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APBF 2025: the final few days.

The last day of the main competitions was on Friday. There were mixed fortunes for our four teams with honours going to our Mixed Team who finished with three victories (Thailand 16.21, Philippines 17.19 and Chinese Taipei 15.26) and a small loss to Australia 8.42. They only improved one place, to 5^th, but finished much closer to the countries above them, just under 15 vps away from 3^rd placed Japan. China had a significant winning margin at the end of the triple round-robin.

It was a mixed day for our Open Team who lost 9.03 to Japan and 4.94 to lowly Philippines. However, 19.83 in their final match against Singapore saw them jump two places to finish 8^th in the 13 team competition. Australia were leading with three matches to play but had a poor last day being overtaken by both China and Chinese Taipei.

Our Ladies Team started and finished the last day in 6^th place, recording 3 losses, China 0.92, Australia 7.29, and Japan 8.42 but had a nice 16.55 over second placed Indonesia. Yet again, China came first, nearly 35 vps ahead of Indonesia.

Our Seniors dropped from 5^th to 7^th in the 8 team competition scoring 10.97 against Korea, 3.62 against Chinese Taipei and 6.77 against Hong Kong China. While that was a disappointing outcome, it was all smiles across the Tasman as Australia stopped a Chinese clean sweep by winning by 21.85 vps from Japan with Indonesia a little further back in 3^rd place.

Saturday saw Zone 7 play-offs. While Australia won 3 of the 4 64 board matches, our Zone has two places in the Bermuda Bowl. So, both countries will be in Denmark in August. Again, pride of place to our Mixed Team with a 158-141 imp victory.

Our Ladies won three of the four 16 board segments, but only by 21, 4 and 5 imps. The second set was won by Australia 60-26 leaving Australia victors 131-127. There were a few "if onlys". 

Our Open Team were beaten 160 – 102 while the NZ Seniors Team who trailed by just 3 imps with one set remaining, lost 130 – 150 imps.

Several Kiwi pairs played in the 74 pair Swiss Pairs of the event on the final day of the Congress. Top New Zealand placings were Tim Pan and Jeremy Fraser-Hoskin, 7^th with 56.337% 13^th placed Ian Berrington and Fuxia Wen 54.663% and one place below Michael Cornell – GeO Tislevoll on 54.10%.

 
Now a question for you. One of the above is Jeremy Fraser- Hoskin and the other is a security officer at the venue. Can you tell which is Jeremy? Jeremy managed to lose his lanyard and the replacement one had a distinct resemblance to those worn by security officers. One of the above seems much happier in his work than the other, too. 

This unusual deal featured in the penultimate round robin match of  the Ladies’ and the final match of the Open competitions.

North-South have a combined total of 21 hcp and can make 12 tricks in 6 with just a favourable lay-out in the club suit and at least one heart in the West hand needed. 3 Open and 2 Ladies pairs bid to and were allowed to play and make 6.

Despite having nearly half the high card points, in both tables of the match against  involving our Open Team and in one table in the Ladies competition, East-West bid on to 6, doubled. This should not be nearly as successful! The defence can take 3 diamond tricks, a diamond ruff, a heart and a club trick, 5 down doubled -1400, a saving of 1 imp if the slam was bid at the other table.

However, that is much more easily achieved if West is declarer and North leads A with South’s high 9 asking for a diamond switch. However at both tables in the New Zealand v Singapore Open match, East was declarer.  Both South players led a heart and both North’s continued the suit. The declarers drew trumps and played A and a second club won by South’s K.

While the Singaporean South cashed AK to record 3 down , -800, Ashley Bach, South, picked declarer’s distribution and exited a small diamond. This allowed the Kiwis to score 3 diamond tricks, down 4 and +1100.

The 7 imps scored sealed our fine 19.83 win over Singapore and were vital in moving the Open Team just one place above Singapore into 8^th place.

Our Ladies were not so fortunate in that their opponents bid and made 6 while the Kiwi pair played in the heart game.

This board was a big pick-up in the Open Team’s play-off match against Australia. Would you have opened the East hand?

 

After Lysandra’s strong no trump overcall, West leapt to game and Tim guessed to try for slam despite his partner having potential wasted values in diamonds. No guess was required in the trump suit and the slam made very comfortably for the loss of the A.

Meanwhile, at the other table, East was more circumspect:

Slam was never in the picture as North opted for what seemed to be the safer game.

More from the Zonal play-offs tomorrow.

Richard Solomon

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