The final segment of bridge trials concluded last week at the Aslam Bridge Hall, National Stadium Karachi, to select the national bridge team to represent the country at the World Bridge Olympiad to be held in Istanbul, Turkey, on 23 October to 6 November. The team of Allana of Karachi won the right to represent Pakistan by its facile victory over the Punters from Lahore.
The contest was keen right though the four-day trials organized by the Pakistan Bridge Federation in which bridge teams from Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi participated in full strength. Allana with an unbeaten record humbled Punters in the finals.
The team of Allana comprised Abdul Rehman Allana, Jan-e-Alam Fazli, Khursheed Hadi, Kamal Shouib, Rasheed Jafer and Sarfraz Khan. The Punters were mustered by the services of experienced players namely Minir Attaulla,Shaoq Hussain, Fehmina Shouq, Tahir Abbas and brother.
The finals were particularly marked by the absence of aggressive bidding and play for the computer deals, which did not offer any room for adventurous moves. Hence the players had to tread upon a cautious and conservative bidding and play to gain a positive score. The deals were so designed to allow the players to win a part score or the game points. The occasions to reach a slam contract in the process were few and far between. But the players were supposed to take a calculated risk to attempt a slam contract.
The following deal is illustrative of a slam bid, which could materialize only if the cards are rightly placed for the declarer to succeed. So the pair of Allana team ventured into a slam contract that brought a good score for the side.
(1) Strong hand 22 plus points
(2) Positive 8 plus points with club suit
North led club 2
The West made a gallant bid of 6 Clubs when East showed at least six cards club suit. At the same the declarer hoped that the partner might have two kings in other suits that might help in the success of a chancy slam.
North was in a fix as to what to lead. After a little thought he led a small trump to avoid any damage in the side suits, particularly when he held the King of hearts.
The declarer took a look at the dummy and thought to himself if the diamond finesse happens to right and trump breaking even, there was distinct possibility of making the contract. So he proceeded to play the hand by drawing two rounds of trumps and finessing the queen of diamond, which was covered with the King by South, the West won with the Ace of diamonds, with a sigh of relief. Then he moved a small spade to the King in the dummy and played back spades to the Ace
In hand and discarding a small heart from the dummy on the queen of spades.
Later he ruffed a small spade in the dummy, cashed the Jack of diamonds and ruffed the last diamond with the Queen of clubs in hand and made the dummy good to make the contract with an overtrick
The bidding:
================================= East South West North Pass Pass 2C (1) Pass 3C(2) Pass 3S Pass 4C Pass 6C Pass Pass Pass =================================
Dealer East
North-South vulnerable
NORTH
S 1086
H K42
D 108742
C J8
WEST
S AQ72
H A765
D A5
C AKQ
EAST
S K5
H Q9
D QJ6
C 1076543
SOUTH
S J 943
H J1083
D K93
C 92
GOLDEN TIPS: Computer deals are illusive, hence require careful handling.
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