The Israelis played perhaps the best bridge we have seen on vugraph so far. Asaf Amit and Yaniv Zack did virtually nothing wrong throughout the whole match.

After four boards Canada 1 held a 2-IMP lead after bidding a good slam in the Closed Room. Thereafter they got, and were given, nothing at all.

Board 5 saw a slightly cautious auction by Eran Shaham pay huge dividends.

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

After both Norths opened 1ª, the Easts had to decide how much to bid. Darren Wolpert bid 5¨, Amit reopened with a double, and Zack tried 5ª. On the ¨A lead Wolpert decided (correctly in my opinion) to play partner for just the ©A rather than either a lot of clubs or a slow club trick and a major suit winner. He shifted to his heart, and that was minus 650.

Shaham bid only 4¨ at his first turn. Michael Nadler bid 4ª and Amir Levin bid 5§ as a lead director. Now 5ª was easily one down (a save over 5¨ which might have made?)

Board 6 saw another big pickup for Israel. It hinged on the handling of the South cards after a 1ª opening by East.

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

Nadler bid 2¨ and then sold out to 4ª at his next turn rather than make a very aggressive double (his partner appeared to be marked with a yarborough). Shaham by contrast doubled 1ª, and when Ben Zeidenberg jumped to 3§ to show a limit raise, Amit doubled. That persuaded Zack to save in 5¨. While 5ª makes, one can hardly blame Wolpert for selling out to 5¨.

Then Zeidenberg-Wolpert had an especially painful loss.

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

4© is poor, but it makes. The Israeli E/W stopped sensibly in 3©, so Canada had a chance to gain 10 IMPs. Alas, for they bid 1§ - 1© - 1NT - 2§ - 2¨ - 2NT - 3NT. This contract had no play on a spade lead - 7 IMPs away instead of 10 in.

It got worse on the next deal.

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

Both tables played high-level spade contracts after West preempted in clubs and East upped the ante. Slam for N/S must be good - it has 12 chances in 13! Only a heart lead beats the slam In fact that opening lead beat 5ª, the contract declared by Nadler. Zeidenberg and Levin both led a top club - minus 980 and minus 480 respectively.

Amit paid Zeidenberg the ultimate compliment on Board 10.

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

Amit played 2ª as North after a Multi 2¨ auction. He got a heart lead and won in hand to lead a spade to the 9, 10 and queen. Zeidenberg thoughtfully shifted to a low club. Amit put in the jack, reasoning that with §10-x Zeidenberg would have played the 10.

Israel continued to play virtually flawless bridge. Consider Board 17 where another potential Canada gain vanished into the night.

Board 17. Dealer North. Love All ª J 10 6 © 9 5 ¨ A Q 10 6 5 § 4 3 2 ª A 3 2 ª K Q 9 7 © Q J 10 7 3 © K 2 ¨ K 8 7 2 ¨ 9 3 § 9 § A Q J 8 5 ª 8 5 4 © A 8 6 4 ¨ J 4 § K 10 7 6

Israel bid to 1NT when Shaham-Levin tried 1§ - 1© - 1ª - 1NT. Shaham quite reasonably passed. In the identical position Wolpert tried 2NT as East, since his team needed a swing. Zeidenberg raised to game. The diamond lead to the jack gave Zeidenberg the chance for an excellent play - and he took it, ducking the jack. Back came a diamond, and Amit cashed his diamond winners. He trusted his partner's signal when he shifted to a club. Well done, everyone - one down and 5 IMPs to Israel instead of 7 the other way.

The set ended as it started, with Amit guessing a K-J combination to wrap an unlikely doubled game. Israel earned a well-deserved maximum (with something to spare!)