10th WORLD BRIDGE TEAM OLYMPIAD

Rhodes, Greece / 19 October - 2 November 1996

Friday 1 November 1996

News of the day | Hand of the day | Results | Daily Bulletins

News of the day

U.S. wins Women's Olympiad;
France lead Indonesia by 56

Indonesia faces an uphill battle today during the final 32 boards of their 128-board match against France in the Open Olympiad final. Indonesia had a couple of good sets yesterday, but France still has a substantial lead of 56 IMPs, 239-183. Playing for France are Alain Levy, Christian Mari, Herve Mouiel, Frank Multon, Henri Szwarc and Marc Bompis, with Jean-Louis Stoppa as non-playing captain and Pierre Schemeil as adviser. The Indonesia team is made up of Henky Lasut, Eddy Manoppo, Denny Sakul, Franky Karwur, Giovanni Watulingas and Sance Panelewen.

The United States came from behind with a torrid third set to defeat China, 268-198, and win the World Women's Olympiad Teams. On the victorious team were Gail Greenberg, Jill Blanchard, Irinia Levitina, Shawn Quinn, Lynn Deas and Juanita Chambers. Their captain was Eddie Wold, and Bob Morris was their coach. They defeated a powerful Chinese team that had obliterated Canada in one of the semifinals. Playing for China were Gu Ling, Zhang Ya Lan, Sun Ming, Wang Hong Li, Wang Wen Fei and Zhang Yu, with Zhang Wei Li as non-playing captain.

Hand of the day

China vs. U.S.A., Women's, Final

The Chinese women led by 20 IMPs overnight, but USA started to make serious inroads into that lead right from the start of set three..

Board 33. Love All. Dealer North.
			4 2
			3
			A Q 10 7 5 3
			K J 7 5
	A J 9 7				K Q 10 8 5
	A				10 9 7 6
	K J 9 6 2				8 4
	A 9 2				8 4
			6 3
			K Q J 8 5 4 2
			-
			Q 10 6 3

Irina Levitina and Zhang Yalan both opened the North hand with 1 and both Sun Ming and Juanita Chambers overcalled 1. Jillian Blanchard and Gu Ling both jumped to 4 and both Wang Hong Li and Lyn Deas bid 4. In one room, Levitina passed that and Blanchard doubled, while in the other Zhang doubled with the North hand. Blanchard found the good lead of a low trump and Sun won in hand and led 8. Blanchard ruffed, protecting her partner's diamond holding, then switched to a club and when Levitina gained the lead she played a second trump, leaving declarer a trick short; –100. Gu led the K and Chambers led dummy's J at trick two. Zhang won the queen and led a trump, won in dummy and a low diamond led. Zhang went in with the ten and played a second trump but the K 9 were worth a trick via the ruffing finesse and that was a rather important trick for Chambers – the tenth one!

That was +590 and 12 IMPs to USA.

Results

Play-off, Ladies

Final, Open

Final, Ladies