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Twenty Years ago at the Babich.

We start our look back by going to December 2004 and seeing a comparison with the present day, the New Zealand Wide Pairs. It was then sponsored by Babich Wines (yes, their sponsorship lasted many years) and NZ Bridge Magazine reported that “816 pairs took part at 49 clubs, both record numbers for the event.”

We did not have record numbers this year though we had 915 pairs and 54 heats. This event, now sponsored by Loveblock Wines, is still popular.

There was a connection between these two years. The overall 2004 winners were the Waikanae pair, Graham Cheater and Jeanne Wardill with an across the field score of 72.07%. They are regulars in competing in this event and in doing well. They did not score as well in 2024, only 70.44% which was enough for 4^th place overall.

     
                                     Jeanne and Graham in 2004 and 2024

The other pair in the 2004 picture are Timaru’s Michael Johnstone and Paula Gregory who play most regularly in A Point tournaments. In 2004, they were runners-up with 71.69%. In 2024, they played in one of the two heats at Westport and won their section though their score was only 62.43%. So, no bottles of wine this year.

Here’s one board from 2004 where vulnerability played a big part…and it favoured Graham and Jeanne rather than Paula and Michael.

 

Here’s a problem many West players faced and it looks like over half did not get it right. Nor did several of the North-Souths. Half the tables saw East declare in 5 for a below 50% score for the declarers as these were the four hands below.

3 should show diamond support and East co-operated with their 5 bid. Those aces in the West hands were extremely valuable cards.

 

Some East-West pairs were saved by their opponents whose decision to do a piece of “saving” themselves did not work out too profitable as long as 5 was doubled. 200 pairs Easts played in 5 scoring 420 while a further  61 East-Wests defended 5x where there were 4 certain losers which meant 500 to East-West. That was the score which Paula and Michael, North-South, conceded. At least their opponents did not bid to slam.

61 East-Wests appear to have bid on to 6 and 39 of those were left to play there for +920. If East-West do bid to 6, then their opponents have the most difficult sacrifice to take, at adverse vulnerability with 6x only costing them -800. That could be considered the par result though was achieved at only 10 of the 402 tables. One of those was where Graham and Jeanne were East-West. They had bid to slam but their opponents guessed correctly to sacrifice in 6, doubled, of course.

There was no chance of more than 12 tricks for East-West so that those few East-Wests who tried the 7 level were not successful. With different vulnerability, the North-South sacrifice of 5 or even 6 would have been very worthwhile.

Richard Solomon

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