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                             A "Double" Double Day

7^th at the start of the day and 13^th at the end of 4 matches sounds like a disappointing day for The Bridge Blacks. Even worse, well as bad(!) was that it contained a thumping from Australia, New Zealand scraping 0.31 vp in losing 20-76 to the "old enemy". 

A small win against Guadeloupe 32-26 (11.76) started the day and was less than we would have hoped for against this team and was followed by a 25-44  (5.20) loss to the strong professional international Swiss team, which includes top Polish, Dutch and Uraquayan players.

The day needed to end well after the Australia match. We played 23^rd placed Uruguay and it did with a 78-16 win giving New Zealand a full 20 vps. Somewhat ironically, New Zealand have scored 20 against England who are in 1^st place and Uruguay who are in 23^rd place. We scored a near 20 against 22^nd Argentina but have suffered some poor scores too. “Consistency”. Was that the cry?

A lead problem for you:

 

 

What would you lead as East? 1NT is 15-17.

and a “double” question: what was GeO and Nick’s double achievement at the start and finish of their match against Uruguay but why were they not the real heroes?  

At present, New Zealand are 13^th, 14 vps short of 8^th place but we have played 4 of the top 8 so far. Australia are 15^th, 5 vps behind New Zealand.

Here is GeO’s report:

“Wednesday was one of the two days in the championship where four matches were to be played.

New Zealand started the day in 7^th place, and we faced Guadeloupe in the morning match.

The match was ok for a long while and looked to possibly be a decent win for New Zealand. However, when we were up by 21 imps, and there were two boards to play, an unusual action from one opponent gave a lead problem

for Michael Cornell.

 

 

The normal heart lead was chosen but was no success as the declarer had 11 top tricks. On a spade lead it would have been a quick one down.

 

Unfortunately, this couldn’t happen at many tables as most South players, including Nick Jacob, opened 1. This allowed West to overcall 1. Eventually we tried 4 which is a good game contract if you look at only N/S’s cards. But with the bad trump break, the contract drifted two down, 13 IMPs to Guadeloupe.

 

Obviously, 5 is a make on this one, but…

 

Suddenly the good win we hoped for had become just a small win, +6 IMPs or 11.76 – 8.24 VP.

 

In the next match we played one of the championship’s favorites, Switzerland who came to the tables with their two top pairs, Polish Klukowski-Gawrys and the Dutch pair Brink-Drijver.

 

They played well, and when we made some mistakes. The match gave us a 19 imp loss, only 5.25 vps which meant we dropped to 13^th place after 8 rounds (of 23).

 

Next up was Australia.  After New Zealand took the lead 5-0 on the first board came a row of good scores for Australia.

 

To play 4 was standard and the contract would normally be made if the declarer guesses the position of the Q.

 

It looks like it will be a tough task, though, if East finds the double dummy lead of the J. This is a huge help for the defence as they can take three diamond tricks and later wait for one more trick regardless of what declarer does later in hearts. But such a lead is just theory, and against our N/S pair, E/W were able to beat the game contract. A correct guess in clubs – Q from North and a finesse of the J later would have given ten tricks.

 

Australia’s declarer sat North, and it was actually a Kiwi for the Aussies at that table, James Coutts. He received a club lead from East. The defence had three minor suit tricks, but as Coutts guessed the hearts correctly, he made the contract and won 10 imps for Australia.

 

In the Bermuda Bowl, about half of the N/S pairs made this contract, and the other half went down in their game.

 

Unfortunately, the match against the Aussies went from bad to worse, and we nearly got 0 vps. We will spare you from more about this match, just admitting that outside the playing area, the word “night mare” was used frequently.

 

Time to make a comeback…

 

In the last match of the day, New  Zealand played on of the lower ranked teams, Uruguay.

 

After a long day that look to be a quite bad one, we finally got a very good result as the match gave us 20 vps. After that New Zealand is only 13th, but the margin up to top 8 is less after the maximum score in the evening match.”

 

Thanks, GeO. So, to GeO and Nick’s “double”.  It was actually a “double” double. You sit down feeling perhaps a little apprehensive after your team has suffered a huge loss. Board 1… something good perhaps. You hold:

 

and you hear your opponents bid and bid and bid.. and finally bid 6. Well, do not buy a Lotto ticket if you cannot beat this one. No Lightner as you are on lead! Partner has merely to follow suit..or not. No safe J lead for you. A of course…. and are mildly surprised by partner’s encouraging card. So, 2 tricks in at the start

and 2 more trump tricks to come… + 500! A little less nervous now.

Fast forward to the last board of the set and swap seats into Nick Jacob’s South seat:

 

Again, the opposition bid and bid and bid and finally reach 6NT. A quick check tells you East is to be declarer. You need every extra imp. So, you double and do not look beyond a high diamond for the opening lead and continuation.

 

Start with a successful slam double and finish with one too. How often does that happen?

Now Bridge is a team game. Teams is, anyway! So, thanks this time must go to the bidding of Ashley Bach and Michael Cornell at the other table. On Board 17, they pulled up in 4. Ashley did not have much of a hand! His partner played carefully to make 10 tricks after receiving a more helpful 10 lead.   

 

Yet, look at their bidding on Board 32:

 

      West                     North            East                South
      Ashley                                        Michael

      1                        Pass                1                   x
      2NT                      Pass                4NT                All Pass

Now, 1 was 2+ clubs and 1 showed 4+ hearts. South’s lead directing double was about 3 or 4 rounds of bidding too soon! 2NT showed 18-19 and Michael, who has a theory you need 34 high for a flattish 6NT invited slam (They may only have had 32.). Knowing that a diamond lead was coming, Ashley declined with 11 tricks being all he could muster. Well bid..and passed!

                                             Useful Teammates!

                 
                   That's Michael........            and Ashley

Next up are South Africa, Israel and bottom placed United Arab Emirates. A vp gathering day, we hope.

Meanwhile, in the Venice Cup, Pamela Nisbet and Karen Cumpstone’s Canada have moved up to 9^th after a small loss to France (no disgrace) and wins over India, Norway and Portugal. 
Richard Solomon

 

 

  

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