After a quiet first deal Hong Kong exploded into action with three great swings in the next six deals.

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

Both tables played 6ª. Ngai Yau, the Hong Kong declarer made 12 tricks easily enough. For Canada Josh Heller got a diamond lead. He won the ace, pitching a club, and played the ªK. If this is ducked he has a legitimate problem. When West, Chi Keung Poon, won and played back a spade, Josh could have made 12 tricks by ruffing a club at once. When he drew the last trump, the 5-1 club split took him down. He can rescue via a double squeeze though. Since East has to pitch diamonds on the second and third trumps, the double squeeze develops with hearts as the pivot suit.

Another 16 IMPs appeared on the next deal.

Board 3. Dealer South. EW Game ª Q 9 5 4 3 © — ¨ 9 7 5 § J 8 6 4 2 ª K 7 2 ª A J 10 © A © K 8 7 5 4 3 ¨ A K J 10 6 ¨ Q 3 2 § A K 5 3 § Q ª 8 6 © Q J 10 9 6 2 ¨ 8 4 § 10 9 7

After Yau had opened a feeble Multi 2¨, E/W stopped to double 2© and collected only 800 (1100 is available). The Hong Kong pair had an Acol 2¨ available, so the bidding went 2¨ - 2©, 3§ - 3¨, 4NT - 5§ (one control), 5© (¨Q) - 6© (©K and ¨Q), 6ª - 6NT, 7§ - 7¨. On a spade lead 13 tricks were easy, but not all opening leads facilitate declarer's task.

The Danish declarer in another match got a trump lead. He made the slight mistake of drawing two rounds, unblocking clubs, then had to cross over to the ©A. One down!

Three boards later Heller was faced with this problem as South:

This was the hand:

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

He ran to 5¨, expecting short hearts and extras, not a semi-balanced hand. That's not what he found, so he went for 1100. Meanwhile in the other room 4© by East lost the ªA, a spade ruff, a club to the ace and a spade ruff with the ©9 for one down. Essentially that was the match. Hong Kong already had nearly enough for a maximum win, and the bridge after that got rather sloppy from Canada. The exchanges slightly favored Hong Kong, and it was only an unlucky slam by Hong Kong (two finesses wrong and a 4-1 trump break) that enabled Canada 2 to recover for a 25-4 loss.