2019 Nominationg Committee Slate
The Nominating Committee has nominated the following slate of candidates for the 2019 election to the USBF Board of Directors:
Lynn Baker |
Huub Bertens |
David Caprera |
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Baker & Bertens have been nominated for 3-year terms. Caprera has been nominated for a 2-year term, completing Beth Palmer's term. Additional candidates may be nominated until November 22, 2019 by petition, as set forth in the USBF Election Procedures. If no candidates are nominated by petition, the three candidates nominated by the Nominating Committee will be elected to the USBF Boards, with their terms of office commencing on January 1, 2020.
Congratulations to Janice Molson & Sylvia Shi, Hua Yuan Pair winners
It was a repeat pairs victory for Janice Molson as she and Sylvia Shi ran away with the Hua Yuan tournament pair competition, finishing far ahead of the field. Janice was the fist person to win the pairs in back to back Hua Yuan tournaments, having won 2 years ago with Lynn Deas. Tournament bulletin article.
Congratulations to Irina Levitina & Kerri Sanborn
At the recently completed Hua Yuan Cup Elite Bridge Tournament, the prize fo the best-defended hand went to Irina Levitina & Kerri Sanborn for a thoughtful defense that prevented declarer from making her 4 heart contract. The tournament bulletin, on p. 6, described the hand:
| Board: 7 Vul: both Dealer: South West (Kerri Sanborn) |
North  J 4 T 9 8 7 6 3 2  K T 9  2 |
East (Irina Levitina) |
| K Q 8 7 6 5 Q J 6 K 6 5 3 |
9 5 Q J 4 2 A J T 9 8 7 4 |
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| South A T 3 2 A K A 8 7 5 4 3 Q |
Bidding
S W N E
1* 1 3 P
4 All Pass
* Strong
NS played precision, after a big club opening, north found herself declarer in 4♥ after Kerri had overcalled 1♠. Irina led her partner’s suit, and ♠A was won in dummy. Declarer drew two rounds of trumps, and kept her chances alive by playing a spade ( at many tables, declarers led a diamond at trick four which guaranteed a loser in each suit and down 1). Kerri won the spade and the defense played two rounds of clubs, declarer ruffed the second. Then declarer led a heart and Irina won with ♥Q.
The defense had three tricks, but with declarer out of spades and clubs, the only possibility for a fourth trick was if Kerri had a diamond winner. However, since
Kerri also held the only spade guard, she was guaranteed to be squeezed when declarer ran trumps if she held Q-J-x of diamonds. Therefore, Irina astutely shifted to a diamond, breaking up the squeeze by forcing declarer to use up an entry to one of the hands.
Of course, some players may be afraid of playing the diamond suit for declarer as it may resolve a guess, and prefer a “safe” club exit. However, if Kerri held only Qxx of diamonds, the contract could never be defeated, since declarer would run the same squeeze to make the contract. Nice defense, and a six imps pickup for USA, as their teammates stopped in a making partscore.