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CALENDAR 2009/10
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
The Marsovin tournament
Author: Albert Sacco
This year's Malta Open championship, sponsored by Marsovin, was won by
David Oliver and Gary Myett, a visiting pair from the United Kingdom.
They had a score of 58.47.
Josephine Gerada and Albert Ganado were second with 54.41 and Margaret
Parnis England and Mario Dix third with 54.14.
The winning pair scored consistently well throughout the tournament with
all four results over 55% and finished four per cent clear of the rest
of the field... a very sound performance.
At the Union Club, the tournament for teams was won by Parnis England,
Dix, Marielle Salomone and Wendy Busuttil.
Joan Consiglio, Irene Naudi, Nathalie Marlin and Simona Ardelean were
second and Marie Farrugia, Albert Sacco, Anna Vella and Charles
Assouline third.
Seven teams contested this competition which is better than last year's
figures, but there is still room for improvement.
Out of the 100 or so members who play fairly regularly on Wednesday and
Thursday afternoons, there must be many who would be interested in
competing in this tournament.
The Sigma pairs tournament was won by Consiglio and Naudi with a score
of 349.21.
Busuttil and Assouline were second with 337.73 and Yvonne Muscat Inglott
and Vella third, 317.23.
The performance prize, awarded to the pair who, according to computer
records improve most on their expected score, was won by Alice Portelli
and Salomone.
The Union Club open pairs tournament was won by Farrugia and Sacco with
a score of 338.89.
Margaret Wood and Lucienne Vassallo were second (312.03) and Dix and
Parnis England third (307.58).
This year's Malta Bridge Club open tournament for teams was won by
Assouline, Freddie Triccas, Ivan Zlatarev and Alex Andreev with a clear
ten per cent lead from the rest of the field.
Over the three-session tournament, this team managed to collect 312 imps
which is almost a 70 per cent score.
Board 8 from the last round of the Union Club teams tournament caused a
few headaches in all departments of the game.
After North opens 1 no trump, how would your partnership's bidding
proceed? Six no trumps stands no chance on any lead.
Is your partnership bidding sharp enough to reach six Diamonds?
After a transfer to Spades, you should show your Hearts. When partner
chooses three no trumps, clearly he only has at most three cards in
Hearts and two in Spades.
So, unless he opened with a five card Club suit, he must have four
Diamonds. Therefore, with your shaped hand, a suit contract seems more
likely than no trumps.
Now, sitting West, what would you lead against six Diamonds?
It is very tempting to lead your singleton Spade. However, leading a
singleton against a slam is only likely to pay if partner has the Ace of
the suit or a quick entry in the trump suit. That is somewhat
optimistic. The lead of the Queen of Hearts makes life far more
difficult, though not impossible for declarer.
Imagine you are South having reached six Diamonds and plan to play
against Queen of Hearts lead.
With eight top trumps and six top side suit tricks, a cross ruff seems a
likely play. Unfortunately, each opponent happens to hold a major suit
singleton. So that plan does not work. Now look closely at those Spades.
Bear in mind this is team's play. So it is important to make your slam
than to make an overtrick.
You have three tricks in Clubs, four in Diamonds and two in Hearts, a
total of nine tricks. How can the Spade suit yield another three?
Clearly you must play for split honours in Spades, arguably a less risky
line of play. Now you make two natural Spade tricks and a third with a
ruff in dummy.
Winners of 2008/2009
Competitions
TEAMS EVENT 2008-2009
1) Natalie Marlin, Simona Ardelean, Graham Penney & Charles
Assouline
2) Albert Sacco, Marie Farrugia, Gloria Gatt Floridia & Anna Vella
NO THIRD PRIZE BECAUSE OF FEW ENTRIES.
FRIDAY PAIRS 2009
1) Graham Penney & Charles Assouline
2) Simona Ardelean & Natalie Marlin
3) Anna Vella & Gloria Gatt Floridia
SIGMA CUP – 2009
1) Charles Assouline & Freddie Triccas
2) Celia Portelli & Maryrose Grima
3) Anna Vella & Yvonne Muscat Inglott
PERFORMANCE PRIZE: Ernest Thompson & Dorothy Rizzo
INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION – 2009
1) Albert Sacco
2) Charles Assouline
3) Josephine Gerada
CHARITY SHIELD
Overall Winners: Giovanella Despott and Marguerite Critien
(Sponsored by Sandra Camilleri Bridge Convener)
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