bridge

August 31, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

bridge

East-West vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xK 3

uQ 7 5 4

vK Q J 6 3

w9 2

WEST EAST

x5 xA J 9 8 4

uA 10 8 6 2 uK 3

v10 5 v9 7 4 2

wJ 10 8 5 3 wK 6

SOUTH

xQ 10 7 6 2

uJ 9

vA 8

wA Q 7 4

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1x Pass 2v Pass

2x Pass 3u Pass

3NT Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Five of w

Going into the event, Italy, Poland and France were the three favorites in the recent Golden Jubilee European Championships in Ostend, Belgium. They shared the three major team titles — Italy won the Open Teams, Poland the Seniors and France the Women’s.

Italy had most of the luck in their first-round match against Iceland in the Open Teams. On the first board, they stayed out of a good slam defeated by foul breaks in every suit. This was the second board.

Italy was not shy in reaching three no trump on the auction shown. With West having no entry to the hearts and both the jack of spades and king of clubs sitting well, declarer collected five diamond tricks and two in each black suit.

In the other room Iceland, with a combined 23 high-points, stopped in two no trump and made eight tricks, spurning the spade finesse so as not to endanger the contract.

After two boards, Italy led by 15-0 matchpoints.

2010 Tribune Media Services