Denmark started with a partscore swing on Board 18.

Board 18. Dealer East. NS Game ª 10 9 7 5 3 © 3 ¨ 10 6 4 § A J 4 3 ª K Q J 6 ª A 8 2 © 7 4 © K 6 2 ¨ K Q 5 ¨ A 7 3 2 § K 8 6 2 § 9 7 5 ª 4 © A Q J 10 9 8 5 ¨ J 9 8 § Q 10

Joel Wooldridge-Tom Carmichael declared 3© doubled by North on a transfer-preempt auction. This was beaten one trick. Chris Willenken declared 3NT as East. A heart lead would make things easy, but Kaspar Konow led a spade. Declarer probably cannot succeed double dummy, but he can come close. (Best is to cash four diamonds and two spades, then lead a club toward the king.) Willenken cashed all the spades and diamonds and Konow erred by baring the §Q. Now if Willenken leads a club and ducks the queen, he makes. But he covered the queen with the king and went down.

Good news was scarce for Denmark thereafter as USA 2 put together a strong run. This board highlighted the weakness of a four-point 1NT range.

Board 22. Dealer East. EW Game ª K Q J 8 3 © K J 5 2 ¨ K 7 § 9 3 ª A 7 5 2 ª 9 4 © A Q 8 © 9 3 ¨ Q 9 4 ¨ A 8 5 3 § K 10 8 § A Q 6 5 4 ª 10 6 © 10 7 6 4 ¨ J 10 6 2 § J 7 2

Gregers Bjarnarson opened a 12-15 notrump and Anders Hagen let Carmichael play 3©, mercifully undoubled, down two. Greco opened a 14-16 notrump and declared 3NT on a top spade lead. He won the third spade and ran five clubs. Madsen could have made life tough by coming down to a spade, two hearts and two diamonds - there is still a guess in the ending. But he bared his ¨K, and Greco, who knew Madsen had the majors, played off the ¨A to make his contract.

A few boards later another bad hand for the 12-15 notrump came up.

Board 24. Dealer West. Love All ª A J 10 © 8 6 5 ¨ A 10 9 7 5 § A Q ª K Q 8 3 ª 9 6 5 2 © A J © K Q 10 2 ¨ J 8 2 ¨ K 6 4 § J 10 6 4 § K 3 ª 7 4 © 9 7 4 3 ¨ Q 3 § 9 8 7 5 2

When Bjarnarson opened 1NT, Carmichael showed diamonds or the majors with a 2§ bid, then passed Wooldridge's 2¨ response. Hagen chose to drive the hand to game in 4ª. Carmichael doubled and accurately attacked diamonds to collect 500. In the other room a quieter auction saw Greco bri;ng home 2ª.

At this point Denmark had fallen 50 IMPs behind. This board brought Denmark a ray of hope.

Board 28. Dealer West. NS Game ª K 5 3 © 9 5 ¨ K 7 6 2 § K J 8 3 ª Q 8 4 2 ª J © A 8 2 © K 10 4 3 ¨ J 8 4 3 ¨ 10 5 § Q 2 § A 10 9 7 5 4 ª A 10 9 7 6 © Q J 7 6 ¨ A Q 9 § 6

Carmichael declared 3NT as North after Hagen had opened 2§. On a club lead Carmichael had to let West into the lead in spades, and now had five top losers on a club continuation. Willenken opened 3§ in third position - double, all pass. That was minus 300 and 9 IMPs to Denmark.

Denmark then lost the IMPs back when USA 2 bid a moderate slam.

Board 31. Dealer South. NS Game ª 8 5 © K Q J 10 6 5 4 3 ¨ 9 4 § 6 ª A K 10 6 4 2 ª J 7 © 8 2 © A 7 ¨ A K 3 ¨ 8 7 2 § A 3 § K Q 9 8 5 2 ª Q 9 3 © 9 ¨ Q J 10 6 5 § J 10 7 4

Bjarnarson-Hagen had a strong club auction and Carmichael preempted to the four level at once. The Danes stopped at the four level, collecting 480. Since 7NT is makable on a minor suit squeeze, this looked poor.

Greco-Willenken reached 6NT as follows: 1ª - 3© - 3NT - Pass - 6NT. On a heart lead the 3-2 spade split saw declarer home. It is hard to know which slam is best - but after the preempt none of them are fantastic. However, you do almost seem to fall into bidding one of them!