Success is not achieved by winning all the time. Real success comes when we rise after we fall. Muhammed Ali

The first contest for one of the oldest trophies in the game took place in 1928. Since then, it has been inscribed with the greatest names in bridge, from Ely Culbertson down to Zia Mahmood. Remarkably, even though the competition is fierce, the field getting stronger with each passing year, some teams and players have managed to win on countless occasions.

2024 was a vintage year, with wonderful pieces of play abounding.

In the round of 64 of the Vanderbilt, the boards are dealt at the table, so there are no hand records. Heaven knows how many newsworthy deals are lost. Here is one that survives from the match between Fleisher and Yun, courtesy of Chip Martel:

East led the ♣3 (third and fifth) and declarer won in dummy discarding a diamond as West followed with the ♣10. A spade to the king collected East’s ♠J and a spade to the ace saw East discard the ♣2. Placing East with six clubs, and, given that he had not led one, the ♦A, declarer continued with two more trumps, East discarding a heart and a diamond. That meant declarer could play a diamond to dummy’s queen, cash the clubs and duck a diamond to the now bare ace. If instead East discards two hearts, declarer cashes the ♥A, plays a diamond to dummy’s queen, cashes three clubs discarding two diamonds and a heart and then plays a heart towards the jack.

East had been the victim of a triple squeeze – you see those about as often as a triple play at Yankee Stadium! In the round of 16, Juster was leading Lebowitz by 10 IMPs with only two deals remaining.

In the Closed Room NS had played in 4♠, West’s trump lead holding declarer to 11 tricks.

Here West led a heart and when dummy’s jack held declarer could duck a diamond, win the spade return in dummy, come to hand with a heart, run the ♣Q, ruff a diamond, cash the ♣A discarding a diamond, ruff a club, ruff a diamond, draw trumps and claim, enough for a place in the last eight.

Good bidding has a timeless quality. This deal, also from the last 16, helped Bathurst to an upset victory over the number 3 seeds Fleisher:

Open room

Once again opening 2♣ turned out badly.

East led the ♠10 and West won with the ♠Q and switched to the ♥J, declarer winning with dummy’s queen and playing the ♣10 for the king and ace. Declarer unblocked the diamonds and then played the ♣Q, +660.

Closed room

Opening 1♣ worked much better than 2♣.

East led the ♠9 and declarer took dummy’s ace, played a club to the ace, unblocked the diamonds, went to dummy with the ♥Q, pitched a spade on the ♦Q and played a club, +1370 and 12 deserved IMPs for Bathurst.

Most of the reigning Bermuda Bowl champions were appearing as Team Switzerland. They put on a dazzling display against Hans in the same round:

Board 47. Dealer North. None Vul.

2+♣, 12-14 balanced or 18-20 balanced or 4+♣, 12+ unbalanced

In the other room, East had led the ♠6 against 3NT and declarer won with the king and cashed five clubs, East pitching the ♦6 and ♦4. Declarer played two rounds of diamonds and when the defenders could only cash three spades he had nine tricks.

Here East led the ♥J (well done if you would have started with a diamond) and declarer won with the queen as West followed with the ♥8.

Declarer had to assume that the clubs would deliver five tricks, but even then he had work to do. One possibility was to cash five clubs and then play a spade, hoping the ♠A would be onside. However, he eventually concluded that there was a better possibility. At trick two he exited with the♥3! East won with the ♥9 and switched to a club, but declarer took his winners in the suit, came to hand with a diamond and cashed the ♥A felling the king for a magnificent +400.

In the semifinals Bathurst scored a decisive win over Team Switzerland setting up a match with the Nick Nickell’s top seeded team. Nickell made an excellent start, but Bathurst came back strongly and at half time trailed by only 12 IMPs. Deep into the third session Nickell led 91-74.

In the semifinals Bathurst scored a decisive win over Team Switzerland setting up a match with the Nick Nickell’s top seeded team. Nickell made an excellent start, but Bathurst came back strongly and at half time trailed by only 12 IMPs. Deep into the third session Nickell led 91-74.

West could be virtually certain that there were 12 tricks on top so going all in was a reasonable idea. Had he opted for 7♥ North would have been hard pressed to find a diamond lead, which, by removing a vital entry to dummy would prevent declarer from establishing and enjoying a long spade in dummy.

In the other room, West had played in 6♥ for +1010 so a swing was guaranteed.

South led the ♥5 and declarer could see that the only (unlikely) hope was that the opponents might come under pressure on the run of the hearts.

Eventually declarer reached this position:

When he cashed the ♥6, North discarded the ♦5 and declarer matched it with the ♠5. South knew that his partner must have the spade and diamond kings, otherwise declarer would have claimed. His partner’s discards (in order) had been ♣3, ♣6, ♣5, ♣8, ♣9, ♦6, ♦3, ♦5.

North was known to have started with five clubs and one heart, and his play in diamonds showed an even number of cards, marking him with a 3-1-4-5 pattern. It is therefore clear that South must hold on to his diamonds. However, he discarded the ♦J, and now declarer had a second diamond trick for an 11 IMP swing.

Perhaps unnerved, a major systemic accident on the last deal of the session handed over another 13 IMPs and Bathurst led 98-91.

Those two body blows would have been too much for some teams, but, perhaps recalling another quote from Louisville’s most famous citizen, ‘You don’t lose if you get knocked down; you lose if you stay down’, Nickell played almost flawlessly in the final session. After dropping 6 IMPs on the opening deal they ran off 59 IMPs without reply over the next 13, starting with this dramatic deal:

Dealer North. None Vul.

Open Room

1♦    2+♦, 11-15, stiff honor possible

EW had discussed overcalling 2♣ over a potentially short 1♣, but not 2♦ over a potentially short 1♦. Despite being outgunned 8-5 in the trump, department declarer took seven tricks to be only one down (and had spades been 3-3 he would have made his contract).

Closed Room

South found the excellent lead of the ♦3 and North took dummy’s ♦K with the ♦A and accurately switched to the ♠5, South winning with the ♠A and returning the ♠6 to dummy’s ♠10. Declarer continued with a heart for the five, queen and seven and cashed the ♥A. This was the last hurdle the defenders had to surmount. North must unblock the ♥K (if declarer has the ♥J there is no defence). When North followed with the ♥8 declarer drew trumps, and now appreciating what was about to happen North discarded the ♥K. Too late the hero, as declarer played three rounds of clubs, discarding a heart. Having won with the ♣Q, North had to play a diamond, allowing declarer to dispose of his remaining hearts.

If North does not discard the ♥K, declarer will ruff the third round of clubs and exit with a heart, endplaying North once more.

+420 gave Nickell 10 IMPs putting them on the road to victory.

It was a fifth win for a Nickell led team, and it took Ralph Katz’s total to six and Bobby Levin’s to seven (tied with Jeff Meckstroth and Eric Rodwell) just one behind the amazing B J Becker who won for the first time in 1944 before adding another seven titles, the last coming in 1981. He was also a runner-up on seven occasions.

The pictures included in this article are a courtesy of the ACBL's Daily Bulletin.