After the exciting Vanderbilt Knockout Teams event, participants at the Spring NABC had the opportunity to engage in another major teams competition, the Jacoby Swiss Teams, spanning two days – one for qualifying and one for the final showdown. Additionally, for all-female teams, the inaugural Women’s Swiss provided an alternative, following the same format.

Jacoby Open Swiss Teams

The Jacoby Swiss Teams attracted 117 entries, featuring a multitude of top-tier players from around the globe. To secure a spot in the final, teams needed to rank among the top 60.

Led by Daniel Zagorin, along with teammates Peter Bertheau, Vincent Demuy, John Kranyak, Jacob Morgan, and Jeffrey Juster, one team surged to the forefront after the third qualifying match. They concluded the initial day with 128.3 victory points and entered the final stage with a carryover of 30 VPs – equivalent to a match and a half. However, despite their early dominance, they couldn't maintain their lead and slipped to fourth place.

Securing the second spot after the qualifiers was Andy Goodman’s formidable team, including Mike Passell, Simon De Wijs, Bauke Muller, Giacomo Percario, and Giovanni Donati. With a score of 111.84, they had a carryover of 19.79 VPs for the final stage.
Goodman's team was only in fourth place with three matches to go, but they staged a remarkable comeback in the final rounds. They clinched crucial victories, propelling them to the forefront, ultimately securing a comfortable victory by winning their last match by 29 IMPs.

In second place in the final standings was the Rombaut team, featuring Jérôme & Léo Rombaut, Roy Welland, Sabine Auken, Selena Pepic, and Jovana Zoranovic. Despite being in fifth place with one match remaining, they secured a crucial victory of 21 IMPs against team Fleisher to move up, accumulating 116.58 VPs.

Rounding off the top three was the skilled squad led by Leslie Amoils, comprising Brad Moss, Oren Toledano, Ami Zamir, Joe Grue, and Tom Hanlon.

Here are two deals from the team that came second:

Many pairs have numerous agreements that are designed to assist them during the bidding phase. In the Jacoby Swiss Teams, Roy Welland and Sabine Auken were able to utilise one of theirs twice to good effect against very dangerous opponents:

Board 24. Dealer West. None Vul.

Open room

2NT Either a preempt in clubs or a semi-balanced game forcing hand that wants to play from that side.
3♣ No shortage.

South led a heart and with the ♣K onside declarer had nine tricks, +400.

Closed Room

North led the ♠2 and declarer played dummy’s ♠J, covered by the king and ducked. Having won the second spade and cashed the diamonds, West played the ♣A and a club, but North won and cashed out for one down.

Board 28. Dealer West. N/S Vul.

Open Room

North had a fair idea that South might have a modest hand, but he very ethically jumped to 4♠ and that cost -500 when Roy Welland doubled.

Closed room

North led the ♠K and when the clubs suit failed to divide declarer finished two down, -100.

New Women’s Swiss

The introduction of the NABC+ Women’s Open Swiss Teams marked a significant milestone, aiming to revive the spirit of women's bridge competition. Between 1982 and 2017, the Machlin Women’s Swiss Teams had been a springtime tradition but was discontinued due to waning participation. The new event was structured to attract more interest, with over half the field qualifying for the final.

Eighteen teams were enticed by this format, with seventeen opting to play with only four players. Susan Zhang's squad from Los Altos Hills, CA, made an impressive start, seizing the lead early on. With Sylvia Shi, Janice Seamon-Molson, and Irene Baroni, they maintained their dominance throughout, securing first place after the qualifying matches.

Heading into the final stage, Zhang's team held a carryover of 25.63 VPs, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion. Katarzyna Dufrat's team from Wroclaw, Poland, led by Claire Alpert, Danuta Kazmucha, and Justyna Zmuda, secured the second spot with commendable performance giving them a carryover of 20.86VPs.

The final showdown witnessed a captivating battle between Zhang and Alpert's teams. Despite Alpert's initial lead after an 18-IMP win in the first match of the final session which directly opposed the two contenders for the victory, Zhang staged a remarkable comeback after the break, securing crucial wins to reclaim the lead. In a nail-biting finish, Zhang's team emerged victorious, clinching their first NABC+ win. Gerrianne Mason, Allison L. Cappelletti, Tina Tessaro, and Irina Kislitsyna secured the third spot, rounding off the podium in a fiercely contested tournament.