February 2025 - 70

Vic's Views
continued from page 66
Quiz
Partner opens 1NT. Plan the
bidding with each of the following
hands:
1. s9 2 hK Q 7 5 d A 8 6 3 c9 3 2
2. sQ 7 6 5 hK 8 6 4 3 d9 4 3 c6
3. sQ J 6 5 4 h9 dK 8 3 cQ 8 7 2
4. sQ J 7 6 2 hA K 5 4 d10 2 c9 8
5. sK J 5 hK 8 4 d10 3 cA Q J 7 2
6. sQ J 6 4 hK Q 8 6 5 3 d9 3 c10
Answers
1. Bid 2c. If opener bids 2d or 2s,
you'll bid 2NT. If opener bids 2h,
we'll raise to 4h. Finding the fit significantly
improves your hand.
2. Bid 2c. You would much prefer to
play in a major. If opener rebids 2d,
bid 2h. Opener will pass, except with
three spades and two hearts. If opener
surprises you by bidding a major,
you'll pass.
3. Bid 2c.
a. If opener bids 2d or 2h, you'll
bid 2s as a mild, shapely invitation.
If opener continues with 2NT
(non-minimum with a fit), you'll
show the heart singleton.
b. If instead opener surprises you
by bidding 2s, it's probably a good
shot to bid 4s.
4. Bid 2c. If opener bids a major,
raise to game. If opener bids 2d, bid
3h (Smolen), showing four spades
and longer hearts.
5. Bid 2c, then 3c. This sequence
doesn't promise a four-card major.
Opener might well have a hand suitable
for 6c, but not 6NT.
6. Bid 2c. If opener bids a major,
raise to 4M. If opener bids 2d, bid 4d
as a delayed Texas transfer. 2
Curtis Cheek | 1958-2024
Curtis Cheek of Las Vegas NV died unexpectedly
on Dec. 24 at the age of 66. Cheek, originally from
Huntsville AL, was an aerospace engineer before retiring
to play bridge professionally full time. A six-time
NABC champion, his wins include the Wernher Open
Pairs (2002), the Reisinger Board-a-Match Teams
(2006), the Keohane North American Swiss Teams
(2008), the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams (2012), the Nail
Life Master Pairs (2013) and the Norman Kay Platinum
Pairs (2019). He had nine second-place finishes. Cheek
also won the Yeh Brothers Cup, a prize money tournament,
in 2017.
Though widely respected for his bridge skill, he
was equally acknowledged for his friendly demeanor
and behavior towards his partners, teammates and
opponents.
Many wrote to pay tribute to Cheek on Bridge
Winners, including this story from Prahalad Rajkumar
of India. " I want to share a Curtis Cheek memory that
has stayed with me and taught me an invaluable lesson
in both bridge and life.
" At a Swiss event in the Hunt Valley Regional in 2009,
my dad played against Curtis Cheek and his partner.
During one deal, Curtis' partner missed an initial bid,
leading to a disastrous auction and a -2000 penalty.
This one bad result was enough to give us a 20-0 blitz
that round. My dad recounts that Curtis went out of his
way to comfort and reassure his partner,
showing no signs of being upset at
the result. This moment became our
favorite example of true sportsmanship
and how a player should conduct
themselves in the face of a bad result.
" I took this lesson to heart. Curtis
taught me the importance of being a
supportive and understanding partner, even when mistakes
are made, and the cost is high.
" When I mentioned this incident to Curtis at the 2010
Philadelphia World Championships, he smiled and said,
'Playing bridge is the easy part; being a good partner is
the hard part.'
" His words reminded me that the true essence of the
game lies not just in skill, but in the way we treat our
partners. "
In 2009, Cheek contracted a life-threatening case
of swine flu at the world championships in Sao Paulo,
Brazil. " Curtis dealt with the resulting pain for the rest
of his life, but still maintained his upbeat and cheerful
self, " said Jeff Roman of Bend OR, a fellow bridge professional
and close friend. " He loved food and was an
extremely talented cook. "
He is survived by his wife Phyllis, her children, Danny
and Jessica, his in-laws, Brenda and Marc Jacobus, his
former wife, Disa Eythorsdottir and her son, Eythor. 2
70 | Bridge Bulletin | February 2025
February 2025

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2025
