Felixstowe Congress
After a few years of keeping attendances static, last weekend's Felixstowe Congress took a leap in the right direction with an enhanced event that saw almost a quarter more tables in play. The congress has not been unusual in its travails to compete with the leisure alternatives available, many local and national events have disappeared and this year is a heartening development.
How much the increased number have been to do with the adoption of Green Points (required by tournament players to rise up the lifetime title list) is not clear. This increases the price as the English Bridge Union raises money with this device so, paradoxically, the cost of Felixstowe went up, but more people were prepared to pay for it. Certainly the running of the event was as exemplary as ever; Malcolm Carey and his wife, regulars at Felixstowe Club, are respected nationally and they again supplied a first class event. Perhaps the conundrum is that if something looks too cheap, then its value is doubted.
With the results in this week, just a small, well perhaps a big problem; as west how do you play seven no-trumps on these hands?
| ♠ KQ94 | ♠ A6532 | ||
| ♥ K | ♥ A10543 | ||
| ♦ A7 | ♦ Q2 | ||
| ♣ AKQJ52 | ♣ 9 |
You bid very well! As this hand occurred in the pairs, making the no-trump slam will outscore all those in seven spades or seven clubs. But you have to make it; how do you play if (a) the lead is the three of clubs (south following with the seven) and (b) the five of diamonds - do you try the queen?
| Swiss Teams (Sunday, seven matches) | ||
| 1 | Paul & Val Mollison, | |
| Simon & Judith Moorman (Essex) | 100 VP | |
| 2 | Peter Gemmell / Peter Sutcliffe, | |
| Jim Gobert, Chris Chambers | 94 VP | |
| 3= | Alan & Elaine Green, | |
| Anne Segal / Frank Morrison (Suffolk & Essex) | 90 VP | |
| 3= | Angela Fenton / June Brown, | |
| Rosemarie Mascall / Norman Denny (Colchester) | 90 VP | |
| Pairs Championship Final (Saturday - Green Pointed) | ||
| 1 | John Cullingworth / David Kendrick (Cambridge) | 61.78% |
| 2 | Chris Chambers / Jim Gobert (Ipswich) | 56.97% |
| 3 | Eric Wright / Nigel Mortimer | 55.29% |
| Consolation Pairs | ||
| 1 | Manny Mares / Martin Hoffman (London) | 60.88% |
| 2 | Colin Bamberger / Robert Green (Felixstowe) | 59.03% |
| Suffolk Coastal Shield (Open Pairs) | ||
| 1 | Maria Allnutt / Debby Sutcliffe (Ipswich) | 71.30% |
| 2 | Neil Bresler / David Cooper | 64.35% |
Published Saturday 18.Oct.2008