NEC 2014: Teamwork in Yokohama

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.

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

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