We have the perfect line-up for the Bermuda Bowl final - Europe v America, and the Bermuda Bowl holders against the Olympiad champions. The French have done very well against USA in finals in the past and we could expect a close tough match this time.

Mouiel and then Wolff went down in contracts they really should have made on the first two boards, which left USA2 with a 4 IMP lead.And the next swing also went to USA2.

Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Game Q 5 8 6 5 2 A 10 5 3 2 A 10 10 8 6 4 K J 7 3 A K 7 3 Q J 10 4 4 K 7 J 7 4 3 Q 8 6 A 9 2 9 Q J 9 8 6 K 9 5 2 Closed Room West North East South Meckstroth Mari Rodwell Levy Pass Pass 1 Dble 3 3 Pass 3 4 4 5 Dble All Pass

The 3 bid clearly showed diamonds but their card does not say whether it also promised clubs. It put too much momentum into the auction, however, and when Meckwell bid to 4 Mari wasn't sure that he could beat it so went on to 5. In fact, 5 is not a bad spot, needing only the trump finesse. When the K was offside, Mari had to go one down; -100.

Open Room West North East South Multon Hamman Mouiel Wolff Pass Pass 1 Dble Rdble 2 Pass 2 3 3 Pass Pass 4 All Pass

Wolff's redouble worked out better, slowing the auction down. Hamman got to play in 4, just making for +130 and 6 IMPs to USA2.

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

After the quiet start to the auction it probably didn't occur to Meckstroth that he was the one who should be saving. There was, of course, no defence to 5 doubled; +750.

Open Room West North East South Multon Hamman Mouiel Wolff Pass Pass 2 2 4 4 5 5 All Pass

The natural 2 opening and 4 pre-emptive raise got the bidding up high fast in the Open Room. For all that his partner had bid 4, Multon did pretty well to bid 5. Hamman led the K so there was no spade ruff and Multon was just one down; -50 but 12 IMPs to France, who moved into the lead.

Barry Rigal brings us a little of the action from the other matches.

In the Venice Cup final, Berkowitz/Letizia, for USA1, reached 4. This can go down on a spade lead, heart to the king, second spade, heart to the ace and a diamond switch to get the entry for the spade ruff. But South discarded an encouraging club and North played a club instead of a diamond so the contract made. (By contrast, in the BB third place play-off Brogeland for Norway pitched a discouraging club and North Saelensminde switched to a diamond and got his ruff. Thoughtful!) Breed and Sokolow reached 5 and the Chinese sacrificed in 5 for -100 and 11 IMPs to USA1.

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

It looks right for Wolff to open 1 for the lead in third seat but it worked out poorly this time. Hamman led a spade against 3NT and Multon ducked but won the second spade. He cashed three rounds of diamonds, relaxing when the queen appeared under the king. Now he exited with a spade and wolff won and cashed the 13th spade. Wolff exited with a club and Multon won the ace, crossed to the A and ran the diamonds. At the end he found that his 9 was a winner, +630. In the Closed Room Levy did not open in third seat and Meckwell bid quickly: 2NT - 3NT. Christian Mari found the killing lead, the Q, knocking out the dummy entry while the diamonds were still blocked. Meckstroth was two down; -200 and 13 IMPs to France.

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

Both North/South pairs got to the grand slam for a flat board.

Open Room West North East South Multon Hamman Mouiel Wolff Pass Pass Pass 1 Pass 1 Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 4 Pass 4 Pass 4NT Pass 5 Dble Pass Pass Rdble Pass 5NT Pass 7 All Pass

1 was strong and the response showed three controls. Hearts were soon agreed and when Hamman showed his diamond feature they were well on their way. Wolff cuebid 4s and Hamman bid 4NT, showing extras but nothing to cuebid. It seems that this should deny the K, though I cannot be sure of that. In that case, North has the two top hearts. As he would hardly bid 4 without a top honour in the suit, South might have bid seven now. Wolff took a while longer but finally got there. He seemed confident and relaxed about the whole thing. When Multon asked what his redouble of 5 meant, Wolff just waved the A at him rather than give a written reply. Meckwell tried to make life more awkward in the other room.

Closed Room West North East South Meckstroth Mari Rodwell Levy Pass Pass 1 Dble 1 4 Pass 4NT Pass 5 Pass 7 All Pass

Eric Rodwell decided to try a little joke in third seat, opening 1 Precision-style. Meckstroth's 1 actually showed spades. When Mari could leap to 4, Alain Levy used RKCB then bid the cold grand.

Board 13. Dealer North. Game All Q J 9 6 4 3 Q 8 7 A J 8 4 A K 10 7 6 4 2 J 10 5 Q 9 3 K 7 5 A 6 5 3 K Q J 9 8 7 8 5 2 A K 9 3 10 6 4 2 10 2

Alain Levy (France)

In the Closed Room, Mari passed as dealer and Rodwell opened 2, Precision. Meckstroth responded 2, enquiry. Mari overcalled 2 and when that got back to Meckstroth he tried 3NT. Mari led the Q and Meckstroth won the ace, He played a diamond to the king and ace. Levy found the heart switch and that was one down; -100.

In the Open Room Bob Hamman did open the North hand, with a weak 2. Hervé Mouiel did not think he was worth an overcall so passed, and Bobby Wolff raised pre-emptively to 3. When that got back to Mouiel he competed with 4, ending the auction.

Wolff led a top heart but then switched to the 10. Mouiel had a brief flicker of hope but nothing good materialised and he was one down; -100 and 5 IMPs to USA2. More from Barry Rigal. The other big American pick-up in the Venice Cup final came on this deal. Breed/Sokolow bid 4 as a sacrifice which went for 200. But would this prove to be a phantom? 3NT has only eight top tricks even after a spade lead. Lisa Berkowitz decided to follow a simple line. She played a diamond at trick two and when the defence failed to cash their hearts she had her contract; +600 and 9 IMPs to USA1.

In the BB third place match, Zia cashed the K and Q, on which North pitched a discouraging 8. Now when Zia ran the remaining clubs North threw four spades and South a fatal two spades and two hearts. Zia came down to K 64 Q93 and played a heart. Brogeland won the king and played a diamond to the nine, jack and king. A second heart put Brogeland in again and he led a low diamond. But Zia ducked and now Saelensminde, down to a8 and J, had to let Zia make the K and Q for his contract.

Board 14. Dealer East. Love All A 9 8 5 10 9 8 7 3 Q J 7 3 J 7 3 2 K Q 6 J 3 2 K 7 A K 10 6 5 9 4 2 4 A K 8 5 2 10 4 A Q 6 5 4 Q J 8 10 9 6

Rodwell opened a 14-16 no trump and Meckstroth responded 2 then passed the 2 response. That was a nice safe contract; +110.

In the other room Mouiel opened a 15-17 no trump. Multon bid 2, a four-card transfer, and followed up with 2NT over the 2 response. Mouiel bid 3, asking for a singleton, and Multon bid 3, showing short clubs. Now Mouiel bid 3NT and played there. Wolff led a low heart which ran to Mouiel's king. Mouiel led the K to Hamman's ace and back came a heart. Wolff cashed the hearts and Mouiel threw two diamonds from dummy and a diamond and two clubs from hand. Wolff exited with the 8. Mouiel rose with the ace and tested the spades. When they did not divide evenly, he cashed the top clubs but nothing good happened and he was two down; -100 and 5 IMPs to USA2.

Something good could have happened in the ending. Mouiel's line would have been correct had North had the diamonds with the spade guard, but the third spade had squeezed South out of his club guard and had declarer next cashed the K he would now have squeezed North in the black suits to save a trick.

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

In the Closed Room, Meckstroth opened one of the least impressive strong clubs I have seen and Mari overcalled 2. Rodwell showed his spades and Levy leaped to 5. Meckstroth doubled that and Rodwell led a spade. The contract lost the five obvious tricks; -500.

That would represent a modest profit for France if Multon/Mouiel could bid and make 4 in the other room. Multon opened 1 and there was no interference from Hamman/Wolff. Mouiel responded 1. Multon raised to 3 and Mouiel went on to game. Wolff led a heart. Mouiel won in hand and led the 9. Wolff played low and …. So did Mouiel. The normal play but not what was required this time. The contract was one down, -100 and 12 IMPs to USA2.

A set of mixed quality saw France took a marginal advantage; 29-28 IMPs.