Ep. 103: Antonio Palma Finally Breaks Through After Seven Straight Finals Losses

I'm thrilled to welcome Antonio Palma from Portugal to the show today. Antonio has had an incredible run of second-place finishes in recent years, including the Rosenblum, European Mixed Championships, Soloway Knockouts, and Spingold. Last year, he broke through by winning the pairs in Madeira, leading Sjoert Brink to call him the best matchpoint player in the world, and then claiming the Club de Compiastre trophy at the South American Championships. But the real celebration came recently when he finally won the Reisinger at the Fall NABC, ending that streak of seven consecutive finals losses. It was a relief, Antonio says.

In our conversation, Antonio opens up about what those years of finishing second felt like, the moment he realized he'd won the Reisinger (he wasn't even playing the final set!), and his journey from professional poker player to bridge champion. We discuss how poker shaped his approach to pressure moments and reading cards, why defense is his favorite part of the game, his challenges with tilting at the table, and the soon to be legendary hand where he took 23 minutes to defend two hearts and made Bobby Levin want to quit bridge. This was a particularly enjoyable conversation with one of bridge's rising stars.

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Key Highlights:

🏆 Breaking the Curse: After seven consecutive finals losses, Antonio finally won the Reisinger and describes the overwhelming relief of no longer wondering if he was good enough to win the big one.

🍺 Watching from the Bar: Antonio didn't play the final set. Instead, he watched from the bar with Johan Upmark, drinking beer, watching football and hoping!

🃏 From Poker Pro to Bridge Champion: Antonio was previously a professional. He explains how those skills help him read cards, handle pressure, and control emotions during critical moments in bridge.

🛡️ Defense is Everything: Antonio reveals that defense is his favorite part of bridge, and miscommunication on defense is what tilts him the most, especially when signals get crossed.

😤 The Tilt is Real: Multiple teammates confirm that Antonio tilts easily at the table. He admits it's his South European blood and shares the story of a complex diamond lead that went wrong and cost them a critical board.

⏱️ The 23-Minute Defense: Antonio took 23 minutes to defend two hearts, eventually finding the only winning line. Bobby Levin responded in the chat saying he wanted to quit bridge, and Antonio's team still lost the match by forty-six IMPs.

🤝 Nystrom as Mentor: Antonio credits Fredrik Nystrom as his best teammate and mentor who takes every question seriously, helps him improve, and understands when he needs space after tilting.

🥈 European Mixed Silver Medal: Playing with Andrea Nilsson, Simon Holt, and Maya Lo Björk Heed, Antonio made it to the European Mixed Championships final in 2023, losing by just five IMPs.

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