The second session of the Open final between Italy and Poland was one of the least exciting I can remember in World Championship play. After 11 deals, Poland had outscored Italy by 4-2 IMPs. There were just three swings of greater than 2 IMPs, and they all came near the end of the session.

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

In the Closed Room, Jacek Pszczola doubled the 1¨ opening and doubled again when Guido Ferraro's weak 2ª response came back to him. When he next bid his hearts, Michal Kwiecien scraped up a raise to game. Ferraro led a heart to the ace and Dano De Falco returned a heart. Pszczola won and played three rounds of diamonds. Ferraro failed to ruff in front of dummy so declarer ruffed, came to the ace of spades and drew the last trump. The auction strongly indicated the distribution of the outstanding cards, including the position of the §K. Pszczola led his last diamond to North. De Falco could cash the fifth diamond, but then had to lead up to the §Q to give declarer his tenth trick and the contract; +420.

In the Open Room, 2NT showed both minors and, with three-of-either-minor available for take-out, Norberto Bocchi felt that he could afford to double despite the spade singleton. Krzysztof Jassem had no preference so passed, and must have been delighted when Giorgio Duboin removed to 3ª. Bocchi bid the inevitable 3NT and played there. Jassem guessed very well by leading the ten of clubs. That was covered by the queen and king. Bocchi ducked but won the club continuation. He played the ©K to the ace and Piotr Tuszynski cashed the clubs then switched to the jack of spades. Declarer had pitched two diamonds on the clubs. He now cashed the top diamonds and exited with the eight of hearts, which would have endplayed South had he started with four cards in the suit. As it was, he had two spades to cash and that was four down for -200 and 12 IMPs to Poland.

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

In the Closed Room, Ferraro opened a 15-17 no trump and Kwiecien overcalled 3¨. That drew a take-out double from De Falco and Ferraro bid 3NT. I find that a slightly surprising choice. With no source of tricks, I would have thought passing and taking the money to be more normal, but then, I am not playing in a World Championship final. It was not too taxing for Kwiecien to find the diamond lead that meant a quick three down; -150.

In the other room, Bocchi's 2§ opening was weak with both majors. Jassem doubled, one of his possible hand types being around 13-15 balanced, and Duboin bid his diamonds. Tuszynski had no clear bid now so passed and 3¨ ended the auction. Tuszynski led his trump and Jassem ducked. Duboin won and returned a second trump and again Jassem ducked. He won the third round and had to decide on a switch. Tuszynski had thrown the ª3 followed by the §8. Had that been reverse attitude, a spade switch would have been clear, but according to a Pole in the vugraph audience, it was reverse count. Jassem switched to a club instead and the contract was just one down; -50 and 5 IMPs to Poland.

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

Finally a bit of action or, at least, light relief. Look first at the Open Room result and imagine how the Italians felt. Bocchi overcalled 3NT when many would have preferred to bid the spades, and Duboin decided that there could easily be a slam in the cards so showed his diamonds. Clearly, Bocchi bid 4ª as a suggestion to play there and, equally clearly, Duboin took it as a cuebid for diamonds. He made two cuebids and Bocchi bid 5¨ and then 6¨, both very quickly. Credit Duboin for not taking his partner's tempo into account as he drove to slam on the strength of what he believed his partner's bids to mean. Six Diamonds may have other chances, but the main one is that the spades come in. When Tuszynski led the ª8, that did not look very likely. Duboin won the ace and played the §Q to Jassem's ace. He played back a diamond and Duboin won in dummy and cashed the other diamond before ruffing a heart to hand and drawing the outstanding trump. He could only make the black kings and his long trump from here for three down; -150. Had declarer ruffed a heart when in dummy with the first diamond, he could have taken two more heart ruffs and a club ruff and got out for two down.

Had you told Bocchi/Duboin that they would gain on the board, they might not have believed you, but that is what happened. De Falco's more aggressive pre-empt in the Closed Room attracted a double from Pszczola. It seems that the Poles were on different wavelengths here. Presumably the double was take-out, making it a questionable action, and Kwiecien intended 4NT as being two places to play, another questionable action given the disparity in his suits and the fact that partner would tend to bid clubs with equal length in the minors. Did Pszczola take 4NT as Blackwood, Lebensohl, or what? His 5§ response looks curious to these eyes, and it certainly did not mean the same to Kwiecien as to Pszczola. He raised to six and that inelegant contract went no less than seven down for -350 and 5 IMPs to Italy.

The session score was 22-9 to Poland, leaving the overall score after 32 boards at 44-30 in favour of Italy. Both players and spectators would hope for livelier deals the next day.

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