Not many boards from the Vu Graph match between Greece and Poland in round 23 were of general interest. Only two deals caught the commentators' eyes.

On one board the defenders missed the chance to give the audience a lesson on ducking:

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

In practice this was not a very exciting board. In the Open Room Greece won 4©, in the Closed Room Poland played in 3NT making four. As West had bid spades, East led his partner's suit. West took the ace, returned a spade and declarer came home without any problems.

But let's assume for a minute, that East had led a diamond. West decides to put in the 9 and North wins with the king and tries to succeed by developing his longest suit first. He plays a heart to the king and West ducks. He continues with ª5 and West ducks again. Back in his hand North plays another heart and West ducks for the third time!

North might now switch to a club to king, with - for a change - East holding up the ace, but it is too late already, as the defenders still have communication and declarer has not. These are the remaining cards:

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

Now suppose a) North exits with a small club. Then the defense has an easy five tricks collecting two clubs, two aces and a diamond later on.

Or suppose b) North ducks a diamond. West cashes ¨Q, ªA, ©A, plays a club to the ace and East leads a club back to dummy to score another diamond in the end.

Or suppose c) North exits in hearts. West cashes two aces and plays a diamond. If North wins, he loses at least three more tricks afterwards, if North ducks West plays a club to the ace and a club back to South. Again, South has to lose another diamond. One down instead of an overtrick!

Although now you've learned how effective these ducking plays might be, you should still have a look at the other side of the coin. Why should declarer - quite one-dimensionally - plan the play on developing his longest suit only? He should be able to foresee, that it is quite likely that the opponents cut off his communication and that he has to score some club tricks as well. Bringing them in for three tricks would therefore counter East/West's combined ducking efforts. On a good (lucky?) day he could play: ¨K, club to the king, spade to the king, club to the queen and another club.

East will return a diamond, but declarer takes the ace, cashes the thirteenth club discarding a spade, and play on hearts finally. Whenever West takes his ace, he can't do more than cash the ªA and concede the rest. Here comes the overtrick again!

But what would have really happened after a diamond lead, we will never get to know…

At the very end of the match North treated the audience to a whirlwind of ruffing. Again the initial lead proved to be a decisive factor:

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

Poland in the Closed Room played in 3§ from the South hand making four on a trump lead, when the declarer went for spade ruffs instead of setting up his heart suit. In the Open Room Kapayannidis and Liarakos for Greece were soon in game:

East led a small spade, which takes away an entry to set up the heart suit, but Liarakos found another way to come to eleven tricks making good use of all his trumps: He took the ªA, ruffed a spade with §2, ruffed a diamond with §3, ruffed a spade with §4, ruffed a diamond with §6, ruffed a spade with §8, ruffed a diamond with §Q.

Are you still with me? - played ©A, ruffed a heart with §9 and played ¨K, which West had to ruff. West now led ©Q, and declarer scored his eighth ruff with §J. As there was no need to take a ruff with the ace of trumps, Liarakos simply cashed it and had eleven tricks.

Well done and a useful 10 IMPs to Greece who won the match 19-11.