Three flat boards followed in quick succession (the players were speeding in this set), but Board 11 initiated a series of swing deals . . . Bd: 11 North Dlr: South 95 Vul: None Q953 QJ973 K9 West East K4 AJ1076 102 J764 A8642 K J863 Q42 South Q832 AK8 105 A1075 OPEN ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Lesniewski P Hackett Gawrys Armstrong 1 Pass 1NT All Pass CLOSED ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Jason Lev Justin Polowan 1 Pass 1 1 2 All Pass Papa's 1NT was never really in jeopardy, but he did very well to finish with nine tricks. He got a low spade lead from Gawrys, and ducked to the king. Back came a low diamond to the king, and Gawrys continued with the J. Papa put on the king and chased the A, taking one spade, three hearts, three diamonds, and two clubs for plus 150. From here it looks as if Lev might have made his four-three 2 too, after a low club lead ran to his nine. He cashed the K, crossed to the A, cashed the A for a spade discard, and played the fourth club, discarding his remaining spade when the jack came up on his right. He took the ensuing spade force with the 5 and led a diamond, but Justin won perforce and led a second trump, depriving Lev of the vital spade ruff he sought. Lev won the K, crossed to the Q, and conceded a trick to the A. There was no eighth trick, however. Minus 50. 5 IMPs to GREAT BRITAIN, ahead now 19-1.

On Board 12, Jason's 14-16 HCP 1NT got him to game without incident, Justin deciding not to look for a four-four heart fit after his Puppet Stayman 2 failed to unearth a five-card major oposite. He got the lead of the queen of spades, won the ace, and called for a low heart. When the king appeared, he soon had nine winners; plus 400. A great result for the twins. At the other table, the Polish Club located the heart fit early and limited the East/West hands accurately, but when they quit at 2 and Armstrong got his side to 2, Gawrys refused to take the push to the three-level opposite marked four-card support and a maximum, and the British pair stole the auction. Perhaps Gawrys, who had shown at least 8 points with his 1 response, expected Lesniewski to bid again once he had redoubled. No big thing once the Poles were not going to reach game, but the potential psychological advantage in this type of successful thievery can be worth something over the course of a long match. 2 ran out of tricks and finished one down; minus. 7 IMPs to GREAT BRITAIN, extending their lead 20 24 IMPs, 26-2.

Bd: 12 North Dlr: West QJ92 Vul: N/S 10972 KJ8 85 West East K103 A7 AQ64 J853 A42 965 J32 KQ106 South 8654 K Q1073 A974 OPEN ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Lesniewski P Hackett Gawrys Armstrong 1 Pass 1 Pass 2 Pass Pass Dbl. Redbl. 2 All Pass CLOSED ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Jason Lev Justin Polowan 1NT Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 3NT All Pass

Bd: 13 North Dlr: North AQ96 Vul: Both 5 KJ8 A9754 West East K74 J85 J108643 A7 A6 Q109532 Q10 32 South 1032 KQ92 74 KJ86 OPEN ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Lesniewski P Hackett Gawrys Armstrong 1 1 3 3 3 Pass 4 All Pass CLOSED ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Jason Lev Justin Polowan 1 2 Dbl. Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 3NT All Pass On Board 13, Justin's aggressive 2 and the ensuing rhythm of the auction drove Lev-Polowan to 3NT. Lev went down three when he won the third diamond, cashed three clubs and ran the ten of spades. Minus 300 was a painful result on those cards. At the other table, Gawrys settled for 1 and Armstrong, playing four-card majors, opted for a limit raise in clubs. That pushed Lesniewski around a bit, but the Poles gave up when their opponents came to rest in 4. After ace of hearts and a diamond switch, the rest was smooth sailing for Papa, who claimed five when trumps behaved, plus 150. GREAT BRITAIN gained 10 IMPs to lead by 34, 36-2.

Bd: 14 North Dlr: East K Vul: None AQJ6 K10952 AJ7 West East AJ9843 1065 8754 10932 83 AQ76 2 K9 South Q72 K J4 Q1086543 OPEN ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Lesniewski P Hackett Gawrys Armstrong Pass 3 Pass 5 All Pass CLOSED ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Jason Lev Justin Polowan Pass 3 Pass 5 All Pass Against Polowan's 5 Jason led the A, a good shot. Justin followed with the ten, and Jason, seeing suit preference implications in this card, duly switched to the heart that he thought the ten suggested, ending the defense with a thunk. Plus 400 for Polowan. Why did this happen? ``Because,'' revealed Justin, ``this is what we play: high encourages, low asks for the obvious switch. Since I thought hearts the ``obvious switch'' suit, I encouraged spades so Jason would NOT play a heart. Isn't this more complicated than it seems?'' Well, yes. I am quite sympathetic to the twins' fate on this one, but then, I have a date with the Marquis de Sade tonight at ten. Lesniewski-Gawrys did better at the other table against Armstrong's 5. Lesniewski too led the ace of spades, noted Gawrys's five, and switched to the diamond he thought that the five suggested, playing ``the other'' suit-preference-oriented style. A quick two down, minus 100, and 11 IMPs to POLAND-USA, who rather needed them, 13-36. After sixteen deals, GREAT BRITAIN had outscored POLAND-USA 34-14 at the table, and led, with carryover, 36-14. A good start for the Brits.

SECOND QUARTER (Boards 17-32): Bd: 17 North Dlr: North A Vul: None 4 KJ952 AKJ865 West East J53 KQ108 Q75 AJ82 Q10743 8 Q2 10943 South 97642 K10963 A6 7 OPEN ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Jason Gawrys Justin Lesniewski 1 (1) Pass 1 Pass 2 (2) Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 3 Pass 3NT All Pass (1) Polish (2) F CLOSED ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Lev Paul H Polowan Armstrong 1 Pass 1 Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 3 All Pass Gawrys's 3NT might have made had Justin led something other than a spade, but the Q set up three winners in that suit for the defense and put him under some pressure. He won, crossed to the A, and led a club to the jack. He cashed two more clubs, then the K (somewhat strangely), before exiting with a club. He took seven tricks for two down; minus 100. Papa and Armstrong conducted a classic Acol auction in which no one felt any obligation to keep bidding once the music stopped. Three diamonds looked promising on a spade lead. Papa won, played A, club ruff, A, spade ruff, king of trumps, and a high club. Lev ruffed in and cashed queen of trumps before reverting to spades, and Papa could come to only eight tricks; minus 50. 2 IMPs to GREAT BRITAIN, 38-14.

Good defense holds hearts to eight tricks on Board 19, and there was good defense at both tables, neither West losing his A. That meant 2 IMPs to POLAND-USA, and IMPs were hard to come by for them. GREAT BRITAIN's lead was down to 22 IMPs, 38-16. No one knew it but POLAND-USA was to score only one more IMP for the rest of the session, while their opponents . . . well, let's see about their opponents . . .

Bd: 19 North Dlr: South Q52 Vul: E/W QJ85 K106 J95 West East KJ106 A94 4 103 A9432 QJ85 864 AQ32 South 873 AK9762 7 K107 OPEN ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Jason Gawrys Justin Lesniewski 1 Pass 2 Pass Pass Dbl. Redbl. 2NT 3 All Pass CLOSED ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Lev Paul H Polowan Armstrong 1 Pass 3 Pass 4 All Pass

Bd: 20 North Dlr: West Q3 Vul: Both A4 AKQ842 KJ3 West East AK87 96542 J53 KQ1098 63 107 A865 2 South J10 762 J95 Q10974 OPEN ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Jason Gawrys Justin Lesniewski 1 Dbl. 4 All Pass CLOSED ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Lev Paul H Polowan Armstrong 1 Dbl. 1 Pass 2 3 3 All Pass The twins reached 4 in the blink of an eye on Board 20, and since there was no heart ruff and the trumps were two-two, that was an easy make; plus 620. It's easy to understand the initial actions of both Polowan (bid a good suit on a weak hand) and Lev (show support immediately with minimum values), but the combined effect of these two practical bidding decisions was to lose the spade suit and the sense of optimism that tends to accompany a nine-card fit. Three hearts made four; plus 170. 10 IMPs to GREAT BRITAIN, owing as much to Jason's systemic 1 opening (and some good fortune) as to their counterparts' preferences. GREAT BRITAIN by 32 IMPs, 48-16.