A Bridge Oscar by Zia Mahmood

Source: Around the World in 80 Hands

A question often asked but seldom answered is: who is (or was) the worlds greatest bridge player? The partnership element of the game does not easily permit one player to stand above the rest, as in tennis or chess. Instead, there are great pairs — Hamman and Wolff, Belladonna and Garozzo, Reese and Schapiro — and great teams such as the Dallas Aces or the Blue Team.

So many different and often incompatible skills make up the great players that it is impossible for one individual to master them all.

A great technician, for instance, is rarely a great psychologist. Players with immense powers of concentration do not possess great table presence or flair. Rather than nominating a single individual for the title of the world’s greatest player, I present here my awards—bridge Oscars, if you like — for the masters of each unique talent. For genius — Benito Garozzo. Perhaps the most naturally gift-ed player of all time — volatile, emotional and blessed with a God-given feel for what is happening at the table. Look at this hand, played against two of his Italian countrymen.

Benito was South, Giorgio Belladonna North:

West had doubled Garozzo’s opening bid of 1, and as a result of some exuberant bidding by Belladonna, Garozzo had to play the hand in 6 on the lead of the A. Almost without pause for thought, Benito ruffed the lead in dummy and ran the J.

When this held the trick, he played a diamond to the A and a second diamond to West’s K. West did his best by returning a second club to force dummy to ruff again, but Garozzo simply started to run dummy’s diamond suit.

West could not ruff, and as soon as East did Garozzo would overruff and return to the K for the rest of the diamonds.

Esta entrada también está disponible en: Spanish