Wow.

So much for a Butler bonanza.  TnT exploded on Canada (Jeff, JZ, Nic and Kamel) in match 20.   Canada lost the match 55-22 (23-7 VPs.)  I am unable at this time to confirm rumors that Wally is moving to Trinidad and Tobago to try to qualify for their next Bermuda Bowl team.

Board 2 was a sick hand where the boys (N/S) whipped out 4 Spades in a 5-3 fit with 18 high facing a 4-1 trump split.  Unfortunately, it's cold (assuming the TnT declarer played it correctly.)  On the normal lead of a top Club from AKJTxxx, he could have even made 5.  Lose 7

Board 4 was a sick hand where AQJ63 / KQ97 / 5 / J76 appears to have doubled 3NT for a Spade lead.  If that's what happened (and not some purely spec double) I sympathize.  That doesn't change the result of -1350.  Lose 12

 

Board 6 was Canada's one big swing.  I'm not sure how you go down in 4 Hearts, but the TnT declarer did.  Win 12

Board 9 was a double partscore swing in Canada's favor.  The NVs had 18 high and two 8 card major suit fits.  The Vuls had 22 high and two 8 card minor suit fits.  TnT sold to 2 Hearts making three and 3 Diamonds making four.  3 Diamonds can be beat double dummy, but the defense is really tough to find (you've got to lead partner's singleton, essentially.)  Win 7

Board 10 is a thin 4 Hearts that requires supernatural declarer play on the lead the Canadian declarer got.  A lot of teams bid this game.  Few made it.  Canada wasn't one of them.  TnT didn't bid it.  Lose 6

Board 12 is a sick hand where the boys whipped out a cold 6 Spades.  Nobody else in the field bid 6 Spades.  We whipped out 5 Hearts at the other table, beating it once.  That looks silly but Meckwell (among many others) did the same thing on Vugraph so go figure.  Lose 14

Board 13 is a sick hand where only TnT played 4 Hearts in the West while the rest of the field played 4 Hearts in the East.  Guess which side you can beat it from?  Lose 12

Board 16 do you bid a forcing NT over 1 Spade with 5 / A94 / T952 / T9652?  Seems normal but the TnT guy passed this hand.  We played in 1NT making 3 at that table, but 2 Diamonds down 300 at the other table after the forcing NT.  Lose 4

I'd chalk 70% of this up to bad luck.  Canada was never winning this match.  But what a dismal way to wrap up a world championship.  To be followed by a similar shellacking at the hands of first-place Italy in the final match?

Not quite.  Canada (with Jeff/JZ out and Wally/Piotr in) beat Italy in convincing fashion. 

That's more like it.  Better luck in 2009.  Now our hopes are with the Ladies and Seniors.