On what was a particularly challenging set of hands, vast numbers of IMPs changed hands in the Germany-Australia Venice Cup match, with both teams being faced with some very tough decisions. The set started out with what seemed to be a possible pick-up for Germany.

Board 1. Dealer North. Love All 7 A J 7 4 3 K 7 K 6 5 4 3 K Q 10 8 6 4 10 9 8 2 A Q 10 9 2 8 6 5 4 3 A J 10 8 7 2 A 9 7 5 3 2 K Q 6 5 J Q 9

Sabine Auken and Daniela von Arnim had a controlled auction to sniff at slam and stop in 4. When the defence took their club ruff to hold Auken to +420, it gave Germany the hope that Australia might get too high in the other room. In fact, Vogt/Gladiator doubled 4, and when the club ruff got away, that was -690 and a 7 IMP gain for Australia. There was more good news for Down Under on the second board.

Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Game All 4 9 2 A K 10 9 8 5 A Q 4 3 Q 10 7 5 A 9 6 A 6 5 4 Q J 10 8 7 3 J 6 4 3 2 K 9 2 7 K J 8 3 2 K Q 7 J 10 8 6 5

Auken held the North hand after 2 (Multi) - pass- 3 to her. She elected to pass, hoping that her LHO could bid 3 and that she could then reopen. In fact it was von Arnim who bid 3, and after much internal agitation Auken passed. 3 drifted two down, which did not have to be a tragedy since Tully declared 5 from the North seat. On a club lead all Gladiator had to do was duck, and declarer would have been likely to go two down (how to reach 5?). But Gladiator released the K at trick one, and was -600 for a 13 IMP loss.

Board 4. Dealer West. Game All 10 9 8 6 9 8 A Q J 6 5 4 3 K Q 7 3 A 4 2 K 8 7 5 6 2 A K 10 5 3 J 9 6 4 — 10 9 8 2 J 5 A Q J 10 4 3 Q 7 2 K 7

Board 4 was a "lucky" board for Australia because they combined their disasters. Auken elected to overcall 4 over a 1 opening by Beech, who reopened with a double. Bourke tried 5 in response to this and put down a very suitable dummy. However, the play is not straightforward. On the heart lead to the ace and a heart back, Beech covered and Auken ruffed. If she now exits with a spade she can ensure the defeat of the contract whenever it can be beaten (and maybe she can work that out). Instead she played the A. Beech ruffed and cashed the A. Now if she ruffs a heart, ruffs a club, ruffs a heart high, finesses in trumps and runs the trumps, she squeezes North - but she missed it and went one down.

By contrast, when Tully at the other table overcalled 2, it encouraged her partner to look for higher things. When Beale tried 3NT, Vogt doubled and no one was chicken enough to escape. Three spade tricks and five diamonds later, that was 1400 and 15 IMPs to Germany.

Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Game K 3 A Q 10 7 4 J 8 5 2 Q 8 Q J 10 9 8 6 A 7 5 J 9 8 3 9 6 4 K A 3 2 K 10 9 6 5 4 4 2 K 6 5 2 A Q 10 7 3 J 7

Board 5 saw another big swing as East/West for Germany stayed out of the auction altogether, allowing Australia a limit raise sequence to 3. Plus 140 went well with 690 from 4 doubled making with an overtrick from the other room. Beech overcalled 2 and Bourke jumped to 4 at her first turn.

Board 8. Dealer West. Love All 10 6 — A K Q 8 5 3 A K 10 6 2 A J 9 5 4 3 2 10 9 8 7 2 A Q J 3 7 J 2 9 4 Q J 8 5 3 K Q 8 7 K 6 5 4 10 9 6 4 7

Australia extended their lead when both Auken and Tully reached 6 from the North seat. Auken received a trump lead and knew West was 5-5 in the majors. Her spade spots meant that she could ensure success if East had a doubleton ace-jack or nine of spades, with some additional chances. She drew a second round of trumps and from there could not find a way home.

By contrast Tully had no such clues - though Vogt led a spade in response to a lead-directing double. Tully decided to draw only one round of trumps before ruffing out clubs. When West could not overruff the third round of clubs she was home; 14 IMPs for Australia, giving them a 22 IMP cushion. Things quietened down for a while before Auken tried a slightly risky experiment.

Board 16. Dealer West. E/W Game 9 8 6 10 9 8 6 9 8 A K 6 3 K Q J A 10 4 3 2 A Q 5 4 A K J 7 6 4 10 5 3 9 J 8 4 2 7 5 K J 7 3 2 Q 2 Q 10 7 5

After the bidding 2-2-3-3-4-4NT-5-6 by EW, Auken, in pass-out seat, tried a sporting double, assuming it would be clear to von Arnim that this was neither a void-showing double nor a double based on spade tricks. Alas! von Arnim led a spade, and when trumps behaved so well, it was easy for Australia to collect 1640 for a 9 IMP gain. Vogt and Gladiator had done well to reach slam in their room.

That left Australia heading for the maximum 25 VPs, and indeed the final swing could easily have gone either way.

Board 20. Dealer West. Game All J 10 6 4 Q J 9 3 Q J 3 K J K 8 5 3 Q 7 8 4 10 7 6 2 9 8 6 5 A 7 4 Q 10 4 A 9 6 5 A 9 2 A K 5 K 10 2 8 7 3 2

Beech opened 1 in third seat on the East cards, and that persuaded von Arnim to double. Auken jumped to 2, collecting nine tricks. By contrast Tully/Beale bid unopposed to 3NT, and declarer had to go after spades. That allowed the defence to give declarer a guess in clubs. When declarer got it wrong, the 6 IMP pick-up for Germany meant that they had escaped with a 20-10 VP loss.