To paraphrase Jane Austen, It is a truth universally acknowledged that a team not in a qualifying position must be in want of some IMPs. That was certainly the case for England when they met the leaders, Poland, in Round 4.
Seeing no advantage in leading a top heart South started with the [C]5 and North played three rounds of the suit. Declarer ruffed in dummy and played the [H]9. South won with the ace and returned the [H]5. Declarer ruffed in dummy, cashed the [D]A and ruffed a diamond. At this point one winning line is to play a spade to the jack, ruff a diamond and play a spade to the ace, dummy’s diamonds taking care of the losing hearts. When declarer elected to ruff a heart instead she could no longer arrive at ten tricks.
It was a strong defence.
North led the [H]4 and South won with the king (perhaps the ace is a better card) and switched to the [C]9, the defenders playing three rounds of the suit. Declarer ruffed, ruffed a diamond, played a spade to the ace, a spade to the king and advanced the [H]8. She was going to run it, but when South covered she claimed, +620 and 12 IMPs.
