Dallas to me was an Eighties TV series with huge shoulder pads until I arrived there to play the American Spring Nationals last week. The American Nationals are bigger, better and brighter than anything we Brits can imagine — after the first week they had filled over 7,000 tables — and it is organised so that everyone can play in an event of their choice and standard all day and most of the night.
The main teams event is The Vanderbilt, where 64 teams compete in knockout format, in matches of 64 boards. The final was between the top two seeds, Monaco and Nickell, won by the tiny margin of two IMPs by Nickell. The starring role — more Bobby than JR — went to Bobby Levin, who won both the Platinum Pairs and the Vanderbilt — a massive achievement which must put him in the top ten players in the world.
Check him out here:
West started with the ♥10 to East’s Ace and a Heart back which Bobby ruffed.
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