France went into this set with a 4-IMP lead, 53-49. Early in the set France found several saves that paid off. The Americans got the first IMP on Board 33, but then France took over.

Board 34. Dealer East. N/S Game 10 9 6 A Q 6 2 9 7 6 8 6 2 7 4 K 10 5 4 3 K 9 8 7 K Q 4 3 A J 8 5 2 Q 7 4 A J 10 A Q J 8 5 3 2 J 10 K 9 5 3 Open Room West North East South Hamman Perron Wolff Chemla 1 1 2 Pass Pass 3 Pass 4 All Pass

Paul Chemla made the key bid - 3. That induced Michel Perron to carry on the game. This came when both the K and the A were onside.

Closed Room West North East South Levy Nickell Mari Freeman 1 1 Dble 2 4 4 Pass Pass Dble Pass 5 All Pass

Nick Nickell and Dick Freeman also reached the spade game, but Christian Mari decided to double. Alain Levy didn't like the prospects of beating 4, so he went on to 5. This escaped a double and went down two. A quick 11 to France, now up 14.

Board 36. Dealer West. Game All A J 6 4 K 5 4 3 2 Q J 9 7 — 10 9 8 7 5 2 Q 3 Q — 5 3 K 8 6 4 10 7 6 5 A Q J 9 8 4 2 K A J 10 9 8 7 6 A 10 2 K 3 Open Room West North East South Hamman Perron Wolff Chemla Pass 1 3 4 5 Pass Pass 5 Pass 6 Pass 6 All Pass

Of course there was no problem taking all 13 tricks with the Q dropping doubleton. The K was onside as well, but the diamonds never came into play.

Another French save, this time at the seven level!

Closed Room West North East South Levy Nickell Mari Freeman Pass 1 2 4NT 5 5 6 6 Pass Pass 7 Dble All Pass

Mari just kept bidding clubs, club and more clubs. Freeman and Nickell decided to defend and were able to collect 1400 - down five. But that represented a 2-IMP gain for France. And then it happened again two boards later.

Board 38. Dealer East. E/W Game Q J 2 A K 10 9 4 J 10 8 7 3 A 10 8 4 K J 6 10 9 6 5 4 3 A K Q 7 — 7 6 5 2 A Q 2 K 4 9 7 5 3 2 8 Q J 8 3 9 6 5 Closed Room West North East South Levy Nickell Mari Freeman 1NT Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 3 Pass 6 All Pass

No opposition bidding, but Levy and Mari still missed the cold grand slam. But this still represented a gain for France for this was the bidding in the Open Room:

Open Room West North East South Hamman Perron Wolff Chemla 1NT Pass 2 Dble 2 4 5 6 6 Pass Pass 7 Dble All Pass

Bob Hamman and Bobby Wolff also failed to find the grand slam. Perhaps Hamman might have decided to look more favourably on his three controls, but he decided to double 7. Chemla lost only the obvious five tricks - minus 1100 for another 8 IMPs to France. The score now was 81-50.

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

Perron opened 1, got a 1 response and won the contract at 1NT. Wolff opened a diamond, and Hamman won after Chemla played the 10. Hamman can set the contract at this point with a shift to spades, but his switch was to hearts. Now declarer had no trouble taking seven tricks.

In the Closed Room, there was a lot of bidding before Nickell finally bought the hand for 2 doubled. Mari got off to the best start for the defence - A and another club. Nickell ducked a spade to Levy, and he drew the third round of trumps. Now Nickell had to lose three spades, two diamonds and a club for down one - good defence. Another 5 IMPs to France - 33 in a row. France was ahead, 86-50.

Board 41. Dealer North. E/W Game 9 6 10 7 4 2 7 5 4 A J 8 4 A 8 7 5 4 2 J 6 3 K Q 9 8 8 2 Q J 10 9 6 3 Q 7 2 6 3 K Q J 10 3 A 5 A K K 10 9 5

After being shut out for seven boards, the Americans finally got back on the scoresheet here. Freeman and Nickell got to 3NT, and after a club opening lead Freeman collected 12 tricks. It was different in the Open Room.

Open Room West North East South Hamman Perron Wolff Chemla Pass Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 2NT Pass 3 Pass 3 Pass 3NT Pass 4 All Pass

Apparently Perron was worried about the red suits - hence his 4. A heart lead would have been best, but Hamman led a diamond. Declarer went after trumps immediately, and Hamman won the second. Wolff had shown a desire for a heart lead with his discard, so Hamman shifted to the 3. Chemla won this and drew all of Hamman's trumps. Now everything hinged on whether or not he guessed the Q. He didn't, so he was down one - 11 IMPs to USA.

Board 42. Dealer East. Game All 3 Q 9 2 A K 8 Q J 10 7 3 2 Q 7 4 K 10 9 8 6 A 6 10 8 5 4 3 Q J 9 7 6 10 A 9 5 6 4 A J 5 2 K J 7 5 4 3 2 K 8

This was a surprise gain for the Americans. Nickell and Freeman arrived in 3NT without much trouble - plus 600. But the French were uncharacteristically conservative.

Open Room West North East South Hamman Perron Wolff Chemla Pass 1 Pass 2 Pass 2NT Pass 3 All Pass

Perron made his contract, but 10 IMPs went on the USA side of the ledger. The match had tightened up immensely - now France was ahead only 86-71.

The next three boards were pushes with nothing of major interest to report. But France was plus at both tables on Board 46 - only small pluses, but pluses nevertheless.

Board 46. Dealer East. Love All K 6 3 2 5 2 A 8 4 10 6 4 3 A 8 4 Q 7 5 K 9 6 Q J 10 8 4 Q 7 5 K J 10 9 J 9 8 5 K J 10 9 A 7 3 6 3 2 A Q 7 2 Closed Room West North East South Levy Nickell Mari Freeman 1 Pass 2 Pass Pass Dble Rdble 2 All Pass

Nickell had to lose six tricks for down one.

Open Room West North East South Hamman Perron Wolff Chemla 1 Pass 1NT Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 4 All Pass

There was nothing to the defence - four obvious losers for down one and 4 IMPs to France. Wolff, with a minimum, might have been better off passing 1NT. And Hamman took a somewhat aggressive stance on the wrong board.

Board 48. Dealer West. E/W Game J 8 K 5 9 6 A Q 10 8 7 5 2 K Q 5 4 10 7 6 3 2 Q J 3 2 9 8 6 10 5 4 3 A 8 7 2 9 6 A 9 A 10 7 4 K Q J K J 4 3 Closed Room West North East South Levy Nickell Mari Freeman Pass 1 Pass 1 Pass 2 Pass 4 Pass 4 Pass 6 All Pass

As you can see, a spade lead beats this contract, but it can make with any other lead. Mari led a diamond, so Nickell chalked up 920.

Open Room West North East South Hamman Perron Wolff Chemla Pass 1 Pass 1 Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 4 Pass 4 Pass 4 Dble Pass Pass 5 All Pass

Chemla no doubt wishes he had never made that spade cuebid - it gave Hamman the opportunity to double to suggest a lead. When the bidding came back to him, Chemla still wanted to bid the slam, but now he feared the spade lead. It was likely that an ace had to be knocked out, and after a spade lead the defence could cash a spade to set the contract. She he settled for 5. This just made after a spade lead. This 11 IMPs to the Americans, cutting the margin after 48 boards to 13, 95-82.