Two-thirds of the way through their quarter-final meeting, England led Norway by 20 IMPs. Norway could not afford to drop points in the evening session if they were to get a good night's sleep with only 16 more deals to be played the next morning.

Board 17. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª A 10 5 4 © 9 6 ¨ 10 8 7 4 2 § Q 4
ª 9 8 © A K Q J 7 ¨ Q § A K 9 8 7		ª Q J 6 © 4 3 ¨ K J 6 § J 10 6 5 3
	ª K 7 3 2 © 10 8 5 2 ¨ A 9 5 3 § 2

Looking at sure stoppers in both the unbid suits, with no ace and only one jack in partner's suits, I much prefer Joe Fawcett's 3NT to Tor Helness's club raise. Three No Trump made 11 tricks for +460 while David Burn's lead of ace and another spade quickly led to one down in 5§. That was 11 IMPs to England.

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	ª 9 7 2 © A J 10 ¨ K 10 9 3 § A 6 2
ª A K 8 3 © Q 7 6 ¨ 6 5 § Q 7 5 4		ª 5 © K 8 5 3 2 ¨ Q 7 2 § K J 10 9
	ª Q J 10 6 4 © 9 4 ¨ A J 8 4 § 8 3

Fawcett made a fit-showing jump over Erik Saelensminde's beautifully shaped take-out double. That convinced Boye Brogeland to overbid with a leap to 4ª, imagining that the deal was probably a double fit. Three Spades looks to be plenty on the South cards, but even that would have been too much. After a club lead had established a force for the defence, it was always going to be an uphill struggle for Brogeland. Mindful of the auction, he played West for the queen of diamonds, and ended up three down; -300.

Geir Helgemo's 1ª opening kept Burn quiet in the other room and Helness responded 1NT, where he played. Brian Callaghan made the textbook lead of a low spade and Helness won in dummy and played a club to his jack. He could have settled for down one by clearing the clubs, but chose to try for his contract by playing South for ace-doubleton heart. Helness led a low heart to the queen and ace and Burn, not being sure of the spade position, switched to a diamond for the queen and ace. Callaghan reverted to spades. Helness ducked the first one then won the next and played a club off the dummy. The defence could have taken all but one of the remaining tricks but Burn ducked the club, so Helness won and cashed the king of hearts, getting out for two down; -100. That was 9 IMPs to England, who had taken only two boards to double their lead in the match to 40 IMPs.

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

On this lively deal, North/South have to find their club ruff to beat 5©, while 5§ is completely untouchable. But it is not easy for East/West to compete to the five level and, even if they manage to do so, North/South can go on to 5©.

Perhaps had Helgemo bid 4§ as a fit-non-jump over 3ª that would have got his side to at least the five level, but with only a doubleton heart and such weak clubs, he did not really want to encourage his partner to go on to the five level. At the other table, Fawcett's simple overcall meant that East/West were not close to saving. A flat board at +650.

Board 22. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
	ª K J 7 6 © K Q 7 3 ¨ J 4 § Q 9 7
ª A 9 4 © J 10 9 6 ¨ A 9 8 5 2 § 6		ª Q 10 8 5 © - ¨ Q 10 § A J 10 8 5 4 3
	ª 3 2 © A 8 5 4 2 ¨ K 7 6 3 § K 2

Where Fawcett could not find a suitable opening bid for the East hand, North/South had a free run to the poor game. Four Hearts went two down after a club lead and ruff but a successful spade guess from Brogeland; -100.

Helness did open the East cards. Helgemo bid 1NT over the 1© overcall and then, when Burn showed a constructive four-card heart raise and North/South got to 3©, made a penalty double on his two aces and sure trump trick. Thre Hearts doubled would surely have failed, though it did make in one of the other matches, but Helness felt that his hand was sufficiently unusual that he could not afford to stand the double. He ran to 4§, where he had to lose two trump tricks, a spade and a diamond; -100 and 5 IMPs to England.

Board 23. Dealer South. All Vul.
	ª A 6 © A Q 9 7 4 3 2 ¨ 8 2 § Q J
ª J 10 9 8 7 4 3 © 6 5 ¨ 5 3 § K 4		ª Q 5 2 © 8 ¨ K Q 6 4 § 8 6 5 3 2
	ª K © K J 10 ¨ A J 10 9 7 § A 10 9 7

In the Closed Room, the combination of weak jump overcall and raise meant that North/South had no convenient way to show their extra values - and Brogeland no doubt discounted his ªK anyway. Disappointing to languish in game when seven is only on a finesse, but was it clear for anybody to do anything different?

Callaghan's off-shape 1NT opening (the alternatives in their strong club style were even uglier) set the English pair off on the right track. Burn's sequence was frcing with hearts, normally a slam try, and Callaghen had a wonderful hand in the context of his 1NT opening. He cuebid and Burn took control. Having discovered that his partner held three key cards, Burn was careful to choose 6NT as a final resting place, taking no risk of an unlucky ruff on opening lead; +1440 and 13 IMPs to England. The lead was up to 56.

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

Both North/South pairs bid smoothly to the excellent slam, Saelensminde/Brogeland using natural methods, Burn/Callaghan starting with a strong club. And both declarers found the safety play of winning the opening lead and laying down the ace of trumps to avoid a nasty guess on thesecond round had they started with a losing finesse. Flat at +1390.

Board 28. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	ª 10 5 3 2 © J 9 5 ¨ Q 10 6 § 7 6 2
ª J 9 7 © 7 4 3 ¨ A 7 § K 10 8 4 3		ª A K 8 4 © Q 2 ¨ J 9 4 3 § A J 5
	ª Q 6 © A K 10 8 6 ¨ K 8 5 2 § Q 9

Brogeland did not come in over Fawcett's 1NT opening and Liggins just blasted 3NT. Of course, the defence can take the first five heart tricks if Brogeland starts them from the top and Saelensminde unblocks but, not unreasonably, Brogeland led a low heart. Fawcett scooped in his queen and promptly got the clubs right. The fall of the queen of spades meant an overtrick; +430.

Callaghan came in at the other table. His 2§ overcall showed one major plus one or both minors. Helgemo doubled, perhaps to show clubs, perhaps merely general values, and Burn bid a pass or correct 2©. When Helgemo next bid 2NT, there was no way that Helness was about to raise to game. Here, Callaghan had good reason to lead hearts from the top. Burn did not unblock the jack so, on the third round, Callaghan carefully led the eight to his partner's jack, suggesting that his entry, if any, would be found in the middle-ranking suit, diamonds. A spectacular switch to the queen of diamonds would have impressed the vugraph audience and left the contract hinging on declarer's club view. However, Burn made the more passive play of a spade and Helness rose with the ace. He duly picked up the clubs without loss and came to nine tricks; +150 but 7 IMPs to England, whose lead was up to 62.

Things were becoming desperate for Norway but they kept their hopes alive with two substantial swings in the last three boards of the day.

Board 30. Dealer East. None Vul.
	ª 10 6 5 © J 10 8 3 2 ¨ 10 8 2 § 10 7
ª K Q 9 3 © A Q 5 ¨ 6 3 § J 9 8 5		ª A 8 2 © 7 6 ¨ K Q J 7 5 4 § 5 3
	ª J 7 4 © K 9 4 ¨ A 9 § A K Q 4 2

In the Closed Room, Liggins/Fawcett stopped in 2¨, making an overtrick for +110. Helgemo/Helness bid up to game in the Open Room:

A club lead would have beaten 3NT trivially, but Burn's jack of hearts lead seems completely normal. Helgemo won the queen and played on diamonds, Callaghan ducking the first round. On winning the second diamond, Callaghan paused for a little while. He could see that if Helgemo had only five red-suit cards he should hold at least four clubs. In that case, playing clubs from the top would not be good enough. Perhaps North held §Jx or perhaps the clubs were distributed as on the actual hand. Callaghan found the excellent switch to a low club and now it was Helgemo's turn to think. He knew that South had almost all the missing values for his 1NT overcall, but could the clubs be only §AK10xx? Eventually, Helgemo did what we have come to expect from one of the best players in the world, putting up his jack. He had 12 tricks now for a great +490 and 9 IMPs to Norway.

Board 31. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	ª K J 4 2 © J 9 3 ¨ 6 5 § A K J 8
ª 6 5 © Q 2 ¨ A K J 9 8 2 § 7 5 2		ª A 9 3 © K 7 6 ¨ Q 10 7 4 § 9 6 4
	ª Q 10 8 7 © A 10 8 5 4 ¨ 3 § Q 10 3

On vugraph, Burn/Callaghan stopped in 3ª and made it exactly when the timing of the play was such that Burn would have had to risk his contract to take a second heart finesse; +140.

Saelensminde/Brogeland drove the hand to game and Fawcett led a diamond to the king and now Liggins had to find the very difficult switch to the queen of hearts to set the contract. When he, understandably, did not find this play, Saelensminde made his game for +620 and 10 badly needed IMPs to Norway.

The final deal of the session was flat so England went to bed with a lead of 43 IMPs, and only 16 boards to play the next morning.

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