Italy started the set with a healthy lead over USA II - the score stood at 181-120. The first three boards were pushes including a slam. Board 68 was the first major pickup for Italy.

Board 68. Dealer West. Game All ª 8 5 © Q 9 8 6 5 ¨ K 7 2 § K 8 7 ª K 7 2 ª Q 10 9 6 3 © A K 3 2 © 7 4 ¨ Q 10 8 6 ¨ J 9 4 3 § J 2 § 9 4 ª A J 4 © J 10 ¨ A 5 § A Q 10 6 5 3

The redouble showed a 3-card spade fit, but Mallardi didn't care about that -- he bid 3NT anyway. With partner holding the two minor suit kings for him he had nine easy tricks.

In the Closed Room Wooldridge-Carmichael had trouble when their opponents opened 1NT.

The weak notrump got the Americans in this room. They made the same nine tricks but not the game bonus for a 10-IMP loss.

On the very next board the Italians gave it back with an extra 2 IMPs.

Board 69. Dealer North. NS Game ª 10 7 4 © A 10 9 8 5 4 2 ¨ 7 § 7 4 ª J 5 3 2 ª A 9 8 © J 3 © K Q 6 ¨ A J 8 ¨ 9 5 4 3 § A Q J 6 § 10 9 8 ª K Q 6 © 7 ¨ K Q 10 6 2 § K 5 3 2

Both rooms effectively opened their seven-bagger as a weak two. Willenken ran to notrump so his heart values would be working for him. He let the heart lead ride to his king and took an immediate club finesse by running the 10. This was followed by another club to dummy and the ©J was won, then a spade to the queen. Mallardi played back the ¨K but Willenken ducked that and won the continuation with the jack. He cashed the ¨A came to hand with the [A, cashed his heart and finessed again in clubs for his nine tricks.

The Italians in the other room were having their own problems on this deal.

Intonti decided that four to the 9 weren't worth playing at the three-level. He could have gone to 3NT like Willenken, but he judged to bid spades. This went down a trick and gave USA 2 +650 on the board and 12 desperately needed IMPs.

A couple of deals later, Greco-Willenken put on a neat defense against Italy's 4©. Greco led the §4 from J-6-4. He caught partner with A-K-9-3 and declarer with Q-7-2. Willenken won the ace and led a low one back. Declarer could afford to duck and still make his game. Greco won his jack and gave his partner the king and his team 2 IMPs.

On the penultimate board of the set the Italians got to a grand that was missed by their counterparts.

Board 79. Dealer South. NS Game ª — © A K Q 9 ¨ A 9 6 § Q J 10 9 6 5 ª 8 5 ª K Q J 7 6 2 © 10 8 7 2 © J 6 5 ¨ K 10 8 7 3 ¨ J 5 4 § 8 4 § 3 ª A 10 9 4 3 © 4 3 ¨ Q 2 § A K 7 2

We know the meanings of the Closed Room auction but not of the other room. 2§ was game forcing, 3§ showed not a great hand but a good hand. After that the bids were cuebids. The 5NT call was "pick a slam". Missing both top honors in trumps, Carmichael stopped short of the grand. It isn't known if 5NT instead of 5© would have been the grand slam force, but if it was he probably should have employed it as they did in the other room. Those 13 IMPs and a few more here and there meant the Italians had held on to their lead and added 6 IMPs to it. It now stood at 203-155. The Americans would need to start the final set of 16 with several big bangs in order to have any kind of a shot.