Good start in bridge

Press, 3 November 1977, Page 30

Good start in bridge

Special correspondent Undefeated in five matches of the first two days in Manila, the New Zealand open contract bridge team has made its best start so far in a Far East Federation championship.

The New Zealanders are second on the ladder, a little more than two victory points behind India, but well ahead of Taiwan and Australia who were first and second respectively in Auckland last year. The New Zealand women, the championship titleholders.

suffered a sharp loss to the Philippines in the second round by 1.9 victory points to 6.81. However, they moved up the ladder again when they beat Thailand 8-nil in the late match on Tuesday. The standard five noints for a bye put them in fourth place at the end of the second day. After drawing with Thailand in round one. the open team has gone from strength to strength with highly creditable wins over Australia (4.77-3.23) and Taiwan (5.282.72), two of the countries who contested the world championship in Manila. The other New Zealand successes have been crushing victories over Bangladesh (7.64-0.24) and Japan (8-nil), two of the weaker teams at this stage of the contest. New Zealand’s next opnonents were to be Hong Kong (sixth on the ladder) and India. More details of the opening event in Manila, the Far East Pairs, are now available. The top placings were: L. T. Chan and Y. T. Chan (Taiwan), 1: L. Ma the (United States) and N. Jensen (Sweden), 2; P. Huang and C. H. Kuo (Taiwan), 3. The field comprised 120 pairs, reduced to 60 after Qualifying sessions. In this select companv B. C. Bell (Auckland) and C. L. Friis (Tauranga). the respective non-plaving captains of the New Zealand open and women’s teams. came seventh.

Among the other New Zealanders who competed. R. P.

Kerr and J. R. Wignail (Christchurch) were eleventh and D. D. I. Mayer and L. R. Wright (Auckland) were twentyvfirst.