The 44th World Team Championships (XXVI) by Phillip Alder These took place in Wuhan, China, from September 14 to 28 last year, luckily before the coronavirus outbreak. To start, one question from each facet of the game except defense. 1. With neither side vulnerable, you are dealt: ‰ Q J 8 Š A ‹ A K J 9 7 6 4 Œ J 9 The bidding starts: West North East South Opener Partner Responder You 2‰ (a) Pass Pass ?? (a) Weak two-bid What would you do? 2. With only the opponents vulnerable, your hand is: ‰ A 9 8 4 3 Š Q ‹ Q 8 5 3 2 Œ 6 5 This is the auction:: West North East South Responder Partner Opener You 3Œ Pass 5Œ Pass Pass Pass What would you lead? Would your answer change if West, before signing off in fiev clubsm had responded four diamonds, modified Roman Key Card Blackwood, and learned that his partner had one key card and did not have the club queen? 1 3. Dummy Dlr: West ‰ 10 6 Vul: None Š K 10 8 6 5 ‹ 10 3 Œ A 8 5 3 Declarer (You) ‰ Q J 8 Š A ‹ A K J 9 7 6 4 Œ J 9 West North East South Dummy You 2‰ Pass Pass 3NT Pass Pass Pass West leads a low spade from ace-king-sixth. How would you continue? In the 96-board Bermuda Bowl semifinals, USA-1 (Nick Nickell-Ralph Katz, Bobby Levin-Steve Weinstein and Jeff Meckstroth-Eric Rodwell) played against Poland (Krzysztof Buras-Grzegorz Narkiewicz, Bartosz Chmurski-Piotr Tuczynski and Jacek Kalita-Michal Nowosadzki). After two of the six sets, Poland led by 64 international match points to 25. There was only one big swing in the third quiet set in a row: 2 North Dlr: East ‰ J 7 6 2 Vul: E-W Š K 9 4 3 2 ‹ A J 9 7 Œ – West East ‰ K Q 5 ‰ 10 Š A J 10 8 7 Š 6 5 ‹ 10 ‹ K 6 4 Œ A Q 8 4 Œ K J 10 9 7 3 2 South ‰ A 9 8 4 3 Š Q ‹ Q 8 5 3 2 Œ 6 5 Open Room: West North East South Buras Rodwell Narkiewicz Meckstroth 3Œ Pass 5Œ Pass Pass Pass Closed Room West North East South Weinstein Nowosadzki Levin Kalita 3Œ Pass 4‹ (a) Pass 4‰ (b) Pass 5Œ Pass Pass Pass (a) Modified Roman Key Card Blackwood (b) One key card without the club queen It was all down to the opening lead. Meckstroth found the winner: his heart. Declarer won with dum- my's and called for a low spade, but Rodwell stepped in with his jack and cashed the heart king and diamond ace to defeat the contract. In the Closed Room, Kalita led a low diamond. North won with his ace and returned the suit. Levin immediately claimed, no doubt saying that he would ruff on the board now, draw trumps and drive out the spade ace to establish a discard for his heart loser. Plus 100 and plus 600 gave USA-1 12 imps. The session score was USA-1 34 Poland 32, cut- ting the European lead to 37. This was the first board of the fourth set: 3 North Dlr: North ‰ A K 9 7 5 2 Vul: None Š Q 9 2 ‹ 5 Œ 10 7 6 West East ‰ Q J 8 ‰ 10 6 Š A Š K 10 8 6 5 ‹ A K J 9 7 6 4 ‹ 10 3 Œ J 0 Œ A 8 5 3 South ‰ 4 3 Š J 7 4 3 ‹ Q 8 2 Œ K Q 4 2 Open Room: West North East South Buras Weinstein Narkiewicz Levin 2‰ Pass Pass 3NT Pass Pass Pass Closed Room West North East South Rodwell Nowosadzki Meckstroth Kalita 2‹ (a) Pass 2Š (b) 3NT Pass Pass Pass (a) Weak two-bid in either major (b) Pass or correct: pass with hearts, bid two spades with that major Both Wests took the sensible shot at three notrump. Weinstein led the spade deuce, attitude – the lower the lead, the more he liked his suit. Buras won with dummy's ten, played a diamond to his ace, then surprisingly cashed the king (North discarding a spade). Declarer conceded a diamond and went down one, losing one diamond and four spades. Rodwell, unsurprisingly, won the spade, cashed the diamond ace, crossed to the club ace and played a diamond to his jack. Now he had ten tricks and 10 imps, closing the Polish lead to 27 (96- 69). To be continued 4 .