In Round 1, Jeff Meckstroth found a thoughtful defence on this deal:

Board 19. Dealer South. East-West Game
	ª 9 8 © K 8 6 5 ¨ A Q 10 8 5 4 § 5
ª A K 7 6 4 © 9 2 ¨ J 3 2 § A 4 2		ª Q J 5 © A 7 4 3 ¨ 9 § K 10 9 7 3
	ª 10 3 2 © Q J 10 ¨ K 7 6 § Q J 8 6

Defending against 4ª Meckstroth led his singleton club, covered by the nine queen and ace, and declarer played the ¨J. North, who could see how the hand should be defended, put up the jack and switched to a trump. Declarer won in dummy and played a low heart. South won, and simply played another trump. Now there was no way for declarer to arrive at more than nine tricks.

The USA continued where they left off in Round 2, easily defeating Indonesia. Bob Hamman says that any slam that makes is a good slam, and this deal certainly met his criteria.

Board 14. Dealer East. Love All
	ª K J 7 4 © K J 4 3 ¨ J § A 9 7 5
ª Q 10 8 © 9 6 2 ¨ K 10 9 4 3 § 3 2		ª 6 5 © 8 7 5 ¨ Q 7 5 2 § K J 10 6
	ª A 9 3 2 © A Q 10 ¨ A 8 6 § Q 8 4

Hamman and Soloway cruised all the way to 6ª, a contract that had the merit of being unbeatable on this layout. The Indonesians stopped in game.

Four boards later, the Indonesians attempted to gain their revenge by bidding 6ª themselves:

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

Without a diamond lead, 6ª would have met Hamman's requirements, but West was the declarer, and North had no problem at all.

The Poles almost went overboard on the deal:

The Polish Club auction saw East show a strong balanced hand, and then break West's transfer into spades. If you swopped East's minors around, then 6ª would only need the trumps to come in, so perhaps West was worth his try. It didn't cost this time.

Evaluation is a key factor in the development of a bridge player. You might consider this deal to be instructive:

Board 16. Dealer West. East-West Game
	ª K 7 4 © A 8 4 2 ¨ K 2 § 10 5 4 3
ª 9 8 5 2 © Q J 7 3 ¨ Q J 10 § J 6		ª A J 10 6 3 © K 9 ¨ A 9 6 3 § K 2
	ª Q © 10 6 5 ¨ 8 7 5 4 § A Q 9 8 7

Should West accept his partner's invitation?

There is help in diamonds, you have four card trump support, and you are vulnerable. West did bid 4ª, but this was not his lucky day, as although the diamond finesse obliged, and their was only one trump loser, South led a heart and North quickly switched to a club. That gave China 6 IMPs, and they soon went ahead.

Board 20. Dealer West. Game All
	ª 3 2 © A 9 2 ¨ A Q J 9 8 § 9 8 5
ª J 7 © K 6 5 4 ¨ 10 7 § J 10 4 3 2		ª A 10 9 8 6 5 4 © 10 8 ¨ 6 4 2 § 6
	ª K Q © Q J 7 3 ¨ K 5 3 § A K Q 7

East led his singleton club, but declarer was not in difficulties and took twelve tricks.

East cashed the ace of spades, and switched to the eight of hearts. That resolved one problem for declarer, and after he had drawn trumps, he carefully cashed his spade winner and simply advanced the jack of hearts. The appearance of the ten allowed him to claim, but even if West had been dealt that card, he would have been squeezed when declarer cashed his trumps. 13 Imps for China.