With the Summer NABC Championships presently underway in Las Vegas, this may be a good time to discuss some hands encountered in regionals - namely the Daytona Regional of 2007.

I was fortunate to be on a six-person team that had great success, winning 65+ gold points in a 5-day span. My team included Kathy Stanford (ACBL Rookie of the Year several seasons ago) and her partner Sue Fraser, both Gold LM’s; Dion Petrov (aka the Bulgarian Bear) and Mike Sherman, an aspiring pro from Georgia who was the 2007 Mini-McKenney winner in the 300-500 point category (he had 854 MP’s); and Adam Kaplan and me.

Our team participated in three knockouts (bracket II) and won them all. Every evening I would call home in New Port Richey and tell my wife about the day’s events. I told her that Adam was wearing me out. With Adam you can be assured of three things: lots of Italian food, lots of bridge, and not much sleep. Seeing so much of myself in Adam when I was young is probably one of the reasons we get along so well. Now for the hands.

We are playing a very pleasant couple from the Daytona region in the morning KO’s. On the very first board we play (both red), LHO passes and Adam opens a sequence of eight bids, each requiring an alert. Adam opens 1 Club (15+ HCP, says nothing about clubs). I bid 2 Clubs (transfer to diamonds) promising at least 5 Diamonds and at least 9 HCP, Adam says 2 Diamonds (transfer accepted promising at least 3 cards). I bid 2 NT, showing two of the top three honors in diamonds. Adam bids 3 Clubs (15-18 HCP, no five-card suit), and I reply 3 Diamonds (9-11 HCP and 5 Diamonds). Adam bids 4 Clubs (Gerber) and, after I show one ace, Adam bids 4 NT (to play).

The lady on my left looks completely bewildered and says to Adam, “Were any of those bids natural?” Adam smiles and says, “No.” She leads a low heart and Adam tables the dummy which includes AQJx in hearts. I hold 10xx and her lead sure looks like fourth best. It is! I win the 10 and immediately lead a heart toward dummy. I pick up the entire suit and only lose two black aces to the RHO. Their partners get into a 4-Heart contract which is doomed and we are on our way. On the very next board, Adam again opens 1 Club. I go through the alert process and RHO nods knowingly. I then put the 7NT bid card on the table. What would you do if you held 25 HCP? LHO leads, and after Adam tables the dummy, I spread my hand.

We are in the finals of the Thursday-Friday KO, facing a tough team from Clearwater, Both white, in first seat I hold: S-Kxxx, H-Kxx, D-A109, C-Kxx, and I open 1 NT (11-13). LHO doubles which gets passed out. LHO leads a low
spade and Adam tables this dummy: S-Qxx, H-xx, D-KJxxx, C-xxx. I play low and RHO wins the ace and returns a spade. I win the queen in dummy and play a spade to my king. I cash the ace of diamonds and let the nine ride. LHO covers my next lead of the 10 with the queen and I cash out the diamonds, making 1 NT doubled for +180. At the other table, our partners make three hearts for +140. The two plus scores give us 8 IMP’s which is the margin of victory after 24 harrowing boards.

More tournament hands coming soon.

Sincerely, Jim Somma
{easycomments}