The USA started with a maximum 12 IMPs carry over against Indonesia, while Italy enjoyed a slender 1.5 edge over Poland. Would that half point be significant?

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

2¨ was not difficult to make, but +90 meant that Indonesia had an early opportunity to narrow the gap.

Once East showed some support for spades, West was happy to go to game. He won the opening lead of the §K with the ace, cashed the ace of spades and the ace of diamonds, and played another diamond, claiming ten tricks at the same time.

All four pairs in the semi-finals passed a bidding test on our next deal, but in the women's match, one pair from the North American team had accident, stopping in 3©.

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

Declarer made +980. Notice that getting to 7© would be a lucky accident as the fall of the §J allows you to squeeze North in the pointed suits.

North led a spade, so declarer had a fast route to all the tricks.

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

4© is obviously a very good contract, but declarer could not survive the bad breaks, and had to go one down, -200.

No-one felt like bidding over North's natural, but non-forcing bid. East led the king of hearts, and decided to switch to the ten of clubs. After ruffing this, declarer should ruff a heart, ruff a club, ruff a heart, and play the king of clubs, discarding the jack of hearts when West produces the ace of clubs. That prevents East from getting the lead via a heart ruff to give his partner a spade ruff. Inexplicably, declarer played a trump, and West won and promptly played a second round. That ended all declarer's hopes, and he finished two down. -200, and 9 IMPs to Indonesia.

5§ is an interesting contract on the East-West cards, and it was reached at several tables, sometimes doubled. A diamond lead gives declarer no chance, but on a spade lead, declarer can get home by an elegant line of play. You ruff, play a heart to the king, and a club to the queen. Then you play a top heart. South can ruff and switch to a diamond, but you win and play the ©Q, discarding dummy's last diamond. All the defenders make are two trump tricks. Poland defeated 6§ doubled by two tricks to take the lead in their match, as at the other table, 4ª, a contract that could have been defeated, was allowed to make with an overtrick.

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

South led the ©4, holding declarer to eleven tricks.

North led his singleton diamond, but when South got in with the ªA he played a heart, so declarer had 12 tricks and a couple of IMPs.

Italy attempted 6¨, but a heart was led, and Poland picked up their second big swing in a row.

Board 12. Dealer West. North-South Game
	ª J © A Q J 9 6 4 ¨ J 10 8 5 § 9 4
ª A 9 8 6 4 3 © 10 8 ¨ 7 3 2 § 7 2		ª 10 2 © K 5 2 ¨ K Q 4 § Q J 8 6 3
	ª K Q 7 5 © 7 3 ¨ A 9 6 § A K 10 5

This did not appear to have the makings of a swing. Declarer made ten tricks for +630.

The price of North's conservative second pass was 12 IMPs, as West came to seven tricks. Indonesia had won the set 35-0, to move into a lead of 23 IMPs.