enc ers ▁from ▁ 9 ▁nations ▁competed . ▁ ▁Round ▁ 1 ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁event ▁consisted ▁of ▁pool ▁play ▁round - ro bin ▁tournament s . ▁ ▁Each ▁fen cer ▁faced ▁each ▁other ▁fen cer ▁once . ▁ ▁Of ▁the ▁ 1 7 ▁po ols , ▁ 1 5 ▁had ▁six ▁f enc ers ▁each ▁and ▁ 2 ▁had ▁seven . ▁ ▁The ▁top ▁two ▁pla cers ▁in ▁each ▁advanced ▁to ▁the ▁quarter - final s . ▁ ▁Qu arter final s ▁ ▁The ▁quarter final s ▁were ▁again ▁round - ro bin ▁affairs . ▁ ▁The ▁original ▁plan ▁was ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁ 6 ▁po ols , ▁ 2 ▁would ▁have ▁five ▁f enc ers ▁each ▁and ▁ 4 ▁would ▁have ▁six . ▁ ▁The ▁top ▁three ▁in ▁each ▁pool ▁were ▁to ▁advance . ▁ ▁Three ▁quarter final ists ▁dropped ▁out , ▁so ▁the ▁quarter final s ▁were ▁re organ ized . ▁ ▁There ▁were ▁ 5 ▁po ols ▁with ▁ 6 ▁f enc ers ▁each ; ▁the ▁sixth ▁pool ▁included ▁Holz ch uch ▁and ▁four ▁f enc ers ▁who ▁had ▁lost ▁in ▁other ▁quarter final s ▁and ▁got ▁a ▁second ▁chance ▁to ▁advance . ▁ ▁Sem if inals ▁ ▁The ▁semif inals , ▁with ▁ 1 8 ▁f enc ers ▁left , ▁were ▁conducted ▁in ▁three ▁po ols ▁of ▁round - ro bin ▁play . ▁ ▁Each ▁pool ▁had ▁six ▁f enc ers , ▁with ▁the ▁top ▁three ▁adv ancing ▁to ▁the ▁final . ▁ ▁Final ▁