5th Generali Masters

24 May 2000

Achilles Heel

Athens, the capital of Greece, birthplace of the Olympic games, was the venue for the Generali World Masters. Invited fields of men, women and juniors engaged in three days of Individual competition, partnering all of their fellow competitors in turn.

The players had to make a short walk each day from their hotel to the venue, the Zappion Megaron. As they did so, they had a clear view of the Acropolis. What thoughts must that have inspired, as the legendary figures of Greek mythology sprang to mind?

One of the most famous was Achilles, the son of Peleus and Thetis. One of the conditions of Achilles's parents' marriage (the union of a mortal with a divine sea nymph) was that the son born to them would die in war and bring great sadness to his mother. To protect him from death in battle his mother bathed the infant in the waters of the river Styx, which conferred invulnerability to any weapon. Achilles's career as the greatest warrior came to an end at the siege of Troy, when Paris, with the help of Apollo, killed him with an arrow which pierced him in the heel. That was the one vulnerable spot, which the waters of the River Styx had not touched, because his mother had held him by the foot when she had dipped the infant Achilles in the river.

On this deal from the second session of the Men's Generali Masters, only one defender found declarer's weakest point.

Dealer North. Love All.

			9 7 4
			10 8 6
			Q 7 2
			9 7 6 2
	6 2	N   W E   S			K Q J 10 8
	K 9 7 4				A J 5
	10 6				A 9 8 3
	A K Q J 8				5
			A 5 3
			Q 3 2
			K J 5 4
			10 4 3

West	North	East	South
De Falco	Panelewen	Szymanowski	Zia
-	Pass	1	Pass
2	Pass	2	Pass
2	Pass	3NT	All Pass

This was a very typical auction, and when Zia led the three of hearts, declarer won with the jack and played on spades, claiming twelve tricks once the ace had been dislodged.

The same result was recorded at every table except number six, where West was the declarer. This was the auction:

West	North	East	South
Justin Hackett	Kowalski	Poddar	Ferraro
-	Pass	1	Pass
2	Pass	2	Pass
3NT	All Pass

It took Apolinary Kowalski, clearly a student of classical mythology, around one second to earn his side a complete top by unerringly selecting the two of diamonds as his opening lead!