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Daily Bridge in New Zealand

A Kiwi Come-Back.

The first half of the Seniors’ Zone 7 on-line play-off between Australia and New Zealand took place yesterday with New Zealand staging a fine recovery after a dismal first 14 boards which saw Australia lead 25-6. A further four boards saw the lead increase by another 14 imps before the Kiwi pairings, Jane and John Skipper and Julie Atkinson and Patrick Carter won the last 10 boards 46-7 to finish the 28 boards with the score-line of New Zealand 52 Australia 46.

How would you play the following board in 4Spade-small?

Bridge in NZ.pngnz map.jpg

Board 19
South Deals
E-W Vul

   

Q J 8 6 4

Q 10 9 3

9 6 5

A

 

N

W

 

E

S

 

A 10 5 3

K J 8

Q 9 8 6 4 3

 

West

North

East

South

 

 

 

1 

1 ♠

Dbl

4 ♠

All pass

1Diamond-small promised at least 2 diamonds. North led Club-smallK. What is your line?

This board started the Kiwi fight-back. The lead was the same at both tables. The Australian declarer won to take a losing trump finesse. Julie Atkinson (South) played a heart, ruffed and the declarer played Spade-smallA and Club-smallQ discarding a heart and then Club-small9 discarding a diamond with Pat Carter (North) ruffing to lead a low diamond. Which diamond would you play from dummy?

Board 19
South Deals
E-W Vul

9 7 2

K 7 6 5 2

A 7 4

K 10

Q J 8 6 4

Q 10 9 3

9 6 5

A

 

N

W

 

E

S

 

A 10 5 3

K J 8

Q 9 8 6 4 3

 

K

A J 8 4

Q 10 3 2

J 7 5 2

 

West

North

East

South

 

 

 

1 

1 ♠

Dbl

4 ♠

All pass

Declarer misguessed to lose Spade-smallK, a club ruff, two diamonds and eventually a heart as well to go two down.

Not so, Jane Skipper. Jane got off to a great start by playing a trump to the ace. She was always going to play clubs and of course then did so. Club-smallQ discarding one diamond from hand and Club-small9 discarding another. North ruffed and exited a low diamond to the jack and South’s queen. South played back a small diamond on which Jane discarded a heart. She had lost two diamonds but only one trump. North exited a heart, ruffed by Jane in dummy.

Jane ruffed a club high in her hand (the Club-smallJ was still to be played) and could play a trump back to the now high cards in dummy (Spade-small10, 2 top clubs and Diamond-smallK). Playing a trump to the ace would be a reasonable play if Jane then suffered a club ruff with say doubleton king and had the additional benefit of being very successful on the actual lay-out.

John and Jane Skipper.jpg 
John and Jane Skipper

The match continues on-line this coming Saturday afternoon, a further 28 boards, for kibitzers at 1.30pm taking into account the 30 minute kibitzer time delay.

Richard Solomon

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