All News

High Wire Decisions  … 20 years ago.

Yesterday, we saw a deal where the 2004 New Zealand Open Team scored very well in their top match against the Netherlands in the Olympiad, despite some negative comments from the Vugraph commentators. Today’s deal comes from the same match.

 

 

With 2 showing 5+ 5+ in hearts and a minor, the rest of the bidding was natural. The double of 6 showed one defensive trick. You are in the pass out seat. Well?

Over to the Open Team npc, Stephen Blackstock.

“ The auction in the Closed Room was surprisingly quiet. West, Martin Reid opened a 14+ 1 with North overcalling 1NT showing clubs or clubs and a major. East doubled and when South passed, not expecting their partner to hold hearts, Martin and Peter Newell were allowed to bid freely to 6, for +1370 to New Zealand.

That was not the case in the Open Room with Michael Cornell (North) and Dwayne Crombie (South):

 

 

Of course, Dwayne did not expect his jump to 4 to end the auction. He thought high-level pre-emption might simply accelerate the bidding.

He duly saved in 6 but East then did very well to back in with 6, a comfortable make.” (a little “less comfortable if West decided to play South for Jxxx which was quite possible on the bidding.)

“Michael doubled in the pass-out seat to show one defensive trick leaving Dwayne to think long and hard before coming to the winning decision.

Defending 6x feels wrong as the save is surely cheap but it is still a brave decision to bid 7 in full public gaze. Had Dwayne passed 6x and declarer had made 12 tricks, the loss would have been 7 imps. 7Hx down 4 (-800) resulted in a gain of 11 imps. Dwayne’s decision gained no fewer than four victory points.”

These 11 imps plus the 15 gained from yesterday’s hand were two significant New Zealand gains in a high-scoring 64-40 imp win over the Netherlands, 20-10 vps.

Some poor results towards the end of qualifying saw New Zealand finish 8^th, 63 vps short of the 4^th qualifying spot. Netherlands were top qualifier and three countries out of the four qualifiers took the overall medal positions, Italy, Netherlands and Russia rather confirming the Kiwi view that we were in a tough qualifying group.

 
Dwayne Crombie...back after a break from bridge.

It is interesting that Dwayne Crombie took a near 20 year break from bridge a year after this event but is now back playing high-level competition bridge in this country and indeed took part in the recent Open Trial, partnering Stephen Henry.

Meanwhile, Martin Reid, Peter Newell and Michael Cornell continued on as international representatives most years afterwards as well as many years before.

Richard Solomon

We will return after the next 2 day Christmas break with more from days gone by and of course in the New Year with more up-to-date stories.

Compliments of the season to all readers.

 

Go Back View All News Items