Many of us in Minnesota's bridge world mourn the loss of Murray. Our thanks to Steve Gaynor for sharing his wonderful recollections of Mur.
We lost a good bridge player and a great guy when Murray Appelbaum passed away this week. Usually I was his opponent and much more often than not his fine play was responsible for crushing our pair or team. However, one time, at least 20 years ago, Murray agreed to play with me in New Partner night at the MGSC. I do not remember exactly how we did except we did not win, but we scratched and there was one hand of note.
The exact hand is lost for the ages, but we had good cards and after we established a fit I bid 4N blackwood. Murray responded 5N. Undiscussed. I had to figure this out.
I looked up and across the table Murray had a little smile on his face. I had never seen the bid before, but somewhere in the recesses of my brain I remembered reading that this was supposed to show two key cards with a working void. If that was true, I was pretty sure where his void was and that we could make a grand slam.
So I bid 7 and was not disappointed when dummy came down. The play was academic and we scored it up.
After that we communicated more often, sending e-mail back and forth on bridge, politics and our mutual Jewish heritage.
Murray was a very wise and worldly man, someone I will greatly miss.
Shalom, Murray.
Steve Gaynor
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