The second session of the final featured a number of deals where good technique would be rewarded. Alas, not all the competitors passed their tests.

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	ª A 9 8 2 © K 10 9 ¨ K 4 2 § Q 9 7
ª 10 6 5 © A 7 4 ¨ Q 5 § A J 8 3 2		ª J 7 3 © Q J 8 6 ¨ 10 8 7 § K 10 5
	ª K Q 4 © 5 3 2 ¨ A J 9 6 3 § 6 4

West	North	East	South
Jagniewski	Allerton	Jereniewska	Hinden
	1NT	All Pass

	Malgorzata Jeleniewska, Poland

East led the six of hearts and West took the ace and returned the seven. Declarer won with the king and attacked diamonds, cashing the king and finessing the jack. West won and missed the chance to inflict considerable damage via a club switch when he continued with hearts. East took her tricks and switched to a club, but the suit was blocked, so declarer was soon able to claim for one down.

At another table, Wasik-Pilar did much better. They ended up in 2ª after 1§-1¨; 1ª-2ª, Pilar just bidding the values of her hand. On a heart lead and continuation, declarer immediately took the diamond finesse, but even though this lost, eight tricks and a very good matchpoint score were safe when the spades broke.

You may consider West's failure to switch to a club when defending 1NT to be a minor transgression, but something more serious followed immediately.

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

West	North	East	South
Jagniewski	Allerton	Jereniewska	Hinden
		Pass	1¨
Pass	2¨*	Pass	2©*
Pass	2ª*	Dbl	3¨
4ª	5§*	Pass	6¨
All Pass

Two Diamonds was inverted and thereafter a series of value showing/cue bids saw North/South reach the reasonable slam. West could have ensured the defeat of the contract by leading his club, but he opted for the five of spades. Declarer won in dummy, took two top diamonds and played a club to the ace. That proved to be a very unsafe play as now declarer had to lose two clubs. You can see that by eliminating the majors before playing on clubs declarer can ensure the contract, simply covering whatever card West plays on the four of clubs.

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

West	North	East	South
Cronier	Maas	Lustin	Vriend
			Pass
1§	1¨	1©	Pass
2¨*	Pass	2ª	Pass
2NT	Pass	3©	Dbl
3NT	All Pass

Aided by his partner's double, North led the queen of hearts. If declarer wins this and plays on clubs the distribution allows declarer to make eleven tricks. However, declarer played low from dummy and South overtook with the king and switched to a diamond. Eleven tricks had turned into seven.

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

West	North	East	South
Cronier	Maas	Lustin	Vriend
Pass	Pass	1NT	2§*
Pass	2¨*	Dbl	2©
3¨	3ª	All Pass

If we have interpreted the auction correctly then North showed an invitational raise in spades. South gave some thought to bidding the game, which was reached at a number of tables. East led the ace of diamonds and continued with the queen. West took the king and switched to the six of clubs. Declarer won in hand and advanced the queen of spades. When that held he continued with the jack, pinning West's ten and securing ten tricks for +170.

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

This deal is a simple test for South in a heart contract. You must win the spade lead in dummy, play a heart to the nine and a diamond to the eight, the idea being to keep West off lead once you escaped the club lead.

Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
	ª - © 5 3 ¨ J 9 8 7 6 5 § 9 7 5 3 2
ª A Q 8 7 3 © Q 10 9 ¨ 10 4 § Q J 4		ª K 5 4 2 © K J 8 7 6 ¨ A 2 § A 8
	ª J 10 9 6 © A 4 2 ¨ K Q 3 § K 10 6

	Arturo Wasik, Spain

If East/West play in spades and the defenders lead diamonds, at the table we were watching it was the king, declarer must duck, win the next diamond, draw three rounds of trumps and then play on hearts.

If East-West are playing in hearts, however, the situation changes. Now you should win the lead of the ¨K and draw trumps immediately. You may still incur a spade ruff, but unless North was given the opportunity to ruff a high spade, he can do no harm. If you duck the diamond, South will switch to a spade, ruffed by North who will return a club to set the contract.

Better for NS would be to take the save. The problem is how to get there. Arturo Wasik, playing for Spain, showed the way.

West	North	East	South
	Wasik		Pilar
	Pass	1©	Dble
Rdble	4NT	Dble	Pass
Pass	5¨	Dble	All Pass

This went only two off for a fine matchpoint score to NS.