EDITOR’S (RZ) NOTES

South Korea officially became a member of the WBF and the thirteenth nation to join the PABF in 1997. The 43^rd PABF Championship is its first major bridge championship. Given the complexity in logistics complicated by a lack of experience in organizing a bridge event of this scale, the Korean Contract Bridge League under the guidance of Mr. Hong-sup Hahn must be congratulated for a splendid job so far.

Any NBOs in our Zone will readily admit, the hosting of a PABF Championship can perhaps be best described as an extreme challenge. Even as the previous championship is drawing to a close, groundwork preparation for the following year is already underway. In the months that follow, the organizer taking over the next hosting relentlessly goes through the rigorous and often frustrating exercise to secure adequate funding.

Next item on the agenda is collaring the service of "professionals" whose track record spelt the successes of past major championships. For Zone 6, these people are not easy to find. In between, details such as staff recruitment, sorting entries, hotel accommodation, system notes, flight schedules, Vu-graph setup, internet access etc. fall into the category of "Plan and Execute".

The curtain rises on Day One, even as an uneasy sense of foreboding descends upon the venue, the organizer realizes he has done his homework, the rest is up to his staff under the guidance of the "professionals".

For the 43^rd, Mr. Hahn and the KCBL have painstakingly secured the service from a team of “professionals”. On the multiple aspects of tournament affairs and on-site management cum organization, Mr. Hahn has recruited absolutely the best man for the job, Mr. Anthony Ching of Hong Kong as the Chief Tournament Director. Anthony's esteemed reputation as one of the world's most eminent TDs precedes him. Highly respected and well-liked, Anthony never shies away from seemingly impossible challenges. His enviable track-record as the CTD for many past PABFs, TD in World Championships in the recent past and himself a true "Professional", readily ensures the 43^rd will be a well-run and highly enjoyable tournament.

No PABF is complete without the expertise provided by Mr. Tadayoshi Nakatani and his seasoned team of Messr. Akito Omasa and Atsushi Nakamura. Together they have perfected the scoring for many past PABFs without a single mishap since 1984. Known to his many friends as Nakatani “san”, he is positively the nicest person around.

On the bulletin aspect, Mr. Hahn originally planned to invite Brian Senior from the UK as the editor. As Brian is committed to the European Championship which clashed with the dates of the 43^rd his place is taken over by Ms. Cathy Chua of Australia and Mr. Robert 'dragged out of retirement' Zajac of Hong Kong. Although this is the first time the pair has worked together, with Cathy's venerated reputation as bridge editor, journalist and author adding to Robert's experience as past editor of PABFs and countless Hong Kong Intercity Bridge Championships, the readers can be assured of interesting articles.

 

The all-important Mr Hahn centre front surrounded by his wonderful staff. Please note that JJ, back left is not only support staff, but captain of the youth and player in the Open! Missing from this scene is the absolutely indispensable Youjin Hahn without whom we would not have our first Bulletin!!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. A pigeon hole is available for every team located outside the secretariat on the second floor for pick    up of announcements and system notes.

2. Strictly no smoking anywhere inside the hotel except guest rooms and part of the coffee shop on the    first floor.

3. WBF dress code: no sandals or shorts.

4. Cell phones and pagers must be switched off during play: 2 VP points fine for violation.

5. System restrictions: no HUM system allowed throughout tournament. Brown Sticker conventions are    allowed except in side games and the Youth Series. When Brown Sticker conventions are used,    opponents may refer to written defences at table during play.

6. Psyches: the following are not permitted:
                A. psyches which are protected by system.

B. psyches of conventional bids and artificial opening bids.

7. Score boards are on 3 plasma TVs outside playing area.

8. Vu Graph is on the second floor in the Daffodil Room.

9. There will be a BBO broadcast of one match each round.

10. Captains’ meeting is at 9am in the Wild Rose Room, second floor.

Secretariat predictions

	Tadeyoshi	Anthony	Bobby	Hahn	Cathy
Open	China	China	Japan	Australia	Japan
	Japan	Japan	China		China
	Indonesia	Indonesia	Hong Kong		Indonesia
Ladies	China	China	China	China	China
	Indonesia	Japan	Japan		Korea
	Japan	Australia	Korea		Japan
Youth	Indonesia	Indonesia	Indonesia	Indonesia	Indonesia
	Australia	C Taipei	C Taipei		Korea
	Japan	Australia	Hong Kong		Australia
Seniors	Japan	Japan	Japan	Japan	Indonesia
	Indonesia	Indonesia	Australia		Japan
	NZ	Australia	Indonesia		NZ

Our sponsors are gratefully acknowledged:

Asiana

Kumho

Alcatel

Jelim

Parktel

Hite

Cathy Chua co-editor – a Biography

Cathy Chua has been playing and writing about bridge for over twenty years. She’s won many Australian championships and the 1990 Far East. Currently suffering a mid-life crisis manifested in the taking up of knitting, she is a voracious reader and likes cooking only a little less than eating. She is hoping to find the perfect kimchi recipe while here.

….

Since writing the above, Bobby has asked me for more details, so to keep him happy! I have written several books, a couple on bridge history, one on chess and one on an Australian nineteenth century novelist. My university degree was in history and politics which will account for my focus on the past.

Bridge has taken me around the world including in this zone Indonesia, Singapore, Japan and now for the first time Korea. Highlights include an Australian National Open Teams where my team played the then world-champion Italians in the final…yes, we lost, of course. In Australia I have played for three States in Open and Women’s bridge – something of a record.

Bobby writes: It was through Nakatani san that I first heard of a lady from Australia who would like to assist in the bulletin for the 43^rd . When I realized it would be Cathy Chua, I jumped at the chance to enlist her services since I have read and much enjoyed her classic book on the “The History of Australian Bridge”. For the first time, here is someone of a meritorious reputation who will be working with me in the PABF, wow! Certainly something worth coming out of retirement for.

	Side Game Schedule
Side Game	Date	Time	Entry/Pair	Total Prize
Olympic Parktel	June 25, Sat	10:00 ~ 20:00	$60	$1,000
Mixed/Ladies Pair	June 27, Mon	14:00 ~ 18:50	$40	Buffet Tickets
Liberte Tournament	June 30, Thur	10:00 ~ 16:45	$80	$2,000
	July 1, Fri	10:00 ~ 16:45
PABF Open Pair	July 2, Sat	09:00 ~ 18:30	$80	Trophy
	July 3, Sun	09:00 ~ 18:00

 

A spade is a spade is a spade.

Maybe not.

Cathy Chua

The fate of the 1964 Far East Championship is in your hands…. Indonesia won with the first-time host, Japan, close behind. Make the first contract, defeat the second or find the correct call on the third and that is about enough to take the championship from Indonesia.

1) Declarer Play

Bd 19
Dlr South
Vul EW
♠ QJ64		♠ A72
♥ AQ54		♥ J9862
♦ ---		♦ A7632
♣ AQ954		♣ ---

6♥ by East, South has opened 1♦, West has doubled and then NS have passed throughout. K♦ opening lead

2) Defence

♠ 10843

♥ AQ73

♦ 9

♣ 9864

5♦ Doubled by East, your lead

west Larson	north Po	east Gambill	south Hutagalung
			Pass
Pass	1♠	2♦	2♠
3♦	3♥	4♦	4♥
Pass	Pass	5♦	Pass
Pass	Dble	Pass	Pass

Does the double cancel spades as a lead? Hearts? Both? Or is it just penalties?

3) Bidding

♠ KQ3

♥ 10975

♦ K102

♣ K86

west Wu	north Moreno	east Kanazawa	south Zamora
	Pass	Pass	1♠
Pass	1NT	Pass	Pass
Dble	Pass	Pass	2♥
Pass	Pass	Dble	Pass
3NT	Dble	?

Late Withdrawal from Malaysia

Dear Mr Hahn,

Malaysia congratulates Korea Contract Bridge League on the successful organisation of the 47th PABF Championships and also send greetings to all the delegates and participants.

Best regards,

David Law

Hon. Secretary

Malaysian Contract Bridge Association

1) Declarer Play

Round 18 Indonesia vs Japan

Bd 19	♠ 93
Dlr South	♥103
Vul EW	♦J85
	♣ KJ10752
♠ QJ64		♠ A72
♥ AQ54		♥ J9862
♦ ---		♦ A7632
♣ AQ954		♣ ---
	♠ K1085
	♥ K7
	♦ KQ1094
	♣ 63

west Wong	north Sanbudhi	east Kato	south Sudianto
			1♦
Dble	Pass	2♥	Pass
3♦	Pass	3♥	Pass
4♣	Pass	4♦	Pass
5♥	Pass	6♥	All Pass

According to the tournament book Kato did not shine on this hand. After a diamond lead he won the ace taking a pitch, played ace and another club, crossed to dummy and tried another club. One down.

It looks like one of those hands one could take many different paths on. I asked Simon Hinge here with the Australian team what he would do: he ruffed the ♦K, ruffed a club, finessed a heart and ruffed a club. Now another heart and the ace of clubs. When South showed out he was known to have the king of spades for his opening bid and so spade to the ace and spade left South no winning options.

In the other room South’s different approach to the auction led to another winning line:

west Hutagalung	north Fisher	east Po	south Kawakami
			Pass
1♣	Pass	1♥	Dble
4♥	Pass	6♥	All Pass

Declarer ruffed at trick one and took the spades finesse. That lost, but he still made easily, squeezing South in spades and diamonds.

2) Defence

Round 15: Ryukyus vs. Indonesia

Bd 11	♠ J76
Dlr South	♥ K9864
Vul	♦ J8
	♣ AKQ
♠ 9		♠ AKQ52
♥ J2		♥ 105
♦ Q10432		♦ AKJ65
♣ J10753		♣ K982
	♠ 10843
	♥ AQ73
	♦ 9
	♣ 9864

5♦ Doubled by East, your lead

west Larson	north Po	east Gambill	south Hutagalung
			Pass
Pass	1♠	2♦	2♠
3♦	3♥	4♦	4♥
Pass	Pass	5♦	Pass
Pass	Dble	Pass	Pass

In the other room a normal auction led to 4♥ one down.

3) Bidding

Round 1 Phillippines vs Japan

80-28 IMPs

Bd 9	♠ 2
Dlr North	♥ KQ2
Vul EW	♦ Q98
	♣ J109532
♠ AJ1085		♠ KQ3
♥ 8		♥ 10975
♦ A764		♦ K102
♣ AQ4		♣ K86
	♠ 9764
	♥ AJ643
	♦ J83
	♣ 7

In the open room West got to open 1♠ fourth in hand, leading to the normal 4♠ +620. In the closed room spades were bid in front of West…

west Wu	north Moreno	east Kanazawa	south Zamora
	Pass	Pass	1♠
Pass	1NT	Pass	Pass
Dble	Pass	Pass	2♥
Pass	Pass	Dble	Pass
3NT	Dble	All Pass

Philippines +200 and 13 IMPs.

My first thought was to blame both North and East: shouldn’t they have known what was going on? But I’m not so sure now. Why can’t both their actions simply be speculative? North is happy even opposite a third-in-hand ‘didn’t mean it partner’ opening. East has the best part of a heart stopper.

And, let’s face it, this tournament was nothing if not speculative…

Rd 4 Indonesia 7.38 Japan 0.62

75-48 IMP

Bd 18	♠ KJ652
Dlr East	♥ ---
Vul Nil	♦ AQ72
	♣ KJ93
♠ 7		♠ Q3
♥ AKJ743		♥ 10982
♦ 53		♦ K1086
♣ A742		♣ Q5
	♠ A10984
	♥ 65
	♦ J94
	♣ 1086

An unusual choice by North on his first turn, but otherwise a pretty straightforward auction ensued at the first table:

west Fisher	north Sandubhi	east Kawakami	south Sudianto
		Pass	Pass
1♥	2♠	3♥	3♠
4♣	4♠	Pass	Pass
5♥	Dble	Pass	5♠
All Pass

At the other table everybody had enough spades to bid them:

west	north	east	south
Po	Kanazawa	Hutagalung	Wu
		Pass	Pass
1♥	Dble	1♠	Dble
2♠	Dble	3♥	P
Pass	4♠	Pass	Pass
5♥	Pass	Pass	Dble

5♥: down one 100 to Japan

You could say the psyching had done its job, but when South pulled North’s double to 5♠ in the first room he knew from partner’s first bid that the spade fit was at least 10 cards. In this room the first double perhaps meant that would never be surely discovered.

And finally:

Bd 26	♠ Q432
Dlr East	♥ 4
All vul	♦ 64
	♣ KQJ975
♠ K		♠ 8765
♥ KJ853		♥ AQ972
♦ K975		♦ AQ2
♣ 1086		♣ 4
	♠ AJ109
	♥ 106
	♦ J1083
	♣ A32

One can’t leave a Far East from that period without a hand featuring the two theorists Zirinsky, playing captain of Hong Kong and Indonesia’s Fransz. They met in Round 2, Hong Kong helped along to a win by this board:

The pedestrian auction 1♥ 4♥ for +680 to Hong Kong in the closed room. In the open East, Fransz, began with 1♠, described in the tournament book as ‘artificial and forcing’. West responded 1NT, ‘relay and forcing’. Enter Zirinsky on the North cards with 2♠. This showed at least Qxx in spades and a 6+ card minor. Fransz passed, Goan, South, raised spades a level and there the auction rested. Zirinsky made 10 tricks for +170 and 13 IMPs to Hong Kong.

 

 

CURIOSITY IN BRIDGE

Robert Zajac

From a statistical point of view, if you add up the years in bridge playing experience of all the participants here at the 43^rd PABF Bridge Championship, do you realize it easily exceeds 2,000 years? Even with 2,000 years of bridge playing experience, the probability of coming across the following bridge quiz based on "arranged" bridge deals is probably close to zero. What is then the point of this exercise? Besides the element of intrigue, there is always the chance that it may actually happen to you one of these days. Bear in mind, they are all “arranged” deals and if you simply do not give a hoot or having no time to work out the answers, solutions will be provided during the duration of this tournament. Just don’t blame the editor for the insanity.

Hand 1 – What is the Minimum HCP Required to Guarantee the Success of 3NT Against Any Arranged Distribution?

Hand 2 – What is the Absolute Minimum HCP to make an “Arranged” 3NT?

Hand 3 – what is the Absolute Minimum HCP to make an “Arranged” 7NT?

Hand 4 – How is it Possible that Both Sides can make a Legitimate 7NT on the same deal?

Statement of recognition by Bridge Base Online “The organizing committee of the 43rd PABF Championships deeply appreciates the sponsorship provided by Bridge Base Online (BBO) to these championships, for the operation of the on-site vugraph and the internet broadcast on BBO. Fred Gitelman, Roland Wald, Uday Ivatury and David Thompson from the BBO family were generous in providing their support and resources. Thank you BBO!” Visit BBO at www.bridgebase.com – it’s 3F = Free, Fantastic and Fun.

Team Draw

Open	Ladies	Youth	Seniors
1 Macau	1 HK	1 Philippines	1 CT
2 CT	2 NZ	2 Thailand	2 Thailand
3 Japan	3 CT	3 Singapore	3 Joy Top
4 NZ	4 Thailand	4 Korea	4 Australia
5 Australia	5 China	5 Japan	5 Yamada
6 Philippines	6 Singapore	6 Indonesia	6 Ivy League
7 China	7 Australia	7 Australia	7 PS = Jack
8 HK	8 Korea	8 CT	8 NZ
9 Thailand	9 Japan	9 HK	9 Yokohama
10 Korea	10 Indonesia		10 Indonesia
11 Indonesia			11 Queens & Knights
12 Singapore			12 China HK
			13 Wakasa
			14 China