Round 14 Senior Bermuda Bowl v Dubai

This morning after a small loss against Australia Team Ranald went into battle against the powerful Dubai bridge team.
Board 17 (the first one) saw the valient Milne O'Brien partnership find the comfortable contract of 2NT. Chinese Teipei were the only other NS to find this contract. Added to 2S EW from Mesbur this was 6 imps.
Board 18 saw the UAE declare a reasonable 4H but Ranaldo happened to have a Club nearest his thumb and it was the killing lead.
Board 19 saw UAE venture into  a Moysian fit but the incredible BJ O'Brien landed on that with a thud. He done the "I have 5 trumps " double and it was 1100 .... 31-0 to Mesbur
Board 20 saw what was probably a horrific weak NT opening and the UAE landed on it with a thud.

The incredible BJ O'Brien smiled happily at his opponent as he recounted his 11 high card points. 8 tricks later and BJ was minus 500 and down 9 imps. He will sit up straight for the rest of the match.
Ireland by 31-9 ...Look at that 1NT opening .. Your mother would not open it or Ruth Giddings.
Board 21 a quiet 4S
Board 22 saw Mr Nobody fail to negotiate a treacherous 4H contract

Now its 32-14 Ireland ...

And then the lucky opponent on the Incredibles right hammer raised her partner into a very comfortable 3NT and suddenly Irelands 31-0 lead was down to 24-32.

AND then ... the lady from the Right hammer struck again

3NT declared by Fitzgibbon and the experienced SUMAR saw UAE make it and Fitzgibbon come up short. Now normally Fitzgibbon is a serious declarer but something went wrong here.
And with 7 scores to go its the Emerites by 34-32 after a horrific start.

Two part scores on 27 to win 6 imps and regain the lead by 3

We got another 13 imps ... looks like a gift when UAE stumbled into 5H on a 3NT contract hand .
Ireland lead by 51-35

However this is a match of bottom feeders. Most of the Irish team are only reaching match fitness now and the event is long gone from their grasp. You cannot just turn up from a feed of Ireland nationals where you are some of the strongest players probably playing on relatively strong teams and go into a World championships where even the poor players are capable.
Bridge is hard and needs hard work to succeed.

I recall whipping Pat Barry and Rex Anderson into shape before a similar event ...
It was only some bidding practice on Bridgebase but they turned up ready for battle ... like thoroughbred greyhounds... ready to chase that metal hare.

Its over ... Ireland won by 11 to keep a firm grip on their 20th placing out of 24.

Ireland goalkeeper better prepare his back as some heavy hitters are coming in next 8 matches ..
2 times USA .. Italy Denmark Poland Norway ... Turkey .....
Bulgaria and Reunion might provide us with some imps ....but the other 7 matches listed above will require Mesbur and Fitzgibbon at full throttle .....and unfortunately they cannot play at both tables.

So we will need the incredible Ranaldo Briain O'Brien in his HEAT 1 .... this is where every card lands butter side up and every slam makes and every signal is understood by partner ... The Beast O'BrienBriain is about to be launched on unsuspecting Americans and Turks and Poles and Danes.

Its going to be like the Dubs on the drive for FIVE.

So get up at 630am like Eamon and watch the Dream Team ...however they are not vugraph material yet but one can watch RODWELL and follow BJ on the running scores

Bermuda Bowl and lesser events