Best bid ever? A memorial to Chuck Eagle

Sometime in the mid 1970’s, I played in the Spingold in Chicago, where I was attending law school.  With my not yet being even a Life Master at the time, my team was probably seeded last in the field.  Accordingly, I was not much surprised to see our first opponents (in a head-to-head match) be the world champions of Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell, Bobby Levin, Russ Arnold, and the sponsor, the late Bud Reinhold.  Neither was I surprised at our being slaughtered.  Still, the memories of that experience are overwhelmingly positive.  Part of that is because of the great playing conditions and the integrity and skill of the competition.  And part of that is because of my memory of a bid by my teammate, the late Chuck Eagle.

Chuck was definitely the best player on my team of Iowa bridge players; he had won many tournaments in partnership with one of the Clerkins from Indiana.  But here is the hand that defines my memory of Chuck.

Allow me to present the hand from the perspective of Rodwell and me, who held the same cards at opposite tables.

Our partners opened 3♦ and we held, if memory best serves:

Both Rodwell and I chose to respond 6D.  That ended the auction at my table and we scored up our slam, losing only the ♣A.

At the Meckwell table, Chuck doubled 6♦.   That bid was passed back to Rodwell.

I understand that this guy Rodwell is a pretty good player … good enough to recognize a Lightner double when he hears one.  So, rather than lose a heart ruff on opening lead and then the ♣A, Rodwell ran to 6♥.  But Chuck doubled that call, too.  Now being on lead, Chuck led a small diamond (!). Time to show the complete hand:

Dealer: Vul:	North ♠ x ♥ xxx ♦ KQJxxxx ♣ xx
West ♠ QJx ♥ x ♦ xxx ♣ QTxxxx		East ♠ KTxxxx ♥ xxx ♦ — ♣ Axxx
	South ♠ Axx ♥ AKQJTx ♦ Axx ♣ x

Down one.  I wish I had been at the table to see Meckwell’s reaction!

That’s my candidate for best bid ever: an offside Lightner double!