History of Bridge: Italian Blue Team Most Famous Slam

[@thebridgemasters7296]

To access the free bridge course I have prepared, please send an email to [e-mail] with the subject "Bridge Course for Beginners." I will provide you with all the details.

[@timothybolshaw]

I have a strong memory of this from the time when I was a very keen player myself. Perhaps, the most interesting point about this famous hand is that the contract might have gone down (and the Americans won that year's Bermuda Bowl) if West had smoothly contributed the club king on the first round of the suit. If the king is a true card (East holding 10754) the contract can potentially still be made by means of a trump coup. At this level, West should perhaps have found this "mandatory" false card which can never lose. Would Belladonna have been fooled? We will never know. If Belladonna had great respect for West, perhaps he would still get the hand right.

[@thebridgemasters7296]

Most probably Kantar was shocked by the dummy and could not think about false carding

[@dancle167]

@@thebridgemasters7296 Kantar has an account of the hand in his writings.

[@cerievans4099]

I played two hands against Belladonna in a morning side-game at the Chicago Nationals in 1971. He and I were both earning some money. His partner was Jaqueline du Pont of the chemicals family nothing untoward happened.. I played a match against Garozzo - de Falco, Lauria - Mosca, Duboin - Vivaldi, in 1983. We lost by 8 imps. Pietro Forquet used to earn some money playing pairs with Omar Sharif in London events. I played them several times. I also remember Tim Bolshaw.

[@timothybolshaw]

Hi Ceri! I also have fond memories of our games together from about 50 years ago. After we lost touch, during the late 1970s and early 1980s, I played against most of the top Italian players (and Omar Sharif) in tournaments in France and the US. Sadly, work got in the way, and I never played seriously after about 1983 or so.

[@michaelkammermeier179]

More important is how Belladonna would have played(Trump Coup) Hecwas asked what would have happened if Kantar played the K of Clubs first Trump Trick „The US would be world Champions now!

[@harrisbobroff9813]

I have a friend who played with Belladonna in a house game ..

[@williamthurl2607]

A sensible auction identifies a missing key card ( CK ! ) and stops in 6C.

[@zuheyr1]

Thanks. Is there a book about that event?😊

[@thebridgemasters7296]

I don't think so. Newspapers of the time were debating about it. then bridge was very popular

[@4CardsMan]

No, but Bridge With the Blue Team by Pietro Forquet tells a lot.

[@BridgeEasy]

good hand! I remember the CK false card play, if west is Garozzo, he will play it

[@yangjumpshift]

Yes, but West was not Garozzo, but USA's player, Eddie Kanter, who can never forget this hand!! LOL

[@johnparinellojr.2035]

How did the rest of the hand play out??

[@malcolmdale9607]

It would be claimed as there are now 10 tricks on top.

[@johnparinellojr.2035]

@@malcolmdale9607 I didn’t see that thank you. I was under the impression there was still a chance for the defense to deliver the insult.

[@waynebuckland7879]

Im not saying the Blue team weren't great but this hand was disgusting. 6c is a push with wasted values in hearts. [swap AH for KC and QD] Of course we have all had hands go in our favour from time to time. My disgusting hand was making 4S with A1086 x A10xxxx xx opposite 954 AJxxx x KQ10x after my left hand opponent opened a 3c preempt and led the Ac followed by another club. questionable defense of course but still...

[@lanellmonreal2470]

This was great to watch but i didn't understand a word you said. I am an English language teacher. Try enunciating. Thanks.

[@malcolmdale9607]

I'm English and I understood every word.

[@williamthurl2607]

So lucky. Ordinary human beings would be happy to reach 6C: 1C-1H-1S-2D-3C-4NT-5H-6C - End !