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September 16,  2019 On Monday, 16 September, the most watched match in BBO (Round 5) was Sweden-Italy, so I decided to stay there and see what happened. Sweden was in the lead all the match but in the last boards Italy could narrow the difference to lose by only a few IMPs. These were some boards that made the difference. Board 1 (RR, Round 5)
Both tables arrived to the same contract, four hearts. Both declarers received the same lead: club suit10 and both declarers played the club suitA watching West playing hisclub suitK. Bocchi continued with a heart to his king, and a small heart, and when East played a club he let Rimstedheart suitQ win the trick. The diamond return was won with declarer king, two trump rounds and a diamond from dummy, helped declarer to claim his contract. At the other table, East won a trick while his partner still had a trump and a club ruff defeated the contract. 10 IMPs for Italy. Board 3 (RR, Round 5)
The Rimsted brothers chose to play 3NT, declarer received the Diamond Suit10 lead and was able to make 10 easy tricks losing only two hearts and a club. At the other table Versace -Lauria played 4Spade Suit, and received a club killing lead. Upmark won the lead with his ace and returned a heart to his partner’s heart suitQ. Nystrom cashed the heart ace, and played a third heart, his partner ruffed and one down. 12 IMPs for Sweden. Board 5 (RR, Round 5)
A Versace -Lauria bidding misunderstood gave 12 IMPs to Sweden. Board 10 (RR, Round 5)
Rimsted x 2 arrived and made the spade game, while Versace -Lauria only played a spade partscore. Bocchi led the heart suitK, continued with his second heart, Sementa won with his ace and played a third heart. Declarer chose to get rid of a club loser and North ruffed. The diamond return was won with the queen, to continue to a club to dummy’s ace. When declarer played the trump queen, the italians gave up. At the other table Italy also made 10 tricks, but had to pay the partscore, losing 10 IMPs. Board 14 (RR, Round 5)
Both tables arrived to the same 3NT contract. Sementa led a club and sealed the fate of the contract, one down, as declarer had to lose two clubs, two spades and two diamonds. At the other table Upmark chose a spade lead, and declarer was able to develop his 9 tricks with no club danger. 11 IMPs for Italy. Board 15 (RR, Round 5)
The Rimsted brothers couldn’t stop before slam. The diamond lead developed a trick for the defense, and declarer ended one down.
Alfredo Versace Wuhan 2019
At the other table the italian played a heart game and received 11 IMPs, for their decision. These were the bidding explanations in BBO: 1club suit=2+ 2club suit = a) weak 6heart suit/Spade Suit b) 5+heart suit/Spade Suit INV+ 2Spade Suit pass/correct (invitational if heart suit) 3club suit = 3 heart suit cards Finally the match ended Sweden 40 –  Italy 36 …a good recovery by Italy

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