The final match in the second division of Young Chelsea’s London Super League was as exciting as it gets. Two teams (out of ten) were going to be promoted, and four teams were within a gnat’s whisker of each other. We were narrowly leading and were playing McGuire, lying second. We needed to secure a 16–4 victory to be sure of going up to Div One. When you are under pressure, it’s time to wheel out The Great Malinowski, part illusionist, part con man and part downright genius. Here he is on the very first board of the match, unfazed by the obvious bidding screw-up:
First the bidding: Artur thought we played ‘non-leaping Michaels’ meaning that over a Major suit pre-empt 4♣ showed Clubs and Spades. I should have passed 4♠ but I didn’t and over his 5♥ cue-bid, feeling seriously sick, I put him back to 5♠.
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