Ireland Seniors versus USA1

This morning Dublin time Ireland Seniors were faced with the USA1 Senior Team. This match one would expect to end only 1 way.

USA1 fielded at centre forward Bart Bramley who was the go to guy for double dummy analysis before the computers caught up  ... In laymans terms BEFORE Deep Finesse.

Bramley is partnered by one Kit Woolsey ... the gently bobbing legend of bridge.

Gaylor Kasle ..well he has been capable since 1966 when he was runnerup in North American Pairs and has won 10 NABCs since then.

Dan Morse ..he has only 12 NABCs ...

So the Dream Team is up against opposition of heavy capability.

Board 1 North Deals None Vul	♠ K 6 4 3 ♥ K ♦ Q J 2 ♣ J 8 6 3 2
♠ A Q 9 8 ♥ 9 7 6 5 2 ♦ A 8 4 ♣ A	N W E S	♠ J 7 2 ♥ A Q 10 ♦ K 10 9 3 ♣ 7 5 4
	♠ 10 5 ♥ J 8 4 3 ♦ 7 6 5 ♣ K Q 10 9

W 4♠; EW 4♥; E 3♠; EW 4♦; EW 2N; NS 1♣; Par −420

 Ireland declared board 1 in 3 ♥ going down 1 but luckily USA1 were in 4 ♥ down 1
Missed chance 

Board 2 East Deals N-S Vul	♠ 7 ♥ Q J 7 6 4 ♦ 9 6 3 ♣ A J 7 4
♠ Q 3 ♥ K 5 2 ♦ 8 5 2 ♣ K Q 5 3 2	N W E S	♠ K 9 6 5 2 ♥ 9 3 ♦ Q J 10 7 ♣ 8 6
	♠ A J 10 8 4 ♥ A 10 8 ♦ A K 4 ♣ 10 9

NS 5♥; NS 3N; NS 2♦; NS 2♣; NS 1♠; Par +650

Our O'Briains contrived to declare 2 ♠ as E/W and lose 150.
Mesbur and Fitzgibbon roared into the normal vulnerable 4 ♥ for 11 imps

Board 3 South Deals E-W Vul	♠ K Q 10 4 ♥ Q 6 ♦ J 9 8 5 3 ♣ 3 2
♠ 8 ♥ J 9 8 5 4 3 ♦ A Q ♣ K J 9 5	N W E S	♠ A 9 7 6 3 ♥ A 10 ♦ K 7 2 ♣ 10 6 4
	♠ J 5 2 ♥ K 7 2 ♦ 10 6 4 ♣ A Q 8 7

EW 4♥; EW 2N; EW 2♠; EW 3♣; NS 1♦; Par −620

The Americans bid game ..the O'Briains played part score ..lose 10 

Board 4 West Deals Both Vul	♠ K 9 ♥ K 8 7 3 2 ♦ A 8 6 ♣ K Q 10
♠ A 6 2 ♥ 10 9 6 5 ♦ Q J 7 ♣ 8 7 3	N W E S	♠ Q J 10 8 4 ♥ A 4 ♦ 4 ♣ A J 9 5 4
	♠ 7 5 3 ♥ Q J ♦ K 10 9 5 3 2 ♣ 6 2

N 2♥; NS 3♦; EW 1N; EW 2♣; EW 1♠; S 1♥; Par +110

 Mesbur Fitzgibbon gathered in 300 when the US went too high .. plus 4 imps

Board 6 East Deals E-W Vul	♠ 10 5 3 2 ♥ A 6 ♦ 5 3 ♣ A J 9 7 5
♠ 9 6 ♥ K J 10 7 5 ♦ K J 9 7 2 ♣ 6	N W E S	♠ K Q J 7 ♥ 9 8 4 ♦ Q 10 8 ♣ 8 4 2
	♠ A 8 4 ♥ Q 3 2 ♦ A 6 4 ♣ K Q 10 3

NS 2N; NS 2♠; EW 2♥; NS 3♣; EW 2♦; Par +120

3 NT by South

Board 6 saw Mesbur Fitz gather in 3 NT making for another gain
The lead was the ♦ 7 ..and it looks like good work from here to get to 9 tricks ..
7 imps to Ireland

Board 12 West Deals N-S Vul	♠ A Q 8 ♥ Q 7 6 3 ♦ A J 7 5 ♣ 9 6
♠ 10 9 3 ♥ K 9 4 ♦ 6 2 ♣ K 8 7 5 2	N W E S	♠ K 7 6 4 ♥ A 5 2 ♦ 10 9 ♣ A J 10 4
	♠ J 5 2 ♥ J 10 8 ♦ K Q 8 4 3 ♣ Q 3

 Board 12 saw the Americans gather in partials at both tables and 5 imps

Board 13 North Deals Both Vul	♠ J 6 ♥ 10 6 5 3 ♦ 9 8 3 2 ♣ K 3 2
♠ A Q ♥ Q J 9 8 2 ♦ K J 5 ♣ Q 9 6	N W E S	♠ K 8 7 5 4 ♥ 7 4 ♦ 6 ♣ A J 8 5 4
	♠ 10 9 3 2 ♥ A K ♦ A Q 10 7 4 ♣ 10 7

EW 3N; EW 3♠; EW 3♥; EW 4♣; NS 1♦; Par −600

The American E/W managed to bid the making 3 NT and the O'Briains played part score so 10 imps for the Americans

Nothing major happened after this so IRELAND had a small loss of 2 imps against a very decent but aging USA1 team 

A morale boosting small loss for the Ireland Seniors ..

I was looking on Bray Bridge Club website for BJ O'Brien but I could not find him .
Then I remembered he could not be in Bray and Wuhan at the same time.

I wondered about why BJ was missing from Bray Congress Teams ... but then I found Stevenson.

David Stevenson one of Englands top bridge tournament directors.

Bray Congress Swiss Teams

So Ireland need a large win against the 7th place TURKEY to get the ball rolling ...
and then lots more big wins .. We have lots of Teams to overtake

Last time out we reached the quarter finals and for some reason chose to bat against USA1.
Not a good choice any time ..

Bermuda Bowl and lesser events