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End of the Fifth Day
DAY 5 Thursday 19th September
Wuhan is 2 hours behind AEST. The BBO match times are shown in AEST as a 24-hour clock.
Match 13 12:00 to 14:30
The Open team were on BBO. We shall concentrate on the closed room mainly. For USA2 Geoff Hampson was North and Eric Greco was South (a very experienced and successful strong ♣ pair) and for Australia Tony Nunn was West and Liam Milne was East.
Boards of interest in this match:
The first 3 boards were dead flat and then come along -
Board 4
In the closed room, the bidding was as follows
This was surprising conservative from Milne (especially vulnerable). Nunn can open light but a raise doesn’t seem out of the question. The thing to note is that Greco did not balance with 2♥. With 3 small ♠s and East almost known to hold a singleton, things could get ugly.
In the open room, the bidding went as follows
On a tell them nothing approach, USA2’s West just bid 5♦ (East could have held a hand with ♥KJ and not had such a perfect fit but vulnerable is vulnerable and seems appropriate).
Each room made 11 tricks for 10 imps out.
However, two well-judged part score swings by Australia put them back into a narrow lead.
Then came
Board 10
In the closed room, the bidding was as follows
2♦ is the old Precision short diamond with a 4 4 1 4 or 3 4 1 5 distribution.
Poor Milne led the ♦J into North’s ♦s. In fairness, a weak ♥ suit looks wrong and partner has most of the defence’s points, so he tried to find partner’s suit. Against this, declarer will have ♦s well held. So a black suit may work out better on balance.
In the open room, the bidding went as follows
On a small ♣ lead, South really had little chance and eventually went two off.
In the end, Australia had 8 flat boards, 5 pickups and 3 losses for a 2 imp loss.
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The Open Team
|
AUSTRALIA |
30 |
9.39 |
USA2 |
32 |
10.61 |
|
Current Position |
|
10th |
Current Total |
|
149.09 |
|
|
|
|
Total of 8th Place |
|
155.55 |
Boards shown above.
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The Women’s Team
|
AUSTRALIA |
17 |
9.39 |
CANADA |
19 |
10.61 |
|
Current Position |
|
18th |
Current Total |
|
103.35 |
|
|
|
|
Total of 8th Place |
|
153.58 |
Board 4
Each EW played in game making – one in 5♦ and 1 in 4♠.
Board 10
Each South played 3NT and Canada went off 3 and Australia went off 2.
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The Mixed Team
|
AUSTRALIA |
24 |
2.41 |
CHINESE TAIPEI |
60 |
17.59 |
|
Current Position |
|
16th |
Current Total |
|
115.22 |
|
|
|
|
Total of 8th Place |
|
155.68 |
Board 4
Australia played 5♦ DBL making and Chinese Taipei played in 2♦ making 12.
Board 10
Both pairs made 3NT.
Australia by South on a ♠ lead and Chinese Taipei by North on a ♥ lead.
When North plays it on a ♥ lead, with only one sure entry to the ♦s now, declarer plays the ♦A and then either pins the ♦J by playing the ♦Q or plays small hoping for doubleton ♦K.
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The Senior Team
|
AUSTRALIA |
28 |
13.04 |
IRELAND |
17 |
6.96 |
|
Current Position |
|
13th |
Current Total |
|
131.93 |
|
|
|
|
Total of 8th Place |
|
151.52 |
Board 4
Australia played 5♦ going off 3 and Ireland played in 4♦ making 12.
Board 10
Each pair failed in 3NT by two tricks on a ♣ lead.
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Match 14 15:30 to 18:00
The Open team were on BBO.
In the open room - for Australia Sartaj Hans was North and Peter Gill was South and for England Jeffrey Allerton was West and Chris Jagger was East.
In the closed room - for England Artur Malinowski was North and David Bakhshi was South and for Australia Nabil Edgtton was West and Andy Hung was East.
Boards of interest in this match:
There were lots of options to pick from in a tough set of interesting boards but I have selected two of them.
Board 23
The bidding in the open room was
Sartaj led the ♥K given that declarer had no major and that was one off when the ♠ finesse failed.
The bidding in the closed room was
1♥ showed ♠s and they had an invitational sequence so declarer’s ♥ suit was not known. North led a stodgy ♦ and declarer made with ease.
Board 25
The bidding in the open room was
Gill led the ♣5 which looks best on his hand but it gave declarer a chance. Sartaj followed with ♣2 giving reverse count.
Declarer now knows that North has two ♣s and a trump stack. He also knows probably that South does not have ♥KQJ as he might have led one.
Now the reasoning might go as follows. South has a weak hand so he must have at least six ♥s for the overcall. From the lead, you know that North has two ♣s. Therefore, North’s most likely shape is 5 1 5 2 or 5 2 4 2 or maybe 4 2 5 2 or 4 1 6 2.
In all these scenarios, North has ♦ length and so declarer should test the waters by leading the ♦J to get a count card from South. When South shows and odd number, he is probably 0 6 3 4 (therefore, North is 5 2 4 2). Therefore, play the ♦Q, cash the ♣A and lead a ♥ which you win with the ♥A. Then cash ♦A and ♦K and ruff a ♥ to shorten your ♠s. you now have eight tricks. Now play the ♠Q, North wins and has nothing but trumps left. You win the next trump and exit with your ♣ and you must get another trick.
An excellent hand that is not that easy to play of course but logically (given some help from the defence) is possible on a non ♥ lead.
Declarer actually one the first ♣ and played the ♠Q and now with the diamonds blocked and unable to shorten his trumps effectively, he went one down.
This was the bidding in the closed room.
This went quietly 4 off.
I must admit that I am a little surprised that Sartaj did open 2♠ as well at this vulnerability (perhaps it was too good!!).
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The Open Team
|
AUSTRALIA |
50 |
12.55 |
ENGLAND |
41 |
7.45 |
|
Current Position |
|
9th |
Current Total |
|
159.70 |
|
|
|
|
Total of 8th Place |
|
170.55 |
The boards are shown above.
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The Women’s Team
|
AUSTRALIA |
23 |
4.44 |
TUNISIA |
46 |
15.56 |
|
Current Position |
|
18th |
Current Total |
|
107.79 |
|
|
|
|
Total of 8th Place |
|
164.79 |
Board 23
3NT was played by West in both rooms on a ♦ lead. Australia went 2 off and Tunisia made with an overtrick.
Board 25
4♠ going 1 off was played in both rooms (Tunisia doubled for 3 imps).
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The Mixed Team
|
AUSTRALIA |
18 |
1.45 |
ENGLAND |
62 |
18.55 |
|
Current Position |
|
17th |
Current Total |
|
118.17 |
|
|
|
|
Total of 8th Place |
|
161.03 |
Board 23
Australia played 3NT by West on a ♦ lead making. England played 1NT by East on a ♥ lead for 8 tricks.
Board 25
Australia opened 2♠ by North and got doubled for 1100. Australia EW played in 4♠ doubled one down in the other room.
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The Senior Team
|
AUSTRALIA |
73 |
20.00 |
CANADA |
3 |
0.00 |
|
Current Position |
|
11th |
Current Total |
|
151.93 |
|
|
|
|
Total of 8th Place |
|
157.50 |
This puts the seniors close to the top eight again.
Board 23
Australia played 3NT by West on a ♠ lead making 10 tricks. Canada played 1NT by West on a ♦ lead for 10 tricks.
Board 25
Australia played 4♠ doubled going 1 off, whereas Canada played 5S doubled going 3 off.
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Match 15 18:10 to 20:40
The Open team were on BBO.
In the open room - for USA1 Eric Rodwell was North and Jeff Meckstroth was South and for Australia Peter Gill was West and Sartaj Hans was East.
In the closed room - for Australia Andy Hung was North and Nabil Edgtton was South and for USA1 Steve Weinstein was West and Bobby Levin was East.
It was a tight well played match and Australia did not have the run of luck here (especially Andy and Nabil).
Boards of interest in this match:
Board 11
In the open room, Rodwell and Meckstroth had an atypical auction for them and played in 3NT.
Where 2NT was puppet stayman and 3♦ was conventional without a major.
This made easily.
In the closed room, Andy and Nabil (with some interference) had what might be considered a typical Meckwell auction.
Where 5NT was pick a slam.
The ♠A was led and then a ♥ was led at trick 2. The ♥Q was won with the ♥K and the a small ♣ was led with West playing the ♣J and won with the ♣A. Nabil tried to reconstruct what he knew about the hand (which wasn’t much as far as the minor suits were concerned). West had a six card ♠ suit and three or four ♥s probably. They had bid on very few points so there was probably some distribution in their hands (ie shortage somewhere). The restricted choice scenario favoured taking the finesse in ♣s on the next round. This he did to go one off. Unfortunately the shortage was in ♦s and not ♣s.
Board 14
In the open room, the auction was
Where 2♣ was the majors. Meckstroth had to find a lead and choose a small ♥. The contract now had no chance.
In the closed room, the auction had a subtle difference.
3♠ showed shortage in ♠s implying a ♥ stopper. Nabil led a low ♠ and the ♠T one in dummy adding insult to injury (once a ♠ is led there is always 9 tricks, this just gave overtricks). Now declarer had a clear run and made easily.
Which lead is right? Well on this hand we at least know the answer.
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The Open Team
|
AUSTRALIA |
10 |
2.69 |
USA1 |
44 |
17.31 |
|
Current Position |
|
10th |
Current Total |
|
162.39 |
|
|
|
|
Total of 8th Place |
|
182.03 |
The hands are discussed above.
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The Women’s Team
|
AUSTRALIA |
51 |
18.33 |
ENGLAND |
9 |
1.67 |
|
Current Position |
|
18th |
Current Total |
|
126.12 |
|
|
|
|
Total of 8th Place |
|
172.31 |
England are still in the top 8 but this blow hit them hard. The ladies were taking revenge for what the English male team did to Steve Smith!!.
Board 11
Australia played 3NT and made 12 tricks and the English ladies suffered the same fate as Nabil in 6♣.
Board 14
Australia played 3NT by East on a ♥ lead down 2. Whereas England were one down in 5♦.
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The Mixed Team
|
AUSTRALIA |
|
|
THAILAND |
|
|
|
Current Position |
|
|
Current Total |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total of 8th Place |
|
|
Board 11
Thailand NS played 4NT and made 12 tricks and the Thailand played in 2♠ EW going 2 off.
Board 14
Thailand played 3NT by East on a low ♠ lead making 11 tricks and Australia were one down in 5♦.
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The Senior Team
|
AUSTRALIA |
19 |
3.58 |
ITALY |
47 |
16.42 |
|
Current Position |
|
12th |
Current Total |
|
155.51 |
|
|
|
|
Total of 8th Place |
|
168.94 |
Board 11
Australia played 3NT making 12 tricks. Italy played 6♣ on the ♦J lead (now that looks like a singleton and this changes the restricted choice options as a player would not normally be 1 1 in both minors and not bid a lot with 11 major suit cards). 6♣ made.
Board 14
Italy played 3NT by East on a ♠J lead making. Whereas Italy were doubled in 4♥ and were three down.
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Posted by Chris on Thursday, 19 September 2019 at 22:48