At the midway point in the final of the Bermuda Bowl, Norway had a very healthy lead of 164-85 IMPs. There were still plenty of boards left over which to make a comeback but the Americans really wanted to cut the deficit quickly.

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

West	North	East	South
Stansby	Helness	Martel	Helgemo
		1ª	Pass
3ª	Pass	4¨	Pass
4ª	Pass	6ª	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Brogeland	Larsen	Saelensminde	Meltzer
		1ª	Pass
3©	Pass	4§	Dble
4ª	Pass	5§	Pass
5ª	All Pass

Six Spades is by no means secure; a trump lead, for example, would make it awkward to get backwards and forwards to take three heart ruffs. Brogeland/Saelensminde were probably not too worried at stopping in five making twelve tricks; +680. However, when Lew Stansby made a limit raise, Chip Martel drove to slam on his own and without revealing very much about his hand. Geir Helgemo tried to cash the ace of clubs and it was plain sailing for Martel after that. He ruffed the club and played ace of hearts and ruffed a heart, played a spade to hand and ruffed another heart, then pitched the last heart on the king of clubs. Martel now drew trumps before knocking out the ace of diamonds; +1430 and 13 IMPs to USA2.

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

West	North	East	South
Stansby	Helness	Martel	Helgemo
			Pass
Pass	Pass	1©	Pass
2¨	Pass	2©	Pass
3¨	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Brogeland	Larsen	Saelensminde	Meltzer
			Pass
1¨	Pass	1©	Pass
2¨	Pass	3§	Pass
3¨	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Martel/Stansby stopped safely in 3¨ when Stansby did not open the West hand. A successful diamond guess meant an overtrick; +130. After Boye Brogeland had opened the West hand at the one level, there was no question of the Norwegians stopping short of game. Rose Meltzer led a spade to Erik Saelensminde's jack and he played a diamond to the king and ten. The ¨Q to pin the jack would have produced an overtrick but Saelensminde guessed to play for Larsen to have falsecarded from ¨J105 and continued with a low card, losing to the jack. He had no chance from here and was three down for -300; 10 IMPs to USA2. Although Saelenminde's play was unsuccessful, consider that South appeared to have led from length, suggesting that she might be shorter in other suits - and restricted choice considerations applied equally to the ¨5-2 as to the ¨ J-10.

Martel Chip, USA

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

West	North	East	South
Stansby	Helness	Martel	Helgemo
	1NT	Pass	2©
Pass	2ª	Pass	3NT
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Brogeland	Larsen	Saelensminde	Meltzer
	1§	Pass	1ª
Pass	2©	Pass	2ª
Pass	3ª	Pass	3NT
All Pass

Meltzer received a diamond lead from Brogeland and had no real chance of success. She won the ten with her king and played to the jack of spades. The contract was eventually down three for -150.

Tor Helness opened a slightly off-centre 1NT and the less revealing auction helped him a little as he received a club lead into his tenace. The hand is not easy to play but the spades lie favourably if declarer guesses to play king, then jack to the ace and a third round - though that is not in itself sufficient to bring in nine tricks. Helness chose to lead a diamond at trick two and Stansby won the king with his ace to lead a club through. Helness won and played the king of hearts from his hand. Martel gave that a good look before eventually ducking. Now Helness cashed the king of clubs, throwing dummy's small diamond, and continued with three rounds of spades. Stansby won the third round and played a heart through to Martel's jack. Martel had the setting tricks in his hand at this moment but appears to have simply miscounted the tricks, because he played back a diamond and dummy had enough winners to bring declarer's total to nine; +400 and 11 IMPs to Norway.

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

West	North	East	South
Stansby	Helness	Martel	Helgemo
		1ª	2©
3§	4©	4ª	Pass
4NT	Pass	5©	Pass
5NT	Pass	6©	Pass
6ª	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Brogeland	Larsen	Saelensminde	Meltzer
		1ª	3©
4©	5©	6©	Pass
7ª	All Pass

When Martel could rebid his spades freely at the four level, Stansby took charge by asking for key cards then inviting seven. Martel's 6© denied the ability to bid the grand himself and also denied either minor-suit king. Stansby had no reason to bid the grand now and signed off in six. Martel won the heart lead while throwing a diamond from hand, then laid down the ace of spades. He had got the trumps wrong but in a safe manner. Martel continued by ruffing the small heart, cashing the king of spades and playing on clubs. Whether Helgemo ruffed in at some point or waited to be thrown in with the queen of spades, Martel had avoided the diamond finesse; +1430. Meltzer's weak jump overcall added momentum to the auction. Brogeland began by showing a good 4ª raise and Saelensminde invited seven over Larsen's 5© barrage bid. Looking at so many key cards, it was no surprise when Brogeland accepted the invitation. Saelensminde also won the heart lead and laid down the ace of spades. He failed to find the endplay, perhaps not having sufficient enthusiasm to look for it when he was already down in a grand slam. Eventually taking the diamond finesse led to two off for -200 and 17 IMPs to USA2.

Helgemo Geir, Norway

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

West	North	East	South
Stansby	Helness	Martel	Helgemo
Pass	1©	Pass	1NT
Pass	2NT	Pass	3§
Pass	3¨	Pass	4¨
Pass	4NT	Pass	5¨
All Pass

West	North	East	South
Brogeland	Larsen	Saelensminde	Meltzer
2¨	Dble	Rdbl	3§
Pass	3NT	All Pass

Brogeland's 2¨ opening showed at least 4-4 in the majors with a weak hand. The double showed high cards and the redouble asked for partner's longer major. East/West could have escaped into 2ª without too much pain so the Americans did the right thing when they bid to their vulnerable 3NT instead of trying for a penalty. Saelensminde led the jack of hearts to the ace and Bogeland switched to a low spade to declarer's king. Larsen cashed the ace of clubs then led the ten of diamonds to the queen and king. He played on clubs now for ten tricks; +630.

Helgemo/Helness had the auction to themselves but did not make the best of use of this freedom. Helgemo's 3§ was artificial and so was 3¨. When Helgemo responded 4¨ to that Helness explained that this bid did not exist in the system. Martel led a club against 5¨ and Helness won and played ace of diamonds followed by a diamond to the jack. A heart was ducked so that his king won, and he next played the ªK from hand. Stansby won that and, after some thought, returned a spade. Although dummy's heart loser now vanished, there was just too much work to do and the contract had to fail by a trick; -100 and a gift 12 IMPs to USA2.

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

West	North	East	South
Stansby	Helness	Martel	Helgemo
			Pass
1NT	Pass	2©	Pass
3ª	Pass	4ª	All Pass

West	North	East	South
Brogeland	Larsen	Saelensminde	Meltzer
			Pass
1©	Pass	1ª	Pass
2ª	Pass	4ª	All Pass

The Norwegian strong no trump methods got the normal game played by East, where a heart lead was automatic. In fact, the Americans dropped a trick when Meltzer switched to a diamond after taking two top hearts and the third heart disappeared on the clubs; one down for -50.

The weak no trump scored when Stansby broke the transfer and was raised to game. Given a blind lead - would you consider a lead-directing double of the transfer with the South cards - Helness not unnaturally led the jack of clubs. Stansby drew trumps and threw two hearts on the clubs; +420 and 10 IMPs to USA2.

The Americans had won the set by 68-49 and, trailing by only 154-192, were right back in the match.