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Our Kiwis in Singapore Day 4. BBO SATURDAY 7.00PM NZ Time Mixed Blacks v Australia 9.30pm Bridge Ferns v Indonesia

Bridge Masters Record Four Wins                

Pick of the bunch on Day 4 were the Bridge Masters with 4 wins including one maximum points (who is to quibble over 0.01?!) over Indonesia B. At the end of their first round-robin, they trail Chinese Taipei B by 10 and China by a daunting 40 vps. Nevertheless, the team is playing consistently well with 9 wins in their last 11 matches.

Although our Women’s team remained in 4th place throughout the day, their results were disappointing. They have now lost connection with the top three being about 40vps behind 3rd placed Japan.

Our Open and Mixed teams came to the end of the first of two round robins at the end of the day. The Bridge Blacks suffered two heavy defeats after beating lowly China Macau and are still close to 4th place with third placed Australia some 14 vps ahead. The Mixed Blacks had their best win so far at the end of the day to move up to 8th , 18 vps behind 5th placed Australia.

Singapre   Ashley Bach  bad day.jpg
 not a good day at the office for Ashley Bach

                 Women                                                                         Seniors

Australia

38-28

12.97

4th

 

Indonesia B

72-16

19-99

4th

 

 

Singapore

16-17

9.67

4th

 

Singapore A

23-18

11.58

3rd

 

 

China

26-65

1.71

4th

 

Australia A

23-14

12.71

3rd

 

 

Chinese Taipei

13-51

1.83

4th

 

India

16-11

11.58

3rd

 

 

 

                           Open                                                                        Mixed

China Macau

37-13

16.03

3rd

 

Australia

16-46

2.96

9th

 

 

Singapore

10-32

4.34

6th

 

Indonesia

26-43

5.36

9th

 

 

Korea

27-46

4.94

7th

 

China Hong Kong

43-4

18.29

8th

 

 

 

One good board of the day for the Bridge Ferns was the following against Australia in the first match of the day:

Board 27
South Deals
None Vul
Q 8 7 3
K 10 6
9 8 7 6 4 2
10 4
8 7
3
A K J 10 9 6 4 3
 
N
W   E
S
 
A J 6 2
A J 4
A Q 10
7 5 2
 
K 9 5
Q 9 5 3 2
K J 5
Q 8
West North East South
Jane Skipper   Jane Lennon  
      Pass
3 NT Pass 6  All pass

 

3NT was a 4- level opening in one of the minor suits. With all her aces, Jane Lennon bid 6Club-small, pass or correct to diamonds. The slam can be made if played by West on a black suit lead but is much more playable if played by East. South can be endplayed after a heart lead but it was much easier after a spade lead with Jane Lennon merely drawing trumps and giving up a spade to South’s king to set up a discard for the heart loser. That was very 11 very useful imps on an otherwise difficult day.

Elimination and End play for Alan

About half the pairs in the Seniors field failed to make the following slam in the 4th match of the day. Alan Grant had to make 6Spade-small to tie the board:

Board 10
East Deals
Both Vul
K Q 8 7 4
J 8 5
8 5 3
A J
Q 9 4
K 4
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3
 
N
W   E
S
 
6 3 2
10 6 3
J 10 9 7 2
Q 2
 
A J 10 9 5
A K 7 2
A Q 6
K
West North East South
    Pass 2 
Pass 3  Pass 4 NT
Pass 5  Pass 5 NT
Pass 6  All pass  

 

Alan had to bid 3Spade-small as 2Spade-small would have shown 0-2 hcp. John Skipper wheeled out key card with Alan showing 2 with the Spade-smallQ. 5NT asked for specific outside kings but Alan had none to show. So, 6Spade-small it was. Indeed, high enough and maybe too high when Alan saw dummy.

As North, he received the Diamond-smallJ lead. Fearing that the finesse would fail, he tried for an elimination/end- play. He rose with the ace, cashed Club-smallK and drew three rounds of trumps with West discarding clubs.

He finished in hand to play Club-smallA, noting the fall of the Club-smallQ and discarded a diamond from dummy. He then exited a diamond to West who had the unpleasant choice of either leading away from Heart-smallQ or else giving a ruff and discard. Nicely played.

Any win over Australia is a good win and the Bridge Masters’ win was a narrow one. It came down to one minor suit breaking in the following 3NT contract:

Board 20
West Deals
Both Vul
K 8
Q 10 6 2
9 2
A K Q 10 7
A Q 9 5 4 3
K J 3
6 5 4
4
 
N
W   E
S
 
10 6
A 9 5 4
J 10 8
J 6 5 3
 
J 7 2
8 7
A K Q 7 3
9 8 2

 

With the Australians in 2Diamond-small at the other table, Tom Jacob got a spade lead to his 3NT contract in the North seat. He was allowed to score his king. Clubs soon disappointed but the slimmer chance of a 3-3 diamond break eventuated giving a relieved Tom 9 tricks and 10 good imps for the Bridge Masters.

Good Break for Tom Jacob                             Good Play by Alan Grant

Singapore Tom Jacob.jpg                           Alan Grant.png

Richard Solomon

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