With 32 boards to play in the Bermuda Bowl final, USA II and Norway were tied at 195. Few could have envisioned this score when the Norwegians were ahead 164-85. The Americans mounted a strong charge in the fifth and sixth sessions to pull even. Thus it was, in essence, a 32-board match starting with the seventh session.

After the East/West at both tables overbid to 4© on the first deal (both one down), Norway earned a 3-IMP swing by bidding and making 1NT on Board 2 in the closed room while the deal was passed out in the open room.

Norway gained another 8 IMPs on Board 3 when Tor Helness worked out the right line of play to land 2NT, while Peter Weichsel in the other room was two down in the same contract.

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

The auction was the same in both rooms.

West	North	East	South
Sontag	Saelensminde	Weichsel	Brogeland
Helgemo	Martel	Helness	Stansby
			Pass
1©	Pass	1NT	Pass
2©	Pass	2NT	All Pass

In the closed room, Boye Brogeland led the ªJ to Weichsel's queen. Weichsel played a heart at trick two, playing the king when Brogeland followed low. Erik Saelensminde won the ace and returned a spade to set up South's suit. Weichsel had no play for the contract from there, as the ©Q provided an entry to the good spades. Weichsel was two down for -200.

In the open room, Lew Stansby also started with the ªJ, but Helness made a better guess in hearts, playing to the jack at trick two. Chip Martel won the ace and returned a spade, ducked to the 9. The ªK came back, and Helness won the ace. He then went into a protracted study (which ultimately cost his team a time penalty of 2 IMPs) before working out the correct line. He cashed the §Q and played a club to the ace, followed by the ©K and another heart, endplaying Martel, who had pitched a club on the second round of hearts and hand only red cards at the point he won the ©8. He had to give Helness his eighth trick in diamonds.

Norway added to their IMP total when Brogeland managed to land a difficult notrump game.

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

West	North	East	South
Sontag	Saelensminde	Weichsel	Brogeland
Pass	1§	Pass	1ª
Pass	2§	Pass	2¨
Pass	3§	Pass	3NT
All Pass

Alan Sontag led the ©3 to the ace, and Weichsel returned a low heart, taken by Sontag with the queen. Sontag knew he would not be in again, so he switched to the ª10. Brogeland ducked to Weichsel's queen, and the spade return was taken in dummy. Brogeland then played a club to his ace, cashed the ©K and exited with the ªJ. Weichsel could have defeated the contract by returning the ¨Q, blocking the suit, but he got out with a low diamond and Brogeland had his nine tricks: three diamonds, two clubs, three spades and a heart.

West	North	East	South
Helgemo	Martel	Helness	Stansby
Pass	Pass	1§	1ª
Pass	1NT	Pass	2¨
Pass	2ª	All Pass

The Americans never came close to game, and although Stansby made his contract, it was a 10-IMP loss for USA II.

The Americans finally scored on Board 6 when Weichsel-Sontag made a vulnerable 5§ that could have been defeated with a different opening lead while Stansby-Martel were -300 in 4ª doubled. That was a 7-IMP gain for USA II.

Norway got it back and more on the following deal.

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

West	North	East	South
Sontag	Saelensminde	Weichsel	Brogeland
			Pass
Pass	Pass	1ª	Pass
2¨	Pass	3¨	All Pass

Sontag had no trouble taking 11 tricks.

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

Two Notrump was an inquiry; 3¨ indicated that Geir Helgemo had the best hand possible for his original bid. Stansby could have defeated the contract with a club lead, but he selected the ©Q, and Helness took all the tricks for plus 720. Norway had another 11 IMPs.

USA II picked up 7 IMPs on Board 10 to draw to within 16.

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

West	North	East	South
Sontag	Saelensminde	Weichsel	Brogeland
		1¨	Pass
1ª	Pass	3¨	All Pass

Brogeland started with the ªA and Weichsel had no trouble taking nine tricks for +110.

West	North	East	South
Helgemo	Martel	Helness	Stansby
		1¨	Pass
1ª	Pass	2¨	Pass
2ª	Pass	4ª	All Pass

This auction marked the difference between the two pairs in the open room. While Stansby and Martel maintained a conservative approach, Helgemo and Helness were very aggressive - as can be seen on this deal.

Helgemo had no play for the contract, and in fact he went down two after Martel led the ©Q to the king and ace. Stansby cashed the ¨A and gave Martel a ruff. When he was in with the trump ace, Stansby was able to play another diamond to promote his partner's ªQ.

USA II pulled to within 8 IMPs when Weichsel brought home nine tricks in 3NT while Helgemo was two down on the same deal in 4©.

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

West	North	East	South
Sontag	Saelensminde	Weichsel	Brogeland
	Pass	Pass	1ª
2©	2ª	2NT	Pass
3NT	All Pass

Brogeland led the ª5 to the queen and king, and Weichsel entered dummy in hearts to run the §9 to Brogeland's jack. Brogeland played the ¨K next, and Weichsel simply won the ¨A and played another diamond. The ¨10 was his ninth trick for +600.

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

Martel led the ª3 and Helgemo played low from dummy with hardly a thought. Stansby took some time to make his play, but he finally inserted the 9 and made the killing switch to a trump. Now Helgemo had no way to take 10 tricks, and he finished two down desperately trying to make it.

Norway was up 14 going into the final board, but the USA pulled to within 4 IMPs thanks to a vulnerable game swing. The margin became 2 IMPs when Norway was assessed a 2-IMP time penalty. The match was going right down to the wire.