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            ALIVE, VERY WELL and FIGHTING: Bermuda Bowl Quarter Final.

It’s so nice to be looking forward to the quarter finals of the Bermuda Bowl with New Zealand one of the 8 countries involved. If ever you wondered whether psychology had a part in Bridge, take a look at the quarter final draw. The round robin winners, France, had choice of finishers 5-8 as their quarter final opponents. They would have had a slightly bigger carry forward had they chosen New Zealand but decided to play China instead. Shades of choosing New Zealand in last year’s Round of 16 in the Olympiad, perhaps? Second finisher, Netherlands, chose New Zealand, their other choices being USA 2 or Bulgaria.   

Set 1  New Zealand 21 Netherlands 35 (Netherlands lead by 20 imps)

New Zealand got off to a great start when on Board 2 Michael Cornell made a 4x contract neither bid nor made in the other room.

Michael, East, received the A lead and it looks like a ruff would secure the defence three further tricks to beat the contract…even though the club loser would disappear on the long heart. No so, and + 590 and 10 imps went to New Zealand.

However, Cornell- Bach overbid to 6 when their opponents could only make 4, while Ware-Tislevoll defended the making 5…13 imps back the other way with 12 more to the Netherlands on the very next board when, against a vulnerable 4, a passive lead from one hand proved more successful than an attacking lead from AK from the other.

Set 2.

New Zealand 46 Netherlands 39 (Netherlands lead by 13 imps).

Slam Swings Galore

Plenty of imps in the second set of the day with there being four slam swings, three of which went New Zealand’s way. Ware- Tislevoll were in the limelight each time. They stayed out of 6 which was missing QJ to 5 trumps (normally one loser..there was one) and which also required a finesse which failed…11 imps in.

If you don't succeed at first, try again

On the very next board, the same pair bid an excellent 6 slam for another 13 in. However, on Board 26, Ware-Tislevoll got one level too high and that was 16 back for the Netherlands. If they were feeling bad about bidding grand slams, it did not show as they tried again on the very next board and were more successful this time:

 

Michael Ware,South in 7, received a diamond lead. He could draw trumps and test clubs before relying on a heart finesse to dispose of his second losing diamond if necessary with possible squeeze opportunities if West had held K and Q. No need to worry on this board…10 imps to New Zealand.

Netherlands picked up one significant swing in the game zone but the set belonged to New Zealand by 7 imps.

SET 3  New Zealand 24  Netherlands 21 (Netherlands lead by 10 imps).

The Dutch scored on more boards but the two significant swings went New Zealand’s way. Firstly, it looked like Michael Cornell bid his 4 count to a maximum as he and Ashley bid to 4 on the following:

 

If there was ever a lead to beat this 18 point game, then it would not be a diamond. Yet, with trumps 2-2 and hearts 3-3, 4 looks pretty cold and with the Dutch in part-score, that was 10 imps to New Zealand. Then, as all were about to pack up for the day, this was the penultimate board:

 

The contract in both rooms was 2 by North. Assuming the declarer can play trumps for one loser (small to the queen and duck the return), there is a diamond and a club to lose and potentially three spades…one down. All the defence has to do is not to touch spades.

Since at both tables, the 10 was led at trick 1, that reduced the spade losers to two…contracts made. There was just one difference. Whibley- Brown, who played the second and third sets of the day but who had been away from most of the action, were playing it doubled. Thus, 11 imps to New Zealand who finished the day just 10 imps behind, at the half-way stage.

At this point, France will be happy as they lead China while USA 1 and 2 lead their respective matches against Bulgaria and Sweden.

There is, to understate grossly, much to play for tomorrow..or tonight New Zealand time.

Richard Solomon

 

 

 

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