Board 33. Dealer North. Love All ª K J 6 © A J 9 8 5 4 ¨ 9 § A J 10 ª A 4 ª Q 8 7 5 2 © 7 2 © K 10 ¨ K 10 8 4 3 ¨ 6 § Q 7 4 3 § K 9 8 6 2 ª 10 9 3 © Q 6 3 ¨ A Q J 7 5 2 § 5

Both Norths declared 4¨ on a spade lead after East had overcalled. Carmichael took his ªK at the second trick and finessed unsuccessfully in diamonds. East shifted to a club and Carmichael won the ace, ruffed a club and tried to cash the ¨A, pitching his spade. But East ruffed and played a third spade. Carmichael ruffed and read the trump position, laying down the ace. 10 tricks made. After the same start d'Avossa played the §A and ruffed a club at trick four. Then he cashed the ¨A and ruffed a diamond. Willenken overruffed and led a low spade to Greco who ruffed and led back another diamond that promoted the ¨K to trick-taking value and set the contract.

Board 37. Dealer North. NS Game ª A 7 © A 3 ¨ A K 9 6 4 § Q J 8 7 ª 10 6 5 3 ª J 9 8 4 2 © K 9 4 © J 10 7 2 ¨ Q J 10 ¨ 3 2 § 10 6 3 § A 9 ª K Q © Q 8 6 5 ¨ 8 7 5 § K 5 4 2

Both tables played 3NT by North on a spade lead. Carmichael followed the routine line here by knocking out the §A and winning the spade return to run the clubs. This would have squeezed a defender who held five spades, the ¨K and three diamonds. But it did not work this time.

D'Avossa by contrast cashed both spades before exiting with a club. This diabolical line works if the defense rectifies the count by cashing all their spades. But Willenken did excellently to play the ¨J instead of cashing the spades, and this set the hand.

Board 40. Dealer West. Love All ª K 10 9 3 © Q 6 5 2 ¨ 5 4 2 § 10 4 ª A Q 8 7 ª J 4 2 © 10 © K J 9 ¨ K J 8 ¨ A Q 9 7 6 § K J 8 3 2 § 7 5 ª 6 5 © A 8 7 4 3 ¨ 10 3 § A Q 9 6

Italy got back into the set when the canape methods of Biondo-Intonti worked well for an unusual reason. They bid 1ª - 2§ - 3§ - 3NT, making nine tricks when the ¨Q was onside. By contrast Greco-Willenken ran into interference.

Willenken's final pass seems a little tame - but he did not know of the extra values opposite. 3¨ went down two, 7 IMPs to Italy.

Board 41. Dealer North. EW Game ª Q 10 6 © 10 9 ¨ K Q 5 § K J 10 9 3 ª A K 7 4 3 2 ª J 9 5 © J 4 3 © A K 6 ¨ A 4 3 2 ¨ 10 9 8 § — § Q 7 4 2 ª 8 © Q 9 7 5 2 ¨ J 7 6 § A 8 6 5

Greco found one of the best plays of the tournament to hold his losses to 5 IMPs.

On the opening lead of the ¨10 he rose with the king and ran the ¨10. He won the heart return in dummy and passed the ¨9 after a lot of thought. North was in but had no heart. He exited with a club and declarer ruffed, cashed the top spades and led the fourth diamond to pitch the heart loser. Alas for USA, 4ª doubled was let through in the Closed Room when North did not unblock his top diamonds. So South could not get in to cash the hearts.

Board 42. Dealer East. Game All ª K J 7 6 3 © 3 ¨ K 5 § A Q 8 7 4 ª Q 10 5 4 2 ª A 8 © K 7 5 © A 8 6 4 2 ¨ 6 ¨ 9 7 4 § K J 3 2 § 10 9 5 ª 9 © Q J 10 9 ¨ A Q J 10 8 3 2 § 6

Italy added to their lead on the next deal. Both auctions started the same way:

In the Open Room Willenken as East passed, Mallardi bid 3¨ and d'Avossa bid 3NT, making in comfort.

By contrast Intonti as East in the other room doubled 2ª. Wooldridge bid 3¨ and then ran from 3NT to 4¨. The final contract was 5¨, and on a spade lead to the ace and a diamond shift, declarer never got to ruff a heart in dummy - down one.

Board 44. Dealer West. NS Game ª K 10 7 2 © 8 4 3 ¨ K 10 9 5 § 7 2 ª Q 5 4 ª J 9 3 © 9 7 6 © A K 10 5 ¨ A 7 6 3 ¨ J § A 10 4 § K Q J 6 3 ª A 8 6 © Q J 2 ¨ Q 8 4 2 § 9 8 5

USA 2 picked up a partscore swing when Willenken-Greco bid Pass -1§ - 1NT - 2NT - 3NT. D'Avossa led a spade - and should Mallardi have found the diamond shift? Given that his partner apparently had only four spades I think he might have done so, but he played a second spade.

Biondo-Intonti bid Pass - 1¨ (canape) - 1 NT - 2§ - All Pass. Plus 130 held the loss to 7 IMPs.

Board 46. Dealer East. Love All ª 10 9 © 10 9 6 5 ¨ J 3 § J 9 8 6 4 ª 3 ª K 8 5 2 © A K Q 8 4 © J 3 2 ¨ Q 5 ¨ A 10 9 6 § A K 10 5 3 § 7 2 ª A Q J 7 6 4 © 7 ¨ K 8 7 4 2 § Q

The final major swing came to Italy when both tables reached 4¨ by East after a Michaels auction. Wooldridge led the ªA and shifted to a diamond, conceding 11 tricks trivially. Mallardi led the §Q, and Willenken took this, crossed to the ¨J, led a club to the ace and was at the crossroads. Eventually he drew a second trump - not best as the cards lie but perfectly reasonable. Then he ruffed a club and exited with a low diamond, unblocking the ¨Q when South won the king. This endplayed South into leading diamonds. But when Mallardi played a diamond the 5-2 split meant that d'Avossa could ruff the third diamond and exit with a trump to ensure one down.