Mixed performance at Far East championships

Press, 20 December 1978, Page 16

Mixed performance at Far East championships

The New Zealand open and women’s bridge teams left for the Far East Bridge Federation Championships in New Delhi in November with widely differing prospects. The open team, containing the winners of the national pairs and national teams championships, was expected to do well. All the members had previously represented their country, and most had experienced international cometition three or four times. Their results, however, were very disappointing. The team, S. J. Abrahams, and W. Linderman, M. L. Cornell and J. Evitt, M L. Mayer and L. Wright, all from Auckland, was away to a reasonable start, continued with a series of mediocre results and finished poorly to take ninth place out of eleven. It is best to draw a veil over the details. The women were a complete contrast. A very young and comparatively inexperienced team, only one of whom had previously played international bridge, they were not generally expected to do more than finish in the top half of the table. Despite an uncertain start and the inevitable bouts of sickness they quickly displayed an admirable ability to learn. They were always about third place, but applying themselves with considerable determination they were able to snatch the runner-up position from several much more fancied teams. This was a splendid performance deserving great praise. Provided that Mrs J Cormack (Auckland) and Mrs J Evitt (Christchurch), Mrs H. Goldstone and Mrs D. Gravis (Wellington), and Dr. S. Hobbs and Mrs L. Rotherham (Auck'and) can continue in this form they surely have a promising future. The winner of the women’s event was India, who put up a most convincing display, losing only two matches and heading the table by a comfortable margin. This victory for the host country was, of

course, very popular and some consolation for the disappointing performance of their open team, who defended unsuccessfully the title won in Manila last year.

The open section was in fact won by Taiwan, but only by a very narrow margin from Pakistan. This brought into the open a decision by the Pakistani Government, which has for some years forbidden, on pain of imprisonment, its

players to compete directly against Taiwan. The latter therefore won both its matches by default. Had the two top teams - met in their two scheduled head-to-head encounters possibly Pakistan would have picked up sufficient points,to win the title outright. On the other hand they mav have been conclusively defeated; we shall never know.

But though there is no doubt that the Taiwanese are worthy champions they must regret their inability to prove their superiority over their nearest rivals. In the final round of the women’s championship New Zealand had to win well to have a chance of taking second place. This deal, coming at just the right time, gave them plenty of encouragement; N. A 6 V Q J 10 3 2 A Q 10754 A 86 W E. V KQ 19 A — 854 V A 96 V KB4 A J ♦ K 98632 AKQ A 9753 S. A A 1073 2 V 75 ♦ A A A J 10 4 2 North was the dealer i with both sides vulnerable. ; In the Open Room with ;

New Zealand North-South, the auction took a strange turn. W. N. E. S. No No I A 4A No No Dble All Pass After two passes, Mrs Evitt (South) opened the bidding with one spade, a bid that West regarded with the gravest suspici n When third in hand against vulru rable opponents some players have been known to make psychic or bluff bids. It was the end of a long hard 10 days bridge and no doubt West was not thinking very clearly. Eventually deciding she was being bluffed, she called a bold four spades.

South’s double told her she had misjudged things but it was too late. Mrs Cormack led the queen of hearts and the declarer could not avoid the loss of five tricks, two in trumps, one in hearts and the two minor suit aces, for a score of 500 to New Zealand. in the Closed Room, South also opened one spade, but, taking a more cautious view, West passed. When neither North nor East felt disposed to bid on their meagre values, this became the final contract. Somewhat shaken early in' proceedings by the dreadful trump break, the declarer not surprisingly did not make the best of the hand. She contrived to make only her three aces, thus going down four for a penalty of 400 to New Zealand. Their total score of 900 on the board put them well on the way to a convincing victory.

CONTRACT BRIDGE By J.R. Wignall