Women's Teams: 

Day Ten, World Bridge Games, Tuesday September 13

We have reached the half-way stage of our quarter-final encounter with the Chinese women.   Trailing by sixteen IMPs in what has been a keenly contested match so far, we are hopeful of overturning this relatively small deficit.   We had a good start (see the featured hand below) but a run of three consecutive poor boards at the beginnning of the second stanza enabled the Chinese to establish their advantage, which they still hold.

Current Standings after 48 Boards of the Quarter-Finals

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	Segment
	1	2	3	Total
CHINA	20	39	21	80
ENGLAND	32	13	19	64
	Segment
	1	2	3	Total
USA	39	15	38	92
SWEDEN	11	27	12	50
	Segment
	1	2	3	Total
SCOTLAND	41	56	40	137
NORWAY	42	33	39	114
	Segment
	1	2	3	Total
FRANCE	28	53	21	102
POLAND	38	32	5	75

On a bright note, here is one of our early triumphs:

Board 14. Dealer East. None Vulnerable.

	♠ Q T ♥ 9 6 5 ♦ Q J 5 3 2 ♣ 6 5 2
♠ 9 6 4 2 ♥ K ♦ A 9 4 ♣ A K J 7 4		♠ A K J 8 5 3 ♥ A 8 4 ♦ K 6 ♣ T 9
	♠ 7 ♥ Q J T 7 3 2 ♦ T 8 7 ♣ Q 8 3

Using some "Zanussi" technology (the appliance of science) our pair bid with great accuracy:

Catherine Draper                Fiona Brown
       West                                  East
                                                  1S              
        2NT (1)                             3D (2)
         3H   (3)                             3S (4)
         4C   (5)                             4D (5)
         4H   (5)                            4NT (6)
         5H   (7)                            5NT (8)
         6D   (9)                             6H  (10)
         7S    (11)
         
1.     Forcing to game with at least four spades.
2.     Extra values and no shortage.
3.     Enquiry.
4.     At least six spades.
5.     Cue-bid.
6.     RKCB for spades.
7.     Two key-cards (not the queen of spades).
8.     Asking for kings.
9.     Either the diamond king, or both the king of hearts and the king of clubs (Fiona knew which).
10.   "Partner, we have all the key-cards, can you help me with third-round heart control?".
11.   "Yes!"

An excellent auction to an excellent contract, the reward for which was a gain of 11 IMPs...which reminds me.

When I get home, I need to buy a new washing machine.

Derek







Hello

Women's Teams: Emphatic Victory Secures Quarter-Final Place Against China

Day Nine, World Bridge Games, Monday September 12

Our first marathon is over and we seem to have hit our stride in the match against Italy, crossing the finishing line at a canter.  In truth, leading by 95 IMPs, the final stanza was an exercise in going through the motions.  In the quarter-finals, we will face China and, though confident, we are expecting a tough match.

Our progress can be followed on both BBO and LiveBridge.net (video broadcast) at 13:00, when the second stanza of sixteen boards will be shown.

Again, played over 96 boards, the quarter-finals start today and the list of fixtures is:

China       versus     England
USA         versus    Sweden
Scotland   versus    Norway
France      versus    Poland

Congratulations to Scotland for engineering a valiant fightback against the Dutch, leading to a dramatic, nail-biting denouement to their match and victory by a mere 5 IMPs!

Results For the Round of Sixteen 

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	Segment
	1	2	3	4	5	6	Total
CHINA	33	37	65	7	41	48	231
CHINESE TAIPEI	15	47	1	42	34	48	187
	Segment
	1	2	3	4	5	6	Total
ITALY	13	10	27	18	35	27	130
ENGLAND	36	34	24	36	68	25	223
	Segment
	1	2	3	4	5	6	Total
SWEDEN	82	11	53	61	26	35	268
NEW ZEALAND	34	31	26	26	71	28	216
	Segment
	1	2	3	4	5	6	Total
USA	39	22	60	61	49	15	246
AUSTRALIA	36	57	18	8	10	26	155
	Segment
	1	2	3	4	5	6	Total
NETHERLANDS	30	23	55	27	15	22	172
SCOTLAND	26	2	28	39	49	33	177
	Segment
	1	2	3	4	5	6	Total
GERMANY	41	11	26	52	24	19	173
NORWAY	46	33	16	37	35	37	204
	Segment
	1	2	3	4	5	6	Total
TURKEY	23	40	25	23	15	24	150
POLAND	63	27	20	28	49	45	232
	Segment
	1	2	3	4	5	6	Total
FRANCE	33	54	24	47	35	35	228
SPAIN	22	31	35	20	17	22	147

Derek