Estoril

The World Championships are with us again. On a two year cycle, they seem to come around with undue haste. It is the long-match teams championships that are currently happening in Estoril, Portugal. The open championship is the Bermuda Bowl and the women's the Venice Cup, the trophies with the longest playing history.

The Italian team who have dominated world and European events in recent years but have yet to win a Bermuda bowl are once again the favourites. But there are two USA teams, including the holders, who have perennially thwarted them, again very keen to see that run continue. As I write the quarter-finals have just finished and it will be Italy against Sweden in one semi-final, the two USA teams in the other. In the Venice cup Germany play the Netherlands and France takes on USA1. British interest faded when the English women lost to Germany in the quarters. The English men had an up and down time, getting within touching distance if the eighth place necessary to progress to the knock-outs but unable to repeat the finishing burst that saw them qualify from the Europeans.

In the Bermuda Bowl Italy looked in great form early on and the defending USA team less so. But as the event has progressed, the Americans look stronger and stronger – it seems ominously familiar for the Europeans. Here is an example of that early showing by the Italians, from round three.

  • AK8532
  • 2
  • AK85
  • 43
  • Q97
  • AJ654
  • J10
  • K85
N
W
E
S
  • 10
  • Q109
  • Q7642
  • Q976
  • J64
  • K873
  • 93
  • AJ102

Both Dutch and Italian norths declared 4♠ and both received the ♥10 lead. When that passed round, both followed with the queen, ruffed by North for a club towards the ace-ten. Verhees played low as East, Lauria rose with the queen. The result of this latter play was that the Dutch declarer now had to play extremely accurately to make his game (cashing a trump and both top diamonds before he played another club). At the other table, when the ten forced the king, North had a much easier time and even succeeded in end-playing West rather than take the club finesse again. When the Dutchman didn't negotiate his play problem, that was 10 IMPs to Italy.

As you read this, the closing stages of the final will be about to start. Follow the results (and collect the excellent bulletins) from http://www.worldbridge1.org/tourn/Estoril.05/Estoril.htm or watch the play, live on-line, at http://online.bridgebase.com/

Published Saturday 5.Nov.2005