There was plenty of excitement for the VuGraph audience when the leaders, France, met tenth placed Greece. The Commentators solved the problem of pronouncing the name Papakiriacopoulos by shortening it to 'Papa the Greek', well know to readers of Victor Mollo's menagerie books.

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

West led the nine of hearts and declarer won the third round of the suit discarding a club from dummy. He played the queen of diamonds to cater for West having ¨J1043 and eventually came to ten tricks when the queen of spades showed up. +630.

Four Hearts doubled would have been only three down if declarer takes a winning view in clubs. Declarer won the opening lead with the ace of hearts and played the ace and jack of spades. That solved all possible problems and eleven tricks were made, +650 and 1 IMP to Greece.

Six Diamonds by North is where you would like to play this deal and even with South as declarer it has good chances.

On our next deal France were doubled in game at both tables.

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

South had an awkward decision when East -West bid to game. Pursuing the usually sound policy of bidding on when in doubt he showed the nature of his hand via 4NT.

West led the ace of spades against Five Clubs doubled and continued with the queen before switching to the jack of clubs. South won in hand and played the ten of hearts, taken by the king. Declarer won the diamond switch with the queen and ran the queen of hearts. West ruffed and declarer claimed the rest. Two down, -500. That would be okay if France could make Four Spades in the replay.

North found the telling lead of the queen of diamonds and the defenders played four rounds of the suit forcing Mari to ruff high. He cashed the king of hearts and played a spade to the jack.

When he played the five of hearts South ruffed in with the seven of spades. Declarer could arrive at nine tricks but not ten. One down was -200 and 12 IMPs to Greece.

It was soon Greece's turn to run into a double.

Board 15. Dealer South. NS Game ª Q © A J 10 9 3 ¨ J 10 6 § A 7 3 2 ª K J 10 8 4 ª — © K 7 5 © Q 8 6 4 ¨ K 8 4 ¨ 9 7 3 2 § J 5 § K Q 9 6 4 ª A 9 7 6 5 3 2 © 2 ¨ A Q 5 § 10 8

West led the four of diamonds and declarer won with dummy's jack and played the queen of spades getting the bad news. West won and switched to a heart. Declarer won and ruffed a heart. He crossed to dummy with the ace of clubs and ruffed another heart before exiting with the ten of clubs. He was able to escape for two down, -200.

Should North have paid heed to East's warning double?

Mari led the jack of clubs and East overtook it with the queen when declarer played low from dummy. He switched to the three of diamonds and Mari won with the king when declarer finessed. He continued with his remaining club and declarer won and set about reducing his trumps, playing the ace of hearts and ruffing a heart. He played two rounds of diamonds ending in dummy and ruffed another heart. When he exited with a spade he had arrived at a position where he too could escape for two down. Well played but still -500 and 7 IMPs to France.

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

That was a bad miss by the French pair. Declarer made twelve tricks, +490. Could Greece do better?

The answer was an emphatic yes! +920 and 10 IMPs.

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

This is a tough hand for East-West as the only game with a chance is Four Spades on the 4-3 fit. The defenders took the first three tricks with two top hearts and the ace of clubs and declarer took a winning view in trumps and claimed the rest.

After a similar start at least one declarer went down by finessing the nine of spades. That was unlucky but relied on North having misdefended as with § Jxxx a third heart after the ace of clubs ensures a trump trick.

Two hearts doubled would have been easy money but it was difficult for Multon to pass. Still 4FONT FACE="Symbol">ª was in with a chance.

North led the two of hearts and South took the ace and king and would have made life easy for declarer by playing a third round, taking away any guess in the trump suit. Instead he switched to a club and when declarer played the queen North ducked. Mari thought about it for a while but then cashed the ace and king of spades and played a club to the jack. North ducked but now declarer could draw trumps and claim ten tricks.

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

The French pair soon found the good save but 'Papa' was having none of that. His bid of Five Clubs struck gold and when south led a trump he claimed twelve tricks and +620.

When East showed one key card in response to West's enquiry Multon decided to take his chance in Six Clubs, hoping that West held an ace rather than the king of hearts and that the contract would be on the heart finesse.

South did not double but he cashed his aces. +100 and 12 IMPs to Greece. They led 41-19 with only one board to go.

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

According to the records, declarer ducked the opening club lead and won the second round with the ace. He played the king of spades and North won and switched to the six of diamonds. At this point it is suggested by the computer that declarer finessed the ten but sources close to the Greek team indicate that declarer won with the king and misguessed in hearts. In any event the contract went one down, -100.

For the second time in the match the 'Moysian fit' proved to be a good resting-place. Multon won the opening lead of the queen of diamonds with the ace and played a spade to the king and ace. He won the diamond switch and cashed the two top spades, discarding dummy's remaining diamonds. Now he ruffed a spade, cashed the ªA and ruffed a club. He ruffed a diamond with ©A and ruffed another club. He made eleven tricks for +650 and 13 important IMPs that left Greece in front 41-32 converting into 17-13 VPs.