Bowled out or bold doubt?
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday September 19, 2009
Each event starts with a 21-match round robin, followed by 96-board quarter-finals,semi-finals and final, except for the Bermuda Bowl, where the final is over128 deals. My picks were Netherlands for the Bermuda Bowl (they lost thequarter-final by 4 Imps to the ultimate winners), USA1 for the Venice Cup(losing finalist) and England for the Seniors (and they won). In the final of the Bermuda Bowl, USA2 (Nick Nickell-Ralph Katz, Bob Hamman-Zia Mahmood, Jeff Meckstroth-Eric Rodwell, npc Donna Compton, coach Eric Kokish) defeated Italy (Alfredo Versace- Lorenzo Lauria, Fulvio Fantoni-Claudio Nunes, Giorgio Duboin-Antonio Sementa) by 285-249. In the qualifying, Australia finished 18th with 276 Victory Points, 72 VPs behind the score needed to make the quarter-finals. New Zealand came 15th on 294. In the final of the Venice Cup, China Long Zhu defeated USA1 by 220-148.This made up for China€™s 1-Imp loss to England in the 2008 World Bridge Championships. In the qualifying, Australia came 12th with 314 VictoryPoints, 19 behind eighth place. New Zealand was 14th on 303.The final of the D€™Orsi Seniors Bowl went to England (Paul Hackett-RossHarper, Gunnar Hallberg-John Holland, David Price-Colin Simpson, PeterBaxter npc), who defeated Poland by 187- 163. In the qualifying, Australiacame 13th with 310 Victory Points, 32 behind eighth place. New Zealandwas 20th on 241. Each of Australia€™s teams performed poorly. All three ended below average. Only one pair in each team achieved a positive datum. Where our teams once had class, we are a third-world country in bridge terms. It is not lack of talent,but it is clear that consistency, dedication, discipline and motivationare all missing.On this deal from the first session of the Bermuda Bowl final, one North bidwhen he should have passed and the other passed when he should have bid.Board 12: West dealer : N-S vulnerable South€™s sequence suggests a strong suit and a 4-loser hand. With no tricks,North should have passed 3S. East won trick 1 with the D10, cashed the DA and led a third diamond. South ruffed high and played the HK. There are ways to make nine tricks, but South finished two down for €“200.It is incredible that such a worldchampion pair with years of experiencetogether could have this misunderstanding. If South had a natural 2D bid, he wouldhave been content to play in 1D redoubled, where he needed only seven tricks for abigger score than 2D. South took two spades, one heart and one club for €“400.The ladder of life is full of splinters, but they always prick the hardest when we aresliding down. (William L. Brownell) Likewise in bridge.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald
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