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No surprises in National Pairs.

Michael Whibley and Matt Brown scored an emphatic victory in the 2-day National Pairs run last weekend on-line courtesy of the Christchurch Bridge Club. Here is one little bidding problem from the event for you:

 

What action would you take with the South hand?

Michael and Matt had a great second day scoring 60.62% in the 24 pair final. That was over 5% clear of second placed Liz and Blair Fisher (55.24%) and third placed Grant Jarvis and Jan Cormack (54.46%). In an otherwise tight final, only 5 pairs scored over 52%.

   
     Michael and Matt                   Blair and Liz

The second group of 24 contested the Plate where there were also emphatic winners. Bob Hurley and Russell Wilson scored 61.32%, well ahead of Anne Gordon and Jan Whyte (54.75%) and Alice Young and George Sun (54.59%).

In the 28 pair Consolation, Annette and Stephen Henry (58.54%) scraped home from Clair Miao and Wayne Burrows (58.37%) with Jeremy Fraser- Hoskin and Kevin Hu (56.97%) third.

Back then to our problem above. Despite adverse vulnerability, Matt Brown elected to pass, presumably if his partner reopened with a double, to defend. However, the double was to come from Matt’s side of the table:

 

The poor overcall, albeit at favourable vulnerability, got punished quite severely. With South silent, West thought their partner had more for their overcall. There was nowhere for East-West to go.
Michael led J taken in dummy. 6 went to North’s Q to be followed by a second diamond and then a second round of hearts to Matt’s K. He switched to T taken by declarer’s ace and then a third heart to Matt’s ace….and then 9. West would have done better to duck (would have saved 1 trick) but when they played Q, Michael had three club tricks…and there were 3 spade tricks to come, along with AKQ, or down 3, +500.

Over the three sections, a few South players did bid and make the tricky 3NT though in the final, +500 was worth 22 out of 24 match-points. +300 would have been exactly the same result.

Thanks to the director and scorer, Allan Joseph and Kevin Walker, and to the Christchurch Bridge Club for organising the event. In view of the weather up North on Sunday, playing from home was a big plus.

Richard Solomon

 

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