Brighton Swiss Teams

The Swiss Teams at Brighton has a structure that is not entirely, well, Swiss. True, for the first ten rounds the teams compete on the classical Swiss pattern: those with the same scores (or as near as possible) being matched together. But after those first ten rounds the top sixteen, subsequently split into two eights, leave the main field and dispute two all-play-all finals. When this was first introduced there was much discussion about the efficiency of the Swiss process. This year doubters were put back: the top qualifiers won the 'A' Final, the 17th team – the nearest to miss qualifying – won the Swiss that played another four matches and the bookies' favourites won the 'B' final.

My team managed a spectacular burst through matches four to six and reached table one. There our progress was halted – tell me when you hold AKJ of a suit, where do you want the queen to be?

NS Game

  • Q1092
  • K2
  • AQ1043
  • 32
N
W
E
S
  • K6
  • Q63
  • 7
  • AKJ9875
West
North
East
South
Chambers
Poulter
Colley
Bradley
—
2
3
Pass
3NT
Pass
4NT
All Pass

Faced with the uncomfortable task of having to make ten tricks I received the lead of the heart knave. I had a safety position in clubs – taking an early finesse to preserve communication. I was reluctant to take that – North seemed likely to have something extra for his vulnerable though weak opening and might possess an entry. Also, if I were to lose an early trick that appeared to set up a lot of winners, then a diamond from South would cause me some disquiet. Accordingly, I looked to my tenth trick before the rest and, after winning the heart in hand played a spade at trick two.

South won and returned a heart, North cleared them. South's willingness to play the suit indicated he could not see enough tricks for me. This was the situation, the lead in dummy, the long club hand:

NS Game

  • Q109
  • ---
  • AQ104
  • 32
N
W
E
S
  • 6
  • ---
  • 7
  • AKJ9875

There were two options; play clubs from the top or lead the knave from dummy. In the latter case, even if South had Q10x then ten tricks were mine. Weighing up the inferences above, that was the line I chose. There was no trick length suspense here – when South followed low I knew my fate.

Now, think again, when you hold AKJ of a suit, where do you want the queen to be?

Brighton Summer Festival 2001

Four Stars 'A' Final
1. Tony Waterlow, Ian Panto ( Herts), Ken Ford & Ian Swanson (Surrey)
2. Richard Probst (London), Ben Handley-Pritchard (Glos), Graham Osborne & Cameron Small (Surrey)
6. Ed Colley, James Gobert, Jonathan Green & Chris Chambers (Suffolk)

Four Stars 'B' Final
1. Andrew Robson, Espen Erichsen (London), Rune Hauge (Channel Isles) & Jan Peter Svensen (London)
2. Anthony Golding, Francis Morton, Margaret Courtney (Middlesex) & Sally Brock (Berks & Bucks)

Brighton Bowl (240 teams)
1. Steve Ray, Georgia Ray (North-East), Sarah Teshome & Richard Winter (Yorks)
2. Jim Luck (Wales), Adrian Thomas (Middlesex), Rhona Goldenfield and Bernard Goldenfield (Manchester)
45. Colin Bamberger, Robert Green (Suffolk), Ron Buddery & John Williams

Published Saturday 25.Aug.2001