Everyone knows that soccer is a game of two halfs, but the same is equally true of bridge. Having missed the first six deals of the match between Poland and Brazil, when little of significance happened, we wandered into the VuGraph just in time to catch the tail end of the seventh deal.

Dealer South. East/West Vul
	ª A K Q 9 7 5 2 © K 9 7 ¨ 9 § 5 2
ª - © A Q 10 8 4 3 ¨ Q 8 3 § K Q 9 6		ª J 10 6 4 3 © 5 2 ¨ 10 6 4 § J 7 4
	ª 8 © J 6 ¨ A K J 7 5 2 § A 10 8 3

According to the screen, Brazil had gone three down in Four Spades in the Closed Room. Declarer must have won the club lead, got the bad news about trumps and taken a first round diamond finesse.

In the replay, the Poles bid all the way to Six Spades and escaped for the same three down and another dull flat board. Resisting the temptation to go for a coffee we waited for the next deal:

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Balicki	Chagas	Zmudzinski	Brenner
Pass	1NT	Pass	2§*
Pass	2ª	Pass	2NT
All Pass

Chagas had no reason to accept his partner's invitation. Under no real pressure he made eight tricks, +120.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Figueredo	Pszczola	Campos	Kwiecen
Pass	1NT	Pass	3NT
All Pass

The stakes were higher here. East led the four of spades and declarer let it run to his jack. A club to the king was followed by the ten of diamonds, coverd by the king and ace. When declarer played the six of spades East put up the king and switched to the ace of hearts and a heart. That simply speeded things up and Poland had 11 IMPs.

Dealer North. North/South Vul
	ª K © Q 10 9 7 ¨ K 6 5 4 § K 8 7 3
ª A J 8 6 4 © J 6 ¨ Q J 3 2 § J 2		ª 3 © 8 4 3 2 ¨ 10 9 8 7 § A Q 10 9
	ª Q 10 9 7 5 2 © A K 5 ¨ A § 6 5 4

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Balicki	Chagas	Zmudzinski	Brenner
	Pass	Pass	1ª
Pass	1NT	Pass	2ª
Pass	2NT	Pass	3©
Pass	4ª	All Pass

Four Spades was doomed from the start by the bad trump break and declarer finished no less than four down. Given the nature of the auction might West not have ventured a double?

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Figueredo	Pszczola	Campos	Kwiecen
	Pass	Pass	1ª
Pass	1NT	Pass	2ª
Pass	2NT	Pass	3¨*
Pass	3ª	All Pass

Three Diamonds was alerted as showing a singleton or void diamond, which did not improve North's hand. A slightly inaccurate defence allowed declarer to escape for only one down so Poland had another 7 IMPs.

Dealer East. East/West Vul
	ª A Q 9 © K Q J 6 ¨ Q 8 5 § Q 9 7
ª K 8 2 © 9 7 5 4 ¨ K J 10 3 2 § A		ª J 10 6 4 © A 8 ¨ 9 7 6 § J 8 5 4
	ª 7 5 3 © 10 3 2 ¨ A 4 § K 10 6 3 2

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Balicki	Chagas	Zmudzinski	Brenner
		Pass	Pass
1¨	1NT	All Pass

Should South invite with a reasonable five card suit and a couple of decent high cards? Brenner did not think so, and with eight tricks being the limit on a diamond lead, it appeared he had made the winning decision.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Figueredo	Pszczola	Campos	Kwiecen
		Pass	Pass
1¨	Dble	Pass	1NT
Pass	2NT	Pass	3§
Pass	3NT	Dble	All Pass

An overcall of 1NT would have been conventional, so North had to start with a double. When South invited, North accepted and East doubled. That was a good idea, but West read something into it and led a heart, which was not. Declarer was allowed to win the first trick in dummy, and ran the nine of clubs. When West had to win with the ace the result was not in doubt and Poland had another 11 IMPs.

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

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Balicki	Chagas	Zmudzinski	Brenner
			Pass
Pass	1¨	1ª	Dble
2§	Pass	Pass	2ª
Pass	2NT	Pass	3NT
All Pass

Three No-Trumps is the obvious resting place for North/South, and it did not take long for Brazil to get there. East led the five of clubs and declarer was allowed to win with the king. He cashed the ace of diamonds and played a diamond to the queen and king. West played back the jack of clubs and declarer played low! Now West cashed his clubs for three down, -300.

Even if declarer had put up the queen of clubs he would not have made the contract, as the winning line involves making four heart tricks, and the play in diamonds had already left declarer a vital entry short.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Figueredo	Pszczola	Campos	Kwiecen
			Pass
3§	Pass	Pass	Dble
All Pass

Perhaps West had the previous board on his mind when he ventured Three Clubs. With perfect defence the defenders can inflict an 1100 penalty, but the +800 they achieved was enough for 15 IMPs.

Dealer West. None Vul
	ª K 10 8 3 © 4 ¨ K 10 9 6 3 2 § 8 3
ª A 4 2 © J 9 6 2 ¨ A Q 4 § A J 5		ª J 6 5 © K 5 3 ¨ J 7 5 § K Q 6 2
	ª Q 9 7 © A Q 10 8 7 ¨ 8 § 10 9 7 4

Open Room
West	North	East	South
Balicki	Chagas	Zmudzinski	Brenner
1NT	2¨	3NT	All Pass

North led the ten of diamonds and declarer won with the queen and played a heart to the king and ace. South switched to a spade and declarer had no way to arrive at more than eight tricks.

After the diamond lead there is a double dummy route to nine tricks. Declarer must play to eliminate the black suits. In the fullness of time he will finish in dummy and play a heart towards the ©J962, ensuring two heart tricks. Clearly impossible to find after North's overcall.

Closed Room
West	North	East	South
Figueredo	Pszczola	Campos	Kwiecen
1NT	2¨*	3NT	Dble
All Pass

The overcall also promised a major, and the double asked North to lead it. Declarwer elected to take the second spade and played a low diamond toward the jack. North put up the king, cashed his spades and played a heart. -300 and another 6 IMPs for Poland.

Over the last five boards, Poland had blitzed Brazil 50-0 IMPs!