Jason and Justin Hackett receive the Romex IBPA Ward for the best bid hand of the year 2005. The hand was bid at the International White House Torunament, 2005 edition in Utrecht, The Netherlands and described by Paul Hackett, bridge-journalist and father of the twins.
The Romex Best Bid Hand of the Year
Bridge with the Hackett Family, Paul Hackett, Manchester
From the Sunday Express, April 17, 2005
We recently played in the invitational White House tournament, held in Utrecht, Holland. It was a superb tournament, with top teams and attractive cash prizes. All the invited teams were taken out to an excellent dinner on the Saturday night. This was one of the most interesting deals from the tournament.
| Dealer East. NS Vul. | ||
| ♠ A 5 ♥ K J 8 2 ♦ Q 6 5 ♣ A Q 6 5 | ||
♠ Q 10 7 ♥ 10 ♦ 10 7 2 ♣ K 10 8 7 4 3 |  |
♠ J 9 8 6 4 3 ♥ Q 4 3 ♦ J ♣ J 9 2 |
| ♠ K 2 ♥ A 9 7 6 5 ♦ A K 9 8 4 3 ♣ - | ||
| West | North | East | South |
Justin Hackett | Jason
Hackett | ||
| - | - | Pass | 1 ♦ |
| Pass | 1 ♥ | 1 ♠ | 5 ♣(1) |
| Pass | 5 ♠(2) | Pass | 6 ♣(3) |
| Pass | 7 ♦(4) | Pass | Pass(5) |
| Pass |
Often, a failure to bid can provide as many clues in the play as a bid itself. This is the case in this deal, where East's decision to enter the bidding on the second round proved very expensive. East's overcall of One Spade was questionable, given that he didn't particularly want a spade lead from partner, and that it helped South out in the bidding and the play.
West led his partner's suit and, of course, finding the heart queen was the key to the hand. South won the spade in hand and played a low diamond to the queen in case East had all the outstanding diamonds, then ruffed a club.
He drew trumps and crossed to the spade ace, played the ace of clubs, then ruffed a club. Now, knowing East had five or six spades, one diamond, and three or more clubs, South consulted the East/West system card. He ascertained that East would have opened Two Spades to show five spades and a four-card minor and 4-9 points. Since he had not opened Two Spades, six spades, three clubs and one diamond left East with three hearts.
South duly led a low heart from hand, thrilled to see the ten appear. He won the heart king and now finessed East's heart queen for a well-deserved thirteen tricks and a 19 IMP swing.