The saying that truth is stranger than fiction is nowhere more pronounced than at the bridge table. Convention foul-ups, dubious opening leads, and shoddy defense are a way of life at your local bridge club. Consider the following three deals.

Lee played the hand with great aplomb. He ruffed the opening club lead in dummy, got to his hand with the DK, ruffed another club, and cashed the HK. Lee next ruffed a diamond, and cashed the HA felling the queen. He finessed twice in spades and wound up taking all 13 tricks. WOW! Six hearts doubled, making seven with 22 HCP. I hope Carol doesn’t use this hand when teaching her students the finer points of the game.
 

At the Palm Beach Regional, Adam Kaplan and I are sitting N-S in the Open Swiss event when a mother-daughter pair sit down. The lady on my left is beautifully dressed and well-coifed. Her daughter looks like she came out of the Barbie and Ken play set. She has short blonde hair and is wearing a pink outfit. When she speaks, her last syllable ends up in the key of E-sharp. I think she must play bridge at the tennis club so not to be out of place. In fourth seat (red-on-white), I hold: S-Kxxx, H-Kxxx, D-void, C-AKxxx. LHO passes and Adam bids a Precision Club which I alert. Barbie never asks about the alert and bids 2 Hearts. I drop the red card on the table fast and her mother rolls her eyes, anticipating -1100. Adam and I have an agreement that if we pull a penalty double at this vulnerability, we must bid slam. Adam ponders my double, then bids 3 Diamonds which starts a series of cue bids: 4 Clubs, 4 Hearts (Adam has the ace), 5 Clubs (I have the ace and king), 5 Spades (Adam has the ace), 6 Hearts (I have the king). Adam muses a bit and then bids 7 Diamonds. There is nothing to the play. Adam’s hand is S-Axx, H-Ax, D-AKQJ10xxx, C-void and he easily takes all 13 tricks.
 

Bridge is a combination of skill and daring, some pIayers have more than others, but nobody combines those two attributes better than Jeff Meckstroth. I am sitting behind him during the finals of the Bracket I Knockouts at the Daytona Regional. Against a well-known pair, Jeff in fourth seat (red-on-white) holds: S-AKQxxxx, H-void, D-KQx, C-J10x. LHO opens 1 Spade(!) which is passed around to Jeff. He folds his hand and puts it on the table, sips a drink, and finally bids 4 SPADES! Everyone passes and LHO leads the ace of hearts. Eric Rodwell tables the following dummy: S-10, H-Jxxx, D-Jxxx, C-AQxx - what a gift. Jeff ruffs the opener and leads a low spade. LHO takes her jack, cashes the DA, and concedes. Her hand was: S-Jxxxx, H-AKQxx, D-A, C-Kx.
 

When was the last time you bid a game after that suit was opened by an opponent. Please don’t try this unless you are another Meckstroth.
 

Sincerely, Jim Somma {easycomments}