All News

SILVER FOR BRIDGE BLACKS.

The event may have ended too soon with the Bridge Blacks on a roll, two huge victories over Thailand and Japan and with Gold Medalists China eventually less than 15 vps ahead. A great finish for the team of GeO Tislevoll- Michael Ware, Michael Whibley – Matthew Brown and Ashley Bach – Michael Cornell, npc Derek Evennett.

They won Silver

   Smiles all around...and why not! Well played Derek Evennett (npc),Michael Ware, Matt Brown,
  Michael Whibley, GeO Tislevoll and front, Michael Cornell and Ashley Bach

The news was not so good elsewhere with the Seniors doing the hard job in beating gold medalists, China, but losing to Chinese Taipei B and Australia B. As it happened, a medal was beyond their reach no matter how well they had done against Australia. Nevertheless, the best performance by a Seniors team for many years in their 16 team event.

The Mixed Blacks finished with three losses to be 8^th in their 11 team competition while a big win over Singapore secured 6^th place in the 10 team competition for the Bridge Ferns.

                     Bridge Ferns                                                      Bridge Masters

Korea	28-30	9.34	6th		Chinese Taipei B	10-26	5.58	4th
Singapore	53-11	18.65	6th		China	19-2	14.64	4th
Indonesia	30-33	9.03	6th		Australia B	15-48	2.51	5th

 

Bridge Blacks                                                                     Mixed Blacks

Korea	17-17	10.00	5th		Philippines	9-47	1.83	8th
Thailand	45-8	18.04	2nd		China	15-37	4.34	9th
Japan	53-8	18.98	2nd		Japan	27-33	8.13	8th

 

THE MOST IMPORTANT SUIT             

Abused, ignored, with many of its bids having artificial meanings, the club suit ended as being the key suit in the Bridge Blacks medal chances. With two boards to go in the tournament, the Bridge Blacks led Japan 35-8, enough for a decent win but touch and go whether the win would be enough to secure either silver or even bronze. Then came Boards 29 and 30.

 

25 high card points is not always enough to make 5 of a minor, especially when 3 of them are in the shape of a singleton king. However, Ashley Bach – Michael Cornell did well to bid to 5 and aided by the early fall of the K made 11 tricks, as did their opponents, but they were only in 4. This was the sequence when Michael Whibley and Matthew Brown were North-South:

                             West                  North              East            South
                                                      Whibley                               Brown

                                                        Pass             1               1  
                             x                         2               3               3 
                            4                     All Pass

Thus, 10 imps to the Bridge Blacks.

The Phantom Ruff

 

The same pair, the same contract, the same declarer…5 by Michael Cornell. This time, 3NT would have been a safer contract though that was both hard to determine and perhaps practically impossible as the opponents were very close (though not in practice) to making 4.

On many days, 5 will be defeated by two top spades and a spade ruff, but not on this day. 

There was one ingredient missing for the ruff to be secured!

5 bid and made. Meanwhile, at the other table:

  West                  North              East            South
                           Whibley                               Brown 

                                                     1NT          Pass 
  2                 3                     All Pass

Michael Whibley got to be declarer in 3 and failed by one trick…but, no worries, that was 8 imps to New Zealand and the silver medal secured. 

                    One from each Pair

                   

They do need their teammates but not for the present. Two Michaels and GeO enjoy the moment.

SAVING 3 Imps…..

It might seem strange to record a board in which the Bridge Masters conceded 2 imps when they won their match with Singapore A  65-10 (on Day 7).Every imp counts and Brian Mace – Tom Jacob combined very well in defending the modest 1NT contract:

 

Brian, South, led his top club, continuing with Q when declarer initially ducked. Brian hoped for a red suit entry though he knew the declarer would do his best to keep him off lead.

Declarer led a small spade to the queen and Tom’s ace. Appreciating the situation, Tom played back a second spade which East won with the king….no finesse!

The cat and mouse game continued with the 9 from hand. Given half a chance, East would have ducked this trick to Tom. However, Brian put in the J thus forcing the ace. We and Tom would know what would come next, a small diamond to Tom’s queen, ducked, keeping Brian off lead.

However, that did not happen as Tom threw his Q under the ace! Only one defender could now win the next diamond trick for the defence…and that was the one with 4 club tricks to cash….contract down 1. Great teamwork and card-reading.

At the other table, 2NT was down 2 meaning Singapore gained only 2 imps instead of a possible 5.

……. and gaining 10!

Bridge is, as we know, a game of mistakes. When the opposition slip up, you still need to capitalise on them. The slip on the following board did not seem that significant. Whoever said 10 imps were not significant!

Bridge Ferns v Singapore..the battle for 6th place.

 

2 was a standard Weak 2. Jane Lennon was top of the range for 2 and when her partner gave her a courtesy raise, she had no hesitation in accepting. She was mightily surprised when East produced a diamond as the opening lead, leaving the Weak 2 as being 5 carded. Being unable to unblock clubs and then get to dummy, she won in hand to play A and then A and a small heart. East hesitated and fatally played low. (the one occasion when the 9 and the Q did not go together! Did East think that Jane had overcalled on a 4 card heart suit?! )

Jane seized her chance after winning with J. K discarding a spade and club ruff. Now came a third heart with East having only black suit cards to play….whatever East chose (a spade and Jane scores her king, a club being a ruff and discard), Jane had made her contract.

The four Kiwi teams now go into one day Test Matches against Australia.

Richard Solomon

 

 

 

Go Back View All News Items