All News

the venue.

Day 1 Stop the Clock! 
This week, daily reports from Salsomaggiore replace or double as our "Daily Hands".

Right now, after three of the 23 matches for the New Zealand Open Team playing in the Bermuda Bowl in Salsomaggiore. If “the clock” were to stop, New Zealand, our “Bridge Blacks” would have achieved their first aim of making the top 8, who move on to play the knock-out stages of this prestigious event. Indeed, after Match 1, we led the world picking up 19.85  vps against Argentina.

A small loss to Hungary followed and the day ended with a win over China Hong Kong. At the end of the day, New Zealand are 6^th on 40.86 vps with Netherlands leading the way on 44.79 vps.

Here’s a little play hand for you to whet the appetite:

 

 

You are in grand slam and receive 6 lead. Plan the play. Trumps break 3-1 and a couple of rounds of hearts will not see the queen appear. Over to you..oh, playing A at trick 1 is a good start!

My thanks for today’s report (and hopefully to those that follow) to GeO Tislevoll who has found the time and energy to send a report on the two deals which follow. They demonstrate the care required to succeed at a high level but also that whoever you are, you need a modicum of good fortune.

The New Zealand team is Ashley Bach - Michael Cornell (playing captain), Matt Brown- Michael Whibley and GeO Tislevoll - Nick Jacob. 

Good start!

“NZ Open team got a decent start in the Bermuda Bowl in Salsomaggiore, Italy. Admittedly, the three first matches were not against any of the strongest teams, but two wins and a small loss is an ok first day.

The first match against Argentina gave a near maximum 76-18 (19.85 vps) and in the second round we lost to Hungary 35-42 (7.97 vps)  before China Hong Kong was beaten 61-50 (13.04vps). After three (of 23) matches, New Zealand is in 6^th place with 40.86 VPs while the leaders, Netherlands have 44.79 VPs.

In the first match this deal contributed well to the big win although the Kiwis were not too proud of it. But if you are in the wrong spot, it helps to be lucky sometimes: 

 

 

 

 

Cornell-Bach ended in 6 played by West and they were the first to admit they should have stayed in game. Of course, the slam goes quickly down with two losers in diamonds if North finds the diamond lead. But the diamond lead was not found. However, after a trump lead, it still looks hopeless. Where is the twelfth trick supposed to come from?

The declarer (Bach) simply cashed major suit winners, and when the poor South held AK  and six clubs, he was alone stopping that suit. This was the situation before the last spade was played. Unlucky for South. 

 

 

After nine major suit tricks, he could not keep three clubs and two big diamonds. The declarer will be able to set up a diamond trick (if South pitches a big diamond), or he will score three club tricks.

Lucky, and +11 imps when Argentina played correctly in 4.

In the second match, New Zealand was for a long while not that good (or lucky) in the slam department, but late in the match Whibley and Brown bid well on this deal:

 

 

 

West              East

Brown           Whibley

2                   2

2                   2

2NT                  3

3                   3NT

4                   4

4NT                  5

6                   7

Pass

 

This bidding needs some explanation:

 

2 was the big artificial club, and his next bid, 2, was not natural showing either 5+ hearts or a 25+NT. (or both!)

 

2 was also not natural but waiting, and West told about the huge no trump hand.

 

Then 3 was transfer (5+) and 3 promised three spades.

East’s 3NT was a balanced slam try followed by 4 and 4 which were control showing, and over 4NT East promised 0 Key Cards. (no surprise to Matt!)

 

Now West’s 6 was asking for third round in control in hearts (in addition to the king about which he already knew) and with KJ doubleton, East bid the grand slam. Good bidding!

 

In the play it is never any problem on a non-diamond lead. There are enough entries to pull trumps and later set up hearts (the fifth heart) with two ruffs and still have an entry for the extra trick. You will win 6 spades, 3 hearts, A and AKQ, 13 tricks.

 

On a diamond lead, which is what Michael Whibley received, you need to be careful as one entry is taken off from you. Michael soon realized he needed one big spade as an extra entry to do the work that was needed.

 

He won with the A and pulled only two rounds of trumps, then K-A ,a heart ruffed with the J in his hand, then a third round of trumps pulling the defender’s last trump. Then the fourth round of hearts was ruffed and established the extra heart trick needed, and he could get to his 13 tricks, +1510.

 

With 6 making 13 at the other table, this was worth 11 IMPS for New Zealand.

 

This may not seem too difficult, but we may report that a multi- World Champion in the famous Zimmerman team (Switzerland) went down in 7 after a diamond lead as he drew three rounds of trumps, and that left not enough entries to the West hand – one off!”

 

Thanks, GeO. Some good play from the Bridge Blacks and you will have observed a slice of good fortune in the slam department early on. However, the pendulum of good and bad fortune swings both ways in any but the shortest of competitions. So, the luck was not all New Zealand’s way. Watch.

 

 

This board occurred in the win over China Hong Kong. No doubt, at favorable vulnerability, some Norths would have got into the auction early.  The China Hong Kong pair bid aggressively in the East-West seats and reached 6, with Michael Cornell on lead as North. Was there any reason to choose a club over the Q? Not really and declarer soon drew trumps discarding two clubs on the AK…6 making.

Meanwhile, Michael Whibley stayed lower in 5, but was declarer as East. He had to watch as the defenders played three rounds of clubs in the first three tricks to beat this contract….16 imps out on the bad luck of the position of the club honours and the luck as to which player bid diamonds first.

 

Win some, lose some!

All up, a great start for the Bridge Blacks. Some wise folk will say that there is far tougher opposition to come but there is also a saying about “runs on the board”. Our Open Team has often in the past taken a while to warm up. Singapore, Norway and England await them tomorrow.

 
  Opening Ceremony at the Wrld Championships

 

We will also watch the progress of the Australian Open Team which includes Liam Milne and James Coutts, their Women’s team which includes Susan Humphries and Ella Jacob and the Canadian Women’s team which includes Dunedin’s Pamela Nisbet and an ex Kiwi Women’s international of 20+ years ago, Karen Cumpstone.

The Australian Open team are 14^th after a small win over Norway, a huge win over United Arab Emirates but then an even bigger loss to Denmark.

In the Venice Cup (Women’s event), Canada are currently 7^th and Australia 20^th in the 24 - team event.  

 

Richard Solomon

 

 

 

Go Back View All News Items