For day three of the Spring Overseas Congress in Tavira, Portugal, Tournament Director Chris Benneworth talks through the sights of the town and gives an update from the bridge room:
Another sunny day in the Algarve. There’s lots to do and see in Tavira – there’s even a “Noddy” train that visits the main attractions of the town in which the commentary gives a potted history of the region and its current produce. The train travels through the salt flats, where there are several colonies of flamingos. This picture from Len Williamson again.
In the bridge, there were five more matches in the Swiss Pairs, and Judi Lawson and Dan O’Farrell (pictured above) who led overnight maintained their winning streak, so that when match 10 began they had an unassailable lead. Interest then was focused on the struggle for second place, with several pairs holding that position in turn – Joy and Irving Blakey, Srimath Alagawatte and Rachel Thomas, Trevor Hails and Martin Craven all appeared to be in the running, but it was Liza Furnival and Peter Randall who eventually finished second by winning their last two matches 20 – 0 and leapfrogging the rest.
On Board 5, sitting West with NS vulnerable, you hold S Q 9 4, H A 10 8 6 5 3, D K 8, C7 3 and the auction starts N 1S E P S 2C. What now? If you decide to bid 2H, your partner as they have a 1-4-4-4 distribution, will compete to 5H over the opponent’s 4S. Even though they double, 5Hx – 2 is a good score against a vulnerable 4S + 1, scoring 20 rather than 7.