All News

News of South and North Island Teams.

The South Island Teams took place this past weekend at the Invercargill Bridge Club and resulted in an impressive victory for the team of Kate Davies, John Patterson, Sandra Calvert and Colin Carryer. They won all 8 of their matches winning by 12 vps overall. The top 5 in the 18- team field were:

1

Kate

Davies

John

Patterson

Sandra

Calvert

Colin

Carryer

123.47

2

Sam

Coutts

Brad

Johnston

Jack

James

Jeremy

Fraser- Hoskin

111.43

3

Michael

Ware

Tim

Schumacher

Leon

Meier

John

Davidson

97.29

4

Mindy

Wu

Sandra

Coleman

Paul

Freeland

Arleen

Schwartz

90.92

5

Ken

Yule

Kathy

Yule

Fuxia

Wen

Ian

Berrington

89.46

 

Colin, Sandra, Kate and John

It’s been a long wait for the Invercargill Club to host a major event after the events in the previous two years fell victim to Covid. The wait was worthwhile for those present and in his victory speech, John Patterson commented:

“The tournament was one of the most hospitable tournaments we have been too with the organisation, directing and catering second to none.   Hopefully Invercargill will be given the opportunity to run more national tournaments. As a city it is well worth a visit with plenty of hidden jewels.”

 

Back though to the bridge and if you bid a slam, it is a really good idea to make it! So, what’s your feeling about this one which your partner pushed you into after your thin opening 1bid?

 

No opposition interference. South leads 4 which goes to 10 from North and your ace. You draw trumps in three rounds, South discarding one card in each minor and play a club to the queen, on which North plays J.   What now?

 

North Island Teams update

The North Island Teams took place in New Plymouth a month ago. We were not immediately able to congratulate the winners of this event and have not yet done so on this site. The delay was because a significant scoring error was found out of time which affected first and third places.

Had it been found in time, the positions would have been reversed. The players of the team which benefited from the error wanted the scores reversed but this was not possible. The error was made by a player and was not picked up by any of the 8 players until after the time for checking had expired.

Such scoring errors are made more often than they should and demonstrate to err is human. There must be a time after which such errors can no longer be corrected or else an event winner will never be known for sure. So, the situation is very unfortunate when it in effect determines the result of a major event.

So, the top five in the North Island Teams were:

1

Clair

Miao

Wayne

Burrows

Bob

Hurley

Russell

Wilson

113.95

2

Alan

Grant

Jane

Lennon

Annette

Henry

Stephen

Henry

112.31

3

Jeremy

Fraser-Hoskin

Jack

James

Liz

Fisher

Blair

Fisher

110.36

4

Michael

Ware

Malcolm

Mayer

Martin

Reid

Peter

Newell

108.50

5

John

Davidson

John

Luoni

GeO

Tislevoll

Prem

Soundra

104.33

 

 

While there is a degree of dissatisfaction about the final result, we can highlight one happy turn of events. Colin Carryer and Sandra Calvert live near New Plymouth but had to withdraw from the North Island Teams at the last minute because of Covid. They had to travel a long way to play the other “Island” event and as you can see from the results, their trip was very worthwhile.

Colin enjoyed the problem deal above because he was declarer in 6. The play went as we described, heart lead, three rounds of trumps and then a club to the queen, with North playing J. Colin had one discard available on K but it was not clear which card he should throw.

He was intrigued by the opening lead and decided to ruff a heart to check it out. This play was very revealing:

 

He knew then that North had started with seven hearts and three spades..and had not made a bid, despite the favourable vulnerability. He feared that K and maybe J too were with South. So, he played out his remaining two club winners and exited his losing club to South.

Colin knew that South had started with 5 diamonds and North with 2. South had only diamonds left and exited one 9 to Colin’s queen. A second diamond went to the ace and the K was put to good use as Colin’s third diamond was discarded.

That was a very good use of discovering an opponent’s shape, even better had South held both diamond honours. Had South discarded 2 diamonds, and kept 5 clubs, Colin would have had to play North for one of the diamond honours (or guess doubleton J if playing Q on the first round) and play A and a second diamond to make.

As it transpired, he did not have to take a position on the diamond honours other than that South was much more likely to hold the king.

A long and very rewarding trip for both Colin and Sandra...and their teammates. 

What’s Going On?

 

 

 

Well, we know that East has either a Weak 6 card major, 20-21 and balanced or an 8 playing trick minor hand. South’s 3 is described as “pre-emptive”. What say you? 

Richard Solomon

Go Back View All News Items