Settling for second best.
Bridge Column for May 27, 2006, Harvey Bernstein
Special To The Plain Dealer
Neither side vulnerable.  West deals.
                              North
                              S: A Q 9 7 6        
                              H: K 9 8       
                              D: A 10 7 6    
                              C: 3       
            West                             East
            S: J 10 8 5                      S: 3 2          
            H: J 10 7 6 3                    H: 5          
            D: J 9 4                         D: 8 3 2             
            C: 6                             C: A Q 10 7 5 4 2
                              South                         
                              S: K 4   
                              H: A Q 4 2    
                              D: K Q 5     
                              C: K J 9 8  
          The Bidding:    
                   West   North    East    South                  
                   Pass    1S       3C      Dbl 
                   Pass    3D      Pass     4NT
                   Pass    5H      Pass     6NT
                   Pass    Pass    Pass
          Opening lead: 6C
     The North-South pair were playing negative doubles through
two spades.  This means that South's double of three clubs was
for penalties.  North did not realize this and bid his second
suit.  
     Playing three clubs, doubled, would be worth 1100 points. 
Since this was no longer an option, South drove to the no trump
slam.  West started with the six of clubs.  East won the ace and
switched to the five of hearts.  This ran around to the king in
dummy.  Three rounds of spades revealed the spade situation.  A
heart to the ace brought a club from East and South now had a
full count on the hand.  
     The king of clubs forced West to discard a small heart. 
Three rounds of diamonds came next, ending woth the ace in dummy.  
The ten of diamonds destroyed West.  If he discarded another 
heart, declarer would be able to win the last two tricks in hand 
with hearts.  If he discarded the jack of spades, the nine in 
dummy would become the contract fulfilling trick.
     This simple squeeze was easier than most because it was very
evident from the start that West had to guard the major suits. 
But keep in mind that +980, while being an excellent score, was
only second best to what could have been.
     Unit 107 of the American Contract Bridge League held the
Springtime Sectional Bridge Tournament over the weekend of April
28 - 30 in Akron.  Congratulations to the following players who
were successful in their respective events on April 30.  Other
results were listed in previous columns.
     Bracketed Swiss Teams.  Bracket I (8 teams). 1. Jan Assini
and Peter Grover, Aurora, with Richard and Sandra Fleischman,
Beachwood.  2. Phillip Becker, Beachwood, Niel Waletzky, Shaker
Heights, Richard Early, Cuyahoga Falls, and Larry Long, Benton,
TN.  Bracket II (8 teams) Tie for 1/2.  Tucker Marston, Harold
Fast, Gordon Berry, Chagrin Falls, and J. Lawniczak, Novelty,
with  Doris Aldrich, Wadsworth, Lydia Stowbun, Julia Stell, and
Marilyn Decarlo, Akron.  Bracket III (8 teams). 1. Dilip and
Smita Maniar, and Mary Anne Kriesen, Mentor, with Charlene
Collins, Clewiston, FL.  2. Roger Edwards and Dale Durbin, Stow, 
Barbara Wallman, Massillon, and Marilyn Bolender, Wadsworth. 
Bracket IV (8 teams) 1. Ildiko Baxter, Cleveland Heights, Gunhild
Alius, Shaker Heights, William and Carol Cashbaugh, Moreland
Hills.  2. Kathy Kovacs, Westlake, Elayne Rupert, Parma, Betty
Williams, North Royalton, and Rita Davis, Avon Lake. 
_______________________________________________________
Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon. 
To reach Harvey Bernstein:
hjb0416@yahoo.com