Do you recall Bob Hamman's remark that 'the best play badly and the rest are awful?' Take a look at these three deals from the Vanderbilt Teams at the North American Championships currently being played in Houston, Texas.

Dealer South. East\West Vul
	ª A K 10 6 4 © K 6 5 2 ¨ 8 4 § 10 8
ª J 5 3 © Q J 4 ¨ A 2 § A 9 7 4 3		ª 9 8 7 © A 10 9 7 ¨ J 9 6 5 § K 5
	ª Q 2 © 8 3 ¨ K Q 10 7 3 § Q J 6 2

West	North	East	South
Landen	Meckstroth	Pratap	Rodwell
			1NT*
Pass	2 ª	All Pass

East led a diamond and West took the king with the ace. It looks obvious to switch to a trump but West played the queen of hearts, followed by the jack, the ace of clubs and a third heart. Declarer ruffed in dummy, cashed the queen of diamonds and played a diamond, ruffing as West discarding a club. After ruffing his last heart with the queen of spades declarer ruffed a diamond, cashed a top spade and exited with a club forcing a lead into the spade tenace for +110.

Dealer West. All Vul
	ª Q 8 5 2 © Q 8 7 5 ¨ K 6 4 § 4 3
ª K 10 © A 9 3 ¨ 10 5 3 2 § K J 10 8		ª A J 9 7 6 © K J 6 ¨ A § A Q 9 7
	ª 4 3 © 10 4 2 ¨ Q J 9 8 7 § 6 5 2

West	North	East	South
Landen	Meckstroth	Pratap	Rodwell
Pass	Pass	1ª	Pass
1NT*	Pass	3NT	All Pass

If East has to rebid 3NT then this deal is no recommendation for the forcing notrump. East must have been worried that a bid of Three Clubs would have been passed, but with Six laydown and Seven playable this was a poor effort.

Dealer North. North\South
	ª 10 6 3 © A 10 8 2 ¨ A Q 3 § 6 5 3
ª K © J 9 7 5 ¨ 10 9 2 § Q J 9 8 7		ª J 9 5 2 © Q 6 4 3 ¨ J 8 5 § K 4
	ª A Q 8 7 4 © K ¨ K 7 6 4 § A 10 2

West	North	East	South
Landen	Meckstroth	Pratap	Rodwell
	Pass	Pass	1§*
Pass	2¨*	Pass	2ª
Pass	3©*	Pass	3NT
All Pass

Rodwell knew his partner's shape but elected to play in notrumps. West led the queen of clubs and declarer won, crossed to dummy with the ace of diamonds and played the ten of spades, covered in turn by the jack, queen and king. West switched to the jack of hearts and declarer won in hand crossed to the queen of diamonds and played a spade to the eight. When West discarded declarer had only one chance, to exit with a low diamond, hoping East would have to win with the jack and be endplayed. No luck and the club return put the contract two down.
If declarer had run the six of spades he would have made eleven tricks. Three deals to illustrate that Hamman's Syndrome is alive and well.