Canada led by 87-52 at the half-way point of their quarter-final match against USA2. And it was the Canadians who drew first blood at the start of the fourth set.

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

In the Closed Room, South, Kerri Sandborn opened 1NT and played there on a low club lead. She scored a fairly normal looking +180.

In the Open Room an American toy put some momentum into the auction and the Canadians got to game. For USA2, Beth Palmer opened the East hand with 2, showing a weak hand with at least 4-4 in the majors. Beverly Kraft overcalled 2NT and Rhoda Habert raised her to three. Lynn Deas led a low heart to the jack and queen and Kraft started on the diamonds. Palmer won the first diamond and played back a heart to the queen and king. Kraft ducked in the dummy, won the next heart and cleared the diamonds; making four. Plus 430 gave Canada 6 IMPs.

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

Habert and Juanita Chambers each opened 1 as dealer and heard partner respond 1. Habert raised to 2 and Kraft passed. She made no less than twelve tricks after a diamond lead and continuation; +230.

Chambers raised to 3, giving Sandborn an easy 4 bid. She made only eleven tricks but +450 was worth 6 IMPs to USA2.

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

Kraft opened a weak no trump as dealer and Habert decided to run before a possible double came, responding 2. Kraft bid 2 and now the Americans were in a balancing auction. Palmer doubled and Deas bid 3, where she made eleven tricks; +150. In the other room, Sandborn had the dubious pleasure of opening 1 on the South cards and playing there. She managed three tricks; -400 and 6 IMPs to Canada.

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

Does the West hand conform to your idea of a weak two bid? For most people the answer would be yes, and Lynn Deas, who plays a fairly random style, had no qualms about opening 2, multi. Palmer responded 2, to play opposite spades but interested opposite hearts, and that was that. A spade lead allowed declarer to make eleven tricks; +200.

The answer for Sharyn Reus was no. Her partnership play an always weak multi which could be pretty wild and Reus seems to have decided that this hand was too good, perhaps partly because of the good heart support. She passed and Diana Gordon opened 1 in third seat. The full auction was: 1 - 1 - 1NT - 2 (enquiry) - 2 - 3 - 4. Here there were only ten tricks after a club lead; +420 and 6 IMPs to Canada.

Board 10. Dealer East. Game All Q 9 7 A 10 8 7 8 7 4 4 3 2 K J 8 6 4 3 2 J 6 5 4 3 2 K Q — Q J 5 3 10 9 Q J 8 7 5 A 10 5 9 A K 10 9 6 2 A K 6 Closed Room West North East South Reus Chambers Gordon Sandborn Pass 1 1 Dble Pass Pass 1 1NT Pass 2 All Pass

1 was strong and the double showed values. Having already shown 5+ and a heart stopper, Chambers didn't think she had enough to bid again over 2. Sandborn made ten tricks; +130.

Open Room West North East South Deas Habert Palmer Kraft 1 Pass 1 Pass 1NT 3 3 Pass Pass Dble Pass 3NT All Pass

The Canadians did very well to get to 3NT. Habert won the heart lead and ran the 7 then led a second diamond. This time Palmer split her honours but Habert just won and cleared the suit and soon had nine tricks; +600 and 10 IMPs to Canada.

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Game 6 2 K J 8 K Q J 9 8 6 4 2 J 8 3 A 10 7 5 4 10 6 A 7 3 A 6 7 5 4 A K J 8 7 5 Q 3 K Q 9 Q 9 5 4 2 10 3 2 10 9

Both tables reached 4, but from different sides. Reus/Gordon had a natural sequence, making East declarer. Sandborn led a diamond and Gordon ducked Chambers' jack. Chambers found the heart switch and the defence had their fourth trick established; -50.

In the other room, Deas opened a Precision 2, Palmer asked with 2NT and Deas bid 3, showing a maximum with three spades. She was raised to 4 and Habert led the K. That fetched the ten, reverse, from Kraft, and the six from Deas. Habert continued diamonds and Deas won and passed the 8. When Kraft won and continued diamonds, the defence's last chance had gone. Deas ruffed and ducked a spade but then had the rest; +420 and 10 IMPs to USA2.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Game K Q 7 5 8 4 3 8 7 3 2 J 4 J 8 4 9 6 3 6 5 A K 2 A J 10 5 Q 9 4 7 6 5 2 K Q 8 3 A 10 2 Q J 10 9 7 K 6 A 10 9

Sandborn opened 1NT and played there. Reus led a club and Sandborn won and started on the hearts. But she was a tempo behind and the defence got two hearts, two clubs and four diamonds for down two; -200.

Kraft opened 1 and was soon playing in 2. The trump suit gave her the control she needed and she made eight tricks; +110 and 7 IMPs to Canada.

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

And Canada finished off the set with a second consecutive 7 IMP gain. In the Closed Room, Reus opened 1 and Gordon responded 2. Sandborn overcalled 4 and Reus competed with 5. The 5 bid was made under pressure because of the fit but it could have been based on a significantly better hand and Gordon took a shot a 6. There was a heart and a club to lose; -100.

In the Open Room, Deas also opened 1. Palmer responded 3NT and Kraft, who knew the table was under severe time pressure, gambled a pass! She couldn't have asked for a better outcome. Not only did she resolve the time pressure issue, the play taking about ten seconds, but when the Q appeared on the first trick she had eight hearts to cash; four down for -400. Canada gained on the set, 41-27, and could go to bed with a nice cushion; 130-79.