Comfortable win in trials

Press, 16 April 1980, Page 14

Comfortable win in trials

By I

J.R. Wignall

Trials were held in Auckland over Easter to help select the national teams to go to the World Bridge Olympiad in the Netherlands later this year. The winners of the open trial, by a convincing margin, were P. H. Marston (Christchurch), G. M. Sims, M. Cornell and M. L. Meyer all of Auckland, who recovered from a shakey start to play such irresistible bridge that they had the event all but won with two rounds still to go. The rules stated that the top two teams after a sixteam double round robin would play off a decider later in the year, so there was keen competition for the runner up position. Though at the half-way point four of the other contenders all had a chance, at the end it was desperately close between L. Wright (J. Evitt, R. Jacobs and D, Mathews) of Auckland and R. P. Kerr (S. Burgess, F. Lu, and K. G. Wooles) of Christchurch. After a very bad start Kerr had fought back to a position where he had a chance if he won his final match by the maximum, and this was duly accomplished. In the meantime, however, Wright needed to draw his last game against Marston, and when he managed a narrow win he had second place sewn up to leave the top three positions Marston 151 out of a possible 200, Wright 120 and Kerr 115. At the same time the women’s trials also resulted in a close finish as three pairs finished well ahead of

the field. Again out of a posible 200, Mrs J. Kinsello and Mrs S. Seeker of Wellington scored 119, Mrs J. Cormack and Mrs L. Rotherham of Auckland 118, and Mrs K. Boardman and Mrs J. Evitt (Christchurch) 114. Though it is as yet not clear whether there will be a second trial for the women or not, it would seem to many that the top three were clearly superior to their colleagues. The week-end threw up a number of very big hands with slams both small and grand aplenty, but this deal from ah early match caught my eye as having points of interest in the play and the bidding: N. - A 10 8 4 V J 8732 ♦ KQ2 ♦ QJ W. E. A J6 AKQ9732 $ AKIO V 94 4 J 10 7 6 <9 7 6 5 2 A 10 943 S. A A 5 V Q 65 ♦ A 8543 A AKB .With East the dealer and neither side vulnerable, the auction at one table was: W. N. E. S. No !♦ No IV 1A 2A No 34 No 3V No 4 V All Pass Though the bidding was tortuous, there was nothing wrong with the final fourheart contract, the success of which, however, depended on losing only two tricks in trumps. East led the singleton

nine of diamonds, which North won in hand with the king to lead a heart to the queen and king. West returned a diamond which his partner ruffed, and when the spade king was led the contract had suddenly become very precarious. : If the declarer, continued to draw trumps West would win and the defenders would take a second trick in spades to defeat the. contract. So North was forced to try a different line. After winning the fourth trick with the ace of spades he returned to hand with a diamond to the queen, and when East could not ruff it was all over. The queen and king of clubs were cashed next, and North was then able to discard his two losing spades on the aces of clubs and diamonds. Finally by leading a heart towards his jack he confined the defenders to one further trick in trumps to bring home his delicate contract. At another table the auction was entirely different: W. N. E. S. 24 2NT No 3NT All Pass East’s opening bid was obviously artificial, showing on this occasion a long spade suit in a weak hand, but North-South quickly reached a three no-trump contract. When West’s opening lead ' was the jack of spades, South made the crucial play of allowing him to take the first trick. After winning the continuation with the ace of spades

CONTRACT /BRIDGE

the declarer played off the king and queen of diamonds. ; When the bad break was revealed, South was forced to rely on a favourable heart position. He led a heart to the queen and king, and at this point, thanks to the hold up at trick one. West had no spade to lead. . - The declarer ' took the diamond continuation with the ace and led another heart. West ■ could win the third trick for the defence with the king and cash the established jack of diamonds but South had the rest via two more tricks in hearts and the three top clubs. Two very different but equally precarious contracts had been brought home by careful declarer play.