Handbook - International Bridge Press Association

♣Q. North’s first response promised a red ace but
diamonds were never in the picture.
Others on the shortlist: Sigsgaard-Hagen by e-bridge
(Maastricht.7); Charlsen-Saelensminde (NOR) by
Lederer staff (433.8); Hanlon-McGann (Ire) by Seamus
Dowling (438.9).
THE 2002 ROMEX AWARD FOR
THE BEST BID HAND OF THE YEAR
Anton Maas & Bep Vriend (NLD)
Journalist: Jos Jacobs (NLD)
Bulletin 447, page 6. European Mixed Teams.
Dealer: South ♠ K Q 2
EW: Vul Q 9 7 2
K Q J 9 6 2
♣ –
♠ 10 ♠ J 9 8 5
J 5 3 10 8 6
8 5 10 7
♣ K J 9 8 7 5 2 ♣ A Q 10 6
♠ A 7 6 4 3
A K 4
A 4 3
♣ 4 3
West North East South
Auken Maas Auken Vriend
1♠
Pass 2 Pass 3♣
Pass 3♠ Pass 4
Pass 4NT Pass 5
Pass 5NT Pass 6
Pass 7 All Pass
The auction began naturally, and Bep Vriend used the
3♣ bid to create a forcing situation, as 3 would not
have been forcing. Once spades had been agreed,
the 4 cuebid denied a club control. So Maas could
check the key cards (5 showed three of five with
spades as trumps), and ask for kings with 5NT, knowing
that the one king shown by 6 was the much
needed king of hearts. Now Anton could count at least
13 tricks with diamonds as trumps. Well bid. Needless
to say, a few pairs reached 7♠. With the spades not
behaving it had no play. Unlucky?
92 IBPA Handbook 2010
The other auctions on the short-list were: Huub
Bertens & Ton Bakkeren (NLD) by Patrick Jourdain
(GBR) Bulletin 449 page 9; Knud-Erik & Ellen Jensen
(DNK) by Charles Otto Pedersen (DNK) Bulletin 445
page 15; Jon Cooke & Martin Garvey (GBR) by Peter
Burrows (GBR) Bulletin 443 page 14; Hajdu-Szilagyi
(HUN) by Mark Horton (GBR) Bulletin 444 page 6.
THE 2003 ROMEX AWARD FOR
THE BEST BID HAND OF THE YEAR
Bart Bramley & Sidney Lazard (USA)
Journalist: Bart Bramley (USA)
Bulletin 456, page 6, The Blues, from the Blue Ribbon
Pairs, Phoenix, December 2002
It is rare to see an auction with seven natural bids
reach the top-scoring contract despite intervention,
when three strains and two different levels are under
consideration. This was beautifully handled by both
players.
The Blues
By Bart Bramley, Chicago
Dealer West. EW Vul.
♠ – ♠ A 10 7 5
A K Q 7 5 4 3 10 6
A 10 5 3 Q J
♣ K 7 ♣ A Q J 10 9
West North East South
Lazard Bramley
1 1♠ 2♣ 3♠
4 Pass 4 Pass
4♠ Pass 6♣ Pass
7 Pass 7NT All Pass
Sidney eschewed opening two clubs because the
opponents were at favourable vulnerability and he had
a spade void. When the opponents jammed the auction
Sidney still had a big problem at his second turn.
His delicate four diamond bid was a great solution, as
it was natural, forcing, and low. Four diamonds may
look obvious, but ask around and you’ll find out differently.
My four heart preference was conservative, but I
feared bidding more on a potential misfit. Luckily for
us, the four heart bid relieved Sidney of any concerns