NEC 2014: Teamwork in Yokohama

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February 13, 2014, Yokohama, Japan

This year the 2014 Canberra Summer Festival of Bridge, was played from 14 to 26 January. The most important team event of the festival, the South-West Pacific Teams Championship defines two titles. The Round Robin winner, wins the South-West Pacific Teams Championship, and the 8 best placed teams continue playing for the Australian National Open Teams Champion title.

This year the Lorenz team won the South-West Pacific Teams Championship, a victory that must have had a very special flavor, as these were the same players that won the title 15 years ago:

Lorentz team:

Gabi Lorentz , Stephen Burguess , Matthew Thomson , Pablo Lambardi , Ashley Bach y Paul Marston.

The Lorentz team continues its bridge journey and today they are playing in the 2014 NEC Cup. After the first 8 Rounds  the Lorentz team was in the tenth position. In the 9th Round they faced China Women 2 and although they lost the match, one of the most interesting boards showed why the Lorentz team has harvested and continues to reap many successes.

Board 7 Dealer South, All Vulnerable. Teams

Close Room

 Lorenz, in first seat, decided to open his hand with a 2 bid. This induced Ling to pass, a Double could have obliged her partner to the 3rd level, not very safe as they were vulnerable.

Burgess realized that:

1) E/W had the balance of power

2) E/W were short in hearts

3) Very good news for him if E/W compited in spades, the higher the best.

So he decided to use more bidding space, but as he was vulnerable, he carefully said 3. Yan in West had to pass.

Lead: 6

Declarer had to lose, 2 spades, two diamonds and a club to score-100.

Open Room

Wu Shaohon in South, evaluated his hand in a completely different way (rather than shrink it she stretched it) and opened 1.

Bach took the opportunity to double.

Yu in North decided to cut his opps communication with a 4 bid, certainly dreaming  to hear 4.

Pablo Lambardi
en la NEC Cup

But now Lambardi found himself loaded with information:

1) His partner had a short heart suit: singleton or void.

2) His partner’s double, also showed values in the minors.

3) He, himself was short in spades.

4) He had his values concentrated in the minors, and his partner promised minor’s support or better.

So Lambardi chose to say 4NT, asking his partner to chose a minor to play game. Bach decided to play 5.

Lead: 5

Declarer played a little one from dummy, South won the trick with his K and returned the 7. Bach played his A and a diamond to the 10, losing against the J. Bach won the club return in his hand with the K, watching North play the  J. Ruffed a spade, ruffed a heart and continued with the diamond  finesse winning the trick with dummy’s Q. He ruffed the last dummy’s heart, played the Q, ruffed a spade, played the last trump and claim 11 tricks.

11 IMPs much deserved for Lorentz…

This is what happened with this board in all the tables:

Table Team Contr By Result NS EW Home Visiting
IMP IMP
1 Down Under 5 E 11   600    
2 India 5 E 11   600
3 England Hinden 5 E 10 100   5  
4 Bulgaria All Stars 3 S 8   100
5 Russia 5 W 11   600    
6 Beijing Trinergy 5 W 11   600
7 China Women 1 4 E 10   130   1
8 NAITO 3 S 8   100
9 China Women 2 5 W 11   600   11
10 Lorentz 3 S 8   100
11 ShanghaiFinancialBC 5 W 11   600   13
12 China – Shanghai 5 E 9 200  
13 England/Denmark 4 E 11   150   8
14 Yeh Bros Mixed 5 W 9 200  
15 Australia 5 E 9 200      
16 SARA          
17 IMAX 3 S 7   200   12
18 FOOTerZ 5x E 9 500  
19 England Black 4 S 6   400 5  
20 HOSHI 5 W 11   600
21 Lucky Corner Passout   0        
22 NANIWADA Passout   0    
23 Kacho-fugetsu Passout   0       5
24 PYON 3 S 10 170  
25 Yamada 3 S 8   100 12  
26 Circle The World 5x E 11   750
27 SUGIYAMA 2 S 8 110      
28 Seoul 5 E 10 100  
29 SAKURAI 5 W 10 100   7  
30 Dangoon 4 S 8   200
31 STEAST 3x N 9 730   13  
32 MIURA 3 S 8   100
33 Kitty’s 4 E 10   130 10  
34 River Side 5 E 11   600
35 Japan Youth Passout   0     12  
36 KATSUMATA 3NT E 9   600
37 Shiro Gumi 3 S 8   100   7
38 Surfrider 2 S 11 200  
39 ESPERANZA 4x S 9   200   3
40 Friends 3 S 8   100
41 KinKi 4 E 8 200   8  
42 Harmony 4 E 11   150
43 Korea Hammer 3 S 10 170   7  
44 Iza Yokohama V 3 S 8   100
45 Sang ae 5 E 11   600   11
46 LAS FLORES 3 S 8   100