Ipswich Swiss Pairs
Ipswich and Kesgrave bridge Club's annual Swiss Pairs attracted 34 pairs, seventeen tables. The event was well organised, featured an attractive schedule and bridge format and, by any measure, represented great value for money. You were asked to pay just six pounds per person for 48 deals of bridge, twelve and a half pence each. Compare this to the mysteriously popular EBU Green Point events charging (typically) twenty one pounds for 49 deals. The Brighton meeting of which I'm fond for the seaside town has it's own attractions, weighs in at 69p per board.
So, everything is as it should be; local bridge is better value and we in Suffolk are fortunate to have an experienced director and tournament organiser in Malcolm Carey to see that the standards are every bit as high as in the national game. So why were there not more people taking advantage of this on Sunday? Though the competition was the responsibility of Ipswich and Kesgrave, all those with a hand in running local bridge would like to know. So if you stayed away for a reason, or one of your circle did, have a word with someone on the Suffolk committee – we'd love to know.
Just t show this was no amateur event, we even had those swish hand-records that say who can make what. On this deal, it claimed North-South could make four spades – I wonder how many did? There was at least one:
| E-W Vul. Dealer East | ♠ Q654 | ||
| ♥ 10 | |||
| ♦ KQ842 | |||
| ♣ K103 | |||
| ♠ 872 | ♠ J | ||
| ♥ AQ632 | ♥ K9875 | ||
| ♦ J105 | ♦ A3 | ||
| ♣ 97 | ♣ A8642 | ||
| ♠ AK1093 | |||
| ♥ J4 | |||
| ♦ 976 | |||
| ♣ QJ5 | |||
| West | North | East | South | |
| Gemmell | Sutcliffe | |||
| 1♥ | 1♠ | |||
| 4♥ | 4♠ | End |
For the winners Peter Sutcliffe declared four spades and received the ace of hearts lead followed by a club switch to the ace for a second round. Peter drew trumps and ruffed his heart knave which West covered with the queen. Following on wonderfully from last week's article about card-placing, Peter took stock.
All East had so far admitted to was the heart king, spade knave and the club ace. He had to have the diamond ace. Accordingly Peter was prepared to consider an unusual play of the suit: to make the contract, East would have to hold ace alone or ace and a small card. The answer was to run a low diamond: four spades bid and made.
| Ipswich Swiss Pairs 2007 | ||||
| 1. | Peter Gemmell / Peter Sutcliffe | 94 | ||
| 2. | Chris Chambers / Jim Gobert | 88 | ||
| 3. | Ralph Parish / Tony Shearman | 87 | ||
Published Saturday 15.Sep.2007