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Inter-Provincial Championships: Day 3 Report

Wellington started the short three-match third day in command of both the Open and Intermediate competitions and by virtue of those positions firm favourites to retain the Dougal McLean Trophy as well. They were also challenging Canterbury in the Seniors’ event.

In the Intermediate, three more sizable wins saw Wellington victors by 31 vps from Waikato Bays. Congratulations to the winning team of Simon Louisson, Mariusz Tumilowicz, Tegan Bennik and Jeremy Morley who recorded 10 wins and one minute loss in their 12 matches. I am sure her three teammates will not mind my highlighting the great potential that young Tegan has in our game.

Intermediate

1st

Wellington

197.77

2nd

Waikato Bays

156.64

3rd

Top of the South

151.53

4th

Otago-Southland

134.13

5th

Canterbury

131.62

6th

Central Districts

118.81

7th

Auckland-Northland

117.50

 

Open

The Open event ending was strange. Wellington had virtually won the competition after their win over Otago-Southland in the first match of the day while Auckland-Northland lost. They then stuttered to victory having lost 4 of their last 5 matches including to a rampant Central Districts team which had 4 large wins in the second round-robin to end up runners-up.

 
Board 3
South Deals
E-W Vul
A 8 7 6
K Q 7 5 3
Q 9 4 2
4 3 2
J 8 2
9 6 4 3
A 10 3
 
N
W   E
S
 
K J 10 9 5
A 9
K Q J 8 7 5
 
Q
10 6 4
A 10 2
K J 8 7 6 5

 

The most significant board in Wellington's loss to Central Districts was the above board where Ker-Grant failed in 4Spade-small by 2 tricks after the Heart-small10 lead though Charles Ker-Mark Noble made 5Diamond-smallx at the other table after the Spade-smallQ lead did not produce the desired ruff. Not just that but the heart loser disappeared as well with 14 imps going to Central Districts.

Nevertheless, another impressive performance from the very experienced quartet, Anthony Ker, Alan Grant, Nigel Kearney and Karl Hayes.

Open

1st

Wellington

178.04

2nd

Central Districts

163.61

3rd

Auckland-Northland

156.17

4th

Waikato Bays

149.23

5th

Otago-Southland

139.63

6th

Canterbury

116.86

7th

Top of The South

104.46

 

Wellington win the Open                                                and the Intermediates

IP 19 Wellington open.jpg                                          ip 19 well ints good.jpg
Karl Hayes, Nigel Kearney,                                                 Tegan Bennik, Simon Louisson,
Alan Grant and Anthony Ker  
                                             Mariusz Tumilowicz and Jeremy Morley

North-South battle in Women's competition

Auckland-Northland had just a 0.63 vp advantage over Otago- Southland in the Women’s competition at the start of the day. However, after a small loss to the southerners in the first match of the day and a huge Otago-Southland win in the second match, it was Otago-Southland which had an 8.5 vp advantage going into the last round.

Mothers are not always right

The following fun board from Round 13 tricked many including Auckland-Northland’s Carol Richardson.

 
Board 2
East Deals
N-S Vul
A J 9 6 4
K 6 3
7 5 2
7 2
8 7
2
Q 8 4
A K Q 9 6 5 3
 
N
W   E
S
 
A Q J 10 9 8 7 5
K 10 9
J 8
 
K Q 10 5 3 2
4
A J 6 3
10 4
West North East South
Andi Boughey   Carol Richardson  
    1  2 
3  3  4 NT Pass
5  Pass 6  All pass

 

With a pretty reasonable 8 card suit and a positive noise from her partner and daughter, Andi, Carol took control and bid the slam opposite one key card. Carol would have been hopeful when the heart finesse worked but less so when South discarded on the second round of hearts…down one. Meanwhile, Central Districts stayed a level lower to gain 11 imps.

It's hard to put down such a strong 8 card suit as a side-suit in dummy though this time, it was Andi’s suit which needed to be trumps. Getting rid of West’s two small spades could be a problem (less so if North leads a spade) though 6Club-small is the slam that can make. ( on a trump lead… win, take heart finesse, ruff a heart and win the second round of trumps with dummy’s jack…and you will make an overtrick!)

However, Auckland-Northland won their last match against Waikato Bays by 50 imps while Wellington beat Otago-Southland by 7…enough for victory to go to Auckland-Northland. Congratulations to Fuxia Wen, Christine Wilson, Andi Boughey and Carol Richardson.

Women

1st

Auckland-Northland

179.16

2nd

Otago Southland

175.50

3rd

Wellington

155.65

4th

Waikato Bays

154.44

5th

Top of The South

126.62

6th

Canterbury

120.18

7th

Central Districts

96.45

 

Women's winners - Auckland Northland            Top Seniors' team - Canterbury

IP 19 Auckland Northland women.jpg                                IP 19 Canterbury Seniors.jpg
Andi Boughey,Fuxia Wen,                                      John and Jane Skipper,
Christine Wilson and Carol Richardson                  Paula Gregory and Michael Johnstone
(not forgetting chef de mission, Douglas Russell)

Canterbury win Seniors event

Finally, to the Seniors where Canterbury started the day 1.69 vps ahead of Wellington. Canterbury had a small loss and a reasonable win and had a huge thank-you to say to the Otago-Southland team who beat Wellington by 45 imps in Round 13. With one round to go, Canterbury led Wellington by 10 vps and were playing their closest challengers in the last round.

Two slam swings sealed Wellington’s fate. Bidding one off two cashing aces was not a success and then they failed to bid slam on the following:

Board 24
West Deals
None Vul
5
K Q 4
K Q 10 8 5 3
A K 8
J 9 6
10 9 7 6
J
10 7 5 4 2
 
N
W   E
S
 
K 8 3 2
J 5
A 2
Q J 9 6 3
 
A Q 10 7 4
A 8 3 2
9 7 6 4
West North East South
  Jane Skipper   John Skipper
Pass 1  Pass 1 
Pass 3  Pass 6 
All pass      

 

The above was the simple slam sequence of Jane and John Skipper from Canterbury. From John’s seat, small slam seemed very possible opposite 15-17 and a good suit. He was right. Wellington played 4Heart-small.

Thus, congratulations to the Canterbury team of Jane and John Skipper and Paula Gregory- Michael Johnstone.

Seniors

1st

Canterbury

184.56

2nd

Otago-Southland

171.35

3rd

Wellington

171.15

4th

Auckland-Northland

139.07

5th

Top of the South

118.90

6th

Central Districts

112.73

7th

Waikato Bays

110.24

Dougal McLean Trophy

With two wins and two third places, it was “no contest” and for the 4th year running, the trophy will reside in Wellington.

                             "Capital" Winners

IP 19 Wellington d mclean.jpg
  Wellington chef de mission, Lynda Rigler, displays the trophy

Overall- Dougal McLean

1st

Wellington

42

2nd

Otago Southland

30

3rd

Auckland-Northland

27

4th

Waikato Bays

22

5th

Canterbury

21

6th

Top of the South

16

7th

Central Districts

14

 

We hope all participants enjoyed the event, very well organized by the Canterbury Region and Christchurch Club. Results came through promptly and accurately on-line and the event was well directed and scored by Murray and Caroline Wiggins. Interested viewers around the country were able, mainly, to watch a match per round on BBO.

Roll on 2020… next time in Wellington.

Richard Solomon

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