The Schools match between Germany and all conquering Italy was simply sensational - at least as far as one team was concerned. The drama started with the very first deal.

Dealer North. Love All ª K 7 2 © 9 8 7 5 2 ¨ 2 § K J 9 6 ª 9 5 4 3 ª Q 10 8 © — © 10 6 4 3 ¨ K Q 10 7 2 ¨ J 9 4 § Q 10 7 2 § 8 5 4 ª A J 6 © A K Q J ¨ A 8 6 3 § A 3 Open Room West North East South Felmy di Bello Schuller Uccello Pass Pass 2§ 2¨ 2© Pass 3© Pass 3ª Pass 4§ Pass 4¨ Pass 4ª Pass 5§ Pass 7© All Pass

South's leap to 7© was precipitate because had he simply bid 5¨ his partner would have had a chance to show the queen of spades. Of course we can see that the grand slam is cold, simply ruff a couple of diamonds in dummy, draw trumps, cash three spades via a finesse and you will find that a show up squeeze has developed against West. di Bello was worried about an overruff because of the overcall and he lost his way to go one down.

Three Clubs was a puppet enabling North-South to find their heart fit, but Pahl decided to make no move towards slam. He must have been pleased to discover that his conservative approach resulted in an 11 IMP gain. Two boards later there was another slam swing, again in favour of Germany.

Dealer South. EW Game ª 5 © 7 2 ¨ A K Q 3 § J 10 7 6 4 3 ª 6 3 ª A K J 10 2 © A Q 6 4 © K J 9 8 5 ¨ J 4 ¨ 10 § A K 8 5 2 § Q 9 ª Q 9 8 7 4 © 10 3 ¨ 9 8 7 6 5 2 § — Open Room West North East South Felmy di Bello Schuller Uccello Pass 1§ 1¨ 1ª 2NT Pass Pass 3© 4¨ 4© 5¨ Pass Pass 6© All Pass

South's cunning 2NT allowed East to show his second suit when the more simplistic approach of jamming the works with a bid of 5¨ might have paid dividends. Of course his lead of the ¨2 should have led to the defeat of the slam but when North tried to cash a second trick in that suit declarer was soon able to claim.

North led the king of diamonds and lost no time in switching to a club to earn 17 IMPs for his side. It was a little easier for him than his Italian counterpart because he could see the dummy.

Both tables did well to reach a cold 6ª on board 5 and then along came slam number 4.

Dealer South. Game All ª 9 © 10 7 5 4 2 ¨ 8 7 5 3 2 § A 9 ª K J 2 ª A Q 7 4 © 6 3 © A Q J 9 ¨ A K ¨ Q J 4 § Q J 8 5 4 3 § K 2 ª 10 8 6 5 3 © K 8 ¨ 10 9 6 § 10 7 6 Open Room West North East South Felmy di Bello Schuller Uccello Pass 1NT Pass 2§ Pass 2¨ Pass 5NT Pass 6NT All Pass

We are still waiting for Claus Daehr, the NPC of the German team to tell us the meaning of 5NT. Presumably either pick a slam or a request for West to bid six or seven. Whatever it meant East was the declarer and the 3-2 club break ensured that the heart finesse was not needed. +1440.

We are prepared to take a guess as to the meaning of the auction. Two Diamonds was a relay and the reply promised two stoppers outside clubs. 3ª said they were in spades and diamonds. Once again the final contract was 6NT but North was on lead. He unerringly selected a heart and that was worth a second 17 IMP swing for Germany.

It may be hard to believe but there was more to come.

Dealer West. Love All ª 8 7 6 © K 7 ¨ 9 2 § K 10 7 5 4 3 ª A J 10 5 4 ª Q 9 © J 10 5 3 © A Q 9 8 4 ¨ A K 10 ¨ Q 7 5 § 9 § A Q 6 ª K 3 2 © 6 2 ¨ J 8 6 4 3 § J 8 2 Open Room West North East South Felmy di Bello Schuller Uccello 1ª Pass 2© Pass 4§ Pass 4¨ Pass 5§ Pass 5© Pass 6© All Pass

Four Diamonds was ace asking and led to Germany reaching another good slam. Declarer wrapped up thirteen tricks without breathing hard. +1010.

This long, mostly artificial auction failed to get the job done. The fifth slam deal in eight boards was worth another 11 IMPs for Germany.

By the time this deal came along Messrs. Felmy and Schuller must have felt they could walk on water. After it perhaps they could.

Dealer East. NS Game ª A 7 6 © 9 5 3 ¨ K J 7 6 2 § 7 3 ª K ª J 8 4 3 2 © Q © A J 10 8 7 4 ¨ A Q 10 9 8 5 ¨ — § A K J 9 2 § Q 4 ª Q 10 9 5 © K 6 2 ¨ 4 3 § 10 8 6 5 Open Room West North East South Felmy di Bello Schuller Uccello 1© Pass 2¨ Pass 2ª Pass 3¨ Pass 3ª Pass 4NT Pass 5§ Pass 5© Pass 5ª Pass 6NT All Pass

East's bidding was clearly from another planet and caused West to propel his side to a hopeless slam (even 3NT can be defeated- ªA spade to South who switches to a diamond). Or was it?

North led the ©3 and declarer had to play low from dummy. It would be asking too much for South to play low which would have ensured the contact went several down, but when he took the king and failed to find the spade switch his side were in trouble.

On his choice of a diamond declarer went up with the ace, crossed to the queen of clubs and ran the hearts, discarding the five, eight, nine and queen of diamonds and the king of spades before rattling off his winning clubs.

In the two card ending North had to discard either the ªA or the ¨K. On a normal day this would not have been a problem but his partner's discards had probably not helped and you have doubtless already worked out that he kept he spade ace. +990.

This was a much better auction, although East should have passed 3NT even though that might well go down. In any event Four Hearts ought to have been defeated.

South led the six of clubs and declarer won in hand with the §Q and played the four of hearts.

South went in with the king and although he got no help from North who might have contributed the nine of hearts he had only to switch to a spade. When he preferred a diamond declarer had eleven tricks.

Just another routine 11 IMPs for Germany. They had taken the runaway leaders apart by 93-29 IMPs, 25-3 VPs.