Suffolk at the Pachabo
It is a few years since I wrote about the Pachabo Cup. This is the annual competition for the winners of each county's teams event – a "Champions' Cup" or more accurately for those who remember, a "Cup Winners Cup". However, what really distinguishes it is the method of scoring which combines point-a-board, where you have to be careful not to let overtricks and undertricks slip by, and the margin of victory, scaled as in multiple and Swiss events. This cut-throat scoring makes for a tense experience and a team's progress is driven by morale.
I'm pleased to say that Suffolk had much their best run in the Pachabo for many a year; they finished fourth, somewhat cruelly overtaken by a chasing pack in the final round when they had been no lower than second for a long time.
That curious scoring method means that every deal is important, not just the games and slams:
| Game All Dealer North | ♠ AQ54 | ||
| ♥ 104 | |||
| ♦ Q9763 | |||
| ♣ 53 | |||
| ♠ KJ108 | ♠ 32 | ||
| ♥ A765 | ♥ KJ8 | ||
| ♦ J | ♦ 10542 | ||
| ♣ J942 | ♣ KQ107 | ||
| ♠ 976 | |||
| ♥ Q932 | |||
| ♦ AK8 | |||
| ♣ A86 | |||
| West | North | East | South | |
| Gobert | Kent | Chambers | Kent | |
| Pass | Pass | 1♦* | ||
| X | 1♠ | 2♣ | End |
South's opening didn't promise diamonds – it was part of a strong club system – but perhaps North should have taken the risk and competed further. I was left to play peaceably in two clubs and, with the nine of spades falling had no problem even had the defence drew trumps: +90 to Suffolk.
| West | North | East | South | |
| Kent | Sutcliffe | Kent | Gemmell | |
| Pass | Pass | 1♣* | ||
| Pass | 1♥* | Pass | 1♠* | |
| Pass | 1NT | End |
This time South's opening didn't promise any more than two clubs but that was enough to keep West quiet. North's heart bid showed spades (increasingly common over a short-club) and South's conversion was usually three-card support. North judged to play a no-trump and he made seven tricks: another +90 for Suffolk.
In a teams match this would be small beer, a slightly random deal dependent on the choice of minor opening obliged by system. But in a pairs competition this would be an important deal – as it was at the Pachabo. As Suffolk won the board they got two points and as the other two were shared, the swing here +180, meant that they had three points on the scale and a 7-3 victory over a strong (though out of form) Kent side. That this was a rebound after our worst defeat was particularly pleasing.
| The Pachabo Cup 2009 | ||
| 1. | Berks and Bucks | 204.5 |
| (Tim Rees; Mike Perkins; Ian Reissmann; Peter Hawkes) | ||
| 2. | Cambs and Hunts | 202.5 |
| (Chris Jagger; Julian Wightwick; Jonathan Mestel; Catherine Jagger) | ||
| 3. | Yorkshire | 199.5 |
| (Graham Jepson; David Musson; Richard Pike; David Robinson) | ||
| 4. | Suffolk | 196.0 |
| (Peter Sutcliffe; Peter Gemmell; Christopher Chambers; Jim Gobert) | ||
The European Open has started in Sanremo: there are few local and familiar names playing there and you can follow their progress via http://www.eurobridge.org/competitions/09Sanremo/Sanremo.htm with results and bulletins.
In addition, I will be trying to write a daily update on the front page of this website – http://www.dubiouslogic.com via Blogger software (so bear with any formatting problems – it looks OK with Firefox).
Published Saturday 20.Jun.2009