Source: New York Times

By ALAN TRUSCOTT Published: November 30, 1989

LEAD: Earlier this week this column fell victim to an ambiguity and understated the role of women in the last three decades in the prestigious Reisinger Board-a-Match Team Championship. The Official Encyclopedia record lists John Solodar, who went on to become a world champion, as a runner-up in 1974, but it was actually his wife at the time, Judi Solodar, who as Judi Radin has since won three world titles.

Earlier this week this column fell victim to an ambiguity and understated the role of women in the last three decades in the prestigious Reisinger Board-a-Match Team Championship. The Official Encyclopedia record lists John Solodar, who went on to become a world champion, as a runner-up in 1974, but it was actually his wife at the time, Judi Solodar, who as Judi Radin has since won three world titles. The editor had confused two J. Solodars.

One of her regular teammates, Carol Sanders, has tied for second in the event, as has Bee Schenken. In earlier days, Helen Sobel won the title four times, and a foursome of Paula Bacher (now Ribner), Jane Jaeger, Kay Rhodes and Sally Young won the championship on one notable occasion.

In 1987 Radin, at 37, became the youngest woman grand master in the world rankings, at the same time as her regular partner, Kathie Wei. Eight years before, they were in the final of the Vanderbilt Knockout, which Wei had reached on two earlier occasions.

Wei and Radin were North-South on the diagramed deal played eight years ago in Shanghai. After the two no-trump opening it was not easy to locate the diamond fit, and as it happens, six diamonds could have been defeated by a club lead. They reached six clubs, less attractive and apparently hopeless in view of the bad trump split.

But Radin received a friendly lead of the diamond queen, and found a brilliant line of play to make the slam. She won with the ace, and cashed heart winners throwing diamond losers. The club seven was led to the ten, and when this won, a trump was led back to the ace in dummy, exposing the bad split.

The diamond jack was led, and East's king was ruffed. The spade king and ace were cashed, and a spade was thrown on the diamond ten. South had 10 tricks, and the king-jack of trumps guaranteed the slam. East's trumps had proved a broken reed.

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