After two rounds, Gromov were in 2nd spot on 35 whereas Chlodnia had finished a disappointing first day with a mere 25 V.P., 5 below average. So the Poles definitely needed a good win to keep their chances alive. On the other hand, the Russians could not at all afford a loss as they too were still far away of being sure of qualification. Recent top-level matches between teams from these two countries have very often been very tight, and this match proved no exception. Different views on opening calls caused a number of swings during Thursday’s play; this trend seemed to be continued immediately on Friday. This was board 3:

Board 3. Dlr: South/EW
	♠ 10 3 ♥ 9 7 3 ♦ A 10 9 8 5 2 ♣ K 10
♠ 9 8 6 5 4 ♥ A 6 ♦ 7 6 4 3 ♣ A 4		♠ A Q 7 ♥ Q 8 5 ♦ K Q ♣ Q J 7 3 2
	♠ K J 2 ♥ K J 10 4 2 ♦ J ♣ 9 8 6 5

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Ponomareva	Gierulski	Gromova	Pikus
			Pass
Pass	1♦	1NT	2♥
3♠	Pass	4♠	All pass

In the Open Room, Gierulski ventured a light 1♦ in 3rd position, thus enabling his partner to show his hearts. Though EW duly (?) reached their game, they quickly became the victims of a devastating defence when North led the ♥7. Dummy’s queen was covered by king and ace and a trump went to the queen and king. Pikus cashed his ♥J and continued the ♦J. Gierulski won the ace and gave his partner a diamond ruff. South next led a low heart on which declarer discarded her losing club. North won a surprise ♥9 and continued diamonds, ruffed in dummy and overruffed by South with the jack. As declarer still had a losing diamond she had to concede one more trick in the end for down four, +400 to Chlodnia. Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Kierznowski	Gromov	Skrzypczak	Dubinin
			Pass
Pass	3♦	Dbl	Pass
4♠	All pass

At the other table, Gromov had opened 3♦ so the hearts never came into the picture. He led the ♦A and switched to the ♥7 on which dummy wisely played low. Declarer won South’s ♥10 with the ace and led a spade to the queen and king. Dubinin’s next move was to cash his ♥K first instead of immediately switching to a club. Gromov won the ♣K and gave his partner a diamond ruff, but that was all the defenders could get at this table. Down only two and 5 imps to the Poles. A few boards later, too much action cost the Russians dearly:

Board 6. Dlr: East/EW
	♠ 2 ♥ K 10 6 4 ♦ A 10 8 ♣ 8 7 6 4 3
♠ A 9 7 3 ♥ J 2 ♦ K 9 7 3 ♣ A 9 5		♠ Q J 8 5 ♥ Q 9 7 5 3 ♦ 5 4 ♣ K 10
	♠ K 10 6 4 ♥ A 8 ♦ Q J 6 2 ♣ Q J 2

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Ponomareva	Gierulski	Gromova	Pikus
		Pass	1♣
Pass	1♥	Pass	1♠
Pass	1NT	All pass

In the Open Room, the Poles were allowed to play 1NT and they just made their contract for +90 to them. There was much more bidding in the Closed Room: Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Kierznowski	Gromov	Skrzypczak	Dubinin
		Pass	1NT
Pass	Pass	2♣	Pass
2♠	Dbl	Pass	3♦
Dbl	All pass

(1):12-15
West led the ♥J to declarer’s ace. A trump went to dummy’s ten and a club was taken by East’s king. The ♠Q came next which held the trick, and East then played another club to West’s ace. When Kierznowski returned the suit, Skrzypczak got his ruff. He next led another spade to the ten and ace, dummy ruffing. As West could not be deprived of his two trump tricks the contract thus was down two for another +300 to Chlodnia or 9 more imps. The score stood at 17-5 to them now. Next came a series of three consecutive slams. The first was bid at both tables, the second at one table and the third at neither table. Is slam bidding really that exhausting? This was the second slam:

Board 9. Dlr: North/EW
	♠ 9 7 2 ♥ 9 7 2 ♦ 10 5 ♣ 10 9 8 5 3
♠ 10 4 ♥ A 4 ♦ A Q J 7 6 2 ♣ A 7 4		♠ A K Q 6 5 3 ♥ J 10 8 3 ♦ 8 4 ♣ K
	♠ J 8 ♥ K Q 6 5 ♦ K 9 3 ♣ Q J 6 2

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Ponomareva	Gierulski	Gromova	Pikus
	Pass	1♠	Dbl
Redbl	2♣	3♠	Pass
4♣	Pass	4♠	All pass

With the ♦K well-placed one would rather expect the Russians to bid the grand after South’s double, but surprisingly enough they did not venture anything at all. Declarer easily made all 13 tricks of course, Gromov +710. In the other room South did not interfere so it was left to the Poles to explore the possibilities of the hand completely on their own. They succeeded quite well as this was their auction: Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Kierznowski	Gromov	Skrzypczak	Dubinin
	Pass	1♠	Pass
2♦	Pass	2♥	Pass
2NT	Pass	3♠	Pass
4♣	Pass	4NT	Pass
5♣	Pass	5♦	Pass
5♥	Pass	6♠	All pass

Skrzypczak also made all 13 tricks but scored 13 imps in the process as well. Just for the record, this was the third:

Board 10. Dlr: East/All
	♠ 8 6 3 ♥ J 8 6 3 ♦ K 10 ♣ A Q 10 4
♠ Q 10 5 4 2 ♥ A 10 4 ♦ 8 5 ♣ J 8 6		♠ K J ♥ 9 7 2 ♦ 7 6 2 ♣ 9 7 5 3 2
	♠ A 9 7 ♥ K Q 5 ♦ A Q J 9 4 3 ♣ K

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Ponomareva	Gierulski	Gromova	Pikus
		Pass	1♦
Pass	1♥	Pass	3♦
Pass	3NT	All pass

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Kierznowski	Gromov	Skrzypczak	Dubinin
		Pass	1♣
Pass	1NT	Pass	2NT
Pass	3♣	Pass	3NT (1)
All pass

(1):6 ♦ no short suit
Apparently it is virtually impossible to express the full value of the South hand. The boards then came to rest again until we saw board 14:

Board 14. Dlr: East/None
	♠ 10 9 5 ♥ Q 8 6 ♦ 10 2 ♣ A Q 8 6 5
♠ A J ♥ A 10 9 2 ♦ Q J 5 4 ♣ 10 7 2		♠ K Q 8 3 ♥ K J 7 5 ♦ A 6 3 ♣ 9 4
	♠ 7 6 4 2 ♥ 4 3 ♦ K 9 8 7 ♣ K J 3

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Ponomareva	Gierulski	Gromova	Pikus
		1♣	Pass
1♥	Pass	2♥	Pass
3♥	Pass	4♥	All pass

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Kierznowski	Gromov	Skrzypczak	Dubinin
		1♣	Pass
1♥	Pass	2♥	Pass
4♥	All pass

A normal enough 4♥ contract but the lead made all the difference. Gierulski led a spade which made life easy for Ponomareva. She won, unblocked the ♠J and cashed two top trumps. North could ruff the fourth spade, but two of the club losers had gone in the process so the only other trick declarer could lose was the ♦K. Just made, Gromov +420. At the other table, Gromov led the ♦10. Declarer ducked this, so Dubinin could win and shift to a low club. After this, declarer had to locate the position of the ♥Q. When he failed to do so, he was one off for a loss of 10 imps. Chlodnia led only 31-19 now. And, two boards later:

Board 16. Dlr: West/EW
	♠ A Q J 8 6 ♥ K 6 ♦ A K Q J 3 ♣ 4
♠ K 4 2 ♥ A Q J 8 2 ♦ 4		♠ 10 9 7 ♥ 9 7 4 3 ♦ 7
	♠ 5 3 ♥ 10 5 ♦ 10 9 8 6 5 2 ♣ Q 9 5

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Ponomareva	Gierulski	Gromova	Pikus
1♥	2♥	3♦	Pass
4♥	Dbl	Pass	4NT
Pass	5♦	Pass	Pass
5♥	Dbl	Pass	6♦
Pass	Pass	Dbl	All pass

Convincing bidding all round the place. South was the one in doubt, with a giant fit and no prospect at all in defence. This cost his side 100. Please note that North lack the entries to take and repeat the spade finesse, so it did not hurt that West continued hearts when partner led the suit. Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Kierznowski	Gromov	Skrzypczak	Dubinin
1♥	2♥	3♣	Pass
4♣	Dbl	4♥	4NT
Pass	5♦	All pass

More cautious bidding here, maybe in view of the vulnerability. Gromov another +400 and 11 imps to level the scores at 31-31! The Gromov revival did not last very long, however. The Russians certainly were a little unlucky on the next board:

Board 17. Dlr: North/None
	♠ A 4 ♥ A Q J ♦ 4 2 ♣ 10 9 6 4 3 2
♠ K 9 5 ♥ 9 8 7 6 2 ♦ K Q 3 ♣ Q 7		♠ Q 10 8 7 3 2 ♥ ♦ J 10 9 8 ♣ K J 5
	♠ J 6 ♥ K 10 5 4 3 ♦ A 7 6 5 ♣ A 8

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Ponomareva	Gierulski	Gromova	Pikus
	Pass	2♦	Pass
3♥	Pass	3♠	Pass
Pass	4♣	All pass

With both North and South holding minimum opening bids, neither of them could safely enter the auction. So North’s balancing 4♣ very much was a shot in the dark, but it earned rich dividends when it proved the only makeable contract. Chlodnia +130. Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Kierznowski	Gromov	Skrzypczak	Dubinin
	2♣	2♠	Dbl(1)
3♠	Pass	Pass	Dbl(2)
Pass	4♣	Pass	4♥
All pass

(1):TO
(2):TO
Once again a difference in opening style. The final contract reached here was fully OK, except that it could not be made on the actual layout – a hint of which had been given at the other table but not here. Down two for another +100 and 6 imps to Chlodnia. And more serious stuff:

Board 18. Dlr: East/NS
	♠ K 9 8 6 ♥ Q 7 6 4 ♦ 9 7 5 ♣ Q 2
♠ A 5 ♥ 9 2 ♦ Q J 10 4 ♣ A J 6 5 3		♠ Q J 7 4 2 ♥ A 5 ♦ 8 6 3 2 ♣ 8 7
	♠ 10 3 ♥ K J 10 8 3 ♦ A K ♣ K 10 9 4

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Ponomareva	Gierulski	Gromova	Pikus
		2♠(1)	Dbl
2NT	Dbl	3♦	Pass
Pass	3♥	Pass	4♥
All pass

(1):5M+4m
When East led the ♠Q the hand was quickly over. Declarer lost a spade, an unavoidable trump and the ♣A for +620 to Chlodnia. One would expect a flat board, but… Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Kierznowski	Gromov	Skrzypczak	Dubinin
		Pass	1♥
Pass	2♥	2♠	3♣
Pass	4♥	All pass

When West led the ♦Q the pattern changed. Obviously, Dubinin was afraid that the ♠A would be wrong for him, so he played accordingly. ♦A, club to the queen, club to the ten and jack., diamond return to the king and the ♣K from hand throwing dummy’s last diamond. Had he drawn trumps before all would have been well, but as it was East overruffed with the ♥5 so the contract suddenly was one down in spite of the ♠A being well placed for declarer. Chlodnia another +100 and an unexpected 12 imps. So with the Polish lead at 17 imps they went into the last board:

Board 20. Dlr: West/All
	♠ J ♥ 10 9 8 6 4 ♦ K 10 8 7 6 ♣ 5 3
♠ A 9 8 2 ♥ J 7 2 ♦ 9 5 ♣ K J 8 2		♠ K Q 7 6 5 4 3 ♥ Q ♦ Q 2 ♣ Q 7 4
	♠ 10 ♥ A K 5 3 ♦ A J 4 3 ♣ A 10 9 6

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Ponomareva	Gierulski	Gromova	Pikus
Pass	Pass	1♠	Dbl
2♥(1)	3♥	3♠	4♥
4♠	Pass	Pass	Dbl
All pass

(1):4♠
Gierulski did extremely well to sit the double and collected +200. Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Kierznowski	Gromov	Skrzypczak	Dubinin
Pass	Pass	3♠	Dbl
4♠	Pass	Pass	Dbl
Pass	4NT	Pass	5♣
Pass	5♦	All pass

When declarer finessed the ♦Q the contract was down two. This looks the correct play as declarer should assume that 4♠ will make, which it will if diamonds are 3-1. Chlodnia thus collected 200 at each table for another swing, 9 imps this time. The final score: 58-32 or 20-10 V.P. to Chlodnia Olsztyn. They had caught up their opponents; both sides had reached average, 45 V.P. from 3 matches at this stage. Everything was wide open again.