Tuesday 13 September 2016

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
123Total
CHINA20392180
ENGLAND32131964






Segment
123Total
USA39153892
SWEDEN11271250






Segment
123Total
SCOTLAND415640137
NORWAY423339114






Segment
123Total
FRANCE285321102
POLAND3832575



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

Monday 12 September 2016

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
123456Total
CHINA33376574148231
CHINESE TAIPEI15471423448187









Segment
123456Total
ITALY131027183527130
ENGLAND363424366825223









Segment
123456Total
SWEDEN821153612635268
NEW ZEALAND343126267128216









Segment
123456Total
USA392260614915246
AUSTRALIA36571881026155









Segment
123456Total
NETHERLANDS302355271522172
SCOTLAND26228394933177









Segment

123456Total
GERMANY411126522419173
NORWAY463316373537204









Segment
123456Total
TURKEY234025231524150
POLAND632720284945232









Segment
123456Total
FRANCE335424473535228
SPAIN223135201722147

Derek