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One up: Two down v the Australians.

Day 4 at the World Championships

It was a one win two loss day when all three of our teams took on our “old foe”. While both Open and Women’s teams had generally a good day, it was a real struggle for our Mixed Team:

New Zealand Results
Open			imps		vps		position
Australia			21-38		5.61		7
China			38-10		16.42		7
Singapore			36-15		15.19		6
Women
Poland			37-65		3.58		12
United Arab Emirates			51-42		12.55		12
Australia			50-32		14.6		11
Mixed
Australia			14-78		0.00		14
Columbia			8- 43		2.55		16
France			30-53		4.44		19

 

This board from the first match of the day did not help New Zealand’s cause.

 

4 was a slam try in hearts and 4 showed no-interest (it looked like Ashley had already “stolen” one point for his 15-17 1NT opening). Michael Cornell was not to be put off and bid the slam opposite 2 key-cards and the Q. Ashley received the 10 lead and if he could have seen all 4 hands, would have had a very quick claim.

However, he tried to set up spades for club discards. He won trick 1 with K (to preserve a needed entry to the West hand in A) and played a spade towards dummy. He crossed back to dummy with a trump and tried a second spade, hoping K was a false-card. He was soon down 1 as South ruffed.

At the other table, West opened 1 and East called a game-forcing 2. Key-Card was again used and South, Michael Ware, was on lead. He tried A and a second club. When declarer played low from dummy, East had an immediate discard for the potential spade loser on the J…and could claim immediately. That was 17 imps to Australia.

It was also 17 imps to the Polish Women in their match against New Zealand. Jenna Gibbons also tried the A lead while Andi Boughey, West, received a trump lead. Playing a diamond to the J would have been a successful line but Andi also was unsuccessful in the line she took.

In the Mixed match, neither East-West pair bid the slam, thus a flat board making 12 tricks..if only for our other two teams!

Market Time

 
a group of happy Kiwis, and others, found the Medina (market area) after play

However, Ashley was to be more successful when he played 6 on the following board against China:

 

South had shown long clubs in the bidding but chose to lead K, even though Ashley had cue-bid in hearts. Ashley won, played A and then a spade to dummy’s Q. AK revealed the bad break in that suit but he was still alive as South could not ruff.

So, he exited 8 which went to South’s Q. K to A, club ruff, heart ruff, diamond ruff to hand, draw trump and then cash winning hearts. 13 IMPS in when the slam was not bid at the other table.

Despite the loss to Australia, our Open Team are well placed after 12 of the 23 matches, in 6^th place, 10.7 vps ahead of 9^th position. They take on United Arab Emirates, USA1 (who lie 10^th) and 3^rd placed Norway today.

Our Women have moved up to 11^th, 11 vps below 8^th place. They play two teams currently below them today, Brazil and USA1, along with the current leaders, Sweden.

Our Mixed Team need to find the winning formula again but it will not be easy as USA2 are currently 6^th and Romania 4^th. They also play lowly Singapore.

Richard Solomon

 

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