If you play in the upcoming Clearwater Regional, watch out for a big, gregarious fellow named Ed Schulte.

Don’t let his beaming smile and ready wit fool you, this is one of the best players in the world. The Tampa resident is a Grand Life Master, and his regular partners include Joe Godefrin, Diana Holt, Janice Seamon-Molson, and Marc Davis. Ed and Joe have won the Von Zedtwitz Gold Cup, the most highly regarded pairs event on the ACBL calendar

Adam Kaplan and I have faced Ed and Marc Davis in several sectionals. Two of our most memorable outings come to mind when Adam was only 8 and 9. My partner and I were N-S and Adam and his father Todd were E-W facing Ed and Marc in a Swiss event. My partner and I had finished our round so I made my way to the hospitality table, which just happened to be next to the table where Adam was seated.

The table was littered with bidding cards and the last bid was 4 Hearts by Schulte. Adam studied his hand judiciously and finally bid 5 Diamonds which Ed promptly doubled. Ed led the Ace of Hearts and dummy showed up with Kx of Hearts among some other values. Adam made short work of the hand. He ruffed the opening lead, pulled trumps, got to the board, and discarded a black card loser on the King of Hearts. Five Diamonds bid, doubled, and made for a nifty +750. It would have taken a backhoe to get the smile off Adam’s face. Schulte stood up and wagged a finger at Adam saying, “I’m going to keep my eye on you little guy.” Then Ed gave Adam an affectionate pat on the head and said, “Nice to play against you.”

The next year in the same sectional, Adam and I are playing in the Open Pairs (no MP limit) against Ed and Marc. By this time, Schulte has been hearing from various people how well Adam has improved as a bridge player and Ed is going to put him to the test. On one hand, Adam opens 1 Club, Ed passes, and I bid 1 Heart. Marc Davis bids 1 Spade, and Adam jumps to 2NT. I have Kx of Spades, so I bid 3NT.

On lead, Schulte lays down the King of Clubs. Adam looks at the card like it’s a two-headed monster. He ducks the King, then the Queen, and finally takes the Jack with the Ace. Adam leads to my King of Spades and calls for the Queen of Hearts. He lets it ride and Schulte wins the King and cashes two more clubs for down one. Adam can’t believe he went down in what looked like a cold contract. Trying to regain his composure, Adam looks at Schulte and says in a rather trembling voice, “You were supposed to lead a Spade.” Ed smiles and says, “Not when your spades are better than my partner’s. I remind Adam that great bridge players are not robots, defeating the contract not leading partner’s suit is the object.

The third outstanding meeting came in last year’s Brooksville Sectional. With a flat 16 HCP, I open a Precision Club. Ed bids 1 Heart and Adam passes. Paul Gallizzi, Ed’s partner, bids two Clubs and I pass. Ed looks at me and says, “What does Adam’s pass mean.” Wow!! I have never been asked that question. “It means he has zero to four points,” I mutter. Ed thanks me and rebids his hearts. Paul supports him and Ed bids the game. He then proceeds to finesse me out of all my honors, my car, my house, and my wife. Big Ed, what a player.

Sincerely, Jim Somma

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