A San Fransisco thriller
By Djanwar Madjolelo
JAKARTA (JP): The outcome was in doubt right down to the final board in the Reisinger Board-a-Match team ACBL Fall National, San Francisco 1996.
Nobody was leaving the packed Pendergraph arena because four teams were still in the running as the last round was played.
The team captained by Zia Mahmood finally edged out Jimmy Cayne's team by 0.18 of a board.
The Zia team of Chip Martel, Lew Stansby, Michael Rosenberg and Zia Mahmood played every hand throughout the grueling six sessions.
It was a double victory for Zia - he also won more than enough Masterpoints for the North American Championship event that does not have an upper Masterpoints limit.
With this accomplishment, Zia joins Bob Hamman as the only two-time winners of The Player of the Year. Bob Hamman won the title in 1990 and 1993 and Zia in 1991 and 1996.
Zia had terrific tournament. He also won the Board-a-Match teams worth 125 points, finished sixth in the Blue Ribbon pairs for another 70 and 17.14 in Life Master Open pairs.
Zia Mahmood, 51, is one of the world's top players.
Zia said he still dreamed of winning a world championship.
"That's my role in all this playing in America. I am still a Paskitani living in the United States. Just because I play in America doesn't mean I've lost my original identity."
Reisinger Open Board-a-Match teams final:
Dealer: East
Vulnerable: Both
NORTH
(S) J98
(H) A1062
(D) 108753
(C) 8
WEST EAST
(S) 753 (S) KQ10642
(H) 43 (H) 9
(D) QJ6 (D) AK9
(C) KQ762 (C) A109
SOUTH
(S) A
(H) KQJ875
(D) 42
(C) J942
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
Pass Pass 1S 2H
2S 3H 4S All pass
Zia certainly knew how to defend on this deal. Rejecting the routine lead of the King Hearth, Zia put the three Club on the track.
He said the lead came from his rubber-bridge inspired desire to beat the contract.
"I could always play a Heart later. I didn't think we could defeat the contract with a Hearts lead. As so often happens, Zia analysis was right on target.
Declarer won the Club and immediately led a trump. Rossenberg contributed the nine, so Zia knew his partner was ready to ruff the next club.
He led a high Club, suit preference. Rossenberg a second Club ruff to beat the contract.
"God was rewarding me for being brave," Zia said.
"That was amazing. I never would thought of the lead. It just goes to show keen Zia's intellect is. He can get very deep into hands," he said.
Zia is different from other bridge players in his desire to win, but he maintains a healthy perspective on the game and its place in life.
"Relationships with people are more important to me," he said.