An excellent showing in Charleston.
Bridge Column for January 17, 2003, Harvey Bernstein
East-West vulnerable.  North deals.
                              North
                              S: A 7 6            
                              H: A 2         
                              D: 10 5        
                              C: A K J 9 6 5 
            West                             East
            S: 10 9 2                        S: K Q 8 4 3    
            H: J 9 7 6 5                     H: K Q 10 8 4 
            D: Q 4 3 2                       D: A                 
            C: 3                             C: 7 4         
                              South                         
                              S: J 5  
                              H: 3          
                              D: K J 9 8 7 6 
                              C: Q 10 8 2 
          The Bidding:  
                  North    East    South    West                  
                    1NT     2D       3D      3H 
                    3NT     4H      Pass    Pass
                    4NT   Double     5C     Pass
                    Pass    5H      Pass    Pass
                    6C    Double    Pass    Pass
                    Pass
     Thanks to Joanne Antoniou of Shaker Heights for sending me
this exciting hand.  It was dealt during a Swiss Team match at
the Charleston, SC Regional Bridge Tournament held from December
26, 2002 to January 1, 2003.  Jack Weingold of Chagrin Falls was
sitting West and his partner was Eric Rodwell of Clearwater, FL. 
Their teammates, at the companion table, were Ken and Laurie
Kranyak of Bay Village.  
     The opponents, when this hand was played, were Steve
Robinson of Arlington, VA and his partner was Ron Sukoneck of
Annandale, VA.  The names may not be familiar, but these are
World Champion class opponents.
     The auction needs a little explanation.  One no trump was
fairly standard.  Rodwell's two diamond bid showed both majors. 
South's three diamond bid was forcing and showed diamonds. 
     Weingold's three heart bid was just excellent.  It would
have been easy to pass with one point but he recognized the value
of his big heart fit and the singleton club.
     North tried to play three no trump and Rodwell raised
hearts.  Look at the cards.  Four hearts cannot be beat.  It
would have been very nice if North had passed or doubled, but he
bid a natural four no trump and Rodwell doubled.  
     South now introduces his club suit, fully aware that North
can correct to diamonds if the club suit is not correct.  Rodwell
has a complete picture at this point and realizes that at worst,
five hearts will only go down one.  North pushes on to six clubs
and Rodwell doubles.  If six clubs is going to make, the double
won't matter, and if it is going down, it will be helpful.
     Weingold correctly leads the ten of spades, Rodwell's second
suit, and declarer has no way to avoid the loss of a diamond and
a spade.  Note that on any other lead six clubs will make.
     Five clubs was made at the companion table and the Weingold
team won the match.  The win was very important as they won the
event by one victory point.
     The best line at the tournament belongs to Laurie Kranyak.
It came during a knockout team match.  It was a very tough 
session and the opponent's cell phone rang.  The director just
happened to be at the table at that exact moment and gave the
opponent a three imp penalty for having his cell phone on.  Two
hands later while Kranyak was playing what turned out to be an
impossible slam contract, she stared hopelessly at the dummy and
after a great deal of thought turned to one of the opponents 
and said "What's your phone number, I need to call you."

     Northeast Ohio players did very well at this regional.  On
12/27 Ken and Laurie Kranyak were second in the Flight A Pairs. 
Weingold and Rodwell were seventh.  Lois Butler of Chagrin Falls
and Bernard Heyman of South Euclid were first overall in the
Flight B/C Pairs.
     The Kranyaks along with Antoniou and Rodwell were fourth in
Stratum A in the evening Board-A-Match Teams on 12/28.
     The Weingold team (including Weingold, the Kranyaks,
Antoniou and Rodwell) were first overall in the Flight A Swiss
Teams on 12/29 and also the Flight A Swiss on New Year's Day. 
The were also second overall in Bracket one of the Fort Sumter
Bracketed Knock Out Teams on 12/30.  The team of Richard and
Sandra Fleischman of Beachwood and Gail and Mary Paulone Carns of
Export, PA finished in a tie for third in that bracket.
     The Fleischman/Carns team was also first overall in Stratum
A of the evening Board-A-Match Teams on New Years Eve.
      The tournament's leading master point winner was Ken
Kranyak and second place went to Laurie Kranyak.  This was an
exceptionally sweet one-two finish when you stop to consider that
the regional was rich with world champion players.
_______________________________________________________
Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.