Mike Passel goes over 40,000 points

By Djanwar Madjolelo

JAKARTA (JP): Grand Life Master Mike Passel, Texas, had a successful tournament in Bermuda in January 1997.

He shared the Maude Lines Trophy, given to the visiting player who scores the most masterpoints, with his partner George Rosenkrannz of Mexico City.

Passel overcame a bad trump break on his deal from Knockouts, which his team won for the second time in three years.

Vulnerable: None

Dealer : South

NORTH

(S) Q

(H) 8 6 4 3

(D) Q 7 2

(C) 10 8 6 4 2

WEST EAST

(S) 9 (S) J 7 6 3

(H) AKQ (H) 10 5 2

(D) J 10 8 4 (D) 9 6 3

(C) A K 9 7 3 (C) Q J 5

SOUTH

(S) A K 10 8 5 4 2

(H) J 9 7

(D) A K 5

(C) void

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

- - - 1S

Double Pass 1NT 3S

Pass 4S All pass

West started with top Hearts, but there was a mixup in the signaling and he did not cash his third Heart.

Instead, he tried for a Club trick, but Passel ruffed. Mike Passel went to dummy with a trump Queen and ruffed another Club.

When he cashed another top spade, he got the bad news. He took the ace and the King of Diamonds, then led to Queen so he could ruff a third Club.

Now he got out with his last Heart, and his grand trump coup was successful -- his last two cards were the King and 10 of trumps over East's Jack-small.

Mike Passel became the second player in history to score more than 40.000 ACBL (American Contract Bridge League) masterpoints.

The only other player to top the plateau is Paul Soloway of Mill Valley, Washington.

Jeff Meckstroth, 40, the youngest player in ACBL history to top the 30.000 point mark is seventh. The others are 1. Paul Soloway, 2. Mike Passell, 3. Ron Anderson, 4. Mark Lair, 5. Eddie Wold, and 6. Barry Crane.