This Round 15 encounter featured two of the teams contesting the four qualifying places.

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª 7 6 5 © A K 6 ¨ 9 4 § A 7 4 3 2
ª A K 10 9 3 © 8 7 5 ¨ A 8 5 2 § J		ª 8 © J 10 9 ¨ K Q 10 6 § K Q 10 9 8
	ª Q J 4 2 © Q 4 3 2 ¨ J 7 3 § 6 5

South led the six of clubs, and when the defenders did not cash their heart tricks, declarer emerged with +180.

Once North had passed and East opened the bidding, it was unlikely that East-West would avoid game. West's response to the opening bid promised a spade suit, and in due course the Austrians arrived in 3NT. Branco led the two of hearts, and Chagas took the ace and king, thought for around a second, cashed the ace of clubs, and went back to hearts. A fast one down, and 6 IMPs to Brazil.

Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul
	ª A 10 3 © K 9 8 7 ¨ 10 6 5 4 § A 3
ª 9 7 5 4 © J 5 4 ¨ 3 2 § Q J 9 6		ª 2 © 10 2 ¨ A K Q 9 8 7 § K 5 4 2
	ª K Q J 8 6 © A Q 6 3 ¨ J § 10 8 7

There was nothing to the play, declarer collecting eleven tricks for +650.

The excellent barrage put up by the Austrian pair made life difficult for North-South.

If Branco had been 5-5 in the majors, Six Hearts would have been perfectly playable, but as it was, there was no way declarer could produce a twelfth trick on this layout. 13 IMPs for Austria.

Their lead did not survive the next deal.

Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	ª A 6 © K 10 5 ¨ Q 9 8 7 § K Q 7 5
ª J 8 7 4 2 © J 2 ¨ J 5 3 2 § A 10		ª 9 5 3 © 9 7 4 3 ¨ 10 6 4 § J 8 2
	ª K Q 10 © A Q 8 6 ¨ A K § 9 6 4 3

If the Austrians were using standard Blue Club, the response to One Club promised four controls, and Two Clubs was Stayman. On this layout there were twelve easy tricks, +490.

The slam depended on the location of the ace of clubs and the division of that suit. It was inferior to 6NT, as that contract might survive even if the clubs were not behaving, but that did not matter here. 10 IMPs to Brazil

Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
	ª K 9 5 4 2 © 10 9 8 7 3 ¨ 4 § 7 2
ª A 7 6 3 © 6 ¨ K 10 7 6 5 3 2 § 8		ª J 8 © A K Q 4 2 ¨ A J 8 § K 6 3
	ª Q 10 © J 5 ¨ Q 9 § A Q J 10 9 5 4

This was very tough for East-West, as presumably East's king of clubs could just as easily have been the ace. Declarer won the opening lead of the ten of spades with the ace, and ran the diamonds. North knew enough to hold on to four hearts, so the contract was one down, -50.

Was East expecting his partner to deliver more for his Three Diamond bid? This time South led the queen of spades, and the play went along similar lines, except declarer went for a very, very small and unlikely chance, and in the ending did not cash out, but played a club towards his king, going three down, and thereby losing 3 IMPs.

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

Once South had opened One Spade, East-West were never going to play in that suit, preferring to attempt the nine trick game. North led a club, for the ten, king and ace. Declarer now played on spades, cashing the ace and continuing with the jack. South ducked that, but took the next spade and returned a club for the jack and queen. At this point, the play record stops. Declarer made ten tricks, so one assumes that North misread the club position, and cashed the nine of clubs.

One Heart was a transfer to spades, so it was perfectly reasonable for West to jump to game. North led the two of diamonds, and West ducked the queen. He took the next diamond, played three rounds of hearts ruffing in hand, (It looks slightly better to start the cross ruff by playing ace of clubs, ruff a club, which will leave no guess in the endgame.), cashed the ace of clubs and ruffed a club. He played another heart, and ruffed as South discarded the king of clubs. He played a club, and when North produced the nine, he could have got home by ruffing high in the dummy. However, he discarded the remaining diamond and was one down. 12 IMPs to Brazil.

At this point, Brazil led 32-15, but from here on, it was Austria who were in control.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª Q J 10 9 5 4 3 © A 9 8 2 ¨ A § 9
ª A 2 © J 10 3 ¨ K J 3 2 § 8 7 5 4		ª - © Q 7 5 4 ¨ Q 8 7 6 4 § A K Q 6
	ª K 8 7 6 © K 6 ¨ 10 9 5 § J 10 3 2

East has perfect distribution for a double, but should he do it facing a passed partner? An alternative that gives up on a possible penalty is to bid 4NT. For many partnerships that would simply promise at least two places to play.

Another reason why double may not turn out well is that if partner passes, your clubs may be of little worth in defence. That was the case here, and declarer had no trouble making an overtrick, +690.

This time East went quietly, and who is to say he was wrong? Notice by the way that perfect defence will collect the first six tricks against Five Clubs doubled. Whatever, Austria added another 6 IMPs to their total.

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	ª K Q 9 3 © 10 7 5 3 2 ¨ 9 6 3 § 10
ª A 6 4 © A Q 9 ¨ K J 7 5 2 § Q 2		ª 10 © K J 6 4 ¨ Q 8 § A J 9 7 4 3
	ª J 8 7 5 2 © 8 ¨ A 10 4 § K 8 6 5

Although East managed to show his suits, the first via a transfer, it proved impossible to avoid the no-trump game. It was clear to lead a spade, and that meant that the contract went two down, as declarer went for his only real chance in the club suit.

Two Clubs was Stayman, and Three Clubs natural. When West showed his diamond suit, perhaps suggesting he was weak in one major, East decided to emphasise his clubs, thereby avoiding the doomed nine trick game. Well done, and plus 400.

Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul
	ª K Q 10 5 © A J 2 ¨ K Q 7 § K 3 2
ª A 7 3 © 10 4 ¨ J 10 9 8 3 2 § 10 7		ª J 6 2 © K 8 7 6 3 ¨ A § Q 9 6 5
	ª 9 8 4 © Q 9 5 ¨ 6 5 4 § A J 8 4

Both tables saw North declaring 3NT. East led a heart, and the play diverged. In the Open Room, North played dummy's nine and took West's ten with the jack. Although the contract can always be made, it is not so easy for declarer to find a winning line, and he drifted two down.

At the other table, Chagas put up dummy's queen of hearts at trick one, and when it held, he played a spade. West went in with the ace to play a second heart. Declarer ducked to East's king, and won the heart return. If he now takes a winning view in spades, East will be squeezed by the fourth round of the suit, but Chagas played on clubs at once, and when the suit failed to divide 3-3 he could no longer get home.

As an aside, in the Women's match between Ireland and the USA, when this deal was played, dummy appeared to look to declarer like this:

The opening lead of the ten of hearts was covered by the jack and king, and declarer won the next trick with the nine of hearts. She then played the four of diamonds to dummy's ace, and East's ace! Only now did everyone realise that North's red ace was round not pointed!

Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
	ª 3 © A 7 3 ¨ K 7 § A Q J 10 8 5 4
ª 10 8 5 © K J 9 8 ¨ 8 5 3 2 § K 7		ª A K 9 6 2 © Q 6 5 2 ¨ A J 6 4 § -
	ª Q J 7 4 © 10 4 ¨ Q 10 9 § 9 6 3 2

Four Spades looks reasonable, but was doomed by the bad breaks. A club went to the king and ace, and declarer ruffed. He cashed the ace of spades, and then played a heart. North took the ace, and played the king of diamonds. When that held he continued with the seven of diamonds, taken by the ace. Declarer now cashed the king of spades, and finished three down, -150.

Chagas took some time before flying solo with his bid of Five Clubs. He may have been thinking about a double that would certainly have been a winner this time. Five Clubs had to go one down, so 6 IMPs were added to the Austrian total.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul
	ª 6 4 © Q 8 6 5 2 ¨ K § K J 10 5 4
ª J 10 5 3 © K 10 9 3 ¨ Q J 5 2 § 2		ª K 8 2 © 7 ¨ A 7 6 3 § A Q 8 6 3
	ª A Q 9 7 © A J 4 ¨ 10 9 8 4 § 9 7

South led the ten of diamonds, covered all around, and declarer played a heart, putting up the king when South played low. He showed South the error of his ways by ruffing a heart, and played a diamond to the queen, ruffed by North. Back came a spade to South's queen, and it looks as if he then cashed two diamonds, and played the ace of hearts, that meant that declarer could escape for two down, -100.

The audience were very surprised that Chagas did not mention his hearts, but all became clear when it was revealed that West's One Diamond showed that suit!

Branco led a high diamond for the queen, king and ace, and declarer played a heart. South went up with the ace, and played another diamond, covered by the jack and ruffed by North. He switched to a spade, and South won and cashed his diamond winners, before continuing with spades, North ruffing the third round. He could exit with a heart, forcing declarer, who was down to just trumps, to ruff. He had to lose two more trump tricks, down four. It cost 3 IMPs.

Austria picked up a few bits and pieces in the remaining boards, to win 54-35 IMPs, 19-11 VPs, good news for them, and for Denmark, who remained in fourth place despite losing by a similar score to Spain.

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