France, lying second, were looking good for Bermuda going into this match but still had ambitions for the title so this was a big match for them. For Poland, the title was out of reach but they still needed points to further their own ambitions. Lying seventh with only six teams to qualify, this match was just as important to them as to France.

The match started quietly with a series of dull boards and Poland led by 3-0 after five boards. Then came the first major swing:

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

Michal Kwiecien led the ¨2 in response to Jacek Pszczola's opening bid. The ¨Q lost to the ace and Christian Mari ducked a club to the ten. Pszczola returned a low diamond to the jack and Mari returned the ¨10, postponing the club play. When Pszczola won the diamond and switched to a low heart, Mari could play safe by winning the king and ducking a club. That cost him an overtrick but gave nine tricks; +400.

The Poles went overboard in the Closed Room, getting to a hopeless slam. Jacek Romanski got out for one down but that was still -50 and 10 IMPs to France.

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

Even on a diamond lead, ducked to the queen, then a heart to the king and a second diamond, declarer can always make 3§. He rises with the ¨A, draws trumps and exits with a diamond to force the defense to open up the spade suit.

The actual defense was two rounds of hearts followed by a diamond to the queen and Pszczola continued with the ¨K; +110.

The immediate overcall created a very different type of auction and the Poles were soon in game. 4ª is pretty hopeless and the best that Romanski could manage was two down; -200 and 7 IMPs to France.

Board 11. Dealer South. Love All ª Q © 9 8 7 6 ¨ J 10 6 4 § A 5 3 2 ª 7 6 2 ª 8 4 3 © Q 10 5 3 © A K 4 2 ¨ Q 5 2 ¨ A 7 § Q 10 6 § 9 8 7 4 ª A K J 10 9 5 © J ¨ K 9 8 3 § K J

4ª is an easy make and France duly got there: 1ª - 1NT - 3ª - 4ª; +420. The Poles fell short in the other room: 1ª - 1NT - 2NT; +120 and 7 IMPs to France.

I imagine that the 2NT rebid showed good spades in the context of a strong club and strong no trump method, but am still unconvinced that it is the best solution to south's bidding problem.

Board 13. Dealer North. Game All ª Q © K 10 9 8 6 2 ¨ 10 7 2 § A 10 5 ª A 10 7 5 ª K 6 4 3 © Q © A 7 5 4 3 ¨ A 8 3 ¨ J 5 § K J 8 3 2 § 9 6 ª J 9 8 2 © J ¨ K Q 9 6 4 § Q 7 4

The ©J was covered all round and Pszczola led a club to the jack and ace. He ducked the diamond switch and won the next round. Pszczola ruffed the last diamond then played king of clubs and ruffed a club, cashe the ªk and played a spade to the ten; ten tricks for +170.

The same line as in the other room would net the French a game swing, but it didn't go like that. Again a heart lead was covered all round but this time declarer played a club to the king and ace. Romanski switched to his trump and Marc Bompis won the king and led his remaining club, playing low when Kowalski ducked smoothly. Romanski won the §10 and switched to a diamond to the ace. Bompis ruffed a club now and played a spade to the ten, but had two diamonds and a spade to lose; two down for -200 and 9 IMPs to Poland.

Board 14. Dealer East. Love All ª A 6 5 4 © K Q 8 ¨ 8 4 3 2 § Q 8 ª K 10 8 7 ª 9 3 © 5 3 © J 9 4 2 ¨ 10 6 ¨ 9 7 § A J 9 6 5 § K 7 4 3 2 ª Q J 2 © A 10 7 6 ¨ A K Q J 5 § 10

Kowalski/Romanski bid: 1¨ - 1ª - 2© - 3§ - 3ª - 4© - 4ª - 5¨. After flirting with both 4-3 major-suit fits, they alighted in the best spot. There was nothing to the play; +400.

In the other room, Mari/Multon bid: 1¨ - 1ª - 2© - 3¨ - 3ª - 4© - 4NT - 5¨ - 6¨. Franck Multon was able to agree diamonds without having to go through fourth suit forcing and he then showed something useful in hearts. That persuaded Mari to check for key cards and bid the slam. 6¨ needs the singleton king of spades or some pretty improbable squeeze if clubs are not led. The actual lead was a trump. Mari went through the motions but had to accept one down; -50 and 10 IMPs to Poland, who had moved into the lead by 26-24 IMPs.

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

Both Easts opened 1NT but played in 2ª after a scrambling Stayman auction. Against Bompis, the lead was spade to the queen and ace. Bompis passed the ¨9 to the queen and back came a spade to the nine and king and a third spade to the jack. Declarer took another diamond finesse now, losing to the king. It looks as though a club return at this point would have defeated the contract, as declarer cannot get to the fourth diamond. However, Romanski switched to a low heart. Bompis ducked that and so did Kowalski, so dummy's nine won the trick. Bompis unblocked the diamonds and made nine tricks; +140.

Mari led a club to the nine. That looked like a good start for declarer. He cashed two clubs throwing diamonds from dummy. Had he now ruffed the last club, cashed the ¨A and played either a heart or a spade, he would eventually have made two spade tricks in hand plus a diamond ruff to come to eight tricks. Pszczola actually played a diamond to dummy at trick four. He played a heart to the king and ace and Mari switched to a trump for the queen and ace. A second heart was won by North and Multon played a spade to the nine and king. A third spade left declarer with only seven tricks; -590 and 5 IMPs to France - back in the lead.

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

Thierry Sainte Marie led the ªA and Bompis deposited the king on it. Sainte Marie switched to a diamond and that ran to the king. Bompis played two rounds of spades and Kowalski ruffed, drew trumps and took a diamond finesse; +140.

The auction was almost identical up to the point where Multon went on to game. Could mari bring it home? The defense started in a similar fashion. Kwiecien cashed the ªa, Pszczola dropping the king, and continued with the ª10, which held the trick. Now he switched to a diamond to the king and Pszczola played a spade. Mari ruffed and drew trumps but then took the club finesse. Next he cashed the ¨A, intending to ruff one if the queen did not appear. In practice, he had the rest for +420 and 6 IMPs to France.

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

To beat 4©, the defense must take its club ruff. However, Pszczola won the diamond lead and switched to his singleton spade, picking up the jack. Mari drew trumps and played on clubs for ten tricks; +420.

Bompis took the advance save in 5¨ and was doubled. The defense took their three tricks for one down; -100 but 8 IMPs to France.

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

On vugraph, Pszczola opened 1ª and this ran round to Multon who overcalled 2©. Surprisingly, Mari passed that so France scored a safe but dull +140.

De Sainte Marie's little joke actually made it easier for North to show sound values for his overcall and the Poles reached game. Had Kowalski been able to divine that there were nine tricks and nine tricks only, he might have tried 3NT, which is unbeatable, but of course he actually chose 4©. After three rounds of clubs and a spade switch, Romanski had nowhere to go for a tenth trick; -100 and 6 IMPs to France.

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

Mari contented himself with a simple 3¨ overcall and then let his opponents play peacefully in 4©. The lead was a diamond and Mari won and switched to the §J. Kwiecien won the club and led a low heart to the ten. When Mari showed out he took quite a while to continue, eventually playing two top spades then a club to the king. Now he was in control. He played the ©Q. If North won that dummy would have a trump left to take care of a diamond force, while if North ducked he could just cash the ©A and play winning clubs to ensure ten tricks. Multon actually won the heart and played a spade so declarer could draw trumps and claim the rest; +650.

Romanski made a pushy penalty double in this room, leaving Kowalski with the choice of conceding 790 or 800. Kowalski chose the latter, bidding 5¨ and being doubled. The defense made no mistake, taking two top clubs and switching to spades for three down.

That was another 4 IMPs to France. They had done well over the last few boards to win the match by 54-27 IMPs, 21-9 VPs. Poland had a lot of work yet to do if they were to make it to Bermuda, while France still had a shot at winning the Championship.