Puzzle 8Q75 Main

Par Excellence

by Richard Pavlicek

Attaining par on a golf course is not easy, unless you’re name is Jones, Snead, Nicklaus, Woods or Scheffler (spanning some generations) or in my case, virtually impossible. Having the same birthday (September 10) as Arnold Palmer would seem to be an asset, but the only par scores I can remember were at mini-golf, and even then it was rare, as I usually took three shots to get through the windmill.

But wait! I can honestly brag that I once had a hole in one!
Unfortunately it was my left shoe when I stepped on a nail.

Attaining par on a bridge deal is not easy either, and that will be your task on the following six problems. You are shown the event in which the deal occurred and the vulnerability. Enter what you think is the highest achievable score, assuming perfect bidding and double-dummy play by both sides. Precede the score with a plus sign (+) if it goes to North-South, or a minus sign (-) if it goes to East-West.

The first event is very recent (only a month ago) then they drift back in time, all the way to 1933, when the Augusta National course was opened by Bobby Jones. But don’t let a golf event bother you. My research shows Jones knew nothing about bridge, unless you count the “Sarazen Bridge” which was commemorated for a double eagle, not a doubled contract.

Is your game up to par? Find out! Six numbers, and you’re outta here!

Problem 1

2024 Soloway Final: Fleisher vs Messika

Deal 7
Both vul A K 4
Q 10 8 7
K 5
K 10 6 2
Q 10 7
A 9 4 2
Q 10 9 4 2
A Table 5
K J 6 5 3
A 8 7 6
Q 9 8
J 9 8 6 3 2
—
J 3
J 7 5 4 3

Par score

Problem 2

2011 Spingold Round of 16: Cayne vs Schwartz

Deal 22
E-W vul K 7 6 4
K J 9 7
10 7 2
J 10
J 10 9 8 2
A Q 4
A 9 5
K 2 Table A 3
10 6 3
K J 8 6 4 3
7 5
Q 5
8 5 2
Q
A Q 9 8 6 4 3

Par score

Problem 3

1995 Vanderbilt Final: Pavlicek vs Steiner

Deal 18
N-S vul A K 6
7
A J 5
K 9 8 6 5 4
J 4
10 9 5 2
K 10 9 4 2
A 7 Table 10 9 3 2
A K Q 4
8 3
Q J 2
Q 8 7 5
J 8 6 3
Q 7 6
10 3

Par score

Puzzle 8Q75 Main Top Par Excellence

Problem 4

1978 Rosenblum Final: Poland vs Brazil

Deal 31
N-S vul 5
K J 9 6 3
2
A Q J 8 6 2
9 4 3 2
A Q 8 5
K Q 8 7 4
— Table K 10 7 6
10 7 4
9 3
9 7 5 4
A Q J 8
2
A J 10 6 5
K 10 3

Par score

Problem 5

1955 Bermuda Bowl Final: Great Britain vs USA

Deal 190
None vul 9 7 6
A 3
K 7 6 4
Q J 9 2
10 8 5 3
K Q 4
Q 2
K 7 6 5 Table A K Q J
J 8 6 2
9 5
10 4 3
4 2
10 9 7 5
A J 10 8 3
A 8

Par score

Problem 6

1933 Bridge Championship: America vs Britain

Deal 176
Both vul 7 6
A Q J 10
9 7 5 4
J 6 2
A J 4
9 6 4
Q J 10
8 7 5 3 Table K Q 2
K 8 2
A 8 3 2
K Q 9
10 9 8 5 3
7 5 3
K 6
A 10 4

Par score

Puzzle 8Q75 Main Top Par Excellence

Enter the contest

Join the fun and participate! You won’t win anything, other than the satisfaction of making my Winner List if you’re clever, or just lucky. Contest ends January 31, 2025 (midnight GMT). Winners and solutions will be published February 2, 2025. To enter, provide your name, location and e-mail address, then click Submit. A copy of your entry will be sent to you automatically, so be sure your address is correct. Multiple entries by the same person are allowed, but only the latest one counts.

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Puzzle 8Q75 Main Top Par Excellence

Deal 7 Both vul	A K 4 Q 10 8 7 K 5 K 10 6 2
Q 10 7 A 9 4 2 Q 10 9 4 2 A		5 K J 6 5 3 A 8 7 6 Q 9 8
	J 9 8 6 3 2 — J 3 J 7 5 4 3

Deal 22 E-W vul	K 7 6 4 K J 9 7 10 7 2 J 10
J 10 9 8 2 A Q 4 A 9 5 K 2		A 3 10 6 3 K J 8 6 4 3 7 5
	Q 5 8 5 2 Q A Q 9 8 6 4 3

Deal 18 N-S vul	A K 6 7 A J 5 K 9 8 6 5 4
J 4 10 9 5 2 K 10 9 4 2 A 7		10 9 3 2 A K Q 4 8 3 Q J 2
	Q 8 7 5 J 8 6 3 Q 7 6 10 3

Deal 31 N-S vul	5 K J 9 6 3 2 A Q J 8 6 2
9 4 3 2 A Q 8 5 K Q 8 7 4 —		K 10 7 6 10 7 4 9 3 9 7 5 4
	A Q J 8 2 A J 10 6 5 K 10 3

Deal 190 None vul	9 7 6 A 3 K 7 6 4 Q J 9 2
10 8 5 3 K Q 4 Q 2 K 7 6 5		A K Q J J 8 6 2 9 5 10 4 3
	4 2 10 9 7 5 A J 10 8 3 A 8

Deal 176 Both vul	7 6 A Q J 10 9 7 5 4 J 6 2
A J 4 9 6 4 Q J 10 8 7 5 3		K Q 2 K 8 2 A 8 3 2 K Q 9
	10 9 8 5 3 7 5 3 K 6 A 10 4