The new European Schools Champions from Italy won in style. Here is one example of their fearless slam bidding:

Board 9. Dealer North. EW Game ª J 4 © 9 4 3 ¨ A J 8 5 4 2 § 9 8 ª A 9 8 5 3 ª 10 © A K Q J 8 © 6 2 ¨ — ¨ K 10 7 6 3 § K Q 5 § A 7 6 4 2 ª K Q 7 6 2 © 10 7 5 ¨ Q 9 § J 10 3 Closed Room West North East South di Bello Drijver Guariglia Vreswijk 3¨! Pass Pass 4¨ Pass 5§ Pass 5¨ Pass 5© Pass 5ª Pass 5NT Pass 6§ All Pass

Forio Di Bello & Ruggero Guariglia solved the problems presented by North's unorthodox pre-empt. When West bid 5¨ East was forced to select his better major, but when West moved on with 5ª, East knew his partner had the potential for higher things so he used 5NT as "pick a slam". With the trumps 3-2 East was able to ruff one diamond as his twelfth trick.

From the Juniors I choose two hands. First, a defence by Paolo Marino & Daniele Pagani:

Board 9. Dealer North. EW Game ª K Q 7 5 © J 9 2 ¨ J 2 § J 10 8 5 ª A J 9 8 4 3 ª 10 © 4 © Q 10 6 5 ¨ 10 8 6 ¨ A K Q 5 3 § A Q 7 § 6 4 3 ª 6 2 © A K 8 7 3 ¨ 9 7 4 § K 9 2 West North East South Pagani Marino Pass 1¨ 1© 1ª 2© Pass Pass 3ª Pass 3NT All Pass

South, Marino, led ©A against East's Three No-trumps. Declarer has eight top tricks with five diamonds, two clubs and one spade. If the defence let him have a heart trick game is easy. If they switch to anything but a club declarer has time to set up a spade trick, losing only two spades and two hearts. But Marino did find the club switch. Declarer finessed, came to hand with a diamond, and ran the ten of spades. North won and played another club to sink the game. Declarer tried ªA to see if an honour fell, then ran the rest of the diamonds and had to concede one off.

For our second offering, a well-bid slam by Mallardi and d'Avossa.

Board 15. Dealer West. NS Game ª J 8 7 3 © 7 2 ¨ 10 9 7 5 2 § K J ª K ª A Q 6 © A 8 5 3 © K 10 9 6 ¨ 6 4 3 ¨ A § A Q 8 7 4 § 10 9 5 3 2 ª 10 9 5 4 2 © Q J 4 ¨ K Q J 8 § 6

Only four pairs bid these cards to Six Clubs. This proves easy, as the losing hearts go away on the spades and you lose only a club. Six Hearts fails as it depends on picking up both the heart sna dthe clubs for only one loser.

Matteo Mallardi (West) and Mario d'Avossa bid using the Garozzo-style approach to slam:

The bids mean:

1§ Natural
2§ Natural and game-forcing
2© 5§ + 4©, 11-21 HCP
2ª Relay;
3§ 11-14 HCP
3¨ Relay;
Pass Redble Relay;
3NT 3¨ +1ª
4§ Setting trumps;
4© cue-bid
4NT RKCB;
5ª 2 of 5 keys + §Q

Editors: The Schools pair from Yugoslavia, using the "Wandering Club System" developed by16 year old Nikola Maksimovic, also reached the top spot with a relay auction which would have won our Best Bid prize had East not mis-responded to one of the relays.

Maksimovic (West) and Milan Deljanin bid unopposed:

1§-3§-3¨-3ª-3NT-4¨-4©-6§-Pass
1§ Other suit openings are all natural with good 5 card suits, and 1NT is 15-17, with 1§ covering other 1-level openings and the strong hands (similar to Polish Club).
3§ Natural, 5 card suit, game values or better
3¨ Relay, asking for aces;
3ª 1 ace!

Unlucky, as had he correctly shown two, they would still have reached Six Clubs.

3NT Relay, for shortage;
4¨ singleton
4© Relay for kings;
4NT 1 king
6§ Maksimovic was surprised partner had only one ace and one king given his original response, but could visualise losing hearts going away on good spades.