In many groups, the teams numbered 1 and 2, the seeded teams, were practically sure to finish among the first three when the last round of the Round Robin was due. In a few groups there were great doubts, as for example in group D, where four teams were contesting three berths. One of the scheduled matches there was between Dumbovich, a strong Hungarian team completed by Homonnay, Lakatos and Winkler, against Frerichs, a German six-player squad with Frerichs and Wenning sitting out and thus Marsal, Fritsche, Engel and Maybach playing.

The Germans led by 2-0 after one board and then came this:

Board 2. Dealer East. North-South Vul.
	ª A 10 6 3 © J 6 ¨ K Q J 8 5 4 § J
ª K Q J 4 © A 10 8 7 4 2 ¨ 7 2 § Q		ª 9 8 5 2 © K Q 5 ¨ 10 6 § A 7 6 4
	ª 7 © 9 3 ¨ A 9 3 § K 10 9 8 5 3 2

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
Maybach	Dumbovich	Engel	Homonnay
		Pass	3§
3©	Pass	4©	All Pass

Dumbovich led the ¨Q (Rusinov style) which held the trick. He now switched to the §J won in dummy. After two rounds of trumps declarer played his remaining diamond, which was taken by Homonnay who returned his spade. Now, Dumbovich made the good play of ducking declarer’s ªK and also ducking the ªQ played next. This way, the defeat of the contract was ensured after all. +50 to the Hungarians.

What about an easier variation: if South overtakes the Q and leads his spade, he can get two ruffs. Spade to the ace, spade ruff, diamond to the king and another spade ruff.

As it was, the defenders did well enough, certainly compared to what they did at the other table:

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Winkler	Marsal	Lakatos	Fritsche
		Pass	3§
3©	Pass	4©	All Pass

Same auction, same contract but a different lead: the §J. So here, after two trumps, declarer had to lead diamonds himself. North hopped up with the jack and continued the king, which held the trick…

Contract made? Not quite. Though North was left on play where South should have overtaken to push through a spade, declarer also was caught by the heat, as he explained later. When North returned a low spade, he forgot to put up the nine in dummy to ensure the contract. So he won the ªK in hand and continued the queen, but when Marsal ducked this, we were back in the scenario they performed in the Open Room. No swing.

Board 3. Dealer South. East-West Vul.
	ª A K 6 © Q 9 8 4 ¨ A 4 3 § A 6 3
ª J 10 7 3 © J 10 ¨ 5 § J 10 8 7 5 4		ª 8 5 © K 6 2 ¨ Q 8 7 6 § K Q 9 2
	ª Q 9 4 2 © A 7 5 3 ¨ K J 10 9 2 § -

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
Maybach	Dumbovich	Engel	Homonnay
			Pass
Pass	1NT	Pass	2§
Pass	2©	Pass	4©

The normal contract, made with two overtricks when the trumps behaved very well and the diamonds were properly guessed. Dumbovich +480.

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Winkler	Marsal	Lakatos	Fritsche
			1¨
Pass	1©	Pass	2©
Pass	3§	Dble	3¨
Pass	3ª	Pass	4§
Pass	4¨	Pass	5§
Pass	6©	All Pass

A nice auction, with the club void clearly pinpointed as well as the good diamond suit and fit. Trump quality was never investigated, however, and this might have led to serious problems in the play. As it was, all declarer had to do was guess the diamonds after finding out the distribution of both majors. As he expected the club length in East, for obvious reasons, he tackled the diamonds by running the jack through West. A relieved Lakatos thus made the setting trick after all. Dumbovich +50 and 11 IMP’s.

On the next board, the heat struck again:

Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul.
	ª A K 4 2 © Q J 10 9 2 ¨ A Q 3 2 § -
ª - © K 5 4 ¨ 8 7 § Q J 9 8 7 5 3 2		ª Q J 10 7 3 © A 7 6 3 ¨ 10 § A K 10
	ª 9 8 6 5 © 8 ¨ K J 9 6 5 4 § 6 4

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
Maybach	Dumbovich	Engel	Homonnay
3§	Dble	5§	5¨
Pass	6¨	All Pass

A sensible auction, but please note the effect of the mistimed 5§. When South could just take action, North knew enough.

As West holds the high heart and only two small cards, the contract is cold. Ruff the club lead, draw trumps and lead a low heart to the eight. Either East hops up and then the king can be ruffed out, or East ducks and his East will be ruffed out later. Both ways there are enough discards for the losing spades.

But if you are not careful to draw trumps twice, this is what might happen (and did happen at many a table): Low heart, East hops up and gives his partner a spade ruff. How unlucky…but 100 to Frerichs.

Well, the mistake here was not costly, as this is what they did at the other table:

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Winkler	Marsal	Lakatos	Fritsche
3§	Dble	Pass	3¨
Pass	3©	5§	Dble
All Pass

Lakatos timed his club raise much better, even more so as Marsal had failed to bid 4§ at his previous turn. NS thus were completely in the dark, and South’s double is understandable, though it was not a success. As North is squeezed in the majors, slam was cold here as well (unless North hits on the lead of the ©Q and continues with a heart when in with a diamond).

Another +950 and 13 IMP’s to Dumbovich.

The next board was another slam:

Board 5. Dealer North. North-South Vul.
	ª J 4 © K J 10 6 4 ¨ J 8 7 6 5 § 3
ª A 5 © A Q 8 3 ¨ K 9 § A Q J 6 4		ª Q 10 7 © 2 ¨ A Q 10 3 § 10 9 8 5 2
	ª K 9 8 6 3 2 © 9 7 5 ¨ 4 2 § K 7

Open Room:
West	North	East	South
Maybach	Dumbovich	Engel	Homonnay
	Pass	Pass	2ª
Dble	Pass	3§	Pass
3ª	Dble	Pass	Pass
Redble	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Though 3§ was forward-going (2NT would have been weaker), West did not really investigate any further. Twelve tricks.

Closed Room:
West	North	East	South
Winkler	Marsal	Lakatos	Fritsche
	Pass	Pass	Pass
2NT	Pass	3§	Pass
3©	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Here EW had the advantage of no opposition bidding but the 2NT opening bid was not a complete expression of the values of the West hand. After that initial care, understandable though as West was last to speak, slam was never a serious proposition any more. Eleven tricks only, so 1 IMP to Frerichs.

An interesting swing to Frerichs we saw on board 7:

Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul.
	ª J 4 © J 10 ¨ J 10 9 5 2 § K J 10 5
ª Q 8 © A K 5 4 2 ¨ 7 3 § A 9 7 3		ª 3 2 © 9 6 ¨ A K Q 8 6 4 § Q 8 6
	ª A K 10 9 7 6 5 © Q 8 7 3 ¨ - § 4 2

Both Souths opened 4ª and played there. Both Wests led the ©AK and continued a diamond. For Frerichs, Fritsche played low from dummy and Lakatos carefully inserted the eight which was of course ruffed. With the ¨AKQ located now, Frerichs eventually decided that holding six diamonds with the §A East might have taken any action, so he led a club to the king and made his contract. Well done for +620.

Though Homonnay went up with dummy’s ¨J which forced the queen from East, ruffed by declarer, he did not follow the same reasoning. He thus led a club to the jack instead to lose the contract and 12 IMP’s.

The match ended in an Hungarian victory, 24-15 or 17-13 V.P., but Frerichs was out whereas Dumbovich went on among the first three.