50 IMPs down overnight, USA2 still had time to get back into the match but a good start to the penultimate set was important. Alas for American hopes, the first big swing went against them.

Board 131. Dealer South. E/W Game Q 8 6 7 5 2 K 10 9 8 6 4 2 A K J 6 2 3 A K J 8 4 3 2 Q 10 7 5 — Q J 10 8 6 4 3 J A 10 9 7 5 4 9 A K 9 Q 7 5 3 Closed Room West North East South Mari Meckstroth Levy Rodwell Pass 1 1NT 2NT 3 3 4 4 5 5 Pass 6 Pass 7 All Pass

Christian Mari opened quietly with 1 when some would open with a strong two-level bid. That was important here as it meant that the French pair could locate the heart fit early. Jeff Meckstroth overcalled 1NT, either natural or, as here, 'comic'. 2NT was a forcing raise and Mari showed his spades. North/South competed up to 5 but Mari had a lot more bidding to do yet. He cuebid 5 and when that elicited a jump to slam from Alain Levy Mari went on to seven; +2210.

Open Room West North East South Hamman Perron Wolff Chemla Pass 1 3 3 5 Pass Pass 5 Pass 5 Pass 6 All Pass

Bob Hamman had to open with a strong club bid so the heart fit was only unearthed at a high level. Michel Perron made a pre-emptive jump overcall of 3 and Paul Chemla continued the pre-emption, bidding 5. Now Hamman made a forcing pass then bid his hearts. Bobby Wolff raised to 6 and Hamman could do no more; +1460 but 13 IMPs to France. Surely Wolff was worth a 6 cuebid over 5?

Board 132. Dealer West. Game All Q J 10 6 2 K 7 3 A Q 4 A Q A 8 3 9 7 4 A 10 6 5 4 Q 9 K 3 J 10 7 K 8 2 10 9 6 5 3 K 5 J 8 2 9 8 6 5 2 J 7 4

USA2 pulled some points back when Chemla/Perron got too high in the Open Room.

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

Perron's double then bid combination could have delivered a stronger hand than his actual one and Chemla tried for game. The lure of a vulnerable game was irresistible to Perron now and he went on to 3NT. Hamman led a low heart and Wolff won the queen and returned the suit to the ten and king. Chemla played the Q, ducked, and a second spade to the king and ace. When Hamman cashed the hearts, dummy was squeezed so the contract was two down; -200.

The auction began the same in the other room but Rodwell passed Meckstroth's 2. That was a comfortable contract after the Q lead and Meckstroth actually made an overtrick; +140 and 8 IMPs to USA2.

Board 134. Dealer East. E/W Game J 7 2 A J J 6 J 8 5 4 3 2 A K 9 8 5 4 10 9 7 5 4 2 Q 6 Q 10 8 A 7 5 4 3 2 A K 9 Q 10 6 3 K 8 3 K 9 Q 10 7 6

The West hand is an awkward one in most systems and Hamman/Wolff's is no exception. Hamman opened 1 and Wolff responded 1NT. Now Hamman raised to 2NT, showing either six hearts or four hearts plus a five-card minor. Wolff passed and Chemla led a low spade. Wolff had an awkward blockage in diamonds - you have to duck twice to make four tricks despite the 2-2 split. Accordingly, Wolff looked elsewhere, leading a low heart at trick two. Perron won the ace and cleared the spades and Wolff played a second heart to his queen. Chemla ducked that so Wolff crossed to a top club to play another heart. When he won his K, Chemla tried the K to simplify the defence. It certainly did that, as Wolff now had the rest; +210.

Closed Room West North East South Mari Meckstroth Levy Rodwell Pass 1NT Dble 3 3 4 5 All Pass

Rodwell opened a mini-no trump and Mari doubled. Meckstroth's jump to 3 proved to be counter-productive. Levy bid his diamonds and Rodwell competed with 4. Now Mari jumped to 5. That has three losers, of course, but that assumes a hear lead. When Rodwell led a club, Levy could pitch a heart on the second club then give up a heart. He won the spade switch, ruffed a heart and led a low diamond from hand. When Rodwell played low, Levy rose with the queen and cashed the A, making twelve tricks for +620 and 9 IMPs to France.

Board 136. Dealer West. Love All K 7 6 5 4 3 10 9 8 4 — A J 7 — J 9 2 A J 5 3 2 Q 10 6 K Q J 9 8 5 3 2 K Q 10 8 6 3 A Q 10 8 K 7 6 A 7 4 9 5 4 Closed Room West North East South Mari Meckstroth Levy Rodwell 1 2 Pass 4 5 Dble 5 Dble All Pass

It looks as though 5 doubled should go three down after the lead of ace and another trump but, of course, Rodwell couldn't know that the Q was singleton and when Levy led it at trick three he covered; two down for -300.

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

2 was Precision-style. Hamman showed his second suit but then they sold out to 4 - correctly, given that, as we have seen, 5 doubled can go for 500. Had Wolff led his singleton heart, the play could have been very interesting. Declarer must duck and now East switches to his club. Declarer wins the club and plays ace and another diamond, pitching a heart then ruffing. Now he draws trumps and must lead dummy's last diamond, discarding a heart. East is endplayed and has to give a ruff and discard. Declarer pitches his last heart while ruffing in dummy. A club towards the jack secures his tenth trick.

All of that proved to be academic as Wolff led his other singleton. There was no problem now and Perron soon chalked up his game; +420 and 3 IMPs to France.

Board 141. Dealer North. Game All Q 10 9 A K 10 5 Q J 8 A J 2 8 7 6 2 A J 5 4 Q 3 2 7 6 4 A 10 K 4 3 Q 9 8 7 6 5 4 K 3 J 9 8 9 7 6 5 2 K 10 3

In the Open Room, Perron opened 1NT and played there, making nine tricks for +150.

Meckwell got to game in the Closed Room. Meckstroth opened the North hand with a strong club and Rodwell responded 2, ostensibly 8-10 balanced. Meckstroth jumped to 3NT and that ended the auction. On a spade lead declarer needs to pick up the club queen and, of course, take the heart finesse. But Levy chose a heart lead to the queen and ace and now Meckstroth had some options. He led the Q from hand and Mari won and continued hearts. Meckstroth established the diamonds and had ten tricks; +630 and 10 desperately needed IMPs to USA2.

Board 143. Dealer South. N/S Game Q 5 3 2 A J 9 3 2 9 6 3 3 A K 8 4 9 7 10 8 K Q 6 5 4 Q 10 2 K 7 4 8 7 6 5 K 10 9 J 10 6 7 A J 8 5 A Q J 4 2

And there was more good news for the Americans on this deal. Chemla opened 1 in the Open Room. Perron responded 1 and Chemla rebid 2, ending the auction. Hamman led a top spade and switched to the 10 to dummys ace. Chemla took a trump finesse then played a spade to the king. Hamman played another heart, ruffed by Chemla who played a thir spade. Wolff ruffed and led a low diamond, ducked to the ten. Hamman led the fourth spade for the uppercut. Wolff ruffed with the king and Chemla over-ruffed. He had to lose two trumps and a diamond from here for two down; -200.

Rodwell had to open 1 in his strong club methods and he rebid 2 over the 1 response. Meckstroth gave preference back to 2, an altogether more attractive spot. Again the defence began with a top spade followed by the 10. Rodwell won the A and led a club to his queen. He continued with the ace of clubs, then ruffed a low club bringing down the king. With diamonds 3-3, the defence could not get at him now and he scrambled home with eight tricks; +90 and 7 IMPs to USA2.

Those two gains just about kept American hopes alive. They would go into the final 16 boards trailing by 51 IMPs; 255-306.