Brazil got off to a fast start by making a diamond game at one table and defeating a spade game at the other.

Board 1. Dealer North. Love All ª A Q 9 8 7 5 © 8 3 2 ¨ A § A 5 3 ª 10 2 ª K J 6 © A K J 10 9 7 5 © Q 6 ¨ J 6 ¨ 7 4 2 § 10 4 § Q 8 7 6 2 ª 4 3 © 4 ¨ K Q 10 9 7 5 3 § K J 9

With both spade honors offside, David Grainger had to lose two spades and a heart off the top. He received a heart lead and a trump return where he won the trump ace and ruffed one of his heart losers. Then he unblocked diamonds and used the §K as an entry. But after pitching a heart on a good diamond, he saw West ruff the next diamond. He overruffed but had to lose a club for down one. If he unblocked the diamond ace before ruffing the heart or if he had finessed in clubs, he would have made his game.

Ben Zeidenberg started with the ©K, then switched to a club, ending all of Jose Barros' problems. It didn't matter, of course - the club finesse was always going to work. Brazil earned 10 IMPs. A double severely backfired on Board 2 in the Open Room.

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

The Canadians climbed to 5§ and scored it up easily. But this was the auction in the Open Room.

Zeidenberg of course had four sure diamond tricks - but he wasn't on lead. Wolpert guessed to lead a heart, and Paolo Barros quickly ran his 11 top tricks for plus 1150 and a 11-IMP gain. After two boards, Brazil led, 21-0.

(Note: This board was turned 180 degrees in the Open Room, which is why the order of names is different from the order listed in the rest of this article.)

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

Grainger led the ¨J to the ace, and Brenner led a spade to the jack. A heart finesse worked, and she drove out the ªA. The §K was allowed to hold, and North was forced to shift, choosing to play a heart. Brenner cashed her hearts and the ªQ. When she then led a diamond, North could win and cash a spade, but had to lead a diamond to give Brenner her game-going tricks with the ¨Q and the §A.

At the other table the auction was the same through 3§, but Zeidenberg passed and Canada had to settle for plus 110 and a 10-IMP loss. The situation was reversed on the next board, with Canada I bidding and making a game while Brazil settled in a partscore.

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

With the diamonds running and with an extra trick coming from the heart opening lead, Zeidenberg chalked up plus 630.

Brenner certainly felt she had done all she could with her 2NT bid. Pacheco, not happy about his singleton spade, tried to steer the contract into a suit, but his diamond suit should have given him more confidence. The contract was made but Brazil lost the 10 IMPs it had gained on the previous board. There was quite a disagreement on valuation on the next deal.

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

With good controls and fine spade support, Brenner leaped directly to game. Grainger, looking at some defensive values, decided to go for the maximum and doubled. After winning the opening heart lead with the queen, Grainger led a club to dummy's ace. Pacheco crossed to his hand with a heart ruff and led a trump, forcing the ace from South. The Canadians pumped declarer at every opportunity, but Pacheco lost only a heart, a club and a trump - plus 790.

The Canadians found the right strain but the wrong level. They actually took 11 tricks, but that still was a loss of 11 IMPs. Grainger made an excellent discard on Board 10, but it went for naught when his partner failed to cooperate.

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

Brenner declared the hand in 1NT and Grainger started with the ©K. He switched to a diamond that went to the king and ace. Brenner cashed her four spade tricks and led a club. Michael Nadler rose with the king and fired back a heart. Brenner took her ace and led another club. At this point Grainger was down to the good ©Q and the Q-10-9-7 of diamonds. To make sure his partner wouldn't lead a heart - if he had one - Grainger pitched his good heart. He didn't want to win a heart return and be forced to give up a diamond to declarer if she had the jack.

Nadler won his §A and led a diamond. Grainger won the 9 and cashed the queen - but Nadler failed to unblock. So Nadler had to win the next diamond and give Brenner a club trick for her seventh trick and plus 90. At the other table, Canada played in 1ª, making with an overtrick.

Not too unnaturally, Canada stopped in 1NT on Board 14.

Board 14. Dealer E. Love All ª 10 8 6 © K Q J 5 ¨ 8 5 § J 8 6 5 ª J 9 5 ª K Q 3 2 © 9 8 6 3 © 10 4 ¨ J 7 3 2 ¨ K Q 9 4 § A 2 § 10 9 4 ª A 7 4 © A 7 2 ¨ A 10 6 § K Q 7 3

Nadler opened 1NT in the Closed Room, and Grainger of course passed. After a heart opening lead, Nadler collected nine tricks. But the auction took an altogether different turn in the Open Room.

Once again the opening lead was a heart, giving Jose Barros time to set up clubs before the defense could go after either diamonds or spades. Even a diamond or spade lead would not beat the contract because only a club plus three spades or three diamonds are available to the defense with both suits splitting evenly. 6 IMPs to Brazil.

The last six boards generated very little action, so Brazil wound up with a strong 21-9 victory.