A high standard of skilful display was seen in the course of the competition in bidding and play as quite a few players of the competing teams had a record of representing the country in the international bridge events. But in the final segment experienced players of Marathon - a joint third favourite team-made it to the top on consistent performance through two day proceedings of keen contest The Marathon team comprising Rashid-ul-Ghazi, Sultan Siddique, Pervaiz Mirza, Yousuf Talpur and Tariq Rashid had a smooth sailing through 32 deals in the final segment of the game without facing serious challenge from Candyland and Giants,who finished in third and fourth position in the tournament.
However, the contest was marked by tactful and calculative play, which presented high quality bridge through the sessions. In one of the deals, in the final segment of the tournament, a contract of five spades made all the difference, but it did reflect on the score of winning team in the end.
The interesting deal is reproduced here which can be a model for calculative approach of the game to gain winning points even after making a sacrifice by going down three tricks in favourable vulnerability position.
The South jumped to five clubs on the opening bid of one diamond by his partner. It was a very good move to offer a sacrifice being non-vulnerable as there was apparently no defence for major suits contract by the opponents. But the West made a calculated move by bidding five spades to counter a preemptive game bid of five clubs by the South and he could rely on some values held by his partner on this bidding by the opponent.
North led diamond king
The West took a sigh of relief on seeing the dummy as it turned out to be what he had anticipated. After winning the ace of diamonds the West drew two rounds of trumps and finally lost one trick to the ace of heart and another trick to the ace of clubs, thus making a contract of five spades for a score of six hundred and fifty.
This was a good score for East-West on this deal. When north south examined their hands they found out that by bidding six clubs the partnership could be better off and going down by three tricks, losing five hundred points being in non vulnerable positions. But it was too late.
The bidding:
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North East South West
Askari Jaffer Khalid Sarfraz
I D Pass 5C 5S
Pass Pass Pass
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Dealer North
East-West vulnerable
NORTH
S 1 0 3
H A 3
D K Q 9 8 5 4 3 2
C A
WEST
S K J 8 7 6 5 4
H K 1 0 9 7
D A
C 4
EAST
S A Q 2
H Q J 8 5
D J 1 0 7
C 8 3 2
SOUTH
S 9
H 6 4 2
D 6
C K Q J 1 0 9 7 6 5
GOLDEN TIPS: Calculating the extent of risk correctly pays dividends