Good luck, bad luck leads for N.Z. team

Press, 12 November 1985, Page 12

Good luck, bad luck leads for N.Z. team

CONTRACT BRIDGE

J.R. Wignail

At the world championships in Sao Paulo, New Zealand did not play up to its best form, but it could also claim to have been unlucky on many occasions. In particular, the team had trouble finding the best opening lead, so often a crucial factor in the success or failure of the contract. There were a couple of examples in the drawn second-round match against Indonesia. South dealt this hand with both sides vulnerable:

With the Indonesians North-South, the auction was: S. W. N. E. INT 2* 2NT 3* 3NT No No Dble All Pass After a low spade lead the declarer finished with a doubled overtrick and a big swing on the board when, in the other room, the New Zealand North-South finished in four diamonds just made. But what a difference if West had happened to lead a club! East wins, and a •4

spade through produces seven tricks for the defenders. A little later the same Indonesian pair took a shot at six clubs:

The auction was: S. W. N. E. 2* No 20 No 2NT No 3? No 3NT No 44> No 4V No’ 6* All Pass Faced with a blind opening lead against six clubs, West guessed to start with a diamond and that was a quick slam swing to Indonesia. If he had selected a spade the defence would take the first two tricks, of course. In the. second half of the match, the Kiwis struck back on this hand, dealt by

South, with neither side vulnerable:

The auction was: S. W. N. E. 2<®> 3<& Dble 4<s» No No 54> Dble 5T No No Dble All Pass West, Tony Taylor, for New Zealand, desperately wanted to give his partner a quick entry. So he chose the only way to do it — he led a low spade. Recovering quickly from the shock of winning the first trick with the jack of spades, Mike Cornell cashed the ace of clubs, and gave his partner a club ruff to put the contract one down. Without that particular opening lead the declarer would have had no trouble collecting 11 tricks. In the other room, the fine contract of five spades doubled, played by West, went only ‘one down when North led a club allowing the declarer to take a quick discard on the ace.

The opening leads had certainly been crucial.