In the semifinal of the Louis Vuitton McConnell Cup, the German team captained by Sabine Auken led the American team captained by Nadine Wood by 12 IMPs (64-52) at the three-quarter mark. However, the last quarter was mostly one-way traffic and Auken eventually triumphed by 50 IMPs to set up an all-European final against Maria Erhart's Austrian team.

On their way to winning the last set 48-10, Sabine Auken and Daniela von Arnim broke one of their own personal records. In the semifinal of the Venice Cup in Beijing, they had bid to 6ª with spades being mentioned for the first time at the six-level. Early on in the final set they went one better.

Board 17. Dealer North. Love All ª 8 7 6 5 © 10 6 5 4 2 ¨ 9 5 § 6 2 ª A J 10 4 2 ª K Q © K 9 8 3 © A Q ¨ 10 8 3 2 ¨ A K Q 6 4 § - § K Q J 7 ª 9 3 © J 7 ¨ J 7 § A 10 9 8 5 4 3 Closed Room West North East South von Armin Tornay Auken Lewis Pass 1§ 3§ 3© Pass 3ª Pass 4© Pass 4NT Pass 6§ Pass 7§ Pass 7¨ All Pass

After Ellee Lewis had overcalled Auken's strong club opening with a weak jump overcall in clubs, von Arnim's 3© was game forcing with spades and her subsequent 4© was natural. In response to 4NT she then showed one ace and a club void. That was enough for Auken to offer her partner a choice of major suit grand slams with her 7§ bid. However, von Arnim then showed that she had a further string to her bow when she introduced her diamonds for the first time at the seven-level. It took some time for the bidding tray to come back at this point as Auken had to decide if she, in turn, was being asked to choose between the majors. Eventually she decided that 7¨ was bound to be a good contract and duly passed. Claire Tornay led a heart, but there were no problems in the play and +1440 was worth 10 IMPs as Nadine Wood and Terry Michaels stopped in 6ª in the other room.

Three boards later, there was another slam swing to Germany.

Board 20. Dealer West. Game All ª Q 4 3 © K 10 7 6 ¨ 5 4 § 9 7 3 2 ª A K 6 5 ª J 7 2 © A 2 © Q J 9 5 ¨ A Q 9 7 6 2 ¨ K 3 § A § K 6 5 4 ª 10 9 8 © 8 4 3 ¨ J 10 8 § Q J 10 8 West North East South von Armin Tornay Auken Lewis 1§ Pass 1© Pass 2¨ Pass 2NT Pass 3ª Pass 3NT Pass 4¨ Pass 5¨ Pass 6¨ All Pass

After the strong club opening and positive response, Auken's subsequent 2NT showed 8-10 or 13+ and 3NT put her in the lower range. Von Arnim might well have passed 5¨, but she went on to slam with her control-rich hand. However, when Tornay led a trump and dummy appeared, she must have wished she was in 6NT rather than 6¨.

In 6¨ she had a choice of plays. She could win the first trick in hand and play to pitch her second heart on dummy's §K and subsequently try to make three spade tricks. Alternatively, she could cash the rounded aces and then play a second heart, intending to discard her losing spades on dummy's §K and a winning heart.

There doesn't seem to be much to choose between these two lines and, of course, they both work. Eventually, she chose the second line and duly chalked up +1370 for a 13-IMP gain as the contract in the other room was 5¨.

Auken led by 44 IMPs at this point and the match was as good as over. Board 27 put the final nail in the coffin.

Board 27. Dealer South. Love All ª K Q 10 4 © A 8 3 ¨ Q § A K 10 5 2 ª 8 5 3 2 ª A 7 6 © K Q 10 4 © 2 ¨ 7 6 2 ¨ K 10 9 8 5 3 § 4 3 § 9 7 6 ª J 9 © J 9 7 6 5 ¨ A J 4 § Q J 8 West North East South von Armin Tornay Auken Lewis Pass Pass 1§ 2¨ 2© Pass 4© All Pass

In the Open Room, the Americans reached the popular contract of 4© and von Arnim led the ¨6. There was less excitement here compared with what happened on vugraph, as Lewis simply ruffed a diamond and then played two rounds of trumps to go one down when trumps did not behave.

Clearly, the ideal contract is 3NT, and that was the contract reached by Katrin Farwig and Barbara Stawowy in the Closed Room.

3NT made 11 easy tricks for another 11 IMPS to Germany.