Scoring 75 percent or better in bridge is such a feat that the Bridge Bulletin lists all 75+ scores in its monthly issue. On August 21, the New York City couple of Bill Powell and Gail Schargel had a 77 percent game at the Edgartown Bridge Club.

“The story is that my regular partner called and cancelled on Monday morning,” Gail reports,“ so I asked my husband Bill if he wanted to play and he enthusiastically responded yes.  

I firmly believe in the adage that spouses make bad bridge partners; and having only played with Bill twice during the past four to five years, I was somewhat reluctant but wanted to play nonetheless.  

“Now, to get a score of 77, there needs to be some skill, but a good dose of luck is also helpful!”

“We remember two hands that were of interest.”

On Board 11, South was dealing, no one vulnerable, with Gail and Bill sitting East-West:

                                NORTH
                               ♠️ A K Q 10 9 7 5
                               ♥️ Q 6
                               ♦️ Q
                               ♣️ 9 7 5

  WEST (Bill)                                 EAST (Gail)
  ♠️ J 6                                         ♠️ 4 2
  ♥️ A J 2                                     ♥️ K 10 3
  ♦️ K 10 9 4 3                            ♦️ A J 6 5
  ♣️ A 6 2                                    ♣️ 10 8 4 3

                                SOUTH
                               ♠️ 8 3
                               ♥️ 9 8 7 5 4
                               ♦️ 8 7 2
                               ♣️ K Q J

“West bid 1♦️, North overcalled 1♠️, with East continuing with 2♦️ followed by South's 2♠️ ,” Gail continues. “Looking at his two aces in the other suits, and having partner’s support, Bill went to 3♦️. North obviously went to 3♠️.  When it came back around to Bill, he took a long time to imagine a distribution where he could bid 4♦️ and only go down two.

Having the only obvious losers being the two spades and the ace of diamonds (not knowing it sat with partner), it seemed like a perfect risk to take. So he raised to 4♦️ and won the contract. That was optimal, going down one and scoring a -50, as three other pairs played 3♠️ N/S, giving E/W pairs -140.”

I would call this result skillful rather than lucky. In Lynn Berg’s online analysis, North could have ended the auction by overcalling 3♠️, “just ignoring those short-suit ‘quacks.’” That’s not easy to see.

On Board 21, North was dealing, with North-South vulnerable, Gail and Bill again playing East-West:

                           NORTH
                          ♠️ K 5 3 2
                          ♥️ K Q 8 5
                          ♦️ Q J 10
                          ♣️ 5 4

  WEST                                  EAST
  ♠️ J 10 9 7                        ♠️ A 6 4
  ♥️ —                                 ♥️ A 7 6 2
  ♦️K 8 5 4 2                       ♦️A 7 6 3
  ♣️ 10 7 3 2                        ♣️ A 9

                        SOUTH
                       ♠️ Q 8
                       ♥️ J 10 9 4 3
                      ♦️ 9
                     ♣️ K Q J 8 6

“I opened 1NT. After South's pass it came to Bill who, sitting with four points and a void in hearts, really wanted his partner to play in a suit contract rather than 1NT. The dilemma was that a transfer to diamonds would put  the contract at the three level, which felt too high, so Bill took a guess and transferred to spades, luckily hitting my fairly decent suit.
I was definitely not happy with the (somewhat) random bid by partner, but was pleased that we landed upon the optimal contract of 2♠️, going down one for a -50 and a score of 75. Others played in 1NT, usually going down more due to N/S’s hearts, or scored -140 or -170 in a heart contract by N/S.”

Bridge has its share of luck. Celebrate it!