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HELP FROM ACROSS THE TASMAN

The New Zealand Open team started in great style with a 32-4 (16.72) win over Australia. With China recording a smaller win over Indonesia, New Zealand regained the overall lead by a massive 0.37vp!

It was a steady accumulation of imps rather than spectacular gains. Five came when both East players intervened over North’s opening bid. Michael Cornell jumped to 2 while in the other room, it was 3. A re-opening double by North in both cases left both East players as declarer:

 

Both declarers lost three diamonds, a spade and three trump tricks which rewarded Michael Cornell for being a level lower.

New Zealand’s second match was against mid-table Korea 1. They lost 22-31 (7.29) but increased their lead to 4.93 as Australia did their Tasman cousins a big favour by restricting China to 1 imp and 1.02vps. That put New Zealand nearly 5 vps ahead of Chinese Taipei and over 6 vps ahead of China.

The only double figure swing in New Zealand’s match occurred when Whibley-Brown doubled and failed to defeat a 4 contract with 4 top losers. It would seem the opening lead was ducked…and that was 12 imps away:

 

Match 3 saw China regain the overall lead with a big win over Korea 1 while New Zealand struggled against India, losing 10-22 (6.52). Japan and Chinese Taipei were also well in contention even though the latter lost in this round to Australia, whose results on this day all seemed to help out New Zealand.

Once more, there was only one double digit swing. Once more it was 4 making at one table and being defeated at the other and this time it was 12 imps to India.

 

Peter Newell as North received a trump lead and misguessed the position of the club honours. Now, with the annoying 4-1 trump break, he was really up against it and came up a trick short. In the other room, the lead, from West was a small heart which gave the declarer the tempo to set up diamonds for 10 tricks.

On then to the last match of the day….and once more, we owe something to Australia as they scored 16.38 off Japan. Chinese Taipei had a small win over Korea 1 while China came unstuck against India, scoring just 3.79 vps.

Unfortunately, that was the end of the good news as New Zealand lost heavily, 16-46 (2.96) to Indonesia.

 

Indonesia made two games defeated at the other table…and then there was the above. Cornell- Bach stayed safely in game but the Indonesians were in 6 by North and when North guessed successfully where the K was, the second diamond loser disappeared and 11 imps were lost.

So, not the day New Zealand wanted but they still stay firmly in contention, with the top four all playing each other on what should be a fascinating final day.

1. Chinese Taipei	339.35
2. China	338.66
3. New Zealand	334.55
4. Japan	333.97
5. India	328.77
6. Indonesia	325.50

 

A Day of Disappointment for our Ladies

The opportunity to cement fifth place and challenge the top 4 was there but New Zealand struggled against the lower ranked countries. These were their results:

Korea 2                 34-20                     13.96

India                      24-32                       7.56

Singapore             10-39                       3.12

Our opponents were and still are the bottom three teams.

 

As West against Singapore, Jenny Wilkinson received J lead in 4. She played a second high heart and ruffed a heart high but the bad trump break prevented her from enjoying the rest of the hearts. She ended up a trick short. The defence in the other room was much friendlier as the declarer made two overtricks.

 

6 is an excellent contract with West’s third club disappearing on the long heart while two diamonds can be ruffed in the East hand. 6NT is fraught with danger. It has no play on a diamond lead (but that lead must have been low in Susan Humphries’ thinking about opening lead). It is cold on a club lead but Susan led a passive spade. Unfortunately for New Zealand, West was dealt the 9 giving her a two way finesse for the J..and declarer guessed correctly at trick 2 to score 14 rather lucky imps when Newton-Wilkinson played in the spade game at the other table. 22 imps swinging on the location of the J.

At the top, China is assured of victory being 44 vps ahead of Australia with two matches to play. New Zealand are still 5^th, 42 vps behind 4^th but only 3.66 vps ahead of their first opponent of the last day, China Hong Kong, with their final match against 7^th placed Thailand.

Richard Solomon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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