Last week’s Sarasota-Manatee Regional was one of the most hectic I have ever attended.

Adam Kaplan and I had two of the best partners any pair could ever hope for. Lynne Cook of Riverview, MI and Scott Hiller of Marshall, MN bailed us out big time in the Bracket III Knockout which we won.

We lost the second KO to a team comprise of Lynne’s Michigan friends and Scott’s Naples DBC buddies. The evening before the semifinals and In the spirit of true sportsmanship we had dinner together.

We hoped we would meet in the final on Friday and we did. Unfortunately, we lost the match. But gained new friends. Adam and I had played with Scott in last’s year Sarasota Regional so he was a known quality player. Lynne is a friend of Charlotte Kartsonis and, in the short time we played together, she’s just as good - which is real scary. Adam and I, as usual, got into some bizarre contracts, but Lynne and Scott salvaged many deals for us and turned defeat into victory.

We also took first in Bracket II of the Thursday-Friday Swiss with Steve Wallis of Tampa and Dion Petrov of Buffalo, NY as our partners. And we placed first in the Bracket II Sunday Open Swiss with Scott and Greg Goggin of Naples as partners. Now for deals.

SLAM MADNESS

In the first KO, we are trailing by a small margin when this beauty pops up. In first seat, both red, I hold: S-AJxxx, H-void, D-KQxxx, C-Axx, and I open a Precision Club. After LHO passes, Adam bids 2 Diamonds (at least 5 Hearts, at least 9 points). I bid 2 Spades and Adam raises me. Now I show my diamond suit and Adam goes into the tank.

Finally, he bids 1430 for spades and I show two controls without the queen. As usual, Adam (who is now light years ahead of me in analysis) starts a cue-bidding series which I completely misinterpret.

We finally end up in 6 Spades and after LHO leads the CK, Adam tables the following dummy:

S-K10xx, H-AQ10xxxx, D-void, C-xx.

Oh boy - this is not going to be easy. I take the club lead in hand and table the DK. LHO ducks and I pitch dummy’s losing club as RHO follows low. I lead a spade to dummy’s king, cash the HA pitching my losing club. So far, so good. Now I lead a low heart and ruff low as both opponents follow. I cash the SA and trumps are onside. I ruff a diamond in dummy and lead another heart. I ruff and when both opponents follow, dummy’s hearts are all good. I ruff a diamond and make all 13 tricks with 23 HCP.

EVERYTHING GOES WRONG

In the final of the Bracket II KO we lost to our new friends from Michigan. The round started badly and went quickly downhill from there. In first seat, I hold: S-KQxxxx, H-Qx, D-xx, C-AQ, and I open 1 Spade. LHO (Rose Burke of Bloomfield Hill, MI) bids 2 Hearts and Adam jumps to 4 Spades. RHO (Margaret Moore of Northville, MI) bids 5 Diamonds and Rose bids 6 Diamonds. When it rolls back to me, I consider “sacrificing” in 6 Spades or double (bad decision). I lead the SK and dummy show us with six hearts, five diamonds, and singletons in each black suit.

Margaret wins the SA, gives up a club, and claims (she had eight diamonds). We are down by 32 IMP’s with 12 boards to play when this beauty shows up. With both red, LHO opens 1 Diamond, Adam bids 2 Clubs, and RHO makes a negative double. LHO bids 2 Spades and RHO bids the game. Adam doubles, leads the CA, and dummy shows up with S-AJxx, H-KQxx, D-Kxxx, C-x. We take three tricks - not good. Adam doubled because he had S-KQx, D-A, C-AK. I had one jack and LHO had opened a 10 count!

Sincerely, Jim Somma