Nunn Too Good

Sydney Morning Herald

Friday November 18, 2005

Ron Klinger

The best results for the Australian Open Team in the 2005 Bermuda Bowl were against Canada (21-9), Chinese Taipei (23-7), England (21-9), Poland (19-11) Portugal (22-8) and Russia 18-12. Incredible losses were to Guadeloupe (13-17), Jordan (6-24) and New Zealand (7-23).

On this deal from the Bermuda Bowl (Round 2, Board 18) Tony Nunn found the killing lead against 3NT.

3NT was reached 20 times, ten times by North and ten times by South. Where South declared, three Wests led a spade, giving declarer his ninth trick. Three Wests led a heart and each South failed. However, after a heart lead the contract can be made, especially if West has opened a weak 2S or a multi-2D. Declarer can cash the SA, the hearts and the diamonds and endplay East with a club to the queen. East figures to have the

CA-K, once West turns up with the HQ and DJ, and the presumed SK and SJ. As long as West has not opened with a 5-card spade suit, East will be endplayed.

Answer to yesterday's problem:

Four Wests, including Tony Nunn, led a club. 'I was not brave enough to lead the HQ,' said Nunn. Just as well, since only a club lead by West defeats 3NT for sure. East captures dummy's honour and shifts to the S4. Now there is no way for declarer to succeed.

Nunn also found the winning lead on this deal from the Round 7 match against Brazil, but this time the bidding made it much easier (see top of next column). With East-West silent, Thomson was in 3NT after North had shown a balanced hand of 5-9 points with four clubs and South had shown only a strong, balanced hand.

The 5-card weak-two opener is a powerful weapon if the opening is based on a respectable suit. Nunn led the HA and continued with the H8. This produced an easy one down for +100 and 12 Imps to Australia, who won the match 17-13.? Note that if East's suit had been any weaker the opening lead would not have been such a success.

Spring Nationals Results:

Women's Teams:

1. Margaret Bourke - Patsy McCartney - Dagmar Neumann - Jan Cormack - Candice Feitelson - Elizabeth Havas

2. Sue Ingham - Linda Stern - Jane Douglass - Julie Wyer

The margin in the final was 150 - 66, the second placegetters conceding with 16 boards to play.

Australian Open Pairs:

1. Martin Bloom - Peter Gill

2. Christine Boylson - Stephen Burgess

3. Zoli Nagy - Bob Richman

Brian Senior is pleased they named the Seniors Bowl after him and we are all grateful that his name was not Brian Aldzheimer.

© 2005 Sydney Morning Herald

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