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Two Kiwi Teams Chase Medals.

Three good wins, the most impressive being the smallest over table-topping China, has put the Bridge Blacks in line to challenge for a medal on the last day of play. They are now only 9vps behind 2^nd placed China Hong Hong. Their last three matches are against Korea, Thailand and Japan, all of whom are in the bottom half of the field.

Our Seniors too are still in with a chance of a medal, bronze, despite a pasting by 2^nd placed Indonesia A. They tail Chinese Taipei B by 13.66 vp with 3 matches to play.

The Mixed Blacks are now playing consistently and with three matches left have three teams within sight some 20-25vps ahead. A disappointing day for the Bridge Ferns, including a huge loss to China. They can probably only climb one place with good performances on the last day.

               Bridge Ferns                                                  Bridge Seniors

China Hong Kong	22-32	7.03	6th		China Hong Kong A	54-37	14.64	4th
Australia	34-43	7.29	7th		Indonesia A	14-67	0.26	4th
China	0-62	0.00	7th		Singapore A	65-10	19.91	4th
India	34-33	10.33	7th		Japan	27-19	12.44	4th

 

                    Bridge Blacks                                                 Mixed Blacks

China	29-16	13.72	6th		Indonesia	34-37	9.03	7th
China Macau	45-21	16.03	6th		India	39-34	11.58	7th
India	52-22	17.04	5th		Bye		12.00	7th

 

What a difference a queen makes

The outcome of Board 25 in the first match of the day seemed entirely dependent on whether the declarers dropped the Q successfully:

 

In the Open match against China, Ashley Bach (West) was in 4. After starting with the Q, North switched to a club. Ashley played spades from the top and made an overtrick. Meanwhile, the Chinese East was in 3NT on the lead of A and a second heart from Matthew Brown, South. Declarer could duck one round of hearts but had to find that Q in case North had the A. He elected to finesse meaning that the defence took two aces, five hearts and that Q for down 3. ..14 imps to New Zealand.

That same fate befell our Seniors but the 14 imps went against the Bridge Masters with Alan Grant having the same ugly guess in 3NT. Only an imp changed hands in the Bridge Ferns’ match where it seemed both declarers played trumps successfully in 4. Wayne Burrows was not so fortunate for the Mixed Blacks who lost 13 imps when he failed to find that Q in 4. Certainly, if North has shown a Weak 2 in hearts, the odds seem to favour a trump finesse. That might only change if North switches to a club at trick 2 and the second heart trick is not cashed, as then there is an additional chance of disposing that second heart loser on the 4^th club even if you fail to find the Q in two rounds.

And when will the pendulum stop?

You have two nine card major fits and half the high card points between your two hands. The opposition have bid up to 5, a suit in which both you and your partner have singletons. Do you bid on to the five level? Maybe at Pairs but at Teams….a plus is a plus is a bundle of imps in…

 

The only certainty seems to be that North will start proceedings with 1 and East will introduce clubs at the 2 or 3 levels. That East hand looks more like a Weak than an Intermediate Jump overcall…whatever takes your fancy!

By some means, North-South need to reach 4 and East-West to compete, with everyone vulnerable to 5. Why? That 1093 in the South hand prevents three diamond losers while an even spade break helps North immensely.

For our Mixed Blacks, Stephen Henry, North, was allowed to play 4 undisturbed for +620 and 3 imps in when Clair Miao and Wayne Burrows bid to 5 and were doubled conceding two spades, a heart and a diamond.

Our Seniors are made of a more gambling spirit as Tom Jacob, North, found himself in 5x and in trouble…except that the lead must have been a friendly A as Tom emerged with 11 tricks, +850 and 8 imps when Alan Grant conceded 500 in 5x.

Michael Whibley-Matthew Brown took their 500 from 5x after the following auction:

                 West           North             East                South
                                     Whibley                                   Brown 
                                        1             2                      3  weak raise 
                 4                 4             5                       Pass  
                  Pass                x                All Pass

but their Chinese opponents had found spades with South declarer at the 5 level. A lead from Ashley Bach with Michael Cornell sending a message that a diamond switch might be worthhile…+100 and 12 imps.

The China Hong Kong Women’s North-South missed game, making two overtricks in 3 but that score was eclipsed at the other table when Steph Jacob and Rebecca Johnston collected their 500 from 5X. The moral of the story is (well, you have heard it all before):

Bid your vulnerable games at Teams..even thin ones…especially thin ones!

..and take the plus!

“I Bid DIAMONDS!”

might have been North’s words after the K lead did not help the defence in 4 on the following board:

 

We think North accepted South’s excuse! South’s unusual looking 1NT showed clubs with Clair’s first suit overcalled talking South out of competing in spades.

Clair won the A and ruffed a club and ruffed a spade and ruffed a second club and then a second spade, noting the fall of the A from North. She exited the West hand with a diamond, won by North who then gave her partner a diamond ruff. South exited with a high club, with Clair ruffing in hand once more. These cards remained with Clair having lost 2 tricks:

 

She cashed the K and exited Q and with North having only red cards left. The West hand took the remaining tricks.

                
 Annette and Stephen Henry stole the board           Clair Miao played well to make 4
in 4

At the other table, the bidding started similarly but hearts were never mentioned (West presumably afraid of a misfit) with Annette Henry able to buy the board as South in 4, 2 down but 9 imps to the Mixed Blacks.

Hey, Partner…no trump ace or king.

Board 23 in the 3^rd match of the day was not a great board to use Roman Key Card. Why? Because you could make a slam despite missing both ace and king of trumps! Fortunately for those who bid to 6, the opposition bidding would probably have prevented them from using Key Card: