CONTRACT BRIDGE Uneven Play In Women’s Tournament

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32114, 9 October 1969, Page 13

CONTRACT BRIDGE Uneven Play In Women’s Tournament

'Contributed by J.Jt.W.9

In bridge, unlike most other games, the sexes are equal, though It is understood, of course, that one is more equal than the other. It was only last year that a Canterbury women’s championship was inaugurated, the brainchild of four Christ-

church women, Mesdames F. W. Brandt, E. G. Garbutt, G. A. Nutt and E. G. Young. Otago followed suit this year, and its first women’s tournament was won by Mesdames K. Wardell and W. Ellis, with Mesdames G. L. Bradbury and R. B. Vincent in second place, both pairs coming from Christchurch. In an attempt to avenge their defeat the Otago women sent a strong contingent to this year’s Canterbury women’s pairs but they returned home empty-handed. They will still have happy memories of the tournament It was organised and run entirely by the men who, as well as dispensing vast quantities of soft drinks during play, provided the teas and food. There were many harrowing stories about the events in the kitchen, and it appears it required the combined brains of a variety of professions to master the various dials on a dishwashing machine. At times the bridge was almost as erratic, most of the leading pairs scoring very well in one session, only to crash badly in the next A common variation on this theme was to have the bad : session first, and the good one next.

The eventual winners, Mesdames V. Bell and P. J. Oakley, of Crockfords Club, improved steadily after an indifferent start Lying eighth with one round to go, they timed their run perfectly and with the biggest score of the tournament shot to the top. To do this one has to take advantage of all opportunities, and this was one they did not miss:

C—A 2 As South and dealer, Mrs Bell opened one spade to which Mrs Oakley responded two dubs. After the opener had rebid two hearts, North with a good fit in both suits checked on aces, then contracted for six spades. Against the slam West led the unbid suit, diamonds, and dummy’s ace won. The jack of spades was led, covered by East’s queen and taken by the declarer's ace. The 10 of spades, then the king and

nine drew the adverse trumps, leaving South in her own band to tackle the heart suit She led the jack, intending if East followed with a low card, to play the dummy’s eight

s- But East covered the jack L with the queen and the king >, won the trick. The rest was n easy. After making the ace h of hearts, South returned to y the 10 in her hand to run off y the rest of the suit Then the e ace and king of clubs took o the last two tricks. Five tricks s in spades and five in hearts, 1 two in dubs and one in dias monde meant the slam had been made with an overtrick. The runners-up, Mesdames D. A. Ballantyne and H. Smart, of the Christchurch Club, had three steady sessions, pulling up from fourth before the start of the last round. They met this hand as East-West, and against them South stopped in four spades, making only 12 tricks when she did not finesse in both major suits. The only other pair to call six spades was Mesdames C. C. Burdon and C. Hayter, of Timaru, who, after leading with one session to go, ’ slipped a little to third place. ’ They duly make 13 tricks on 1 tihe same line of play as Mrs i r Bell. 1 The best score on the deal ’ 5 was achieved by Mrs H. S. i * Wilkinson partnering her daughter from Wellington. 1 They readied the slightly 1 dubious contract of six no-' t trumps, and made 13 tricks. ' After an opening diamond i r lead had removed North’s ace, f had either the queen of hearts ‘ I or queen of spades been in, , the opposite hands, this con- ( [ tract would have been de-' j feated by about four tricks.' | Fortune, they say, favours ' the brave and the fair.