Handbook - International Bridge Press Association

THE 1986 ROMEX AWARD FOR
THE BEST BID HAND OF THE YEAR
Hugh Ross & Peter Pender (USA)
Journalist: Henry Francis (USA)
From “Brazil Hands” in Bulletin 259.
BRAVO, HUGH ROSS!
By Henry Francis
Austria went down two tricks in 7♠. The United States
women went down two in 7♠. The British women
stopped in 6♠ and made. HUGH ROSS MADE
SEVEN SPADES!
Dlr: East ♠ K Q J 10 5 3
Vul: EW J
A Q 8 2
♣ A J
♠ 9 8 ♠ 6 4 2
Q 9 8 3 2
10 J 9 7 6 4 3
♣ K Q 9 8 7 4 ♣ 5 3 2
♠ A 7
A K 10 7 6 5 4
K 5
♣ 10 6
West North East South
Terraneo Ross Fucik Pender
Pass 1
1NT Dbl 2 4
Pass 4NT Pass 5♣
Dbl 5 Pass 5
Pass 5NT Pass 6
Pass 7♠ All Pass
The defensive bidding gave Ross the clue to the
double squeeze. Franz Terraneo attempted to muddy
the waters with a comic notrump, showing length in
some suit. Jan Fucik tried to help the defensive cause
along with his diamond bid. Ross found out through
Roman Key Card Blackwood that Peter Pender had
three controls ( K a control) but no Q. 5NT elicited
the news about the K, and Ross jumped to 7♠ – the
first time the suit had been bid.
84 IBPA Handbook 2010
Without the defensive bidding, perhaps the normal
way to play this hand is to play for no worse than a 5-2
diamond fit. Win the opening club lead, K, A,
diamond ruff with the ace, and draw trumps and claim.
As a matter of fact, that’s exactly the way the hand
was played by Austria and the USA women.
But Ross, had lots of information. West, the comic
notrump bidder, had doubled clubs later on. East had
bid diamonds. It seemed as if the ingredients were
present for a double squeeze.
He won the opening club lead and began running
the trumps as the commentators – and Gabriel Chagas
in the audience – began to yell, "He's going to
make it on a double squeeze!” Sure enough, after the
run of the spades he led a diamond to the king and
another back to the ace. When he cashed the Q at
trick 10, Terraneo had to come down to three cards.
He knew he couldn't throw a heart, so he pitched the
♣Q, hoping Fucik had the ♣J. But Ross produced
that card and claimed his slam, along with 17 IMPs.
Even the commentators joined in the applause.
THE 1987 ROMEX AWARD FOR
THE BEST BID HAND OF THE YEAR
Zia Mahmood (PAK)
For a hand from the World Championships in Bal
Harbour 1986. No article.
THE 1988 ROMEX AWARD FOR
THE BEST BID HAND OF THE YEAR
Alan Graves & George Mittelman (CAN)
Journalist: Sue Emery (USA)
The Romex Award for the best auction of the year
goes to Alan Graves and George Mittelman for bidding
and making a slam, at the ACBL spring Nationals
in Buffalo both having originally passed.
Best auction?
It’s nice when your opponents recognize that you've
done well. This effort by Allan Graves and George
Mittelman from the finals of the Open Pairs was reported
as a nomination for the best auction of the
tournament and possibly the year. It was board 2 from
Monday afternoon.