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Round 4 of the monthly Trans-Tasman Teams took place this past Friday evening. It was a great night for two teams, Cornell and the Australian Seniors Team who both recorded maximum wins. For Cornell, with Vivien and Michael Cornell and Steph and Tom Jacob being the two pairs at the table for this win, it meant they have opened up an 8.6vp lead at the top of the table, with the top 8 now being:

			B/FWD		Latest		Opponent		Current Score
					result
1		Cornell	42.52		20.00		Aus U26 Women		62.52
2		Aus Mixed	46.96		6.96		NZ Terry		53.92
3		Aus Seniors	33.58		20.00		NZ Youth		53.58
4		Terry	38.61		13.04		Aus Mixed		51.65
5		Livingston	39.53		12.03		Aus Ewart		51.56
6		Fisher	36.08		7.2		Aus Women		43.28
7		Humphries	26.95		15.56		Aus Youth		42.51
8		Carter	35.43		6.72		Aus Tobin		42.15

 

Altogether, four New Zealand teams had wins, three had losses and there was one draw. New Zealand teams still have a healthy overall lead, 359.12  to 280.88 vps.

How many bids would you expect to make with the following hand when your right hand opponent opens 1 and your left hand opponent bids 2, natural and forcing to game? Remember that only your side is vulnerable.

As the matches are played on Real Bridge, with this hand, I felt like popping outside to make a cup of coffee while the bidding took place! However, you can never be sure. The bidding proceeded:

 

Nobody had told our partner that his opponents were in a game-forcing auction. They had bid 2, showing at least 5 cards in both spades and diamonds and then had followed that up with a free bid of diamonds at the 4-level. They had a decent hand, too!

I had a feeling that the auction was not going to end in 4. Suddenly, also, my terrible hand was not so terrible any more. Maybe a spade bid would come later but with partner having at least 6 diamonds, I felt more comfortable bidding partner’s longer suit first. Yes, I might even bid again! 

So, 5 it was and the bidding continued:

 

I was quite happy that the bidding had ended with our side declaring though here are 2 questions for you to answer before you see all four hands:

Had South bid 6 instead of doubling 6, would you have passed or would you have bid 6? My plan was to continue bidding.

However, had you passed 6, your very active partner would have doubled this contract. What would you have led?

I hope that I would pushed all my spades and diamonds to one side as we would have been back in the world of Lightner Doubles. Yes, a club would have been a very good idea!

The board had been well judged by both pairs (assuming that North would have bid on to 6 had I passed 4…if not, then less well judged by me!). 6 would have been 1 down on the club lead while both 6 and 6 were both 2 down doubled, hence 500 to North-South. 6 was the only unbeatable slam.

It is not often that one dives accurately vulnerable against a making non-vulnerable slam. It is also not very often that one makes a free bid with a hand as bad as West’s when one’s opponents are in a game-forcing auction.

Of the 16 tables, 5 North-South pairs played in making slams, twice 6 by South. 2 East-West pairs sacrificed at the 6 level and another 3 were able to sacrifice at the 5-level. The remaining 6 tables played in game North-South.

5 West players took bids on their hands, one even bidding spades twice!

As well as whether West should bid, it is interesting as to whether a slow or quick action from East would work out better. At one table East bid 5 after their opponents had started off 1 – 2 and the auction finished quietly in 5x. North there might have chanced 6 though their partner had had no chance to show club support.

All up, I am glad I did not go and make that cup of coffee!

Round 5 of this event is on July 26^th.

Richard Solomon

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