WSCB Match 34 – Totals and Player Positions


Player     Points     Posn     Imps     Posn     Russian     Posn     Compen     Posn
Chris      -1530       4th       -27        4th          +1        3rd          +16          3rd
Dave     +2890       1st      +63        1st          +9        2nd          +6            1st
Nigel       -530        2nd      -15        2nd          +27      1st           -36           2nd
Tony       -830        3rd      -27        3rd           -37       4th           +14          4th


Above are the results table for World Series Bridge Match 34 which was a Chicago evening played on Thursday 27th May 2010. Competitors Chris, Dave, Nigel and Tony played 8 boards with each other player as their partner.

The table shows aggregate points scored, points converted to imps, imp scores using the Russian and Compensation methods where total partnership high card points, vulnerability and (for Compensation) distribution are used to provide an expected score. This score is subtracted from the actual score before conversion to imps.

This time Tony came crashing down to earth after the giddy heights of recent matches finishing 4th in both the Russian and Compensation forms of scoring. He also managed to drag Nigel, who until partnering Tony had a healthy lead in both forms of scoring, behind Dave in the Compensation results.  

There were 5 hands that produced double figure Compensation imp scores:-


Board 3 – E-W game, dealer South. 11 Comp imps to Chris(West)/Nigel(East) in 4+2 by Tony(South) with 33 points and a 9 card fit. Lead 8.

Board 3 Dlr: S Vul: E-W	AQ87 AJ63 KQ53 Q
1042 9 98762 K753		J953 Q75 4 J10842
	K6 K10842 AJ10 A96

After Tony/Dave had bid to 4, Dave found the extra A whilst putting his hand on the table. So the bidding could have been 1 - 3(showing fit and 1st round control) – 4(cue) – 4N(5AceB) – 5 - 5N – 6 - 6 which would reduce declarer’s loss to 1 rather than 11 Comp imps. 13 tricks can be made with the right view in trumps.


Board 10 – Game all, dealer East. 10 Comp imps to Dave(North)/Nigel(South) in 4+1 by Dave with 22 points and a 9 card fit. Lead K.

Board 10 Dlr: E Vul: All	Q96543 J5 J865 7
1072 842 10974 Q104		A K10763 KQ2 KJ63
	KJ8 AQ9 A3 A9852

Chris(East) opened this contested auction (1) – 1N – 3 - 4.  Dave encouraged game with his 4 points and 6 card suit and Nigel was happy to oblige. 11 tricks is the best that can be achieved and the defence has no profitable sacrifice.  


Board 17 – Love all, dealer North. 10 Comp imps to Tony(East)/Nigel(West) as Dave played 6-2 with 26 points and an 8 card fit. Lead 6.

Board 17 Dlr: N Vul: None	AKQ7 K109 9 KQ854
1043 J543 Q1082 72		J6 Q8762 K4 AJ93
	9852 A AJ7653 106

Dave started this uncontested auction 1 - 1 - 1 - 4 - 4N – 5 - 6. Dave thought he had plenty in hand with 4 losers and 20 points counting length and shortage. He quickly realised that he didn’t after Chris’ 7 losers and 14 points counting length and shortage hit the table. He can make one more trick by leading a low towards the 10. The hands fitted like a Brown/Cameron coalition!  


Board 19 – E-W game, dealer South. 11 Comp imp to Chris(South)/Dave(North) as Dave made 4+1 with the defence holding 23 points and an 11 card fit. Lead K.

Board 19 Dlr: S Vul: E-W	A10 - QJ1076432 Q62
832 A98632 8 J93		Q5 KQJ75 AK9 K75
	KJ9764 104 5 A1084

The bidding was succinct 4 - All pass. Dave can be held to 10 tricks on a black suit lead but the more attractive K allows 11. Most would have doubled or overcalled the suit with Tony’s (East) hand but the bearded maestro knew better. Doing so would only have cost more points as 9 tricks is the maximum in the suit with 2 tricks available to the defence in each black suit after a lead.      


Board 20 – Game all, dealer West. 10 Comp imp to Chris(South)/Dave(North) as Chris made 2+1 with the defence holding 24 points and an 8 card fit.

Board 20 Dlr: W Vul: All	4 AJ73 10872 10763
A873 Q8 AQJ9 J95		J1096 102 K54 AQ84
	KQ52 K9654 63 K2

The bidding was 1N – Pass – Pass – 2 - All pass. 9 tricks can be made by N-S in the suit, but only 8 by E-W in the suit. If Tony had continued with a X that is usually for penalties and disastrous here. If he tries 2, Dave would very probably bid 3 which is making. So once more the old fox did best by keeping his power dry!