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Day 3 at the APBF.

Our Open Team started with a big loss (on BBO!) to Australia (3.79vp) and then after their bye, had a small loss to Thailand (8.13) and then a 30 imp win over Macau to end the day where they started, in 5^th place, on 121.47vp with Chinese Taipei taking over the lead from Australia on 134.53.

Our Ladies started 6^th and finished 5^th after good wins over Japan(14.64) and Korea (15.46) but big losses to China (4.74) and Australia (1.47). Unfortunately, there is a fairly significant gap to 4^th placed Australia who are on 127.12 with the Kiwis on 102.54.

Not a good day for our Mixed Team who did beat Australia (15.85) but who lost badly to Chinese Taipei (1.13) and China Hong Kong (0). They also only collected 6.04 vps against Australia in the Second Round Robin. They are now 7^th out of 10 teams on 96.72, well behind the leaders, China, on 165.89.

Our Seniors finished in 3^rd place (8 teams) after beating Australia (13.96) but losing to Hong Kong China (4.15) and Korea (9.34), the latter loss seeing 108 imps being exchanged in the 14 boards. That was a lost opportunity as the Koreans are last by a long way. New Zealand are on 102.20 vps with Indonesia leading on 114.53.

This report is from the Ladies’ Team npc, Kris Wooles, on their first few matches.

“The team started very strongly with a big win over Australia. This was followed by small losses to Thailand and Chinese Taipei but a bigger loss to China Hong Kong then a good win against Korea and ending day 3 with another significant loss to Indonesia.

Against Australia we picked up imps on board 7 when Andi Boughey, South, made 3.

 

Andi gave herself the best chance after an opening 4  lead by ducking then winning A on the second round and then not attempting to ruff as she was sure West would have a higher heart than dummy. So, at trick 3, she led a spade towards dummy.

Sure West went wrong, in not switching to clubs, but defence is never always easy and Andi gave herself the best chance. All she lost was the two major suit aces, the initial diamond and one club at trick 13. That was 8 imps to the Kiwis when 2 was defeated by 2 tricks at the other table.

We avoided a larger loss against Thailand (Match 2) when Mindy and Kate bid an aggressive 4 which was doubled on board 29 round two. Mindy could not really go wrong after the 10 lead and it was a welcome 12 imps for our side. (same board as reported yesterday with Tim and Lysandra bidding and making 4 for our Open Team.)

With one board to play in the round 4 match against Chinese Taipei the scores were locked at 29 all. On Board 30 the opponents did exceptionally well to bid and make 7 on a 5-3 fit when they had a 5-4 heart fit where one hand in defence held QJx.

If South opens 2 and North bids 3, South does best to simply launch into Key Card. In 7, declarer must ruff a diamond in the South hand and discard 2 hearts on AKQ. 7 can be made but no-one would take a first round trump finesse.

There was little  we could do but take that result on the chin. We bid to 6 for a 10 imp loss.

For our Open Team, Nick Jacob and Ashley Bach bid to 7NT, which is not the best grand slam but is better than 7! A club was led and as Ashley said (and demonstrated!)  “the hand plays itself”.

ie win K. Cash AK , A and run the clubs. East has to keep the Q, and West Q. Ash claimed after all the clubs were played and we picked up 2 imps. Easy game!

(Both defenders have to find 3 discards and therefore neither can guard spades after declarer has cashed 2 high diamonds)

  

 
A relaxed Kinga Hajmasi and Candice Smith with mascot. 

This occurred in our Round 6 win over Korea:

 

Where to from here? Ace ask (no Key Card as hearts have not been mentioned. Is 4NT actually for aces?) would show partner held the missing aces and one king (or K). Both tables settled for 6.

 

A triumph for aggressive pre-emption.

The Indonesian ladies were very accurate in the seventh round match on the end of day two. They did little wrong while our team had a few mis-steps. We missed games on boards 2  and 4 and went down in a game on board 12. Finally the opponents but a very nice slam on the last board to apply the finishing touches to a big win for them.”

More action from the APBF tomorrow.

Richard Solomon

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