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Daily Bridge in New Zealand
Trans nationals in Marrakech.
End Play
End play in more ways than one as today’s deal comes from the Transnational Teams which was the consolation event for those teams who did not make the knock-out stages of the four events, Open, Women, Mixed, Seniors.
New Zealand had two teams take part in the Transnationals which attracted 72 entries. The format was 10 x 10 board matches over two days with the top 32 advancing to the knock-out stages of this event.
For the New Zealand Open Team (Bach-Cornell, Whibley-Brown and Mayer, with Michael Ware returning home early), it was rather a déjà-vus finish. After 9 rounds, they sat 24th, 4.23 vps above the qualifying mark but the last round did not go their way. Playing against Ireland, who included Hamilton (NZ) based Hugh McGann, the Kiwis lost 16-39 (3.41) finishing 40th, 3.13 vps short of qualifying.
All 6 of our Mixed team played as a team winning three of their ten matches, including a big win at the end which left them 45th after 10 rounds.
Day 1 "ended" with a nice triumph for Michael Cornell.
.JPG "Michael Cornell (2).JPG")
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Board 10 |
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West |
North |
East |
South |
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Ashley Bach |
Michael Cornell |
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1 NT |
Pass |
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2 ♠ |
Pass |
2 NT |
Pass |
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3 ♥ |
Pass |
3 ♠ |
Pass |
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3 NT |
All pass |
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The bidding requires some explanations. Michael,East, opened a strong 1NT, (good 14-17). Ashley’s 2
showed clubs and 2NT showed no interest in clubs. 3
was a shortage in that suit and game-forcing. 3 was natural and 3NT said “play there, partner, if you had a double heart hold”, which Michael did.
The lead was 10 to North’s ace. It seemed the 10 denied a higher honour as North switched to a low spade. Michael played off four rounds of the suit, losing the fourth round to North’s J. He discarded 2 clubs from dummy.
North was not in a good position and exited a low diamond to 
J and dummy’s K. (perhaps Q would have given the defence more chance.) Back came 10 and Michael had scored three tricks in that suit. He won the third round in hand leaving the following with Michael having taken 3 diamond and 3 spade tricks:
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He cashed 7 and North had to throw 
J. Next came K (trick 8 for Michael)) and then J throwing North in to lead A and then Q to dummy’s K at trick 13. A nice + 600 with his opponents scrambling home in 2 at the other table.
Richard Solomon
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