By Patrick Jourdain from Wales

This Championship will set a number of records. When play began at 10 a.m. yesterday in the Bermuda Bowl the team of the intended host, Indonesia, took their seats thousands of miles from home. But tradition was honoured in giving them first showing on VuGraph for the match with Russia.
For the first half of the match the cards lay mainly with East-West. In the Open Room for Russia were Vadim Kholomeev and Tim Zlotov who had a faultless start to take a major lead.
On Board 1 the dealer, North held:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Kholomeev	Sacul	Zlotov	Karwur
		Pass	Pass
1¨	Dble	1©	3§
3¨	Pass	4§	Pass
4©	Pass	5¨	All Pass

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Manoppo	Gromov	Lasut	Petrunin
			3§
3¨	4§	4¨	All Pass

Given a relatively free run the Russians in the Open Room reached the easy Five Diamonds (the third heart goes on a spade). In the Closed Room Petrunin pre-empted as South and West overcalled. If North bids an aggressive Five Clubs, East would surely compete with Five Diamonds. But Gromov bid only Four Clubs, giving East the chance to bid only Four Diamonds. West visualised three losers, and Russia had recorded a further 6 IMPs.
Board 3 presented more competitive action:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Kholomeev	Sacul	Zlotov	Karwur
			Pass
Pass	3§	Dble	4§
4ª	All Pass

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Manoppo	Gromov	Lasut	Petrunin
			Pass
Pass	3§	Dble	Pass
3¨	All Pass

After the take-out double of a minor West has no guarantee of support for a four-card major, so note again the effect of the action by South. At the table where he passed West took the chance to bid a safe Three Diamonds. By contrast when South raised West felt compelled to launch into a poor-looking Four Spades. The dodgy Four Spades came home in quick time when West picked up the trumps for no loser. Russia had picked up a further 11 IMPs.
In the next two boards Indonesia managed to pick up an IMP in overtricks. Then came what looked to be a not-too-difficult grand slam:

ª K © 8 7 5 4 2 ¨ Q 5 § A K 5 3 2

ª A 4 3 © A K Q 10 ¨ A 10 § Q J 6 4

Kholomeev & Zlotov reached it confidently

West	North	East	South
		1§	Pass
1©	Pass	2§	Pass
2©	Pass	3©	Pass
3ª	Pass	4¨	Pass
5§	Pass	5ª	Pass
6§	Pass	7§	All Pass

One Club was of the Polish variety. One Heart was natural and positive and Two Clubs was an artificial game force. The pair relayed their way to the grand slam from there.
This was the Indonesian effort:

West	North	East	South
		2NT	Pass
3¨	Pass	3©	Pass
4§	Pass	4¨	Pass
6§	Pass	6©	All Pass

A transfer was followed by a natural Four Clubs and a cue-bid of Four Diamonds. West may have had a better choice than a leap to Six Clubs, but East's conversion to only Six Hearts looked a little hasty. He knows West is looking at five small hearts, so it is difficult to find a hand that justifies the leap to Six without East's cards providing good play for seven. Anyway, it was a further 12 IMPs to Russia, who led by 34-1.
Board 7 was no better, Russia reached a borderline vulnerable 3NT (25 points and a five-card suit), found the cards lay well, and wrapped up ten tricks. Indonesia had stopped in a safer-looking Three Diamonds, misplayed it and went off. This was a further 12 to Russia, and a rout was in store.
So far every swing had occurred in the bidding. Board 9 was the first to provide interest in the play:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Kholomeev	Sacul	Zlotov	Karwur
	Pass	Pass	2§
Dble	3§	Pass	Pass
4ª	All Pass

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Manoppo	Gromov	Lasut	Petrunin
	2©	Pass	3©
4ª	All Pass

For the first time in the match the same contract had been reached at both tables. In the Open Room Denny Sacul led the queen of clubs, covered by king and ace. Franky Karwur cleverly returned a low heart. If declarer held the king Karwur would have a chance later to remove dummy's trump. Declarer won the king and tried the king of diamonds, but the defence was in control. One off.
In the Closed Room North led a fifth-highest heart to South's ace. Petrunin correctly switched to a trump. (Note that if, relying on partner to hold the king, he cashes the ace of diamonds and leads a heart, declarer should succeed. He wins the heart, ruffs a heart, and comes off dummy by playing the king of clubs to prevent South obtaining a diamond ruff.)
After winning the trump switch, Manoppo wisely played out his trumps. South began by discarding the eight of clubs followed by the two. North happily threw two hearts and a diamond. This was the ending when the penultimate trump was laid on the table:

	ª © Q 6 ¨ J 9 3 § Q 4
ª 4 3 © K 7 ¨ K 10 § J		ª © 10 ¨ Q 8 7 § K 9 5
	ª © J 8 ¨ A § A 10 7 2

North fell from grace by discarding another diamond. Manoppo next set up the diamonds and, with South unable to hold up, was able to reach dummy's diamonds to make his game. Indonesia had scored its first significant swing of the match. The half-time score was 62-13 in Russia's favour.
Russia picked another big swing with the help of a gadget.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Kholomeev	Sacul	Zlotov	Karwur
			3§
Pass	3NT	4ª	Pass
Pass	5§	Pass	Pass
5ª	All Pass

This contract could have been defeated with a heart lead, but Karwur started with the club ace, and when declarer picked off the singleton spade king, he was home with plus 450.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Manoppo	Gromov	Lasut	Petrunin
			2NT (1)
Pass	4§	All Pass

(1) Good minor-suit pre-empt.
Gromov no doubt was prepared to go to Five Clubs or Five Diamonds, but why should he if the four level will do? Lasut obviously took a different view of his hand than had Zlotov, and it cost Indonesia another 11 IMPs.
A further 11 IMPs went to Russia when Kholomeev and Zlotov bid to a very good grand slam in spades while Manoppo and Lasut stopped in Six Spades and took 12 tricks.
Indonesia struck back with a slam swing of their own on Board 14, gaining 10 IMPs for bidding and making Six Clubs while Kholomeev and Zlotov played Four Spades on a 4-3 fit for plus 480.
Russia missed a chance for another game swing on Board 16 when Gromov and Petrunin let a vulnerable game slip through.

Board 16. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
	ª K J 8 2 © 9 2 ¨ 9 4 2 § J 8 5 2
ª 10 © A K Q J 8 6 3 ¨ 3 § Q 10 7 4		ª Q 9 7 6 © 10 7 ¨ K 10 8 7 6 § A 3
	ª A 5 4 3 © 5 4 ¨ A Q J 5 § K 9 6

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Kholomeev	Sacul	Zlotov	Karwur
4©	Pass	Pass	Dble
Pass	4ª	Dble	All Pass

The Russians took six tricks against Four Spades to record plus 500, a gain for Indonesia if Manoppo and Lasut managed 10 tricks in Four Hearts, although that would be in serious jeopardy with a trump lead.
Closed Room
West North East South
Manoppo Gromov Lasut Petrunin
1© Pass 1NT Pass
3NT All Pass
Petrunin started with the spade ace. It took him a long time to make his next play, but he switched effectively to a heart, giving away nothing. The defenders came under pressure as Lasut won the heart ace and ran off the next six tricks. This was the position as Lasut played dummy's last heart:

	ª K J 8 © ¨ 4 § J 5
ª © 3 ¨ 3 § Q 10 7 4		ª Q 9 7 © ¨ K 10 § A
	ª 3 © ¨ A Q J § K 9

On dummy's last heart, North discarded the spade eight, East the spade seven. South let go of the diamond jack. Lasut when played a diamond to his ten and South's queen. Again, Petrunin went into a long study, finally cashing the diamond ace, on which North threw the spade jack. Petrunin could have defeated the contract by exiting with his low club, but he played the club king instead, allowing Lasut to exit with the spade queen. Gromov had to play a club at the end for Lasut's ninth trick. Instead of a 12-IMP gain, the Russians suffered a 3-IMP loss.
On Board 18, both sides reached slam and brought home their respective contracts with the help of the opening lead.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Kholomeev	Sacul	Zlotov	Karwur
		2¨ (1)	Dble
2ª	3§	Pass	3ª
Pass	4¨	Pass	6NT
All Pass
(1) Multi.

Kholomeev's lead of the spade ten was a natural one from his side. With a third spade trick in the bank, Zlotov had only to play on clubs for 12 tricks.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Manoppo	Gromov	Lasut	Petrunin
		Pass	1§ (1)
2ª	3¨	3ª	4¨
Pass	4ª	Pass	4NT
Pass	5¨	Pass	6¨
All Pass
(1) Precision.

Again, a spade lead seems natural but it turned out to be the only one to let Gromov take 12 tricks. Gromov inserted dummy's spade jack at trick one, giving him four discards for the losing clubs in his hand (if he ruffed a club in dummy, he would need a miracle to avoid two diamond losers). When the spade jack held at trick one, Gromov needed to bring in the diamond suit for one loser, and when he played the diamond six from dummy at trick two, Manoppo inserted the king and played another round of trumps, allowing Gromov to claim for plus 1370, a 2-IMP loss.
The final score was Russia 84, Indonesia 51.