For the first half of session one of the final I sat behind Sue Picus of USA, partnering her husband, Barry Rigal, as they seemed to have a run of useful opponents to play against. First up were Malcolm Harris and Maria Budd of Great Britain.

Board 15. Dealer South. NS Game ª 7 © A Q J 9 8 ¨ Q 9 8 7 6 § K 8 ª A 9 6 4 2 ª J 10 8 5 © 4 2 © 10 7 6 5 ¨ J 2 ¨ K § A 6 5 4 § J 9 7 3 ª K Q 3 © K 3 ¨ A 10 5 4 3 § Q 10 2 West North East South Harris Rigal Budd Picus 1¨ 1ª 3© 3ª 3NT All Pass

3© was a fit-jump, natural but also promising genuine diamond support. Picus had to decide how much the bid would deliver in high-card terms and, at the prevailing vulnerability decided that it should show a reasonable hand. Accordingly, she tried 3NT, ending the auction. That was very much the right thing to do as, though both 5¨ and 4© make the same eleven tricks, at matchpoints it is important to be in the highest scoring game; +660.

Board 16. Dealer West. EW Game ª J 7 2 © A 10 7 4 ¨ J 7 4 § 9 8 3 ª 10 ª 8 6 5 © K J 6 2 © 9 8 3 ¨ A 8 3 ¨ K Q 9 5 2 § A 10 7 6 2 § K J ª A K Q 9 4 3 © Q 5 ¨ 10 6 § Q 5 4 West North East South Harris Rigal Budd Picus 1§ Pass 1¨ 1ª Pass 2ª All Pass

Harris led the ace of clubs and a second club to Budd's king. The ¨Q followed by a diamond to the ace allowed Harris to give his partner a ruff. There was still a heart trick to come for one down; -50. It was essential for the defence to find the club ruff, as otherwise the favourable club position allows declarer to make her contract, however, with East/West cold for 3¨, -50 still looked to be a reasonable score for Picus/Rigal.

Board 17. Dealer North. Love All ª J 7 5 © Q 10 6 ¨ A J 9 8 7 3 § 2 ª Q 10 8 4 ª A K 6 3 2 © 9 8 7 © 5 2 ¨ 4 2 ¨ K 10 § 8 7 6 5 § A K Q J ª 9 © A K J 4 3 ¨ Q 6 5 § 10 9 4 3 West North East South Martens Rigal Hanna Picus 2¨ Dble 2© Pass 3© 3ª 4¨ 4ª 4NT 5§ Pass 5ª All Pass

Next up were former world champion, Krzysztof Martens of Poland and Adele Hanna of Lebanon. Rigal's 2¨ was weak and the 2© bid was natural but implied some sort of a fit for diamonds. Hanna bid strongly, as she was entitled to do with the East cards, and Rigal judged it just right when, knowing of the double fit, he saved over the laydown 4ª. Hanna took the push to the five-level, only to find thayt there were three unavoidable losers; +50 for Picus/Rigal and a good matchpoint score.

Board 18. Dealer East. NS Game ª J 10 6 © K 7 5 2 ¨ 10 § J 10 8 5 4 ª 7 4 2 ª K Q 8 5 © Q J © 10 ¨ J 9 8 6 3 2 ¨ A K Q 5 4 § 3 2 § 9 7 6 ª A 9 3 © A 9 8 6 4 3 ¨ 7 § A K Q West North East South Martens Rigal Hanna Picus 1¨ 1© 1NT 3© Dble 4© 5¨ Pass Pass Dble All Pass

When he heard his partner open a basically natural 1¨ and RHO overcall 1©, Martens tried a little diversion rather than make some kind of straightforward pre-emptive diamond raise. But, when Rigal was able to make a pre-emptive raise himself of the hearts, Picus was too strong to be talked out of her vulnerable game, though she did not consider the possibility of slam. She bid on to 4© and now Martens had to expose his little joke. Picus doubled 5¨ and the defence came to the obvious five tricks for +500, but a good save for East/West.

It must be a Polish thing to psyche 1NT in this auction because we heard of another table at which another Pole tried excatly the same thing. Meanwhile, the British disease on this board was slightly different. Both Malcolm Harris and Alan Lipton heard their partner's open 1¨ and the next hand double. Both tried bidding 1© on the doubleton. Their results were rather different, however. Harris eventually had to save in 7¨ over 6© for 800, which got him a pretty poor score as few pairs managed to bid the slam. Lipton's opponents stopped in 3©!

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

America's Steve Zolotow and Karen Allison came along next but had to listen to their opponents bid without interruption on either board. On this one Picus/Rigal bid: 1§ - 1ª - 2NT - 3NT. When both minor-suit finesses succeeded, that was +490.

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

This time Rigal opened a 15-17 no trump and Picus used Stayman then jumped to 3ª over the 2¨ response to show five hearts and four spades, game-forcing. Rigal bid 3NT over that then passed Picus's invitational raise to 4NT. Allison led the ¨J, looking for something safe on this auction. Zolotow overtook with the queen and, when Rigal ducked, returned a diamond. Rigal won the king and soon claimed twelve tricks. A club lead saves a trick for the defence, but six of a red suit is unbeatable. It is not easy to get there. Had South held ¨Axx and §x, she would no doubt have continued with 4¨ rather than 4NT over 3NT, but she could hardly do that with her actual holding.

Board 21. Dealer North. NS Game ª K 3 © A 10 6 2 ¨ 9 6 4 § A Q 4 2 ª J 10 4 ª Q 8 7 6 5 2 © J 4 3 © Q 8 ¨ A Q J 10 ¨ 8 2 § 10 7 5 § J 8 6 ª A 9 © K 9 7 5 ¨ K 7 5 3 § K 9 3 West North East South Paulissen Rigal Speelman Picus 1§ Pass 1¨ Pass 1© 1ª 2ª Pass 2NT Pass 4© All Pass

Speelman, of the Netherlands, led a spade and Rigal won in dummy and played the ©K then ©9, running it when Paulissen played small, to guard against a 4-1 break. But now Speelman switched to a diamond and when declarer rose with the king he quickly lost three tricks in the suit for one down; -100. 4© is makeable, of course, if declarer is willing to give up on the possibility of a 4-1 trump break. He can cash two top hearts then eliminate the black suits and eventually endplay West, but this is only necessary when the ¨A is offside, and needs not only the hearts to be as they are, but also for clubs to divide equally, so one can understand Rigal's choice of line.

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

Speelman opened 1¨ and Picus overcalled 4©, slightly off-centre, but a practical shot. Paulissen passed that as double would not have been for penalties, and passed again when Speelman reopened with a double. Paulissen led a spade, ducked to Speelman's queen. She switched to the ¨K to the ace and Picus led a heart to the ace. Paulissen led a second spade now and Picus rose with the ace, rufed a diamond to hand and led out the queen then ten of hearts. Paulissen won and led a club to his partner's king and she cashed the ªK. Picus could ruff the next trick and claim; -300.

It looks as though the defence's repeated spade plays cost them a trick. If they play a forcing game, declarer does not have the time to both draw trumps and establish a second spade trick, so will be three down for -500.

Board 23. Dealer South. Game All ª A K Q © 7 5 4 ¨ Q J 8 4 3 § Q 9 ª J 9 6 2 ª 10 7 4 3 © 9 3 © A K ¨ 10 7 2 ¨ 6 5 § J 7 5 3 § A K 10 8 2 ª 8 5 © Q J 10 8 6 2 ¨ A K 9 § 6 4 West North East South K. Woolsey Rigal S. Woolsey Picus Pass Pass 1¨ 2§ 2© Pass Pass 2ª 3© 3ª Dble All Pass

Sally Woolsey could hardly allow her opponents to play in 3© when she had four cards in spades and a sound overcall. When Picus competed with 3©, Kit had a fit for both his partner's suits and, though he was a bit short of high cards, felt that he too had to compete, and hope nobody doubled. On another day Woolsey might well have escaped undoubled, but Rigal had all the missing trump honours and, while he could not be certain that this would be sufficient, really had to double at matchpoints. Picus led three rounds of diamonds and there was nothing more to the play; one down for -200.

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

After a pass on his right, Rigal opened 1¨. Sally overcalled 3ª with a hand containing more defence than normal for the bid (she was facing a passed partner, of course), and when that came back to Rigal he doubled. Picus had just what was required to make 3NT, but couldn't know it. Her pass looks normal enough but she could only take the contract one off. Picus led a heart to the queen and ace and declarer unblocked the §A then laid down the ªK, hoping for a miracle. One was not forthcoming. Picus won the ace and led a second heart to the king. After getting her heart ruff, she switched to a diamond, but one diamond plus the ªQ was all there was to come; -100.

I think it is asking a lot of South to bid 3NT opposite the reopening double, as partner may be much less suitable. I wonder, however, if anyone would consider bidding 3NT instead of double with the North hand. It may look crazy, but you do have the necessary source of tricks, and partner rates to have a spade stopper a lot of the time.

Board 25. Dealer North. EW Game ª A Q 10 7 5 © J 10 5 4 ¨ — § A 10 4 2 ª K 4 ª 9 8 6 2 © 6 3 © A Q 9 ¨ K 8 6 2 ¨ Q J 9 4 3 § K J 8 5 3 § 7 ª J 3 © K 8 7 2 ¨ A 10 7 5 § Q 9 6

Rigal/Picus bid 1ª - 1NT(semi-forcing) - 2© - 3©. Catherina Midskog of Sweden led her singleton club to the queen, king and ace. Rigal tried the jack of hearts next to the queen and king. He continued with the ªJ for the king and ace followed by a low club to nine and jack. It was clear to Stefan Solbrand that his partner could not have a trump holding where she needed to get a ruff so he did not return the obvious club. He tried a spade instead but Rigal won the queen and ruffed a spade high, cashed the ¨A throwing his small club, and played a club to the ten. There were just two trump tricks to lose for a useful +170.

Board 26. Dealer East. Game All ª 5 3 2 © A 9 8 5 2 ¨ Q 6 § Q 8 7 ª J 10 8 7 4 ª K 9 © 6 4 © Q J 10 ¨ 10 7 ¨ K J 8 3 § A 9 5 2 § K J 4 3 ª A Q 6 © K 7 3 ¨ A 9 5 4 2 § 10 6

Midskog opened 1NT and Solbrand responded 2ª, natural, ending the auction. Rigal chose the ¨Q which went to the king and ace and back came a low diamond to declarer's ten. Solbrand played a heart up and Rigal allowed Picus to win her king. She returned a diamond and declarer discarded his remaining heart as Rigal ruffed. Now Rigal switched to a trump for the king and ace and Picus played afourth diamond. Declarer can make from here by ruffing and playing on trumps then relying on clubs to come in, but he actually discarded a club instead, allowing Rigal to get another ruff. Rigal knew that his §Q was badly placed so tried to cash the ©A now. That was ruffed and declarer could give up a trump and throw a club on the established heart so was one down; -100.

Board 1. Dealer North. Love All ª K 9 © A 8 6 4 3 ¨ J 10 9 4 § 10 9 ª Q 6 4 3 ª 10 7 5 2 © J 10 © K Q 5 2 ¨ 2 ¨ 7 3 § Q J 7 5 3 2 § 8 6 4 ª A J 8 © 9 7 ¨ A K Q 8 6 5 § A K

Only one previous pair had reached slam in the section when this board reached the table. Picus opened with the partnership's big bid, 2§, in third seat, and rebid 3¨ over the 2¨ negative response. Rigal bid his hearts then went on with 4¨ over Picus's 3NT. Picus tried to sign-off in 4NT now but Rigal wasn't having any of that and leaped to 6¨, ending the auction. There was nothing to the play; +920 and a poor board for East/West, David and Lisa Berkowitz, who were powerless to affect the outcome, of course.

Board 2. Dealer East. NS Game ª 7 3 © A 9 7 ¨ K Q 10 8 5 § K Q J ª K 8 6 4 ª A Q J © Q 10 5 4 2 © K J 8 6 ¨ 7 6 ¨ A § 9 2 § A 10 8 7 4 ª 10 9 5 2 © 3 ¨ J 9 4 3 2 § 6 5 3 West North East South D. Berkowitz Rigal L. Berkowitz Picus 1§ Pass 1¨ 2¨ Dble 4¨ 4© All Pass

1§ was strong and 1¨ a negative. When Rigal overcalled 2¨, Lisa's double was for takeout, making it easy for David to bid 4© over Picus's pre-emptive raise. There was nothing to the play; eleven tricks for +450. I left Sue and Barry in good shape, looking to be building a useful session.