, Bocchi-Brenne were given free reins, but nevertheless were not able to find the heart fit. Both contracts produced ten tricks.

The next hand gave LAVAZZA the last valuable swing of the segment, thank to a gadget used by Duboin-Zia: after his LHO one no-trump opening bid, which came to him, Zia was able to show clubs and another and bought the contract in two clubs, where he scored 110. 1NT was passed out in the other room, and also made, for 5 IMP.

CAYNE ended the quarter with two small gains: 1 IMP for an ovetrick in a not so easy-to-bid six clubs, then 3 IMP thank to three ovetriks in an no-trump partial (2NT+2 Sementa, and 1NT just made for Brenner).

LAVAZZA won the set 28-17, and led 76-65 overall on the half-way mark.