This match turned out to be full of interesting deals that gave the players plenty of problems to solve. The commentators were in good form, spotting a number of interesting, non-double dummy, possibilities. Poland seemed to be on top for most of the match but Denmark stuck to their task and a couple of big swings at the end saw them pull back to a narrow loss by 14-16VP.

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

In our featured match both teams were content to rest in Three No-Trumps. Neither of the East players were inclined to open Three Clubs. The commentators observed that a slam was not impossible on the North-South cards. Several pairs reached six Diamonds. As we go to press the play records are not available but we imagine they all made the contract by ruffing a club. In the absence of a heart lead from East you can still get home even if the club is ruffed high, a play you might consider if East starts with a preempt.

That line would lead to an endplay on West and if Six spades is the contract it can be made by drawing trumps, ruffing a club, cashing the diamonds and playing a heart, covering East's card. If East has preempted all entirely plausible.

Six No-Trumps can't be made on a club lead but France got that contract on the card after East had opened Three Clubs and not unreasonably didn't lead his suit or a heart. Declarer cashed five spades and four diamonds and West was forced to part with a club. Now declarer extracted West's remaining club by cashing the ace and endplayed him with a heart. Bien joué!

Board 3. Dealer South. EW Game ª A K 8 © A 2 ¨ 9 6 2 § K Q 10 7 3 ª J ª 10 7 4 3 © K Q J 9 6 © 10 8 3 ¨ A K Q 5 ¨ J 8 7 3 § J 9 4 § A 5 ª Q 9 6 5 2 © 7 5 4 ¨ 10 4 § 8 6 2 Closed Room West North East South Andersen Tuszynski Christiansen Jassem Pass 1© 1NT 2¨ Pass 2© Pass Pass 2ª 3¨ 3ª All Pass

Three spades drifted one down. That did not look to be a bad result as Four Hearts is a very plausible contract for East-West and although it can be defeated Peter Lund pointed out that in practice no one had managed it.

We will leave you to find your own adjective to describe Peter Schaltz's opening bid. Imaginative perhaps?

Two No-Trumps was a relay and a Danish systems expert in the audience predicted that South would bid Three Clubs to show a bad hand. Perhaps Three Diamonds promised a really bad hand? Whatever South had to tackle an awkward contract.

West cashed two diamonds and switched to the king of hearts. When South ducked it became a certainty that East held the ace of clubs and West played a second heart. The ace won and declarer played the king of clubs. East took his ace and being uncertain of the distribution of the heart suit switched to a diamond. That gave declarer some options. He ruffed and cashed a top spade in dummy. When the jack fell he drew trumps and now everything rested on the view in clubs. Finesse for a flat board or play for the drop?

East might have ducked the king of clubs but not if he had started with §AJ alone. Perhaps following that line of reasoning South played for the drop and was three down. 9 IMPs for Poland.

Board 6. Dealer East. EW Game ª Q 9 8 © Q 9 7 ¨ J 10 3 2 § A 10 2 ª 7 2 ª A K J 4 3 © J 10 6 4 3 2 © A K 5 ¨ Q 6 4 ¨ A 8 § K 8 § 5 4 3 ª 10 6 5 © 8 ¨ K 9 7 5 § Q J 9 7 6 Closed Room West North East South Andersen Tuszynski Christiansen Jassem 2NT Pass 3¨ Pass 3© Pass 4© All Pass

South led the queen of clubs and when that held played a second club to North's ace. When Tuszynski switched to the nine of spades declarer was in control. He won with the ace and cashed the top trumps. When the queen failed to appear he reverted to spades. That queen was more obliging and declarer simply gave up a trump, claiming the rest and +620.

Four Hearts can be made but when North led the jack of diamonds declarer played low and lost three quick tricks in the minors. There was no reason for him to get the trumps right and he was one down. Denmark recorded a 12 IMP pickup.

As results flashed up on the screen they revealed that Croatia had recorded +1430!

North had led a diamond so to get home declarer must have gone up with the ace, cashed a top trump say and played three rounds of spades, ruffing in hand. Now comes a winning view in hearts and the last trump is drawn. The losing clubs go on the winning spades and all that remains is to play a diamond towards the queen. We are still waiting for a reporter to confirm this.

Board 8. Dealer West. Love All ª K Q 10 7 3 © 9 8 ¨ 9 8 6 § K 9 5 ª 8 ª A 9 5 © J 5 © Q 7 4 2 ¨ K Q 10 5 4 3 2 ¨ A § A 7 3 § Q J 8 4 2 ª J 6 4 2 © A K 10 6 3 ¨ J 7 § 10 6 Closed Room West North East South Andersen Tuszynski Christiansen Jassem 1¨ 1ª Dble 2NT 3¨ 3ª Dble Pass 4¨ Pass 5¨ All Pass

Once Christiansen preferred a second double rather than a speculative Three No-Trumps the Poles barrage had done its work. Five diamonds was made at several tables. North led the king of spades and West won and probably took the club finesse. North won and tried to cash a spade. We can suggest several good books on signaling!

North-South made no mistake here and the contract was one down.

With West having three clubs the defence had no chance to knock out the entry to the diamonds and Poland picked up 10 IMPs.

Board 12. Dealer West. NS Game ª Q 7 5 2 © 9 3 2 ¨ 6 2 § J 4 3 2 ª A K 10 6 ª J 9 4 © Q 4 © A K 7 6 ¨ Q 10 9 3 ¨ A J 8 7 § A 10 9 § K Q ª 8 3 © J 10 8 5 ¨ K 5 4 § 8 7 6 5

Both pairs used six rounds of bidding to reach the excellent Six Diamonds. You had to feel slightly sorry for the many pairs who preferred Six No-Trumps.

Board 15. Dealer South. NS Game ª Q 4 3 © K Q 10 ¨ A Q J 9 § K 8 6 ª K 8 7 6 2 ª A J 5 © A 7 3 2 © J 8 4 ¨ K 6 5 ¨ 10 4 3 2 § 7 § J 5 3 ª 10 9 © 9 6 5 ¨ 8 7 § A Q 10 9 4 2 Closed Room West North East South Andersen Tuszynski Christiansen Jassem Pass Pass 1NT Pass 2ª Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass

In this transfer sequence North must have promised a fit for clubs. Three No-Trumps was tried at several tables with varying degrees of success. East went for a spade lead but the jack was not a winning choice on this occasion. Declarer recorded ten tricks, +630.

Romanski was not afraid to get into the auction at his second turn and effectively removed any chance that his side might have to find the right defence to a game contract. Two Spades was a couple down but Poland had another 11 IMPs.

Board 17. Dealer North. Love All ª Q J 8 6 © J 9 ¨ J 9 8 4 § 8 3 2 ª A 9 5 3 ª — © 10 4 © A K Q 8 ¨ A K 7 3 ¨ Q 10 5 2 § K 10 7 § A Q 9 6 4 ª K 10 7 4 2 © 7 6 5 3 2 ¨ 6 § J 5 Closed Room West North East South Andersen Tuszynski Christiansen Jassem Pass 1§ Pass 1ª Pass 2© Pass 4§ Pass 4© Pass 4ª Dble Pass Pass Rdble Pass 4NT Pass 5¨ Pass 5© Pass 5ª Pass 6§ All Pass

It looked as if the Danish pair were well on their way to a Grand Slam but something went wrong and they fell short.

In the face of the intervention this was a great effort. However Romanski had found it difficult to arrive at the winning decision and there was almost a dramatic conclusion.

North led the queen of spades and declarer won with the ace discarding the eight of hearts. He cashed the ace and king of diamonds and now made a strange play, continuing with the king of clubs and a club to the ace.

The appearance of the jack offered a choice of routes back to hand. Eventually Romanski took South's card at its face value and came back with the ten of clubs.

The relief on his face was visible to the audience.

Board 18. Dealer East. NS Game ª A 4 3 2 © Q 9 8 5 ¨ J 10 § A K 6 ª K 9 5 ª 7 6 © K 10 3 2 © J 7 6 4 ¨ K 9 3 ¨ 7 6 4 2 § 9 7 2 § 8 5 3 ª Q J 10 8 © A ¨ A Q 8 5 § Q J 10 4 Closed Room West North East South Andersen Tuszynski Christiansen Jassem Pass 1¨ Pass 1© Pass 1ª Pass 4ª All Pass

This is a pretty good slam but the Polish pair did not get close.

Three diamonds promised four-card spade support and three hearts showed slam interest. After a couple of cue bids North denied the king of hearts and South used five ace Blackwood before biding the slam. Thirteen useful points for Denmark.