Some days it isn't worth getting out of bed in the morning. For most of this match Brazil didn't seem to do anything seriously wrong yet they were hammered by a USA2 team who were playing both well and in luck.

Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Game 4 3 6 8 2 K J 10 8 7 4 3 2 A Q 10 8 7 6 J 2 Q 9 7 10 8 3 K 6 Q J 10 7 4 3 A 9 6 5 K 9 5 A K J 5 4 2 A 9 5 Q Open Room West North East South Fonseca Hamman Mello Wolff 1 1 Pass Pass 2 2 3 Pass 3 Pass 4 All Pass

1 was strong, after which Bobby Wolff bid and rebid his hearts but, not surprisingly, Bob Hamman was not prepared to play anywhere other than in his eight-card suit. Even 5 is possible from the South seat unless the defence knockout the A early. Here, Fonseca led ace and a second spade so eleven tricks were routine; +150.

In the other room, Marcelo Branco opened 1 and Jeff Meckstroth overcalled 2, intermediate. The Brazilians had a toy here and Gabriel Chagas used it, a 2NT transfer to clubs. A typical hand for this would be a six-card suit with 7-10 HCP so Branco could not afford to pass. He repeated his hearts, showing a good hand, and now Chagas gave in, fearing that 4 would be taken as a stronger hand. Despite the favourable opening lead of ace and another spade, 3 did not play well. East, Eric Rodwell could over-ruff the third spade and dummy was completely useless. Branco made five hearts tricks, sxK and A for two down; -100 and 6 IMPs to USA2.

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

In the Closed Room, Meckstroth opened 1, Precision-style, as dealer and this ran round to Branco who bid 2, intermediate. That ended the auction and Meckstroth led K followed by a low diamond to the ace. Once East had shown up with the A, he was very unlikely to also have Q so Branco later got the trumps right and made exactly; +110.

In the Open Room, Christiano Fonseca opened 1 and Roberto Mello scraped up a 1 response. That didn't cause Wolff any problem in the auction as he was able to overcall a natural 2, where he played. The problem came in the play. Again the defence began with king and another diamond to the ace. Mello switched to a low club and Wolff won the ace and led a heart, Fonseca ducking. Wolff had seen the A, as at the other table, but here East had responded. Was his other high card the Q? After some thought, Wolff took the spade finesse so had two spade losers and six in all; -100 and 5 IMPs to Brazil.

There had been nothing untoward up to now but the next few boards saw Brazil fall way behind in the match. Board 5 saw Fonseca/Mello bid a thin game which had to fail while Meckstroth/Rodwell stopped at a safe level; 6 IMPs to USA2. Then:

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

Rodwell's 1NT was 13-16 and the double was negative. Rodwell showed a good 1NT opener with strong hearts by jumping to game and Meckstroth made the practical man's bid of 6. After a club lead, Rodwell drew trumps, tested the diamonds, and finally got the spades right; +1430.

There is an alternative winning line, namely to play a spade to the king and ace. You can afford to rise with the Q if North returns the suit as he will then be squeezed in spades and diamonds. It would be more difficult, of course, without the pre-empt.

Open Room West North East South Fonseca Hamman Mello Wolff 1 3 4 Pass 4 Pass 5 Pass 5 All Pass

Fonseca cuebid to show a good raise but Mello didn't have a convenient cuebid available so, with his moderate hand, signed-off in 4. Fonseca went on and surely Mello should have appreciated that his partner could not go to the five-level without a spade control, given his own good cards. When he again signed-off, the slam was missed; 13 IMPs to USA2.

Perhaps Fonseca might also have done better. Though this partnership normally shows aces before kings, over 4 the sequence 4 - 5 - 5 is so attractive that perhaps this was a time for a little flexibility.

Board 8. Dealer West. Love All 10 9 4 A K 6 5 K 10 4 3 4 3 A K 6 3 Q J 8 3 9 7 4 A Q J 5 7 A K Q J 10 9 8 7 5 2 Q J 8 7 5 2 10 2 9 8 6 2 6 Closed Room West North East South Meckstroth Chagas Rodwell Branco 1 Pass 1 2 Dble Pass 3 Pass 3 Pass 3NT All Pass

1 was strong and 1 negative. Meckstroth doubled 2 for takeout and followed up with 3 for further description. Well judged by Meckwell to stop in 3NT. The spade lead went to the ace and Rodwell unblocked the clubs then played Q. The defence was powerless and he soon had nine tricks; +400.

Open Room West North East South Fonseca Hamman Mello Wolff 2 Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 3 Pass 4 Pass 5 All Pass

2 was multi and 3 showed a 20+ three-suiter with short spades. 3 enquired and 4 showed the seven controls, leaving Mello with an obvious raise to 5. Three rounds of hearts swiftly doomed the contract to one down; -50 and 10 IMPs to USA2.

It is difficult to be critical of the Brazilian auction. West's minor-suit queen-jacks are wasted in a club contract. Swap them for the A or K and 6 would be excellent.

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

In the Closed Room, Chagas/Branco bid the North/South cards 1NT - 3NT and Meckstroth doubled. Whether that asked specifically for hearts or merely for the weaker major I don't know, but it did the job as Rodwell duly led a heart and Meckstroth took the first five tricks; -100.

In the Open Room, Bob Hamman opened 1, denying a four-card major in their Blue-style club system. Wolff responded 1 with his awkward hand (they have no forcing diamond raise), safe in the knowledge that a raise would usually be based on a five-card suit. When Hamman rebid 1NT, Wolff invited with 2NT and Hamman went on to game. 1 was bid more to overcome an awkward constructive problem than to inhibit a heart lead but, when Fonseca didn't fancy a double of 3NT, it earned USA2 a game swing as Mello appeared to have an obvious spade lead. Five rounds of clubs caused problems for West and Hamman emerged with an overtrick; +430 and 11 IMPs.

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

After a pass by East, both Souths opened 1 and rebid 2 over the 1NT response, but there was a difference. Branco's bidding followed standard lines, guaranteeing five spades, and Meckstroth passed over 2 but then doubled Chagas' 2 preference for penalties. 2 doubled went two down for 500 to USA2.

In the other room, Wolff's bidding was ambiguous regarding the relative lengths of his majors and Fonseca chose to overcall 2 over 2. That ended the auction and, after a heart lead and club switch, declarer effectively played the hand on a cross-ruff with South, making only his six trump tricks; down two for -200 and 12 IMPs to USA2, who led by 58-9 after ten boards. It didn't get better for Brazil.

Board 11. Dealer South. Love All A J 7 2 Q K 9 7 J 10 8 7 6 5 3 9 6 A 8 K 10 9 7 6 5 4 3 J 8 5 2 A 6 3 9 5 4 3 2 — K Q 10 8 4 J 2 Q 10 4 A K Q Open Room West North East South Fonseca Hamman Mello Wolff 1 Pass 1 4 Pass Pass Dble All Pass

The 4 pre-empt made it almost impossible for Hamman/Wolff to find their spade fit. 1 was strong and, though Hamman bid 1, this was not natural but showed three controls. There was a strange inevitability about the subsequent North/South actions as Wolff passed over 4 and Hamman doubled for takeout because he didn't have a really long suit to bid. At equal vulnerability it seemed that Wolff should pass the double as he had no guarantee of a spade fit, but the penalty was quite inadequate, a mere one down for -100.

That looked like an excellent result for Brazil and, indeed, in the other room Branco could open 1, getting the partnership suit into the game immediately. Chagas responded 3, showing an invitational; raise, and now came the 4 overcall. Branco had an easy 4 bid and Meckstroth competed with 5. Chagas went on to 5, ending the auction. But for the club void, 5 would have been the winning decision but Meckstroth led A and received the ten from Rodwell, reverse suit preference. He promptly switched to a club and the ruff meant one down; -50 and 4 IMPs to USA2.

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Gamel J 7 6 5 4 2 10 9 4 10 9 8 7 3 A K Q J 8 3 A K 7 6 5 2 J 3 2 7 6 J 10 6 5 4 K Q 3 Q 10 9 8 — A K Q 8 5 4 A 9 2 Closed Room West North East South Meckstroth Chagas Rodwell Branco Pass Pass 1 1 Pass Pass Dble 1 2 3 4 4 Pass Pass 5 All Pass

1 was strong and Meckstroth's pass over the overcall showed a negative. Rodwell reopened with a double and Branco showed his second suit. Now both sides established a fit and the music finally came to a stop at 5 by West. There was nothing to the play; one down for -50.

Open Room West North East South Fonseca Hamman Mello Wolff Pass Pass 1 Dble 4 Pass Pass Dble Pass 4 5 5 Pass Pass Dble All Pass

The natural opening meant that the bidding got up high much more quickly here. Wolff doubled 1 where some might have preferred a 2 overcall and, sure enough, there was a big heart raise and he was obliged to double a second time. Wouldn't you prefer to have shown long diamonds first then doubled for takeout when the inevitable heart raise came back to you? Anyway, it all worked out very well because Hamman responded 4, Mello went on to 5 with high hopes of making it, and Wolff competed with 5. Pity poor Mello who held a mere 19-count and felt that he had to double. He found the best lead of a club but Hamman could simply play three rounds of diamonds to get rid of his second club and Mello was ruffing with a trump trick; +850 and 13 IMPs to USA2.

Things settled down a bit after that with Brazil creeping a little closer, including Chagas making an unlikely 3NT on Board 19. Then came a chance to save a couple more VPs on the final deal.

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

Both Wests reached 3NT after South had bid spades. The lead was J, covered by the queen. In the Closed Room the spade overcall had come at the three-level and when Branco ducked Meckstroth could see that he had no play for his contract. Clearly he would lose five or six spade tricks if he gave up the lead so instead of playing on clubs he played a diamond to the ace and ran the 9. He had eight tricks now and -100 seemed a fair result, as East/West always seem fated to reach a doomed game.

In the other room, Wolff's overcall had only been at the one-level. He chose to win the A at trick one and now Fonseca could shut him out of the game and make his contract. Wolff switched to a low heart to the nine and ace and Fonseca ran 10. Hamman won the Q and continued with Q and all Fonseca had to do was duck this trick then give up another club to North. But he misread the position and won the second heart. Now, when he conceded the second club, Hamman could lead 10 and Wolff overtook and cashed his last heart for down one; just another push.

The final score was 80-25 IMPs to USA2, which converts to a very healthy 25-4 VP win.