More than a quarter of the original entry were representing the host nation, so it should come as no surprise to find that after the first semi-final session 11 of the top 40 places were filled by Polish pairs. What is impressive is that Italy (who started with around 50 pairs) occupy eight of the top 40. For the second semi-final session we sent our ace reporter to see some of the leading Italian pairs in action.

We begin with the highest-paced Italian pair, Fabrizio Morelli and Adriano Abate, who were 5th after the first semi-final session.

Board 9. Dealer North. EW Game ª 3 © A K ¨ K J 7 4 § A K Q J 9 7 ª K Q 2 ª J 9 8 6 5 © 3 2 © Q 10 8 5 ¨ 8 5 3 ¨ A Q 10 § 8 6 5 4 3 § 10 ª A 10 7 4 © J 9 7 6 4 ¨ 9 6 2 § 2 West North East South Morelli Tyszownicki Abate Lankosz 1§(3) Pass 1© 1 3§(3) Pass 3© Pass 3ª(3) Pass 3NT All Pass (1) Polsih (2) 15-21 with 5+§ (3) Asking for a spade stopper

Poland's Maciej Tyszownicki and Magda Lankosz reached 3NT with nine virtually top tricks. Morelli did not lead a spade, choosing a diamond instead, but with all the diamond honours wrong, and Abate switching to spades at trick two, declarer had to settle for her contract. N-S +400. Even so, that was still only worth 25% for the Italians.

The next hand was rotated through 180 degrees at the table.

Board 10. Dealer East. Game All ª 4 © 9 6 4 ¨ A K J 8 5 § A K 6 4 ª K J 9 6 5 2 ª Q 8 3 © 5 2 © K 10 8 7 3 ¨ 2 ¨ Q 10 § J 9 8 3 § 10 5 2 ª A 10 7 © A Q J ¨ 9 7 6 4 3 § Q 7 West North East South Morelli Tyszownicki Abate Lankosz Pass 1¨ 1ª 3ª Dble 3NT All Pass

The Poles never really came to grips with this hand, and settled for game with slam needing diamonds not 3-0 offside or a finesse.

Abate led a spade to the queen and ace, and now declarer cashed his five diamond tricks. He then cashed the top clubs and tried to endplay West to lead away from his presumed ©K at trick twelve. However, Abate had two winning spades and only one heart left, so declarer made just the ten top tricks with which he began. N-S +630 and 99/110 MPs for the Italians.

One of Poland's top mixed pairs, Irena Chodorowska and Jan Chodorowski, demonstrated that the slam is quite biddable. The victims were a young Dutch pair.

After a similar start to the auction, Irena made the key decision when she continued over 3NT. After East's double of the Three Spade bid, Jan could be fairly sure that his partner's control was a shortage and thus she had to have strong minor suits. Despite his poor trumps, he showed his heart control and then confirmed two key cards without the ¨Q over the RKCB enquiry. When the heart finesse worked, that was N-S +1390 and 80% for the Poles.

Conveniently, these same Poles were the next opponents for Morelli-Abate…

Board 13. Dealer North. Game All ª Q J 8 6 4 © 5 ¨ A K 9 6 2 § Q 6 ª K 9 7 5 ª 3 2 © Q 10 9 7 © 3 2 ¨ 8 5 3 ¨ Q 7 4 § J 5 § A K 10 9 7 2 ª A 10 © A K J 8 6 4 ¨ J 10 § 8 4 3 West North East South Morelli Chodorowska Abate Chodorowski 1ª 2§ 3© Pass 3ª Pass 4ª All Pass

Abate cashed the two high clubs and then switched to a trump. Declarer thought for a considerable time before ducking. Morelli took his king and returned a trump to dummy's ace, and declarer ran ¨J. When that lost she was quickly one down. N-S -100.

With everything lying poorly for North-South, no game can be made. Indeed, an attempt to ruff a diamond in dummy may well result in declarer losing control and finishing with less than nine tricks, but any plus score was worth 70% for East-West.

Board 14. Dealer East. Love All ª 10 4 2 © A 3 2 ¨ 10 9 2 § K Q 6 5 ª K J 6 5 ª A 8 7 3 © J 8 7 © K 9 5 4 ¨ A K 8 ¨ 7 6 § 10 4 3 § A 9 2 ª Q 9 © Q 10 6 ¨ Q J 5 4 3 § J 8 7 West North East South Morelli Chodorowska Abate Chodorowski Pass Pass 1NT Pass 2§ Pass 2ª All Pass

Morelli opened a weak 1NT and finished in Two Spades. North led §K and continued the suit when Morelli ducked. Declarer won and then cashed ¨A-K and ruffed his third diamond before playing ªA and a second trump to the queen and king. He then exited with a club. North stepped in with the queen and exited with her remaining spade (on which South threw a diamond). Left with just one trump in hand, declarer's contract was assured but a vital overtrick would be his if he could also score a heart trick.

Declarer played ©7 and ran it when South played low. This was not a success, as South had a diamond left and duly used it to force declarer's last trump. North now took the last two tricks with ©A and §6. N-S -110 was just above average for the Poles.

Our next pair of boards features an all-Italian affair. Georgio Duboin and Norberto Bocchi (one of the six pairs exempted from the qualifying stages and the overall leaders after two semi-final sessions) take on Arturo D'Angelo and Giuliano Guiliam.

On the first hand, Bocchi-Duboin made their bid for the longest auction of the championships…

Board 15. Dealer South. NS Game ª Q 10 9 8 4 © 10 6 ¨ Q 6 2 § J 5 2 ª 5 ª A J © A J 9 8 © K Q 7 4 ¨ J 10 9 7 4 ¨ A K 8 5 § K 10 3 § A Q 6 ª K 7 6 3 2 © 5 3 2 ¨ 3 § 9 8 7 4 West North East South Bocchi D'Angelo Duboin Giuliam Pass Pass Pass 1§(1) Pass 1¨(2) Pass 2¨(3) Pass 2©(4) Pass 2NT(5) Pass 3§(6) Pass 3¨(7) Pass 3ª(8) Pass 4©(9) Pass 4ª(10) Pass 4NT(11) Pass 5§(12) Pass 5¨(13) Pass 6© All Pass (1) Clubs or 13-15 balanced or very strong (2) Transfer to hearts (at least 4+©) (3) A normal forcing reverse with clubs/diamonds or any very strong hand (4) Relay (5) 23+ balanced (6) Staymanic (7) At least one 4-card Major, no 5-card Major (8) Four hearts only and not four spades (9) Four-card heart support (10) Cue bid (11) An even number of the five aces (12) Cue bid (13) Cue bid

The play was much faster than the auction - Bocchi won the heart lead, drew trumps, cashed ¨A, crossed to §K, successfully ran the jack of diamonds, and claimed all thirteen tricks. N-S -1010 and around a 75% score on the board for East-West.

Board 16. Dealer West. EW Game ª A Q 10 © K 4 ¨ 9 8 7 § K J 7 5 3 ª 6 5 ª 9 8 4 3 2 © 9 5 © 6 3 ¨ K Q 10 2 ¨ A J 4 3 § Q 10 6 4 2 § 9 8 ª K J 7 © A Q J 10 8 7 2 ¨ 6 5 § A West North East South Bocchi D'Angelo Duboin Giuliam Pass 1§ Pass 2© Pass 2ª(1) Pass 3§(2) Pass 3NT(3) Pass 4© All Pass (1) Cue bid agreeing hearts (2) Cue bid (3) Cue bid in clubs with no diamond control

After the strong, natural Two Heart response, North-South cue bid their way to game whilst telling the opponents they were lacking a diamond control. Bocchi had no trouble fishing out the correct lead and continuation before declarer claimed N-S +450 and a normal result.