On Board 45, there were some strange doings indeed. In the Closed Room, unless we're missing something, Jason opened 1 in fourth seat on a hand that fits squarely into his 14-16 1NT range. When Justin responded 1, Jason was trapped and had no rebid. He tried 1NT, about an ace heavy, and that was that. Since there is no eight-card major fit and not enough strength or club stoppers for 3NT, it would seem that this was a lucky chip shot from the rough for the bemused Jason, who managed seven tricks and plus 90 after king of clubs, spade switch. We'd like to tell you about the Poles' lovely sequence to the obscure 4, but of course we can't (no documentation, you see). As it happens, this was a contract that could have been made, but Lesniewski misguessed the trumps and finished two down, so there is only a small story, after all. 7 IMPs to GREAT BRITAIN, 113-42.

Bd: 45 North Dlr: North J109 Vul: Both A32 74 KQ1062 West East KQ8 A763 KQ95 1064 KJ8 A653 J84 75 South 542 J87 Q1092 A93 OPEN ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Lesniewski Paul H Gawrys Armstrong Pass Pass Pass 1NT Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 3 (1) Pass 3 Pass 4 All Pass (1) INQ CLOSED ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Jason Lev Justin Polowan Pass Pass Pass 1 Pass 1 Pass 1NT All Pass

Bd: 46 North Dlr: East J642 Vul: None J A5 AQ9865 West East 105 AQ A972 KQ1065 K832 9764 J104 K3 South K9873 843 QJ10 72 OPEN ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Lesniewski Paul H Gawrys Armstrong 1NT Pass 2 Dbl. 2 Pass 3 Pass 4 All Pass CLOSED ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Jason Lev Justin Polowan 1 Pass 2 Dbl. 3 3 Pass 4 All Pass Two rather different auctions on Board 46, with Gawrys stealing the pot with his strong notrump. He got a club lead ( a spade might have given it to him) and later guessed diamonds but lost the spade finesse, so he was one down, minus 50. At the other table, it was all about spades versus hearts, and inevitably, the spades won. Polowan had no trouble making 4 for plus 420 and POLAND-USA recouped 9 IMPs, 51-113. Board 47 was an amazing deal, for everyone except the twins, I guess. Lesniewski hit a home run when he started with the strong version of his Polish 1 rather than 1 (from which he had no way to extricate himself in this partnership). He forced to game with an artificial 2 over Gawrys's 2, then raised hearts. Note that diamonds had not yet been mentioned in a natural sense. When Gawrys splintered in spades, Lesniewski saw the magic situation developing. He could count thirteen tricks in diamonds but not in hearts as long as Gawrys produced three small diamonds and nothing bad happened, so there he was, plus 1440. Lovely, really. Poor Jason. He invented a 1 rebid, then invented a 2 rebid, thinking this was fourth suit forcing. Alas, Justin read this as natural and weak and passed it. Tomorrow, perhaps, in an undiscussed situation of this ilk, he will raise clubs and ask questions later. Two clubs produced an overtrick, plus 110. But that was 16 IMPs to POLAND-USA, who moved closer at 67-113. The last deal of the set gave POLAND-USA an overtrick. They won the third quarter 51-19 and with sixteen deals remaining, had cut their deficit to 45 IMPs, 68-113.

FOURTH QUARTER (Boards 49-64):

Both East/West pairs got into the bidding and found their spade fit, but only Gawrys-Lesniewski reached game, where Gawrys made ten easy tricks on the lead of the K, plus 420. The twins sold out to 4 at the other table, didn't double it, and set it two; plus 200. 6 IMPs to POLAND-USA, 74-113. A good start. The British lead was under 40 IMPs now. On Board 51, Gawrys held: (E) AK62 92 K742 AQ5. Over Lesniewski's strong notrump, he launched an inquiry and discovered that his partner was two-four-three four. Far behind in the match, he took a shot at 6 on the four-three fit and found a hand that gave him a play. The key was partner's K1087, but the jack had three little friend and there was an ace to lose, so POLAND-USA turned over 13 IMPs where they might have gained a like number. GREAT BRITAIN, 126-74 now.

Bd: 50 North Dlr: East 10 Vul: N/S Q7 KJ74 1096543 West East AQ765 K432 1098643 - A 108632 Q KJ87 South J98 AKJ52 Q95 A2 OPEN ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Jason Lev Justin Polowan Pass 1NT Dbl. (1) Pass 2 (2) Pass 3 4 All Pass (1) Majors or minors (2) P/C CLOSED ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Lesniewski Paul H Gawrys Armstrong Pass 1NT Dbl. (1) 2 3 Pass 4 Pass 4 All Pass (1) + , or or

Bd: 52 North Dlr: West 76543 Vul: Both 98 J1094 96 West East AKJ9 Q1082 K AJ63 A3 762 AQ8742 K10 South - Q107542 KQ85 J53 OPEN ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Jason Lev Justin Polowan 1 Pass 1 Pass 1 Pass 3 Pass 4NT Pass 5 (1) Dbl. 5 (2) Pass 6 (3) Pass 7 Pass Pass Dbl. All Pass (1) 1-4 KC (2) Q ASK (3) Q + K CLOSED ROOM WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Lesniewski Paul H Gawrys Armstrong 1 (1) Pass 2NT Pass 3 (2) Pass 3 Pass 4 Pass 5 Pass 6 All Pass (1) Polish club (usually a weak notrump) (2) 15+ HCP with clubs Board 52. Science at its best. When Jason heard of Justin's spade support he launched into the bridge players' favorite convention: Roman Keycard Blackwood. He found out that his partner had all three of the important missing cards on the hand (Q, A, K) and bid the grand. Polowan employed the time-honored ploy of doubling to protect his partner's trump holding. From Jason's point of view the double might have been one of the ``seven early warning signs'' of an impending ruff on opening lead, but Jason decided to tough it out. After all, real men don't run - especially not British men. When Lev placed a trump on the table, Jason must have breathed a sigh of relief. The threat of a ruff had been averted. But when Polowan showed out of trumps a new problem arose. Jason solved it in fine form by carefully cashing his side-suit winners (K, a club to dummy's king, A pitching a diamond) before playing the 10 to his ace and continuing with the Q. Lev saw that he could ruff or not, but would not take a trump trick.Without further ado he capitulated and 2470 was entered on the plus side of the twins' scorecard. At the other table the Polish clubbers had a bit more trouble with the hand than the Acolites. Gawrys's limited 2NT theoretically denied a four- card major, so 3 was values and 5 an attempt to show where his values were located. I am amazed that Armstrong did not invest a few IMPs to make a Lightner double, but perhaps he feared that this would not get him the spade lead that was not unnatural on the auction. Just as well, since Lesniewski would have redoubled 6 and saved some of the 14 IMPs they turned over by missing 7. Papa led a diamond, so Lesniewski soon claimed all thirteen tricks. This was a real blow at a bad time for POLAND-USA, with GREAT BRITAIN leading now 140-74. Although the cards were quite lively and there were five significant swings left in the cards, POLAND-USA was simply too far behind. They won the final set 42-39, but GREAT BRITAIN won the 1998 NEC CUP in fine style, by 42 IMPs, 152-110. Well done, lads. You too, Brigitte. The ghost of Raymond Brock can sleep easier now. PS: Friends of Raymond and Sally Brock should not worry unduly; Raymond is still alive and kicking.