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Lyon Day 2

Three wins for our Open team but disappointment for our other two teams on the second day of competition. Plenty of interest including a wonderful vulnerable sacrifice at the 7 level.

Open                                                                     Women                                               Seniors

                                       NZ score                                        NZ score                                        NZ score

Germany	34-29	11.48	USA 1	21-49	3.58	China	31-39	7.71
Bulgaria	41-5	17.59	Argentina	9-46	2.28	Argentina	15-30	5.61
China	30-26	11.20	Italy	38-42	8.80	Israel	2-41	2.03

 

A very good day for our Open team who had three wins against strong nations to bring them up to 12^th place, only 3.59 vps behind 8^th placed Australia. Disappointment for our Women who have dropped out of the top 8, all the way to 17^th, though only 9 vps off the coveted 8^th position. Three losses as well for our Seniors who are 19^th in the 22 country field.

Round 4

Board 30 brought some useful swings for our teams and has left theorists debating the percentage way to make 6NT on a passive club lead.

 

If the website is correct, GeO Tislevoll , North, received a diamond lead which gave him the timing to test, even lose a heart trick if necessary and make 12 with either the 13th  club or a spade finesse providing trick 12. When hearts broke, he had no problems for 12 tricks. However, Michael Cornell led a club at the other table. His good friend, Sabine Auken, playing for Germany, took a losing spade finesse and when Ashley Bach switched to a diamond, she took that finesse as well…down one. As you can see, even top players have trouble with finesses! Cashing the high hearts, returning to hand with a club and playing on hearts works a treat….but is that percentage?

The USA 1 Women’s team made 6NT on a club lead but Jenna and Christine Gibbons were only in 4. In our Seniors match against China, a club lead did defeat 6NT while Neil Stuckey did very well receiving an ugly diamond lead (he sat South) but still managing to make 12 tricks for 14 imps in.

Round 5

The worth of the big win by our Open Team against Bulgaria could be measured by the Bulgarians' result against Netherlands in their following match, a mere 8-5 loss, in imps, pretty tight over 16 boards against a top country. So, beating Bulgaria by 36 imps was an excellent result.

Board 5 was very important in this victory.

 

With no outside entry to the West hand in 3NT by N/S, careful play should see this contract home. However, many pairs would have been worried about having just one heart hold (with justification had either A or Q been in the West hand). A number declared this board in 5 where there were at least two top losers and one trump. The Bulgarians tried this contract and finished down 2.

However, for New Zealand, GeO Tislevoll was declarer as North in the raggedy club suit (5). With no losers in the majors and even a parking place for the 6 on the 10, it all came down to the play of the trump suit. Small to the king and ace on the first round and on the second, noting the fall of the 10 from West, GeO led low from his hand towards his dummy. East played 6 and GeO inserted 7. This limited his trump losers to two and gained 13 imps for New Zealand.

On Board 2 from the same match, both East- West pairs avoided playing  the 5-3 spade fit where an ugly 5-0 trump break awaited them. However, for the Bulgarians, it was a case of going from the frying pan into the fire!

 

Michael Whibley (East) appeared to get a spade lead in his 3NT contract and with hearts behaving, had few problems in making an overtrick. However, the Bulgarians tried 4 from the East hand. Michael Ware (South) led his singleton. Declarer won in dummy and led a heart to the Q and Michael’s ace. From East’s opening bid, Michael knew his partner was void in spades. Thus he led 9 for GeO to ruff, requesting a diamond return (high spade requests higher of the non trump suits). A diamond ruff was followed by a second spade ruff…and there was still the A to come for down 2 and 11 imps to New Zealand.

Round 6

Match 6’s Open opponents, China, had not had a good start to the event and were the first team New Zealand had played not in the top half of the field. They must have felt their luck was not in when a 6 contract which required a little more than one of two finesses failed, giving New Zealand 11 imps. Every other Open pair played that board in game. However, Cornell- Bach judged the following slam deal to perfection. Writing down -1100 on your score-sheet does not often feel very good but when it gains 8 imps for your side, it all becomes worthwhile:

 

What made the sacrifice in 7 even more commendable was that North-South were vulnerable. The South hand had the ingredients for a cheapish dive, very long trumps and extreme shape with no defensive kings or queens. There were just 4 top losers. Meanwhile, Whibley-Brown played their part in the swing by bidding to their 26 point spade slam, where 12 tricks was the limit. Unfortunately, I do not have the auction at Cornell- Bach’s table.

Steph Jacob and Susan Humphries in action against Sweden

Our Women’s team gained 13 imps on the board when the Italian pair stopped in 5 while Christine and Jenna Gibbons bid their spade slam.

Slam bidders, Christine and Jenna Gibbons

Eileen Horsman and Bob Grover would have been very happy to be defending 4 in their Seniors’ match but alas, Neil Stuckey- Barry Palmer were also defending, not at Cornell- Bach’s level, but only 5. Thus New Zealand lost 4 imps when they had the opportunity to gain 14.

There will be plenty more opportunities on Day 3.

Richard Solomon

 

 

 

 

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