Italy led by 81-61 going into the fourth session of the Open final. If I was heard to complain that the previous session that I had watched had been dull, this one more than made up for it. By the time that you read this, we may well know whether this was the decisive session of the match.

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

On vugraph, Adam Zmudzinski led a club against Giorgio Duboin. Declarer won the queen with his ace and played ace then queen of hearts to the king. Zmudzinski switched to a low spade but, of course, there was no losing guess. Duboin actually went up with the king and made ten tricks for +630.

In the Closed Room, Alfredo Versace led a heart. Michal Kwiecien won this with the queen and ducked a diamond to Lorenzo Lauria's jack. Lauria switched to a spade and Versace won the ace and returned the suit. It looks as though declarer should at least test the clubs before anything else, but he had clearly convinced himself that the opening lead was from shortage and he passed the jack of hearts now. When that lost the defence took their spade tricks for down one; -100 and 12 IMPs to Italy.

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

In the Closed Room, Jacek Pszczola found the passive lead of a low diamond. That gave Versace a chance and he grabbed it with both hands, picking up the spades successfully and getting home with ten tricks; +620.

With dummy having shown a side suit, a passive lead was much less attractive in the Closed Room. Norberto Bocchi led the nine of clubs, first or third highest, and Duboin won the ace and switched to the nine of hearts to the ace. Boccho thought for a while then cashed the king of clubs before returning a heart. When Zmudzinski got the trumps wrong, he was down two for -200 and 13 IMPs to Italy. The Italians had more than doubled their lead in the first three boards of the set.

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

Both Wests led clubs and the defence took the first five tricks - 120 and 100 to Poland; +6 IMPs.

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

It does seem that you would rather be able to repeat the diamonds on the West cards, but Balicki/Zmudzinske do not play a 3¨ rebid from West as forcing. What some would describe as their inferior methods worked very well here. Can Lauria really be criticized for bidding 3NT in the Closed Room? He got the contract played from the wrong side and a heart lead quickly put paid to his chances; one down for -50. Meanwhile, having been forced by his methods to bid clubs at his second turn, Zmudzinski then did well to bid 3NT from the correct side at his next turn. A heart lead ran to the queen and Zmudzinski ran the diamonds. Duboin threw two clubs on the diamonds so had no winning option when Zmudzinski next led a club to the king. If he ducked, a spade lead would establish an 11th trick for declarer. When he actually won and cashed the ªA, that too was 11 tricks; +460 and 11 IMPs to Poland.

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

It is surprising how often that heart holding provides a stopper after a weak two opening. Where Duboin was not certain which major was held on his left, it seemed that the most descriptive bid he could make on the South cards was 2NT. That was raised to game and Zmudzinski led a low heart to Cesary Balicki's queen. On a passive return, declarer reaches a position where he can afford the by then marked endplay in spades to make 11 tricks. Balicki, however, switched to the ten of spades at trick two. Duboin knew that the king was probably on his right, but he could not afford to take the risk. When he rose with the ªA, he had only ten tricks for +430.

In the other room, Kwiecien did know what suit was held on his left and 2NT seemed less attractive than a diamond overcall. The defence to 3¨ was perfect. Versace led the ace of hearts and continued with a high heart spot for Lauria to ruff. Back came a spade and, after ruffing, Versace again underled his heart to put partner in to give him a second spade ruff for down one; -50 and 10 IMPs to Italy.

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

In the Closed Room, Lauria presumably thought that 4©, coming from a passed hand, had to be a fit-non-jump, guaranteeing spade support. Versace presumably thought otherwise. The 3-3 heart split meant that hearts played almost as well as would spades have done, but Lauria was still three down for -300.

The mini no trump and diamond transfer kept East/West out of the auction in the Open Room. Three Diamonds made exactly for +110; 5 IMPs to Poland.

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

Poor Zmudzinski - he was happy enough about what was going on when Balicki cuebid 4§, though making your first cuebid on a void in partner's suit is not many people's idea of a recipe for a comfortable life. But then, having checked on key cards, Balicki tortured him with a 6§ grand slam try. From Balicki's perspective, this was confirming the club void and showing interest in seven if partner had the other three aces. Zmudzinski was not so sure what he was being asked for, and decided to hedge his bets by cuebidding 6¨. Now Balicki, assuming that his message had got across and that Zmudzinski was cooperating, jumped to 7©. There was no way to avoid a spade loser so the contract was one down; -100.

Lauria/Versace bid smoothly to the small slam; +1430 and 17 IMPs to Italy.

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

Another smooth Italian auction, this time featuring Puppet Stayman, led to a quick and easy +460.

In the Open Room, Zmudzinski's 2NT rebid showed a good 21 to 24. Balicki checked for a major-suit fit then, perhaps still thinking about the previous board and looking for a perfect-fit slam to get his money back, moved with 4§ over 3NT. More torture for Zmudzinski, who was certainly still thinking about the previous board. However, he knew that the initial 1¨ response was limited to around a six-count, and it was very unlikely that he had what was required facing clubs and spades. Zmudzinski signed-off in 4NT. After a diamond lead to dummy's jack, Zmudzinski had the same 11 tricks as in the other room; +460 and a flat board.

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

Declarer has only to get one of the majors right to make 4©, so East/West did well to save. Five Clubs doubled was two down when declarer got the spades right; -300.

Four Spades doubled looked to have a chance of escaping for one down in the Open Room. Duboin cahsed the queen then king of diamonds, then the ace of hearts. A second heart forced dummy to ruff, and Balicki led the queen of spades to the king and ace. Balicki ruffed his remaining diamond and played a club to the king. The nine of spades went to Bocchi's jack, but he could now put dummy in by leading the ten of clubs. With nothing but clubs left on table, there was no way to prevent Bocchi from getting a club ruff for two down; -300 and a push.

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

Neither East/West pair's auction was totally convincing, the problem being that neither West was in a position to ask for just for aces, because RKCB was in use. Zmudzinski used 4NT anyway, but then had to guess that the §A was the missing key card. A spade lead allowed Zmudzinski to make all 13 tricks, while a club was led in the other room; 1 IMP to Poland.

There must have been two very disappointed pairs in the Women's final, and also two very relieved pairs. The Canadian East/West pair bid and made 7¨ for a wonderful +2140. But that only held their loss on the deal to 2 IMPs! In the other room, USA bid and made 7NT for 2220. Scary.

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

The Polish North/South pair got too high in the Closed Room. Had South been certain that he was facing a diamond void, he might have been less enthusiastic than when he thought that his ace might be facing a singleton. Perhaps his 6© bid was too much, despite his aces. Six Hearts was down one for -50.

The Italian auction went much better. Bocchi's 3NT showed a heart slam try with no spade control. When Duboin cuebid 4¨, he therefore had to also hold a spade control. When Bocchi redoubled to show his diamond void, Bocchi had already done his bit and did not have any reason to go past game. Duboin made 11 tricks for +450 and 11 IMPs to Italy.

The lively session ended with Italy holding a very useful lead of 145-84. There were still 64 boards to play, but the signs were not looking good for Poland.

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