Bermuda Bowl 2003

The 2003 Bermuda Bowl, the biennial world teams champion, started on November 2nd and played itself to a conclusion last Saturday. Twenty two teams started in the round robin that qualified the top eight for the knock out stages, then four and finally two. To borrow a cliché we're hearing elsewhere, the organisers got the final they wanted. Italy the undisputed European champions would face the top team from the USA. The match was 128 deals, but the North Americans started with an advantage if 13 IMPS, courtesy of their victory by three times that margin in the qualifying stage (which didn't stop the Italians winning).

The Italians were ahead early but faltered and slipped well behind as boards ran out. Then they started to play, gradually pegging back the Americans. With much still to do in the last set, the most experienced pair in the US seemed to crack and amazingly, the Europeans overhauled them and pulled in front. Two deals to go they were 21 up but there were two poor results to come. The first reduced the margin to 11 when deal 128 was put on the table.

EW Vul.
Dealer West
  • 2
  • AJ93
  • KQ109865
  • 5
  • J10
  • 542
  • A7
  • K107642
N
W
E
S
  • A6543
  • KQ1086
  • 42
  • A
  • KQ987
  • 7
  • J3
  • QJ983
West
North
East
South
Hamman
Lauria
Soloway
Versace
Pass
1
2
X
2
3
Pass
Pass
3
5
X
All Pass

In the other room, the auction had been similar up to 3♥ except that Jeff Meckstroth as South did not double and North now gave up. East thought his partner must have something and tried for game. This was no success and 4♥ was down four for +400 to US. Presumably Lauria thought he could see enough of the likely layout to also attempt game. Soloway led the club ace and switched to a top heart.

With no play for his contract, it was a case of damage limitation; down two would be another 300 for the US and 12IMPs – and the world championship. Down one would be a tie. Lauria could have put the defence under a lot of pressure by playing a spade but he adopted a straightforward line; heart ruff, club ruff, heart ruff and the spade king. Dummy was out of trumps and North still had a losing heart, the nine, after trying to pin the ten in West. East could cash the master ten of hearts and win the Bermuda bowl. Instead he played a spade. But North, no doubt expecting the heart winner, discarded a spade, the seven spot, East followed with the ten and now he realised what had happened.

The director was called and ruled the card played and this ruling was upheld in appeal. What was North doing touching the cards as opposed to calling them? Versace had left the table. The USA had won the Bermuda Bowl by a single IMP.

Published Saturday 22.Nov.2003