Fourth Quarter (Boards 49-64): Bd: 49 North Dlr: North A7 Vul: None 102 A10853 K1087   West   East    KQ82 J95    974 AKQJ3    J2 Q76    AQ96 J2 South 10643 865 K94 543 Open Room West North East South Itabashi Ino Simpson Chen 1NT * Dble 2 * 2 Pass 3 Pass 4 All Pass   Closed Room West North East South Imakura Capp Miyakuni Lipscomb 1 1 Pass 2 * Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 3NT All Pass   Both East/West pairs ended up in games, which were no bargain had the right suit been led against either one (clubs against 4; diamonds against 3NT). In the Open Room Chen's 2 bid showed the pointed suits. He led a diamond against 4, Ino winning and shifting to a trump. Simpson won, led the 9 to the king and ace, won the heart return, drew the last trump, and exited with a diamond to Chen's king. When Chen shifted to a club Simpson rose with the ace, played a spade to the jack, cashed the Q and his last two trumps, and then played a spade to dummy's ... eight; making four, plus 420. In the Closed Room Miyakuni, not to be outdone by Simpson, reached 3NT from the East side. When Lipscomb started her own spades in preference to her partner's diamonds, Kenji was playing for overtricks. He won the 9, cashed the K, and knocked out Cappelletti's A. Cappelletti shifted to a diamond and when Lipscomb won the king she shifted to clubs. Mike inserted the ten when Kenji played low from dummy and now cam under pressure when Kenji ran his major suit winners. In the two-card end position he couldn't keep both the A and the guarded K. Plus 460 was another imp for JAPAN, leading 104-85. Bd: 50 North Dlr: East 1098 Vul: N/S 7543 3 KQJ98   West   East    Q764 AJ52    Q82 A6    Q95 J7642    1032 54 South K3 KJ109 AK108 A76 Open Room West North East South Itabashi Ino Simpson Chen Pass 1 Pass 1 Pass 4 All Pass   Closed Room West North East South Imakura Capp Miyakuni Lipscomb 1 1NT Pass 2 Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 4 All Pass   In the Open Room Simpson led a club against Ino's 4. Ino won in hand and played a heart to the jack and queen. Itabashi returned a second club and Ino won in hand to lead a second trump. Simpson won perforce and shifted to a diamond, Ino won dummy's ace, drew the last trump, and claimed ten tricks; plus 620. In the Closed Room Imakura led the 5 against Lipscomb's 4. When Miyakuni played low, she won the 8, ruffed a diamond in dummy, and led a heart to the 10 and queen. Imakura exited with the Q to Lipscomb's ace and she then led another heart to Miyakuni's ace. Kenji cashed the A and led the J and Imakura was able to score his 8 for the setting trick. Down one, minus 100, and 12 imps to JAPAN, 116-85. Bd: 51 North Dlr: South AJ9865 Vul: E/W K94 6 986   West   East    7 Q1043    10863 Q7    K5 AJ9432    AKQJ107 5 South K2 AJ52 Q1087 432 Open Room West North East South Itabashi Ino Simpson Chen 1NT * Dble 2 3 Pass 4 All Pass   Closed Room West North East South Imakura Capp Miyakuni Lipscomb Pass 1 3 Pass Pass Dble All Pass   In the Open Room Ino led the 6 against Itabashi's 4 contract, nine, ten, king. He drew trumps and eventually lost five tricks to go two down, minus 200. In the Closed Room Cappelletti tried 3 over 1 when we might have contented ourselves with a simple overcall. When the defense slipped a trick Mike got out for down one; minus 100. 7 imps to JAPAN, now leading 123-85. Bd: 52 North Dlr: West AQ10982 Vul: Both J108432 A -   West   East    K7654 -    A 976    1052 KQ9873    A532 J1098 South J3 KQ5 J64 KQ764 Open Room West North East South Itabashi Ino Simpson Chen 1 2 Pass 4 All Pass   Closed Room West North East South Imakura Capp Miyakuni Lipscomb 1 Pass 1NT Pass 2 2 All Pass   In the Open Room Ino settled for his second-best suit when his first choice was opened on his right. Chen went straight to game and Simpson led the J. Ino ruffed out the ace and played a heart to the king and ace. Itabashi shifted to a diamond and Ino won, drew trumps ending in dummy, and eventually conceded a spade for eleven tricks; plus 650. In the Closed Room Cappelletti refused to enter the auction right away and when he finally did bid his hearts Lipscomb was content to buy the hand so low. The same eleven tricks were made but without the game bonus that was only plus 200; 10 more imps to JAPAN, 133-85. Things were getting serious. On the following board both sides failed by one trick in a spade contract: Ino-Chen at the two-level and Cappelletti-Lipscomb in game. We'd show you the deal but we're holding out for big bucks from both sides to keep this one out of our yellow rag. Bd: 54 North Dlr: East 1075 Vul: E/W 10854 86 9432   West   East    - AQ632    AQ762 KJ    KQJ742 5    AK QJ875 South KJ984 93 A1093 106 Open Room West North East South Itabashi Ino Simpson Chen 1 Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 3 Pass 3NT Pass 4 Pass 4NT Pass 6NT Pass Pass Dble All Pass   Closed Room West North East South Imakura Capp Miyakuni Lipscomb 1 Pass 2 Pass 3 Pass 3 Pass 3NT All Pass   The auction in the Open Room is not exactly our style. East would do better to rebid his spades gently over 2 and settle for 3NT on the next round. Itabashi must have thought Simpson's 3 rebid promised something extra beyond five-five, but 6NT was still an aggressive action given the obvious misfit and blockage in clubs. After all, he might never see declarer's hand except through the open screen. The double sounded the alarm, but already it was too late. With diamonds double stopped and the entry situation rather jumbled, Simpson did well to scramble eleven tricks for minus 200. The same eleven tricks were scored in the Closed Room and another 13 imps went to JAPAN's side of the ledger; JAPAN 146, USA 85. The American engine had stalled, and the imps just kept leaking away into JAPAN's coffers. On the next board, with both vulnerable, Simpson picked up: K532 74 Q7 Q10543 Itabashi opened 1 in second seat and Ino bid 2 (majors). Simpson passed, Chen bid 2, Itabashi bid 3 and Ino bid 3. What would you do with Gene's hand? 3 is a possibility, as is 5. Gene chose the latter and caught Mark with a bit of a lark: 6 KJ10 AK64 K9876 5 went down 200 (thank goodness they didn't double). At the other table Cappelletti-Lipscomb played in 3 making; lose 2. JAPAN 148, USA 85. The USA picked up it's only imp in the first thirteen boards of the set when they scored an unmatched second overtrick in 3NT on Board 56. JAPAN 148, USA 86. The next partscore deal was a push and then came Board 58. Bd: 58 North Dlr: East Q764 Vul: Both AKJ76 9 K84   West   East    1093 K52    Q93 1084    1076 AKQ432    AJ65 Q South AJ8 52 J85 109732 Open Room West North East South Itabashi Ino Simpson Chen 1 Pass 1NT Dble 2 Pass Pass 2 Pass Pass 3 All Pass   Closed Room West North East South Imakura Capp Miyakuni Lipscomb 1 Pass 1NT Dble 2 3 All Pass   In Both rooms the first five bids were the same. In the Open Room Itabashi failed to heed the early warning signs (Simpson's run from 1NT doubled; North 's 2 bid) and balanced with 3. Mercifully Ino-Chen failed to find a double and when Simpson misguessed the A in the play the Americans ended up minus 300. In the Closed Room cooler heads prevailed and Cappelletti-Lipscomb were permitted to play 3 which made on the nose for plus 110; 5 more imps to JAPAN, now 153-86. Two more push boards followed and then JAPAN picked up 2 more imps on overtricks. The score stood at 155-86. Bd: 62 North Dlr: East 982 Vul: None Q7 AQ74 A854   West   East    106543 AQ    5 AJ642    1086532 KJ9    2 1073 South KJ7 K10983 - KQJ96 Open Room West North East South Itabashi Ino Simpson Chen 1NT 2 * 2 * 3 Pass 3 Pass 5 All Pass   Closed Room West North East South Imakura Capp Miyakuni Lipscomb 1 Pass Pass 1NT Pass 3NT All Pass   Chen's 2 bid in the Open Room showed clubs and a higher suit (DONT). Itabashi's 2 showed spades and Ino co mpeted with 3. Chen showed his second suit and Ino bid game in clubs. The opening lead was the 6 and Chen won dummy's ace, pitching a spade. When he tried a low heart Simpson rose with the ace and gave Itabashi a ruff. The defense quickly cashed their A for down one; plus 50 for USA. In the Closed Room Cappelletti found a balancing 1NT bid over Miyakuni's 1. Lipscomb wasted no time bidding game in notrump and Kenji led a low heart: as good as anything. The Q won and a heart was returned. Kenji rose with the ace to shift to a club. The defense eventually scored their A but plus 430 was 10 imps to USA. With the score at 155-96, only two more deals remained. Time was about out for USA. Bd: 63 North Dlr: South Q763 Vul: N/S Q96 - AJ9863   West   East    A2 J9    K832 J105    Q9862 AKJ754    75 Q10 South K10854 A74 103 K42 Open Room West North East South Itabashi Ino Simpson Chen All Pass   Closed Room West North East South Imakura Capp Miyakuni Lipscomb 1 Pass 2NT * Pass 4 All Pass   A slight difference in Mr. Chen's and Ms. Lipscomb's evaluation of the South hand led to another small swing for JAPAN - which might have been a rather large one for USA. The auction was short and sweet in the Open Room and the play even shorter. In the Closed Room Shannon showed a bad hand with her jump to 4 over her partner's forcing raise. Imakura led a low diamond and Shannon ruffed and led a low spade, nine, king, ace. Imakura switched to a low heart and Shannon tried dummy's nine, jack, ace. She then led a low spade to dummy's seven, losing to the jack, and back came the K, ruffed. A club to the king and a club to the jack seemed in keeping with the rest of the US team's day. Down one, minus 100; 3 imps to JAPAN, 158-96. USA picked up 6 imps on the final deal of the match when they made partscores at both tables. The final imp totals: JAPAN 158, USA 102, were ultimately quite indicative of the relative qualities of the two teams' play. Congratulations JAPAN.