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MIXING IT WITH THE BEST. 

We pick up the story from yesterday in the New Zealand Open Teams where the team of Jeremy Fraser Hoskin, Jack James, Geeske Joel, GeO Tislevoll, Kate Davies and John Patterson squeaked through the Swiss stage and then nearly went the whole way. They knocked out a formidable Australian team in the quarter-finals then faced the event favourites in the semis:

Dealer North. Vul E/W.

 

 

 

 

Too much for game but is it enough for slam…and if so which one?

Semi -Final versus Cornell (Won by 20 IMPS)

The Cornell team was made up of three open international pairs (Michael Cornell- Ashley Bach, Matt Brown- Michael Whibley, Peter Newell- Martin Reid) two of whom are off to represent New Zealand in the world championships in Italy.   Our team performed well throughout the day with Jeremy and Jack having a great day in the slam zone especially in the third stanza where they bid and made two vulnerable slams not bid by the opposition.   Board 25 was especially nice.

BD: 25	42	Dlr: N
	AJT843	Vul: E-W
	6
	9875
A6		KJT753
52		KQ
AQJ93		K72
AQJ6		42
	Q98
	976
	T854
	KT3

 

The auction:

West     North   East       South

Jack                     Jeremy

                3        3          4
4NT         Pass     5        Pass
6          All Pass

 

Very well judged by Jack James admittedly he was probably pleased to see KQ as an able substitute for the singleton he visualised. 4NT was Key Card with the response showing one or four in support of spades. 

 
Not "Numero One" this time for Jeremy 
but "numero 2" was still a pretty fine effort. 

In the final stanza, GeO was off preparing for his birthday party but I am sure he was keeping an eye on the progress as the match unfolded.  Both North /South pairs bid two 4 contracts that can be defeated on club leads which as it turned out were flat boards as each pair made the contracts.  This was good news for our team who managed to hold onto the lead we took into the stanza.

The win against the Cornell team (93-72.94 with a 25 imp margin in the third stanza being decisive) was a worthy birthday present for GeO. I am sure he will have great delight in reminding his international team mates of the outcome in years to come.

 

 

In the final

Final versus Milne (lost)

This was held on Valentine’s Day and it seemed only fitting that we should win on this day as we were fielding a mixed team.  Kate and Geeske had provided many occasions along the way which more than justified their presence in the final and deserved a Valentine’s Day gift to remember.  

Club slams were still to the fore:

board 2

 

 

The Auction

West    North     East   South
              John                   Kate

                             2     Pass
4       4NT         Pass   6
All Pass

 

Making 6.  At the other table, the North/ South opponents had a degree of confusion and ended up in 6 which luckily made as diamonds broke favourably.  Unfairly a flat board.

 Despite the girls guiding us to a small win in the first stanza, the second and third stanza saw us drift to 100 imps down.  We had run out of gas and conceded to the Milne team who were deserved winners. 

Congratulations to Liam Milne, James and Glenn Coutts, Alex Smirnov, Andy Hung and Nick Jacob.

Ruff and sluff and sluff and sluff!

Despite this we exceeded our expectations, defeated a team full of New Zealand Open team representatives and GeO pulled off a fine defence against his partner (Nick Jacob) who played in the winning team with a rare triple ruff and sluff defence to beat 4 by Nick (North) on this deal in the final.

 

 

 

 

GeO (East) started with A and a second diamond. Nick ruffed in dummy and played a spade to the queen and GeO’s ace. GeO continued diamonds, this time ruffed by Nick in his own hand. Nick played AK and took a successful club finesse, cashing three rounds of the suit leaving the following cards outstanding:

Nick had 7 tricks and GeO had so far his two aces. Nick played a club ruffed by GeO with 6 and Nick discarded T from dummy. GeO exited his last diamond, a third ruff and discard for the declarer. Nick discarded dummy’s heart and ruffed in hand.

9 was covered by GeO who won the last trick with 6 over Nick’s 5. Well played by Nick but Geo’s ruff and discards prevailed.

 

While disappointing in the final, the experience and journey was something all of us will remember for a long time.  We were not a team of champions but a champion team nonetheless.  Look out for the young guns Jack and Jeremy as there will be plenty more adventures awaiting them.  Further if you are wondering who Geeske Joel is; she is a very fine player who moved to New Zealand in middle of last year. So, you will be seeing a lot more of her in the future.

Thanks team: it was a blast!

Three more tricks

At least! You are looking at two and seeing as you are playing Teams style, you and your partner would really like at least three more…

 

 

 

 

1NT was 15-17 and 2  a range-finder with 3 showing any maximum. West’s bidding looks a little pushy. Make ‘em pay!

You lead 3 the trick being won with dummy’s J, your partner contributing 10. Next comes 2 from dummy to 6 from your partner (reverse count), K from declarer… and you?

Plan the defence.

Richard Solomon

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