With no less than 130 berths for the final at stake, many of the top-ranked pairs would not have to bother about their qualification, the only thing of interest (as usual) being their overall percentage i.e. their carryover score. Once again, in this report we will look at a few boards rather than at what would be too few out of so many good pairs present here.

An interesting Lavinthal situation occurred on this one:

Board 8. Dealer West. None Vul.
	ª 9 8 7 5 © K 9 ¨ K 9 2 § A Q 4 3
ª Q 4 3 © A Q 8 5 3 2 ¨ 10 8 § K 2		ª A K J 10 2 © 10 7 6 4 ¨ Q 5 3 § 7
	ª 6 © J ¨ A J 7 6 4 § J 10 9 8 6 5

At one table, we saw this auction:

West	North	East	South
1©	Pass	4©	4NT
Pass	5§	5©	Pass
Pass	6§	Dble	All Pass

EW clearly had won the auction by first finding the save against the cold 5§ and then inducing their opponents to step overboard. The play's the thing however: there are two aces for the taking, but how can you know? East led an obvious ªA on which West contributed the queen at lightning speed. Is this a singleton or a request to lead the highest-ranking other suit? The way you answer this question is the difference between a top and a zero.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	ª A Q 2 © A K 8 ¨ K Q 4 3 § 6 5 4
ª J 10 9 © 9 7 5 ¨ J 10 9 6 § K 10 3		ª K 7 4 3 © Q 6 2 ¨ 5 2 § 9 8 7 2
	ª 8 6 5 © J 10 4 3 ¨ A 8 7 § A Q J

3NT by South will be held to nine tricks on the natural lead of the ªJ. When North is declarer, a minor suit lead will restrict declarer to the same nine tricks, but on a spade lead into the tenace the defence will have to create an illusion if they are to prevent the overtrick. The ªQ wins and after crossing in diamonds declarer takes the heart finesse to East, who continues a spade. Declarer has to duck this, wins the next round and takes a club finesse which holds(!). Next come the hearts, on which both West and declarer throw a club. Now it looks safe enough to cash all the diamonds (the suit might be 3-3) and repeat the club finesse for eleven tricks, but if you do so, you end up with a meagre nine only. Well done, any West who made declarer fall into this trap.

Next, we have four boards about typical partscore decisions.

Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
	ª Q 8 6 5 © Q 8 6 ¨ J 4 2 § K 9 3
ª 4 3 2 © 10 9 5 2 ¨ 10 5 § 10 8 7 2		ª 10 © J 4 3 ¨ A K Q 8 7 § A Q 6 4
	ª A K J 9 7 © A K 7 ¨ 9 6 3 § J 5

South has a promising hand, more than enough to overcall in spades after East opens 1¨. North will raise, but from there, everyone enters the Down Zone. It must be disappointing to find yourself in 3ª which has no chance, saving against the opponents' minor suit partscore which would have suffered the same fate. The three small diamonds should have been your warning sign.

What should South do on this nice one?

Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	ª A K J 6 © 7 2 ¨ 8 6 5 4 § Q 5 2
ª 10 8 5 4 3 © 5 ¨ Q 10 3 2 § K 9 8		ª Q 9 7 © Q J 10 9 8 ¨ A K J 9 § 4
	ª 2 © A K 6 4 3 ¨ 7 § A J 10 7 6 3

East opens 1© and South bids 2§. North raises to three and now it's South's turn again. Pass is obviously best, but 3NT looks attractive. With diamonds 4-4, a working club finesse is the only thing needed. West can see this idea will fail, so his best action is to pass and collect a hundred points. If he doubles, South will probably run, and it needs careful defence to beat even Five Clubs.

On a heart lead, a diamond goes on the spades and a low club goes to the jack and king. Now a trump return is best, to prevent at least one heart ruff. Still, declarer can win in dummy and ruff out the ªQ. Now, declarer ruffs the diamond return and gives up a heart. West has to throw his spades whenever given the chance on the hearts to come to another trick; if he does not, the ªJ can be cashed for declarer's 11th trick. A complete cross-ruff will not work as declarer will be short of trumps in his hand before she can cash the ©A.

Another interesting partscore battle on the next board.

Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	ª 10 9 6 © A Q J 10 4 3 ¨ 6 § K 5 2
ª A K Q 8 7 © 9 2 ¨ A 5 § Q J 10 3		ª J 5 2 © K 8 5 ¨ 10 7 4 3 2 § 9 4
	ª 4 3 © 7 6 ¨ K Q J 9 8 § A 8 7 6

West opens One Spade and North bids Three Hearts. After two passes, West reopens with a double and East goes to Three Spades. There it might well stay, as anyone who goes to Four Hearts is liable to get doubled. Down one will still be a reasonable score, however.

What to do when the opponents are playing non-forcing responses?

Board 22. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
	ª 3 2 © 10 7 2 ¨ 4 3 2 § K 7 5 3 2
ª Q J 5 4 © A Q 9 6 3 ¨ J 6 5 § 4		ª 8 6 © J 4 ¨ K Q 8 7 § A Q J 9 8
	ª A K 10 9 7 © K 8 5 ¨ A 10 9 § 10 6

East opens a minor an South overcalls 1ª. West bids 2© and it goes Pass-Pass to South. Believe it or not, but let them play: they have missed a cold game. If you take any further action you might end up in 2ª which goes down four for no matchpoints at all, beating even those who got to game.

Did you find the right slam?

Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
	ª A K J © A K Q ¨ J 9 8 4 § A 10 3
ª 9 3 © 10 9 5 4 3 2 ¨ 6 § 9 8 6 5		ª 8 6 2 © J 7 6 ¨ A 7 3 2 § K 7 2
	ª Q 10 7 5 4 © 8 ¨ K Q 10 5 § Q J 4

There are twelve tricks for North in both diamonds and notrumps, but not in spades…Find your own pet auction to get there.

Board 23. Dealer South. All Vul.
	ª 9 5 © A Q 7 4 ¨ K 9 § A 7 6 5 2
ª A 10 6 4 2 © 10 5 ¨ 8 6 5 3 § Q J		ª Q J 3 © 8 3 2 ¨ A Q 7 4 2 § 10 9
	ª K 8 7 © K J 9 6 ¨ J 10 § K 8 4 3

When North opens One Club and South responds One Heart, West might find the killing diamond lead against 4© by means of elimination. When South opens an 11-13 notrump and becomes declarer in 4© after a Stayman enquiry, the elimination process might get fatally disturbed and the contract might make.

What is an opening bid?

Board 25. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	ª K 10 2 © J 9 8 7 6 2 ¨ 8 4 § A Q
ª Q J 8 7 © A Q 10 5 ¨ Q 3 § 10 3 2		ª 9 5 4 3 © K ¨ A 10 9 § J 9 8 6 5
	ª A 6 © 4 3 ¨ K J 7 6 5 2 § K 7 4

Well, if North's hearts are too weak for a weak two, simply open One of the suit.

At one table, we saw this auction:

West	North	East	South
	1©	Pass	2¨
Pass	2©	Pass	3§
Pass	3¨	Pass	3©
All Pass

What looked like a game-forcing auction suddenly came to an end. East made the imaginative lead of the ¨9, to the jack and queen. What should West return after restoring his composure? The surprising answer is: a red suit, preferably a diamond. This way, the defence will come to six tricks. Would you believe it?