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







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