Four teams still were in contention for a place in Wednesday’s Finals when play resumed on Tuesday afternoon: Chemla (the pride of France) would play Chagas (representing the Americas) and in the other match Miroglio (Poland with distinct Italian flavour) would face Kalish (Israel)

Let’s first turn our attention to the Miroglio-Kalish match, in which Tuszynski-Kowalski would play Podgur-Kalish on Vugraph, with Szymanowski-Romanski facing the Herbst brothers in the Closed Room.

The Poles scored their first goal on the first board to take a 1-0 lead, but the second board brought a much higher turnover:

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

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
Kalish	Tuszynski	Podgur	Kowalski
		2ª	Dble
3ª	4¨	Pass	4©
All Pass

Piotr Tuszynski, who had to bid 4¨ under a certain pressure, gave the auction some more thought when 4© came round to him, but when he finally passed this the Poles were in a sound contract and registered an easy enough +620. Kowalski won the spade lead, cashed the ªA and ruffed a spade before playing two top hearts followed by the ¨K which was ruffed. No overtrick.

At the other table, the Israeli pair were given all the room they wanted:

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Romanski	I. Herbst	Szymanowski	O. Herbst
		2¨	Dble
2ª	3ª	Pass	6NT

With the diamonds not behaving and the §K offside, Ophir had to go down two. Miroglio +13 IMP’s to lead by 14 now.

Kalish scored a goal on the next board to trail 1-14, but a few boards later it was bingo for them:

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

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
Kalish	Tuszynski	Podgur	Kowalski
		Pass	1ª
Pass	2§	Pass	2©
Pass	2NT	Pass	3ª
Pass	4¨	Pass	4NT
Pass	5©	Pass	6ª
All Pass

When Kalish led the ¨Q Apolinary Kowalski quickly had all the tricks. Miroglio +1010. Could this be a loss for them?

Yes it could. In the Closed Room, they found the club lead but had to pay dearly for it:

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Romanski	I. Herbst	Szymanowski	O. Herbst
		Pass	1ª
Pass	2§	Pass	3ª
Pass	4¨	Pass	4©
Pass	4NT	Pass	5ª
Pass	6ª	Dble	Redble
All Pass

This was worth +1620 or so, an unusual enough number, but Kalish had got 12 IMP’s back to trail by just 1.

On the very next board, the Poles struck back:

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

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
Kalish	Tuszynski	Podgur	Kowalski
			Pass
Pass	1§	Pass	1ª
Pass	2¨	Pass	2ª
Pass	2NT	Pass	3¨
Pass	3ª	Pass	4¨
Pass	4©	Pass	4ª
Pass	4NT	Pass	5©
Pass	6¨	All Pass

Straightforward Polish Club. 2¨ showed a strong hand with diamonds and the rest was completely natural, Tuszynski’s bid of 3ª showing top honour doubleton being the key to a thin slam. When all the suits broke nicely, declarer did no longer need the heart finesse as 12 tricks were already there. Miroglio +1370.

At the other table, they came nowhere near:

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Romanski	I. Herbst	Szymanowski	O. Herbst
			Pass
Pass	1¨	1©	1ª
Pass	2NT	Pass	3NT
All Pass

When North chose 2NT as his rebid, NS were off the slam track. Miroglio had scored 12 IMP’s and again taken a more substantial lead.

A few boards later, Kalish again levelled the match:

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

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
Kalish	Tuszynski	Podgur	Kowalski
		Pass	Pass
Pass	1ª	Pass	2ª
Pass	2NT	Pass	3NT
Pass	4ª	All Pass

Against this very normal contract East led the ¨9. Dummy played low, West had to play the ten and declarer ducked, possibly hoping for a favourable continuation. Seeing the §K next was not quite what he wanted…With the ©K offside, there was no redress. Kalish +100.

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Romanski	I. Herbst	Szymanowski	O. Herbst
		Pass	Pass
Pass	1ª	Pass	2ª
Pass	3¨	Pass	4ª
All Pass

In the other room, East made a passive trump lead, and Ilan Herbst quickly seized his chance by winning this and presenting the ©Q! East won, but he still did not know that he had to attack clubs, so he returned a heart. The ace won, perforce, a middle trump was overtaken in dummy, a club went on the ©J and a club was led. When the defence continued clubs, Herbst could ruff high, cross to dummy by overtaking the ª2 with the ª3, eliminate the clubs and play the ¨A and a diamond to the queen. West won the king but had to give a ruff and discard. Well done, +620 to Kalish and 12 IMP’s back.

Kalish took the lead two boards later, when NS had to cope with a gigantic misfit:

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

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
Kalish	Tuszynski	Podgur	Kowalski
Pass	2ª	Pass	2NT
Pass	4§	All Pass

2ª showed a twosuiter, but Kowalski’s idea behind bidding 2NT certainly was not to hear his partner announce a strong 6-5 or so. When 4§ came back to him, he was stuck as anything he would do next would be treated as forcing. Passing was not a great success either, as the contract went down two, +200 to Kalish.

In the other semifinal, at one table North did not open so it was East who opened 1ª. South now went in to show his beautiful red hand by bidding 3§, which became the final contract as North could not possibly find any red suit preference with his two singleton nines.

At the other table in this match, the Herbsts were among those who showed the way:

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Romanski	I. Herbst	Szymanowski	O. Herbst
Pass	2ª	Pass	3NT
All Pass

Don’t care too much about partner’s twosuiter, just bid what you hope to (and might well!) make. Kalish a practical +600 and a lead of 13 IMP’s.

At half time, it stood at 41-27 to Kalish. The second half became a tense affair. At board 20, the score stood level at 42-42, and you might be able to read a report on what happened afterwards elsewhere in this issue.