The last was also the youngest

When the masterpoint scheme was started in 1936 by the American Bridge League (now the American Contract Bridge League), 10 players were awarded the rank of life master based on their tournament record. The last survivor of that group was Sam Fry, Jr., who died in 1991.

Fry won a silver medal at the 1959 Bermuda Bowl world team championship and collected six national titles, including the Spingold Knockout Teams (three times) and the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams (once).

In 1966, a Columbia University team played a match against four experts who were Columbia alumni. The experts lost the 20-board match despite Fry’s excellent play on this deal. Against three no-trump, West led a fourthhighest spade five, and East put up the 10. What did Fry (South) do?

Fry might have bid three clubs at his second turn, but he liked his strong spade holding for no-trump purposes. He decided to take a gamble on the diamond suit. (Note that if Fry had rebid three clubs, North would probably have signed off in three no-trump and immediately lost five diamond tricks.)

Fry started by winning the first trick with the spade ace! This didn’t cost a trick because he could always finesse against West’s marked spade queen later.

Next, Fry ran the club 10. East won with the queen and could have switched profitably to a diamond, but understandably he thought declarer had the diamond ace and West the club ace. Therefore, East returned a spade, expecting to establish his partner’s suit. But Fry immediately claimed nine tricks: three spades, two hearts and four clubs.