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Day 3 at the World Championships: another day in contention.

Both our Women and Mixed Teams had a result to forget on Day 3 but “the blips” were against strong opposition and were matched by wins or a close loss in their other matches to leave them well in contention for the top 8. Meanwhile, our Open Team recorded three wins and have moved up into the top 8:

Open			imps		vps		position
South Africa			43-19		15.74		9
Morocco			49-46		10.91		9
Singapore			85-40		18.66		7
Women
Argentina			33-34		9.69		9
France			20-54		2.69		12
Norway			43-20		15.56		10
Mixed
Denmark			39-16		15.56		7
USA1			3-  83		0		12
Egypt			59-53		11.76		13

 

Pride of place to our Mixed Team who as npc GeO Tislevoll pointed out had a run of five successive victories, which was rather brutally ended by the heavy loss to USA1.

“An impressive performance by the NZ Mixed team so far. After two losses in the beginning came five wins in a row, a huge effort in a World Championship. However, NZ got totally trashed by the strong USA 1 squad (probably my gold favourites) in round 8.

After 7 rounds, NZ Mixed were in an awesome 7^th place, but obviously dropped after the huge loss against the Americans.

In Round 7 against Denmark, Mindy Wu-Mariusz Tumilowicz found this excellent slam:

Mariusz, West, started with 2. Mindy’s 2 was negative or waiting. After Mariusz showed his hearts, Mindy made the good jump to 4, splinter. Mariusz could then push on to 6.

The slam depends on either 2-2 hearts, or if there is a trump loser, you must solve the diamonds for nil loser. Mariusz took all the thirteen tricks, and New Zealand won 11 IMPs when Denmark did not bid to slam. Only seven out of 24 E/W-pairs in the Mixed series bid this slam.”

The above slam was also bid by Whibley-Brown for an 11imp pick-up in the Open Team’s victory over South Africa. This next board helped there too:

 

As South, Ashley Bach had no interference when he got to play in 4, making 11 tricks after the A lead. However, there was more activity at the other table. Matt Brown’s 2 showed spades and a minor, Michael’s style. Despite the adverse vulnerability, that encouraged Michael Whibley, East, to look for his partner’s minor by bidding 4NT. 5 was destined to only be one down, a good save, though it got more interesting when South bid on to 5.

Matt found the great lead-directional under-lead of the 2 at trick 1. When Michael’s K (3^rd player plays high!) scored, Michael knew what to do. The club return was ruffed by Matt who exited passively and later scored his K to beat the contract and gain New Zealand 11 imps.  

Ashley Bach and Michael Cornell would have felt quite up-beat after the first board of their match against Singapore:

It would seem that Michael, North, opened 1 and Ashley, South, made a pre-emptive spade jump. This caused West to double and over Michael’s 4 bid, East bid 5. That was great news for Michael, who doubled. This inelegant contract went 4 down for + 800.

Meanwhile, Matt and Michael found their diamond fit and Michael, East, got to play in 5. The lead was not a threatening club but 10 and Michael eased his way to 11 tricks. Even on a low club lead, it looks like declarer should prevail as long as they do not put up a club honour at trick 1 from the West hand. North would ruff but later on after drawing trumps, A and a second club would leave South helpless whether or not they take their K.

The board produced 15 very useful imps for the Kiwis.

Both Kiwi pairs did well in the Women’s match against Argentina:

With normal trump and side-suit breaks, it looks like North-South could come to 10 tricks in 4. However, this was no such “normal” day and Pam Livingston, West, got to double this contract. She led her spade with Jan Alabaster, East, winning to switch to her singleton diamond.

Pam won to give her partner a ruff. A low spade followed. South would have done better to discard their club but they ruffed with Pam over-ruffing… and there was still a club to come for down 2 as Pam exited another diamond forcing declarer to ruff high, + 500. 

That score was matched at the other table but the +500 went to Jenna and Christine Gibbons who doubled East’s 4 contract. Jenna’s lead as South was K. The defence took 2 trump tricks, AK and 2 club tricks for down 3..and 500 and 500 added up to 14 very useful imps in.
  Time-out in Marrakech

 
for Jan Alabaster, Kris Wooles and Jenna and Christine Gibbons

Our Open Team finished the day well-placed 7^th and only 4.4 vps behind 3^rd and 12.5 vps behind the leaders, Switzerland.

Our Women are 10^th 5.6 vps behind 8^th placed Norway. Meanwhile, our Mixed Team, in 13^th place, are 8 vps behind 8^th.

Day 4 sees all three Kiwi teams take on Australia. The Open Team also play China and Brazil. Our Women have a tough start against the current leaders, Poland, and also play United Arab Emirates. The Mixed Team also play Colombia and France. It is still a long way to go.

Richard Solomon

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