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New Zealand Men at the Asia Cup

A mid-table end of Day 1 at the Asia Cup in Jakarta for the New Zealand Men’s team of Michael Ware- Leon Meier, Ashley Bach- Malcolm Mayer and Jack James – Jeremy Fraser-Hoskin.

They are aiming for a top 4 finish after the double round-robin of 12 board matches. 10 countries are taking part. Their initial results were:

China Hong Kong                     24-50               3.27

Chinese Taipei                          4- 11               7.69

Korea                                     27-17             13.18

Japan                                     27-20             12.31

Indonesia                                19-21             9.29

That leaves the Kiwis in 6^th place on 45.74 vps just behind Indonesia with China Hong Kong leading on 70.90 ahead of India on 64.64.

The Kiwis got off to a poor start but this saved a whitewash against China Hong Kong.

It looks like Jeremy as South got to 5 pretty quickly as his opponents neither bid over it nor doubled him. He conceded two hearts, a spade and A to be two down. Meanwhile, Leon, East, was left untroubled in 4 and made an overtrick for an 11 imp gain.

The following board cost New Zealand victory in the final match of the day. 

  Mayer-Bach bid to 6 but had to lose one trick in each minor suit. The void in the East hand is not good opposite West's honours, or at least the wasted queen. Indonesia stayed in the comfort of 4 gaining one overtrick and earnt 11 imps for doing so. 

Slam is makeable but not in hearts. 6 can be made even after a club lead if declarer plays two high trumps and then 4 rounds of hearts. North has to follow suit for three rounds and by the time they can ruff in, West’s club loser has disappeared.
All 10 East-Wests played in hearts meaning no slam was made.

New Zealand start day 2 against 3^rd placed Singapore and then India who are currently second. Play starts at 3pm New Zealand time.

Richard Solomon

 

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