Day 1: Four from four

NZ National Congress – New Zealand Open Teams, qualifying (4 of 9 matches)

What a start. Team Coutts won all four of today's matches and is 5th of 70 overnight, one of seven teams still unbeaten. The TBA's own team Edler is 3rd in the Restricted Teams.

Coutts: 4 wins, +70 IMPs

George and I sat out the first match and watched our teammates (Samuel Coutts, Brad Johnston, Jessica Brake and Jack James) get us off to a winning start. We played the next three, and the team kept winning. Joel (the second seeds) lead the field, with the top seeds Reid second.

Team Edler: third after day 1

Simon and Jane Edler, Pam Murphy and Barbara Giizel had a terrific day in the New Zealand Restricted Teams. They beat Askew by 46 IMPs, Cheng by 48 and Tattersfield by 10, and lost only narrowly (by 2 IMPs) to Cullen, the overnight leaders. Their +102 IMPs is the highest total in the 40-team field, and they are 3rd going into day 2. Great going!

Hand of the day: bidding the slam

Match 2, board 28. Dealer West, North-South vulnerable.

              ♠ A K 10
              ♥ A 8 5
              ♦ 10 9 6 4 2
              ♣ A K
♠ 8 7                     ♠ Q 9 4
♥ Q J 6                   ♥ 10 9 4 2
♦ Q                       ♦ 7 5 3
♣ J 8 7 5 4 3 2           ♣ Q 10 6
              ♠ J 6 5 3 2
              ♥ K 7 3
              ♦ A K J 8
              ♣ 9

I was North, with George South. The auction:

West   North   East   South
Pass   1♦      Pass   1♠
Pass   2NT     Pass   3♥
Pass   3♠      Pass   3NT
Pass   4♣      Pass   4NT
Pass   5♦      Pass   6♠
All pass

My 2NT showed a strong balanced hand (18–19). George's 3♥ showed five spades, and I confirmed three-card support with 3♠. George then made a mild slam try (3NT), and I showed a club control (4♣). That was enough for George to ask for key cards (4NT); I showed four, and he bid the slam.

West's singleton ♦Q meant there were no diamond losers, and we made 12 tricks for +1430. At the other table North-South stopped in 5♠ and made an overtrick, so bidding the slam gained us 13 IMPs.

The lesson: with 30 or more points between you and a good trump fit, start thinking about slam. It's easy to settle for game.

For the keen: after a fit is found, 3NT here is a non-serious slam try: "I'm interested, but I'm not strong." It lets the partnership explore with control-showing bids below game without committing to the five level, and partner can still sign off in 4♠.

Tomorrow

Coutts plays Davidson in match 5, with five qualifying matches still to go. Edler meets Kooter, who are 4th and also unbeaten. Wish both teams luck!

Hugh