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Trans- Tasman Challenge Returns.

A reformed Trans-Tasman Challenge started last night with the first of 8 x 16 board matches between top Australian and New Zealand teams. Teams can have up to 8 players so as to cut down on the need for substitutes.

The first round saw 6 victories for Kiwi teams while in another, Livingston only lost to the Australian Seniors by 2 imps. First-round winners were:

1		Aust. Mixed	20.00
2		Skipper	16.88
3		Terry	16.73
4		Cornell	13.52
5		Fisher	12.80
6		NZ Youth	11.76
7		Carter	11.48
8		Aust. Seniors	10.61

 

How would you approach this collection?

 

Only one’s opponents are vulnerable and the one thing that is certain is that you are unclear as to who can make what! Back in the days when I was a little younger than I am now, there was just one bid for this collection, 5, and if the opponents dared to bid 5 on top of this, one would double to let the other three players at the table know the 5 bidder had a decent hand.

Well, that approach still has some support as at 6 of the 16 tables, the direct 5 bid was made though only once did the opponents bid on to 5 and then North did not double.

4 North players started with a take-out double and 3 with a somewhat heavyweight 2. The advantage of that was to see how far one’s opponents wanted to bid and then to bid once more. At the other three tables, South opened (hearts and a minor) which did slow their auctions down.

Here then were the four hands:

 

In theory, those three North’s who stopped in a diamond partial (twice after South’s 2 opening) had done well as they recorded a plus though theory and reality do not always match and three North players bid and made 5 when after getting the spade lead, they played K to the A and tried a trump. As we can see, West must now cash A or else this contract will make (ruff the spade return, play K and then 3 more rounds of clubs) . Perhaps, it depends on the number of spades East had bid over 2 and to an extent the spade led. A great hand for 3rds and 5ths leads with 5 unlikely to be a third.

However, it is hard to see (from West’s point of view) how the defence will prevail without a heart trick and after the A is cashed, the contract cannot make.

I could not bare to bid less than 5 on the North hand as otherwise, how will South value two small diamonds? Had East gone on to 5, West needs to be sharp to keep the losses to 1 down, especially hard if South had started with 2. While most in 5 did fail (7 out of 10…some doubled), I would be very nervous defending 4 hoping that the K will score a trick.

So, I will not be changing my style with that North hand.

The next round of the Challenge is on Friday April 5^th.

Richard Solomon

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