Three wins from 12 matches may not seem a particularly good return from the second day’s play. Indeed, both The Bridge Blacks and Bridge Masters are struggling to get momentum so far. However, the Bridge Ferns performed creditably against strong European opposition and although both they and the Mixed Blacks dropped places, both would be pleased with their results. The Mixed Blacks’ win over USA 2 would have been particularly pleasing.

                                        Open (Bridge Blacks)                              Women (Bridge Ferns)

Match	Opponents	imps	NZ Vps	NZ Position		Match	Opponents	imps	NZ vps	NZ pos.
4.	England	19-41	4.62	22nd		4.	Norway	31-32	10.69	7th
5.	Russia	8-54	1.23	22nd		5.	Denmark	33-46	6.48	9th
6.	Chile	24-58	2.69	22nd		6.	Russia	34-28	11.76	12th

 

                     Seniors (Bridge Masters)                                    Mixed (Mixed Blacks)

Match	Opponents	imps	NZ Vps	NZ Position		Match		Opponents	imps	NZ vps	NZ pos.
4.	Australia	17-30	6.48	24th		4.		USA 2	38-34	11.20	11th
5.	Japan	31-55	4.26	24th		5.		Canada	21-26	8.52	13th
6.	China HK	26-55	3.42	24th		6.		Thailand	36-33	10.91	12th

 

A series of game swings in the “out” basket and a couple of cases of poor slam bidding cost the Bridge Blacks on this day. They would hope to start Day 3 with a moral boosting win over fellow strugglers Guadeloupe.

Today we feature a fighting come-back by the Bridge Ferns in their match against Russia. They trailed 4-26 after 9 boards and turned that around with some great defending:

 

1 was a multi-purpose Polish 1 with 1 being a negative. 1 was described as “two spades”, either lost in translation or the best available bid. West splintered with Linda Cartner then able to make a lead directional double. Glenis Palmer obliged with Q. Linda used a very useful power in defending…the “power of positive thinking”. She placed the A in her partner’s hand…and overtook at trick 1 to lead K. When East did not produce the ace, she was in business with her J producing the fourth defensive trick. They were the only Women’s pair to defeat this contract…12 imps to the Bridge Ferns.

 Great switch, Linda.... with Glenis being there for you with A as any good partner would.

Jenna and Christine Gibbons went one imp better three boards later.

 

2 showed spades and a minor. Christine led her singleton club. South should have played her queen under Jenna’s ace though Jenna would have continued with a club any way. Jenna played back 9 at trick 2 suggesting a spade switch (the higher non-trump suit) with Christine under-leading her ace to Jenna’s queen (though for West’s benefit, the king this time would have been a more comforting card until the queen held!) and another club provided Christine with either another ruff or a trump trick if declarer ruffed high… down one while after the same initial lead, Glenis Palmer made an overtrick in the same contract…13 imps in.

25 imps with great defence turned defeat into a 6-imp win. The Black Ferns are after 6 matches only 14vps behind the leaders, China, while the Mixed Ferns are 15 vps behind 3^rd place Latvia.

Finally, one hand from the Mixed Blacks win over Indonesia in Round 3, a well-bid slam by Annette and Stephen Henry:

2 was 4^th suit Forcing with 4 setting the trump suit. Stephen cued his K and then his A after Annette’s “waiting” 4NT. Annette signed off with Stephen raising to the slam. The K was led with Stephen able to ruff clubs and dispose another on the 10 to bring home the slam for 13 imps when their opponents bid and made 3NT.

More of that, we hope, on Day 3.

Richard Solomon

 

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