Ed Hoogenkamp on the phone.
'Sjoert, can I ask you a favour? If, when playing in Houston, you would happen to go down a lot in a doubled contract, could you then rise and cry out: "Houston, we've got a problem."
By the way, if the opponents suffer such a defeat, you can do likewise of course. Sounds like fun to me too.'

'Sure Ed', I say, hoping such a situation will occur. After all, it would be a nice item for my column.

In the round of 64 this deal occurred:

S/NS		♠	7 5 4 3
		♥	10 5 3
		♦	8 7 4 3
		♣	K 2
♠	A K J 10 8 2			♠	9 6
♥	Q			♥	K J 9 2
♦	J 6 5 2			♦	-
♣	10 3			♣	A Q 9 8 7 6 5
		♠	Q
		♥	A 8 7 6 4
		♦	A K Q 10 9
		♣	J 4

My partner, Bas Drijver, led the ♠A and continued with the ♠K.
The declarer ruffed and played the ♥A. On seeing the ♥Q, she switched to the ♦A. If I would have trumped, I would have had to play clubs, meaning the ♣K would be good. So I decided to discard a club.

Now a peculiar thing happened. Declarer found the strange continuation of ♦10. Bas won with the ♦J and played a club so I made the remainder of the tricks.
Fortunately I remembered Ed and after winning the ♣Q, ♥J and ♥K (and was entitled to the remainder of the tricks) I softly remarked at the table: 'Houston, we've got a problem.'
Seven down, +2000 for us.
Yes, this round was an easy win.

The next round we opposed fellow Dutchmen and former teammates Jan Jansma and Louk Verhees. I have wiped this match from my memory (partly since we lost it on the minimal deficit of 1 IMP).

In the next tournament we played very well. We were even leading the field when Meckstroth and Rodwell (the world's strongest pair according to all Americans) appeared at our table.

E/All		♠	A Q 9 7 6 5
		♥	6
		♦	K Q J 10
		♣	Q 2
♠	2			♠	K J 10 8 3
♥	J 9 8 7			♥	A K 10 4 2
♦	9 8 6 5 3 2			♦	-
♣	4 3			♣	7 6 5
		♠	4
		♥	Q 5 3
		♦	A 7 4
		♣	A K J 10 9 8

Bas did well to lead a diamond which I ruffed. I found the best defence by switching to a trump, but to no avail. Rodwell knew from the bidding (my double on 3♠ showed a second suit) I had the ♥A and ♥K. He cashed all his trumps and then played the ♦A and a diamond to the ♦K.
The position was.

E/All		♠	A Q
		♥	6
		♦	J 10
		♣	-
♠	-			♠	K J
♥	J 8 7			♥	A K 2
♦	9 8			♦	-
♣	-			♣	-
		♠	4
		♥	Q 5 3
		♦	7
		♣	-

On the ♦J I threw the ♥K and on the ♦10 the ♥A as well (if I had not done so, he would have thrown me in the lead with a heart, so I would have to play into the spade tenace).
Alas, Bas did not have the ♥Q, so Rodwell precisely made his contract .

That was minus 1000 and although this was not a matter of undertricks, somehow it felt right to say when rising: 'Houston, we've got a problem!'