After the initial rounds of play two teams with top score played finals to secure the right to represent the country at the World Bridge Olympiad to be held in September this year in Istanbul, Turkey. As was expected two leading ladies teams combining Karachi and Lahore players contested for top honours under the title of Horizon and Sars. Horizon scored a comfortable victory over Sars with 72 IMP to claim the right to represent the country at the World Bridge Olympiad.
The team of Horizon comprised Qudsia Dossa, Zeenat Azwer, Roshan Bokhari, Teta Agha, Najam Abid and Nilofer. The runners-up team Sars, was represented by Rehana Saigol, Samia Rasheed, Shirin Bokhari, Siraj, Shahnaz Peerzada and Abida Ali.
The proceedings at the contest between the finalists presented a wide range of average hands of game and part-game contracts, except for a couple of dramatic deals of slam contracts which gained big swings on either side. One interesting slam bid made by the pair of Sars, i.e., Rehana Saigol and Samia Rasheed, is reproduced here for its conventional bidding sequences which ended up with success.
(1) Artificial 6 to 11 points unbalanced hand
(2) Positive hand unlimited in strength
(3) Both minor suits
West led Jack of hearts:
The bidding sequences in the system on the part of the North-South pair in this deal have been quite peculiar and explanations given by the bidding side to the opponents. Samia Rasheed showed a weak hand with minor suits by her 3 NT bid. Rehana Saigol with strong hand with 19 high card points and 5 card club suit a jump bid of 5 clubs on coming to know the minor suits with the opener. Samia Rasheed took a shot at slam in clubs with five cards of the suit hearing a jump bid by her partner in the suit.
The West was in a dilemma to make an attacking lead. Thinking at last she chose the Jack of hearts from the sequence in the suit to gain some advantage.
The declarer took stock of the dummy serenely after the lead and thought if the trump suit behaved well, then the slam was solid certainty like a rock.
So she proceeded to play a small trump from the dummy after winning the heart lead with King. The Queen of clubs came from the East, that was won with the Ace and that was the end of a successful slam contract, having only one trick to lose to the king of trumps later.
The opposing pair on the other table could not reach slam and stopped at game contract yielding a swing the pair of Sars on the deal. But on the whole Horizon prevailed over Sars on other deals to clinch the title to represent Pakistan.
THE BIDDING:
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West North East South
Teta Samia Roshan Rehana
Agha Rasheed Bokhari Saigol
Pass 2NT (1) Pass 3H (2)
Pass 3NT (3) Pass 5 C
Pass 6C Pass Pass
Pass
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Dealer West:
Both sides Vulnerable
NORTH
S A
H AK
D J8752
C 109832
WEST
S 8763
H J1093
D1093
C K5
EAST
S K10984
H 87542
D 64
C Q
SOUTH
S QJ2
H Q6
D AKQ
C AJ764
GOLDEN TIPS: What matters is the ultimate result in competitive bridge.