After suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of Poland yesterday evening, Germany were put straight back onto vugraph to face high-flying Italy. The Germans would be looking for a much improved performance.

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

A number of pairs bid and made 6¨, but others went down in that contract. Given the entries, you would like to cash the top clubs to see if the queen fell and fall back on the spade finesse when that doesn't work. On a non-spade lead, you could decide to do that, but there is the small problem that you don't know that the ¨K is singleton onside. Given the diamond worry, a more likely line is to ruff a spade to hand to take the diamond finesse. Now you will succeed when the ªQ ruffs out in three rounds or the §Q falls, with the added possibility of a positional squeeze against North if he holds both queens. As the cards lie, it takes a spade finesse to bring home the contract.

On vugraph, Michael Elinescu took a long time to play 5¨ after a spade lead. On the auction, he no doubt expected the ¨k to be offside more often than not. He won the spade lead with the ace and gave up a heart. North won that and played a club and Elinescu won the ace and cross-ruffed spades and hearts to eliminate both suits, then played a diamond. When the king appeared, he had his eleven tricks; +600 to flatten the board. The extra chance he was looking at was to play the ¨A and throw South in with a doubleton king. If that was the trump position and South held the §Q, he would now be endplayed.

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

It could be right to pass 2¨, of course, but I would feel uncomfortable about not bidding my six-card heart suit as there could still be game in that suit. Helmut Hausler decided to compete with 3¨ over 3§, hoping that his partner had four-card support as he had passed what might have been a three-card rebid over the forcing no trump. The defense led a club against 3¨. Hausler won, throwing a heart, ruffed a club, ruffed a spade, ruffed a second spade, then cashed the top hearts before ruffing a club with his ¨K. The next spade was ruffed and over-ruffed and he ended up one down; -100.

In contrast to the other table, Dario Attanasio went to the three-level to show his hearts, and was rewarded when Guiseppi Failla raised him to game. Attanasio ruffed the club lead in the dummy, ruffed a spade and ruffed a second club. Cashing the ©A, ruffing a spade back to hand and drawing trumps makes the hand now, but Attanasio tried a different line. He ran the ªK to East's ace, pitching his remaining small club. Back came a heart to the ace and Attanasio tried to get back to hand with a spade ruff. He was over-ruffed and Entscho Wladow returned a club. If declarer wins the §A, draws the last trump and leads a diamond, he is on the diamond guess for his contract. In vugraph, we all thought that this was exactly what had happened, and were surprised when Wladow rose with the ¨A, taking away the guess. However, it transpired that Attanasio had revoked, ruffing the club return when he still held the §A. That was a two-trick revoke, and so the contract was down two; -200 and 3 somewhat fortunate IMPs to Germany.

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

Perhaps Wladow thought that it was a good idea to put some pressure on Attanasio while he was possibly a little unsettled about the previous deal. Here, Elinescu opened a 10-12 no trump as dealer and Wladow used Stayman then jumped to 3NT. A minor-suit lead is an easy three down, but Attanasio led the ©8 and Elinescu immediately claimed nine tricks; +400.

The defense took there four top winners but that was it; +140 but 6 IMPs to Germany.

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

Wladow opened 1ª and Elinescu responded with a natural and invitational 3© over Failla's 2¨ overcall. That ended the auction and Attanasio led the ¨K to dummy's ace. Elinescu cashed the ©A, crossed to the ªA and cashed a heart. On seeing the bad break, he tried the spade finesse and was three down; -300.

Had declarer guessed to win the ªK, the fall of the queen would have allowed him to play two more winning spades, pitching clubs, and he would have just made his contract.

In the other room, Guido Ferraro also opened 1ª but Hausler overcalled 3¨. Now Dano De Falco's 3© was forcing. Ferraro rebid 3ª and De Falco raised that to game. Hausler led his singleton heart to the ace and Ferraro played ªK and a spade to the ace then cashed two top hearts to make his contract; +620 and 14 IMPs to Italy.

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

Ferraro found the good lead of the ©Q, hoping to create an entry to his partner's hand. Peter Spettstosser won the ace and cashed the §A before playing a diamond to the king and ace. Ferraro continued with the hearts and declarer ducked to the jack. De Falco played the ªJ to king and ace and Ferraro exited with a heart to dummy's king. Now Splettstosser knocked out the §K but Ferraro could cash the ªQ and exit with ¨J and dummy had to concede the last trick to the ¨10 for down one; -100.

Even with the threatening heart lead, it is possible to make 3NT if you are inspired. Declarer wins and plays the ¨Q to the ace. He ducks the next heart and covers the spade. East exits with a heart and now declarer must duck a diamond to East. With the fortunate lie of the clubs, declarer can now come to nine tricks.

Wladow's strong club opening scared his opponents off so that they contented themselves with a 2§ overcall then left him to play 2ª. Failla cashed a top heart and switched to an odd-looking ¨9. This ran to declarer's jack and he played ace and another spade to North's king. Attanasio switched to a club so the defense took its two tricks in that suit and still had a heart and a spade to come; one down for -100 and 5 IMPs to Italy. Italy led 23-13 as we came to an action-packed last quarter.

Board 16. Dealer East. EW Game ª Q J 4 © 9 8 7 ¨ 9 6 § K J 8 7 3 ª 10 ª 5 2 © A J 10 4 2 © Q 6 5 ¨ K J 10 7 5 ¨ A Q 8 § 6 4 § Q 10 9 5 2 ª A K 9 8 7 6 3 © K 3 ¨ 4 3 2 § A

Having got his partner to bid a suit, De Falco decided to lead it. Hausler won the club lead, drew two rounds of trumps ending in dummy and pitched a heart on the §K. He eventually ruffed a diamond in dummy for his tenth trick; +420.

On vugraph, Elinescu opened the West hand with 3¨, showing a limited two-suiter, diamonds and a major. Wladow passed that and Failla just blasted 4ª. Elinescu led a diamond, knowing that his partner at least had some length in the suit, and Wladow put in the queen. He switched to a heart and the defense quickly took their four tricks; -50 and 10 IMPs to Germany, tying the match at 23-23.

Board 17. Dealer North. Love All ª 10 8 3 © Q J 7 ¨ K 2 § A K J 4 2 ª K J 7 6 4 2 ª Q 9 © K 3 2 © A 9 ¨ A 4 3 ¨ Q J 10 9 6 5 § 10 § 9 6 3 ª A 5 © 10 8 6 5 4 ¨ 8 7 § Q 8 7 5

Splettstosser cashed a top club and switched to the ©Q. De Falco played three rounds of hearts, ruffing then the ªQ off the dummy. Hausler won the ªA and led a fourth heart to promote the ª10, saving the overtrick; +140.

Wladow was a little soft here, allowing his opponents to play 3© when he might have competed with 3ª. He led the ¨Q to the ace and Elinescu returned a diamond. Attanasio played on trumps now and the defense could only take four tricks; +140 and 7 IMPs to Italy, ahead 30-23.

A club lead or switch would have allowed East to win the first trump and give his partner a ruff. Now a spade switch leads to a one-trick set.

Board 18. Dealer East. NS Game ª Q 7 5 3 © 10 ¨ J 9 8 6 5 3 § A 3 ª K 6 ª 2 © A K J 4 3 2 © Q 9 8 ¨ K 7 4 ¨ A Q § 6 4 § K Q J 10 9 8 7 ª A J 10 9 8 4 © 7 6 5 ¨ 10 2 § 5 2

I am not certain what was going on here but what is for sure is that the defense took there two aces immediately for down one; -50.

2§ was Precision style and 2¨ inquired. 3§ in principle denied a three-card major, but Wladow wanted to stress the good club suit, understandably. 3¨ was a second relay and now he showed the heart feature and Elinescu continued by asking for key cards for hearts. 4ª showed one key card and Elinescu quickly signed-off. Wladow obviously had a different idea about what was going on in this auction because he now bid 6§. The ªA lead ensured that there could be no defensive accident; down one for -50 and a push.

Board 19. Dealer South. EW Game ª A K Q 9 5 4 © A J 10 ¨ A 4 § 9 8 ª 8 7 6 ª 10 3 2 © 7 4 © K Q 9 8 3 2 ¨ Q 8 ¨ 2 § A K J 10 6 3 § 7 5 4 ª J © 6 5 ¨ K J 10 9 7 6 5 3 § Q 2

Both Souths opened 4¨. Attanasio raised to 5¨ while Slettstosser jumped to 6¨. As there are plaenty of tricks available, Splettstosser's unrevealing auction could easily have seen the slam come home on another day. But this was today, and the top clubs were on lead so that was +400 for Italy and -50 for Germany; 10 IMPs to Italy.

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

Ferraro/De Falco bid this one: 1NT - 3¨ - 3© - 3NT. 3¨ was invitational and 3© showed the heart stopper and interest in game. Looking at heart shortage, De Falco hoped that he had sufficient black-suit length to allow 3NT to make but it was not to be. Hausler led out five rounds of spades; one down for -100.