One More Match

With one match to go and four to qualify each division has its battles.  In Division J in the previous match, Round 8, Canada played Deutsch and I did commentary.  This was a match that most Canadian spectators would prefer to forget.  I know I would.  So now here are the standings after the Deutsch match:

Rank	VP	Team		VP		IMP			Opp
1	161	Deutsch		24	6	63	26		Canada
2	144	Pinot Noir		21	9	46	19		Apteker
3	133	Canada		6	24	26	63		Deutsch
4	129	Apteker		9	21	19	46		Pinot N
5	127	Wang Dade		12	18	23	35		Consus
6	112	Krizel		17	13	44	35		Rodihad
7	102	Consus White Poland		18	12	35	23		Wang Da
	102	Hollman		18		11.50			BYE
9	92	Rodihade		13	17	35	44		Krizel

Canada is now going to play the fifth place team.  the good news is that if they beat Wang Dade then they will qualify.  If Wang Dade picks up at least 7 VP more than they do say 16-9 then they still have a chance if Apetker doesn’t get more than 13.  There is the mathematics.  The easy way to qualify is to win.  I truly don’t want to relive the Deutsch match by writing about it.   I give you one small offering which cost a lot of imps but isn’t as painful to relate, partly because it is only a bidding problem.

So assign the blame:

With everybody vulnerable Campbell held

Campbell ♠ – ♥ K9743 ♦ A1075 ♣ AK84

East ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣

South, Townsend, opened 1♣ and Campbell overcalled 1♥ seems okay so far.  North, Gold bids 4♠ .  And Klimowicz passed which seems pretty straightforward.

Klimowicz ♠ 1075 ♥ J1082 ♦ 64 ♣ 10965

This came back to Campbell.   What do you do?  Is double a terrible call?   How bad a bid is double?  Is 4NT an option?  Ray and I discussed the merits of each bid.  He liked 4NT because he really didn’t want to defend .  I  am fine with double.  Campbell doubled.

Campbell ♠ – ♥ K9743 ♦ A1075 ♣ AK84

Klimowicz ♠ 1075 ♥ J1082 ♦ 64 ♣ 10965

Should Klimowicz pull it?  I think so  He knows that Campbell has a lot of shape and any heart winners are quite likely not to be cashing.   Klimowicz decided to tough it out. 4♠ X making with two overtricks was 1190 and 11 imps.  5♥ X likely goes for about 800.  800 into 680 is 3 imps (although 1100 is certainly possible). Of course if you bid again then maybe, just maybe North South will find the slam for 1430, even worse.   Maybe it wasn’t anyone’s fault.  Maybe this disaster just happened.  Sometimes there are no answers.

The whole hand

Dealer: Vul:	Gold ♠ QJ986432 ♥ Q ♦ Q832 ♣ –
Campbell ♠ – ♥ K9743 ♦ A1075 ♣ AK84		Klimowicz ♠ 1075 ♥ J1082 ♦ 64 ♣ 10965
	Townsend ♠ AK ♥ A65 ♦ KJ9 ♣ QJ732

I was joking with the English fans during the match.  So pip pip to all of you but go Canada.

……………….

It’s later on.  I have finished a walk to raise money for blood cancer research (the walk raised $700,000) and I have come back to find that Canada did qualify.  Well done.