WHEN Sophie Ashton competed in the Australian Open Team at the Asia Pacific Bridge Federation Championships in China last month, she became the first women to do so since Australian bridge legend, Pauline Gumby, in 2006 and 2007.
Despite growing up in a bridge playing household, Sophie did not take up the game until her university years when her father introduced her to a quick two player version.
A fire was lit that saw the former investment banker work her way up to state tournaments, and eventually national events. In 2015, she married fellow Australian representative player, Sartaj Hans, with whom she has two daughters, Rosie and Sasha. She now owns and runs a medical centre in Goulburn.
Making the Australian Open Team was definitely a personal goal, but the Sydney Bridge Centre member says she bottled up her emotions during the six days of qualification, focussing on one day at a time alongside teammates Dave Wiltshire, Phil Markey, and Joe Haffer.
“When it was finally over, I was absolutely thrilled and surprised,” Sophie says.
“It hadn’t felt like a great last set but our teammates came through and we managed to hold on to the win.”
Once in Hefei, China, Sophie discovered she was not the only female competing in the Open category.
“There were several teams with females in their Open Team, including Chinese Taipei who came second, and Hong Kong who had three females in their team.”
The Australian Open Team finished third, the second best result for Australia at the event with the Seniors winning their division, the Women’s Team finishing fourth, and the Mixed Team coming eighth.
“Going into the event, I think all team members were quietly confident, but the broad expectation was that we’d probably end up middle of the field,” says Sophie.
“To be up there was exciting and confidence-building. I think our overall performance has given us the belief that we can compete against the best if we bring our A game.
“I absolutely loved competing in China. The venue was world class and incredibly affordable, the food was excellent, the service was exceptional, and the event ran very smoothly.”
In past matches in the Open category, Sophie says she has been intimidated by the mainly male opposition at times.
“I can remember completely falling apart against a big, old, grumpy German guy in the Mixed Comp held in Marrakesh in 2023. Fortunately, it didn’t happen to me in China. I think every opponent I had was respectful and there to simply play bridge,” she says.
“The Open Category is not so intimidating for me due to its male dominance but more due to the quality of opposition. You want to be able to hold your own with some of these world class players.”
If she gets a whiff of an opposition player wondering what a woman is doing playing in the Open category, Sophie identifies a weakness she can benefit from.
“I try to exploit it by doing something seemingly ‘stupid’, but in reality calculated,” she says.
“There was a hand in China. I was on lead to 4S holding QJ tight in Trumps. I had a tough lead with two outside As and no shortage. I didn’t want to lead a diamond from 3 low – the auction indicated that was one of their suits, so I went with the JS.
“The Declarer only held the A, K and T of Trumps – no 9 or 8, so the only possible way of making the contract was to hope the QJS was doubleton but I gave him another option – had this ‘silly’ woman led from JX doubleton? He decided I had, and I finessed my partner for the Q for our fourth trick.”
Sophie and the other Australian representative players will be in action again in August when they compete at the World Bridge Team Championships in Denmark.
