At the half-way point in this match between two strong European teams, P.O. Sundelin's Swedish team led the Dutch squad of Jan Westerhof by 47-33 IMPs. The third set began with a bidding test for the two East/West pairs.

Board 1. Dealer North. Love All ª Q 10 7 3 © 9 7 4 ¨ Q 6 4 3 § 8 6 ª J 6 2 ª A 8 © K Q 5 © J 8 6 3 ¨ A 5 ¨ 10 7 § A K J 4 2 § Q 10 9 5 3 ª K 9 5 4 © A 10 2 ¨ K J 9 8 2 § 7 Closed Room West North East South Westerhof Sylvain Jansen Sundelin Pass Pass 1¨ Dble Pass 2§ Pass 2¨ Pass 3© Pass 5§ All Pass

5§ is the game to play, making whenever hearts divide evenly and also on some 4-2 breaks. Whether South leads a diamond or a spade, declarer can establish the long heart to discard his loser in the suit not led; +400.

4© is much less secure. There are no discards available so declarer must be able to play the trump suit for one loser and there must be no club ruff out. Jan Jansma led his singleton club but was then unable to get his partner in to give him the ruff. When hearts divided evenly, that was +420 for the Swedes. The Dutch had won the bidding battle, but it was 1 IMP to SUNDELIN.

Board 3. Dealer South. EW Game ª 9 7 3 © K 8 3 ¨ 10 8 7 4 § K 8 6 ª Q ª J 10 6 2 © Q 10 9 5 4 2 © J ¨ 9 ¨ Q J 6 3 2 § A J 9 7 4 § Q 10 5 ª A K 8 5 4 © A 7 6 ¨ A K 5 § 3 2

Both Souths played 4ª. On a neutral lead, this contract is fated to go one down, but both Wests led their singleton diamond. The ¨9 was covered by the ten, jack and ace. Both Sundelin and Jansma cashed a top spade and, on seeing the queen fall on the left, continued with a low spade to the nine and ten. Dummy's two kings now allowed declarer to pick up the spades and then the diamonds for ten tricks and a flat board.

Board 7. Dealer South. Game All ª A © A K Q J 8 ¨ — § Q 10 9 7 6 4 3 ª K J 9 8 6 ª Q 4 © 9 6 3 © 10 7 5 ¨ A J 6 2 ¨ K 10 7 4 3 § 5 § K J 8 ª 10 7 6 3 2 © 4 2 ¨ Q 9 8 5 § A 2 Closed Room West North East South Westerhof Sylvain Jansen Sundelin Pass Pass 1§ 1¨ Pass 2ª 3ª Dble Pass Pass Rdble Pass 3NT Pass 5§ All Pass

1§ was two-way, either a mini-no trump or strong and artificial. When Sylvain continued with 3ª over Jan Westerhof's fit-showing jump of 2ª, he showed a heart-club two-suiter. The redouble was undiscussed, but when he next jumped to 5§ he no doubt thought that he had followed a very strong sequence which would attract a raise if Sundelin had a top club honour. Sylvain did not appear to be too happy when he saw dummy, but after he had played trumps by leading ace and another, thereby making just eleven tricks, he probably felt quite a lot better; +600.

The Dutch pair duly reached the slam in the other room so a lot of IMPs would depend on how Jan van Cleef chose to play the trump suit. When he also played ace and another, which looks to be the normal thing to do, he was one down and SUNDELIN had picked up 12 IMPs.

Board 10. Dealer East. Game All ª 7 5 4 © Q 8 ¨ K 2 § Q J 10 6 5 4 ª K ª A 9 6 3 2 © J 10 7 4 3 © 9 2 ¨ J 10 3 ¨ A 9 6 § A 9 8 2 § K 7 3 ª Q J 10 8 © A K 6 5 ¨ Q 8 7 5 4 § — Closed Room West North East South Westerhof Sylvain Jansen Sundelin 1ª Pass 1NT Pass Pass Dble Pass 2§ Pass 2¨ All Pass

I doubt that Johan Sylvain was too thrilled when P.O. Sundelin corrected his 2§ bid to 2¨, but there was little he could do about it. Westerhof led his king of spades and switched to the ¨J. This was ducked to Sundelin's queen and he played a heart to dummy's queen then the ¨K. Piet Jansen won the ace and played ace and another spade for his partner to ruff. Westerhof tried to cash the §A now, ruffed. Declarer had to lose a diamond and a heart for one down; -100.

Larsson did not see an opening bid in the East cards but could not then bring himself to defend 2¨. Though he had nothing to spare in terms of high cards, Jansma liked his four defensive tricks enough to double 2ª. He led the ace of hearts and switched to a spade to dummy's bare king. Larsson played a heart to van Cleef's queen and back came the king of diamonds. Larsson took his ace and played two rounds of trumps. Jansma won, cashed his remaining trump and played queen and another diamond. Declarer gave up a heart then had the remainder for down one; -200 and 7 IMPs to WESTERHOF.

Board 13. Dealer North. Game All ª K 8 6 4 2 © Q 9 7 4 ¨ A J 7 6 § — ª 10 9 7 3 ª A 5 © 6 © K J 10 8 5 ¨ Q 5 2 ¨ K 10 4 § K 6 4 3 2 § A 9 8 ª Q J © A 3 2 ¨ 9 8 3 § Q J 10 7 5 Closed Room West North East South Westerhof Sylvain Jansen Sundelin Pass 1© Pass 1ª Pass 2§ Pass Pass Dble All Pass

The 2§ rebid was basically natural, but could be bid on two or three cards with a 15+ hand, meaning that Westerhof's pass showed long clubs but a very poor hand. Sylvain reopened with a double and it was clear for Sundelin to pass for penalties. There was no way for declarer to avoid losing a trick in each side suit plus three trump tricks for one down; -200.

van Cleef opened a thin 1ª with the North cards, promising five cards, and when Larsson overcalled 2© Jansma competed with 2ª. That bought the contract and Larsson started with ace and another trump. Van Cleef had no real chance of bringing this contract home. He managed to establish the long diamond, but lost two tricks in each of spades, hearts and diamonds to go one down; -100 and 7 IMPs to SUNDELIN.

On the last board of the set Sundelin/Sylvain stopped in partscore, making, while Jansma/van Cleef bid to game going one down. That was 6 IMPs to SUNDELIN who had extended their lead to 27 IMPs with 14 boards to play.