For the third segment of the semis, Allegra would remain unchanged of course but for Parioli, Fantoni-Nunes would replace Angelini-Sementa and face Di Bello-D’Avossa. So at the other table, the four grand masters would continue their battle. In the other match, Bruun-Fredin came back for Schaltz to replace Schaltz jr and Christiansen, and for Besiktas Kandemir came back to replace Kubac. Right on board 1, we saw successful deceptive plays at two of the four tables in play:

Board 1. Dlr: North/None
	♠ K Q 8 ♥ A 8 ♦ K J 9 8 7 ♣ 4 3 2
♠ 10 9 7 4 2 ♥ 10 5 4 2 ♦ 6 2 ♣ 9 5		♠ A 5 ♥ J 9 6 3 ♦ Q 10 4 ♣ K Q J 8
	♠ J 6 3 ♥ K Q 7 ♦ A 5 3 ♣ A 10 7 6

Parioli v. Allegra: Open Room

West	North	East	South
Versace	Bocchi	Lauria	Duboin
Pass	1NT	Pass	3NT
All pass

Lauria led the ♣Q which was won by dummy’s ace immediately. Bocchi next went after the diamonds by playing low to the king and continuing with the jack, apparently trying to keep East out of the lead. When East covered the jack and won the next diamond trick this plan had failed and East continued the ♣8. When dummy played low, the ♠A was the entry to two more clubs: one down and +50 to Parioli. Closed Room

West	North	East	South
D’Avossa	Fantoni	Di Bello	Nunes
	1NT	Dbl	Pass
2♠	Pass	Pass	Dbl
Pass	3♦	Pass	3NT
All pass

Di Bello too led the ♣Q but when he was given his diamond trick he cashed the ♣K, thus giving away the show and the chance to set the contract. Parioli another +400 and 10 imps to go into the lead again by 7. Strangely enough, the same defences were found at either table in the other semifinal: Open Room

West	North	East	South
Kandemir	Schaltz D	Zorlu	Schaltz P
	1NT	Pass	3NT
All pass

Lead: ♣Q followed by ♣8 to West’s nine.
One down. Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Fredin	Senguler	Bruun	Dogan
	1♦	Pass	3NT
All pass

Lead: ♠2 to king and ace, followed by ♣Q and, when it held, ♣K.
Curtains. 10 imps to Besiktas.Three boards later, game was missed at one table in either match:

Board 4. Dlr: West/All
	♠ Q J 5 ♥ 9 6 4 ♦ K 10 4 ♣ A 9 5 4
♠ K 9 8 7 6 4 ♥ 7 3 ♦ 6 5 3 ♣ 10 8		♠ 3 2 ♥ A K J 5 ♦ A J 8 7 2 ♣ 6 2
	♠ A 10 ♥ Q 10 8 2 ♦ Q 9 ♣ K Q J 7 3

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Kandemir	Schaltz D	Zorlu	Schaltz P
Pass	Pass	1♦	2♣
Pass	2NT	Pass	3♥
Pass	3NT	All pass

On a top heart lead and a low heart continuation, Dorthe Schaltz did well to insert dummy’s ten. From then on, she was safe for +600 to Schaltz. Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Fredin	Senguler	Bruun	Dogan
Pass	Pass	1♦	Pass
2♠	Pass	Pass	Dbl
Pass	2NT	Pass	3♣
All pass

2♠ was a weak jump. Dogan must have regretted, at his second turn, that he did not overcall earlier on. At this stage, NS were no longer in a good position to judge, so game was missed. Besiktas +110 when 3♣ just made, but 10 imps to Schaltz. In the other match, Duboin too did not overcall so his side also missed game here: Open Room

West	North	East	South
Versace	Bocchi	Lauria	Duboin
Pass	Pass	1♦	Pass
1♠	Pass	2♦	Dbl
Pass	2NT	All pass

Nine tricks, Allegra +150. Closed Room

West	North	East	South
D’Avossa	Fantoni	Di Bello	Nunes
Pass	Pass	1♦	2♣
Pass	2NT	Pass	3NT
All pass

When Nunes overcalled, NS were in game. East led the ♥AK and another, Fantoni putting up the queen, but it did not matter once he decided to finesse the ♦J through East. Just made, 10 more imps to Parioli. And:

Board 5. Dlr: North/NS
	♠ J 8 ♥ A ♦ A Q J 2 ♣ K Q J 9 7 3
♠ 7 5 3 ♥ Q 10 9 7 3 2 ♦ K 10 9 8 ♣ -		♠ A Q 10 9 ♥ K J 8 5 4 ♦ 6 3 ♣ 5 2
	♠ K 6 4 2 ♥ 6 ♦ 7 5 4 ♣ A 10 8 6 4

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Kandemir	Schaltz D	Zorlu	Schaltz P
	1♣	1♥	Dbl
4♥	4NT	Pass	5♣
5♥	Pass	Pass	6♣
All pass

4NT showed minors and Dorthe’s forcing pass inspired Peter to go to slam. When Ew did not take the save and the two finesses both worked, Schaltz had registered a rather lucky +1370. Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Fredin	Senguler	Bruun	Dogan
	1♣	1♥	3♣
4♣	4♥	5♥	Dbl
All pass

Correctly judged by Dogan and Senguler, but to little avail. Down two brought them +300 but a loss of 14 more imps. They were suddenly trailing by 43 imps. A big swing too in the Italian match, and once again Parioli’s way: Open Room

West	North	East	South
Versace	Bocchi	Lauria	Duboin
	1♣	2♣	Pass
4♥	Dbl	Pass	5♣
All pass

When Versace did not save again, it looked an unfavourable result for them, but at the other table: Closed Room

West	North	East	South
D’Avossa	Fantoni	Di Bello	Nunes
	1♣	2♣	2♥
4♥	4NT	Pass	5♣
5♥	Pass	Pass	6♣
All pass

This is was can happen if you save again. Forcing pass by North and South accepting the push. Twelve tricks at both tables of course, so another 13 imps to Parioli who led by 40, all of a sudden. On the next board, Schaltz struck heavily again, but for once, Parioli suffered an even bigger blow:

Board 7. Dlr: South/All
	♠ K 10 9 7 6 ♥ 8 ♦ A J ♣ A K 10 9 3
♠ ♥ A Q J 10 7 4 2 ♦ 5 2 ♣ J 8 7 5		♠ 3 2 ♥ 9 6 5 3 ♦ K 9 6 3 ♣ Q 6 2
	♠ A Q J 8 5 4 ♥ K ♦ Q 10 8 7 4 ♣ 4

Open Room

West	North	East	South
Kandemir	Schaltz D	Zorlu	Schaltz P
			1♠
3♥	4NT	5♥	Pass
Pass	6♠	Pass	Pass
7♥	Dbl	All pass

This would have been an excellent save again, provided the ♣A would have been with South. Down four, +1100 to Schaltz. Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Fredin	Senguler	Bruun	Dogan
			1♠
4♥	4NT	5♥	Dbl
Pass	6♠	All pass

When Fredin led the ♥A the slam could no longer be made. Schaltz another +100 and 15 more imps to lead by exactly 50 now! Bold gambling bids were made at both tables in the Italian match: Open Room

West	North	East	South
Versace	Bocchi	Lauria	Duboin
			1♠
4♥	6♠	All pass

Lead ♣7.
Just made, Allegra +1430. Closed Room

West	North	East	South
D’Avossa	Fantoni	Di Bello	Nunes
			2♠
4♥	6♠	All pass

Lead: ♥A.
Just in time one down, Allegra +100 and 17 much-needed imps back. Two boards later, the Danish interfered too much:

Board 9. Dlr: North/EW
	♠ Q 8 7 6 5 2 ♥ ♦ K J 6 4 2 ♣ 8 2
♠ A 10 9 ♥ Q 5 ♦ A 9 8 5 3 ♣ K 9 5		♠ K J 4 ♥ A J 10 8 7 3 2 ♦ 10 ♣ Q 6
	♠ 3 ♥ K 9 6 4 ♦ Q 7 ♣ A J 10 7 4 3

Closed Room

West	North	East	South
Fredin	Senguler	Bruun	Dogan
	2♠	3♥	Pass
3♠	4♦	4♥	Pass
4♠	Pass	5♦	Pass
5♥	All pass

This was easy enough in spite of the 4-0 trump break, as there is no communication between the NS hands for a possible trump promotion. Schaltz +650. Open Room

West	North	East	South
Kandemir	Schaltz D	Zorlu	Schaltz P
	3♠	4♥	Pass
4♠	5♦	Pass	Pass
Dbl	All Pass

Once too often and a complete misfit too. We can understand that the computer in the Open Room broke down after this auction. On a trump lead (well done) by East the contract went five light for +1100 and 10 imps to Besiktas, who very much needed them. There was little in the last three boards of the set, and with 12 boards to go the scores read: Schaltz-Besiktas: 114-70 Parioli-Allegra: 80-57. Would both matches be effectively over?