Till the Fat Lady Sings - Conclusion by Barnet Shenkin prev/next

So, with only two boards left our team trailed by 15 imps. This was board 63:

Dlr: South Vul: N/S	N9 2 K J 9 7 5 K 7 4 Q 9 6
WK 10 7 5 A Q 10 2 J 9 3 A 10		EJ 8 6 3 A 8 2 K J 8 7 5 3
	SA Q 6 4 3 8 4 Q 10 6 5 4 2

West	North	East	South
Niblett	Haase	Ellsworth	Cuthbertson
			2*
X	2	3	P
P	P	P

* The offbeat Multi 2 a weak 2 bid in a major or strong 4-4-4-1 17+hcp had the effect of causing E/W to miss a not unreasonable game. At least it was at the stage of the match. North's 2 response had shown a fit for hearts as he was prepared for South to show his hearts at the 3 level if that was his suit. 3 made 10 tricks for 130 to E/W.

West	North	East	South
Shenkin	Cliff	Coyle	Burn
			P
1N	P	3	P
3N	P	P	P

Here 1N was 11-14 hcp and 3 was an invitational bid that I happily accepted. North led a heart into my AQ and I just needed either 6 club tricks or 5 club tricks and an outside trick somewhere as well as the Ace. I cashed the Ace and then played the 10 and carefully overtook with the J in case North held four clubs to the Q. But all was well and I finished with 10 tricks for plus 430 and 8 imps. We were now down only 7 imps with one final board to play.

The final board 64. It was around 1.30 am some of the players were tired. Personally I was hyped up. I felt we just might have a small chance if we could get one more good result.

Dlr: West Vul: N/S	N10 6 3 2 A 8 6 5 9 5 4 6 4
W9 7 K Q 9 4 Q 10 8 3 Q 9 8		EQ J 10 3 2 A K J 7 2 10 5 3
	SA K J 8 5 4 7 6 A K J 7 2

West	North	East	South
Shenkin	Cliff	Coyle	Burn
1N!!	P	3N!	4
P	P	5	P!!!
P	P!

I decided, no guts no glory and opened 1N which should have had 11-14 hcp with only 9 points. My partner, Coyle also trying for a swing raised to 3 without looking for a heart fit. South with limited options bid 4. When East bid 5  South decided to pass! Perhaps he thought his partner had to bid. Perhaps he was suffering from "last board syndrome". This is when someone desperate to go and score at the end of a long match loses focus on the hand still being played. Many matches are lost in this manner. Anyway he passed and his partner who should have bid 5 passed also. So, our remarkable 5 contract went down 4 for minus 200. If our teammates could produce a reasonable result that would be enough to win the match!

Dlr: West Vul: N/S	N10 6 3 2 A 8 6 5 9 5 4 6 4
W9 7 K Q 9 4 Q 10 8 3 Q 9 8		EQ J 10 3 2 A K J 7 2 10 5 3
	SA K J 8 5 4 7 6 A K J 7 2

West	North	East	South
Niblett	Haase	Ellsworth	Cuthberston
P	P	P	2
P	2	P	2
P	3	P	6
P	P	P

Haase and Cuthbertson bid sensibly and effectively to 6 and made 12 trick for 1430. This was a gain of 15imps for our team who had just got up at the post to win the match by 8 imps.

When we finally came out to score the boards, I said that we might have a small chance. The "Mad Doc" quickly replied ni his inimitable way "That means we've won", and he was right. Gerald Haase and George Cuthberston had bid 5 slams in 8 boards and made 4. They stopped to check for keycards only once and finding 2 short had bid it anyway and gone down. Their opponents had bid no slams. On slam they bid was an amazing steal. We had played our part in our room doing what we could to get some points. In forty years of playing bridge, I have only made a comeback like this once in such a short number of boards. The chances of the hands coming up to give you a shot is very small. Our team had been incredibly lucky to get the boards but had taken advantage of them.

Gold Cup Winners 1982 (Left to right) George Cuthbertson, Barnet Shenkin, Gerald Haase, Victor Goldberg, Willie Coyle

Our all Scottish team moved into the final the next day to take on the favorites. Zia Mahmood, Jeremy Flint, Robert Sheehan, Irving Rose, Victor Silverstone. The opponents and Chris Dixon were all great players. Three Englishmen, two Scotsmen and the "Wizard of Pakistan". The opponents played very much out of form for a team of such caliber. They were 60 imps down with 8 boards to play.They did not concede the match but there was no second miracle as our team won by over 100 imps.

The 1982 Gold Cup stands out as an example for bridge players not to give up when there may still be a small chance and to take our chances accordingly. Whatever made the "Mad Doc" open 1 on board 57 holding just 3 diamonds and 7 hearts we will never know. Perhaps The Fat Lady whispered in his ear.