During the final qualifying session, the Bulletin has tried to ensure that we feature at least one pair from every competing nation. With that in mind, I set out to find players from some of the more elusive Eastern European countries. First, I hunted down the leading Hungarian pair - Maria & Miklos Kasa who were lying a commendable 15th after two sessions.

Board 13. Dealer North. Game All A K 7 A J 8 4 7 6 5 2 J 10 J 10 9 2 8 4 3 10 7 3 2 9 6 K J 9 A 10 4 6 3 A 9 5 4 2 Q 6 5 K Q 5 Q 8 3 K Q 8 7 West North East South Kasa Sementa Kasa Tempestini 1 Pass 2 Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass

The Italians quickly reached 3NT and Maria Kasa led a spade which ran to declarer's Ace. She ducked the first club, took the second, and unerringly switched to Ace and another diamond to ensure that they took their four tricks, thus holding declarer to N/S +600 for a solid average-plus to the Hungarians. There was more action on the second board of the round, with both pairs bidding very well on the board.

Board 14. Dealer East. Love All 4 9 3 A Q J 10 9 5 A Q 10 7 10 8 7 2 A K J 6 5 A K 10 7 Q 8 — 7 6 4 J 9 4 3 2 K 8 6 Q 9 3 J 6 5 4 2 K 8 3 2 5 West North East South Kasa Sementa Kasa Tempestini 1 Pass 4 5 Pass Pass 5 Pass Pass 6 Dble All Pass

There is little to the play, although East speeded play by cashing a top spade and switching to Queen and another heart. Declarer ruffed the third heart high and was soon claiming on a high crossruff.

Most E/W pairs were left to play peacefully in 4 making +420. Doubling 5 for +100 would have been worth very little to the Hungarians, so they correctly pushed on to 5. Perhaps that would have made for an excellent score to E/W. All in all, a well-played board with both sides deserving on something close to the average they actually scored. A solid third session saw Kasa-Kasa safely into the final, still flying the Hungarian flag and well in contention for a medal in 17th spot. The Italians Sementa-Tempestini are also through ijn 101st place.

Next in line for scrutiny were the leading Bulgarian pairing of Dessislava Popova & Rossen Gounev who were 50th with one qualifying session to play.

Board 29. Dealer North. Game All Q 9 3 2 A 5 Q 10 6 4 K 6 4 8 5 4 K K 9 6 3 2 J 8 7 A 5 3 J 9 8 2 7 3 Q J 9 8 2 A J 10 7 6 Q 10 4 K 7 A 10 5 West North East South Fountain Gounev Skillern Popova 1 Pass 1 2 2 Pass 4 All Pass

The contract was the same as that reached at most tables. Britain's Peter Fountain found a safe trump lead and declarer drew three rounds as East discarding two clubs. A diamond to the Queen won. And a second diamond went to the King and West's Ace. Dessislava Popova won the club switch with dummy's King and attempted to ruff down the Jack of diamonds. When that didn't work, she tried the effect of Ace and another club, attempting to endplay West to lead away from his King of hearts. Alas, it was East who won the club, and when she had a diamond winner to exit with that meant only ten tricks for declarer and a very poor matchpoint score with most of the field registering +650.

Many Souths I am sure received a red suit lead, while others played Ace and another heart at some point and guessed to play the Ten, establishing the Queen for a club discard. Perhaps we would see the Bulgars at their best on the second board…?

Board 30. Dealer East. Love All 7 5 A Q J 9 6 2 Q 10 5 3 2 A 4 3 2 8 J 9 8 5 3 2 10 7 6 K A Q 8 5 3 A K J 9 8 7 K Q J 10 9 6 K 4 10 7 4 6 4 West North East South Fountain Gounev Skillern Popova 2 2 2NT Dble Pass 3 4 Dble All Pass

Rossen Gounev led a spade and must have been extremely disappointed to see that East had taught that the best players always produce dummy's to justify their partner's bidding.

There are two ways for the defence to score a third trump trick. Declarer may try to discard his spade losers on dummy's top diamonds (in which case North must win the first round of trumps and lead a fourth diamond for South to ruff with the King). Alternatively, as happened at this table, declarer tries to ruff his spades in dummy and North ruffs in with one of his high trumps.

However, arranging the THIRD defensive trick is no great achievement when defending a doubled four-level contract. N/S -590 was not a great success for the Bulgarians. At the end of the hand, South made some comment in Bulgarian - it may have been "Would you like a coffee partner?" but even to me it sounded more like "What a meathead double!"

All's well that ends well, though. Gounev-Popova made it safely into the final, albeit as the second highest ranked Bulgarian pair (in 81st).