No 18 • July 1995 - June 1996 Editor: Panos Gerontopoulos GERMANY WINS WORLD WOMEN’S TITLE

• VETERAN USA TEAM REGAINS OPEN TITLE AS EUROPE FAILS TO MAKE IT TO THE FINAL

• FRANCE TAKES BRONZE MEDAL IN BOTH SERIES

After two consecutive victories in 1991 and 1993, Europe lost the world open title to the United States, but regained the women’s title thanks to the German team.

IN THIS ISSUE

NEW EBL PRESIDENT n Editorial ...... 2 n 1995 World Championships: A.BOEKHORST DIES Germany brings Venice Cup to n The 1996 World Bridge Team Europe, while USA returns Ber- SHORTLY AFTER Olympiad will be held in Rhodes, muda Bowl to America . . . . 8-9 ELECTION Greece, in October ...... 2 n Interview with Paul Chemla of n 1995 PHILIP MORRIS Europe- France - Europe’s top Master an Mixed Championships will Points holder...... 10 take place in Monte Carlo, March André Boekhorst who was unan- 18-23 ...... 3 imously elected EBL President n Poland sweeps medals in 1995 PHILIP MORRIS European n EBL team in Japan...... 3 in Vilamoura died three days Open and Senior Pairs Champion- later. Bill Pencharz is acting in n Letter from the Acting Presi- ships ...... 11 his place until the new election, dent ...... 4 which is scheduled for March. n British and Israelis win PHILIP n Radical changes in EBL MORRIS Simultaneous. . . . . 11 administration ...... 5 n 1995 European Champion- n Panos Gerontopoulos is 1995 ships: Italy captures open title, ITALY: EUROPEAN OPEN CHAMPION Bridge Personality of the Year . 5 while France wins Ladies’ series and Poland dominates inaugural Italy won the Open series at the 1995 European Champion- n President André Boekhorst senior event ...... 12-13 ships, held in Vilamoura, Portugal. The Ladies title went to dies ...... 6 n Master Points ...... 14 France, while the 1st European Senior Teams was dominated n Obituaries for Giorgio Bella- by Poland. The new Ladies Pairs champions are Sabine Auken donna and Marian Frenkiel . . . 7 n Competition Calendar . . . 15 and Daniela von Arnim, anchor pair of the German team. EBL Review did not appear last summer, and this ‘double’ issue comes to cover a most sensa- tional year in European bridge. In administration, the EBL underwent the most radical changes in its history. José Damiani and Karl Rohan retired in June after many success- ful years in office. As fate had it, André Boekhorst was to pass away just three days after his unanimous election to the highest office of the League. On the other 100 YEARS LATER!... hand, four new Executive Almost 100 years after the revival of the Olympic Games, members were elected in WBF President José Damiani and Nikos Karamanlis, Vilamoura, and at least one more will join in President of the Hellenic Bridge Federation, signed the Monaco, next March. contract for the organization of the 10th World Bridge Team Olympiad to be held in the country where the The situation is challeng- Olympic spirit was established 25 centuries ago. ing for everybody. Watching the ceremony in Vilamoura are members of the Members and adminis- trators alike, we have to WBF Executive Council, and the President of the make sure that despite Portuguese Bridge Federation. any difficulties we shall The Olympiad will be held at the Rodos Palace Hotel, on preserve and further the legendary island of Rhodes, in the south-eastern cor- improve the present wel- ner of Greece, 19 October-2 November 1996. fare of European bridge. The 1996 EBL Promotion (from the Vilamoura Daily Bulletin) Week was our late President’s last effort. We will succeed if we make its objectives a pri- EBL TEAM IN TOKYO INVITATIONAL mary consideration. At the invitation of the Japan The European team started well In competition, in 1995 Contract Bridge League, a European defeating New Zealand and the we enjoyed a splendid team travelled to Tokyo and took Japanese teams, and managed to championship in part in the NEC invitational tourna- win the round robin despite losing Vilamoura and saw ment, November 18-26. the other matches. However, in the Italy’s spectacular return semifinal, they lost to Chinese The European team consisted of to the top. At world level, Taipei by a small margin (practical- Europe failed to make it three pairs selected in Vilamoura ly the negative carry-over from the to the Bermuda Bowl through ‘Butler scoring’ the results round robin), and also to Indonesia final, but took the Venice in the open series. Of those avail- in the playoff for third place. Cup for the first time able, Feichtinger-Terraneo (Austria), Chinese Taipei beat Canada in the since 1985. Finally, the Olanski-Zmudzinski (Poland) and final to win the tournament. British Juniors won the young Herbst brothers (Israel) performed best. The Europeans were adequately another gold for Europe. consoled in the Festival that fol- Ten teams competed in the tourna- lowed. Feichtinger-Terraneo won the ment. Five were from Japan, while Open Pairs (the Poles came 3rd and the rest came from Canada, the Israelis 9th out of 70 competi- Chinese Taipei, Europe, Indonesia tors), while the combination of the and New Zealand. The format was a Austrian and Polish pairs produced round robin of 20-board matches, the winning squad in the Teams followed by semifinals and a final. tournament (24 competitors). PHILIP MORRISMIXED CHAMPIONSHIPS SFr 95,000 PRIZES CASH Championships T F s T T w T o 4 f r t T T r M h o o o i h h h h u h r n

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f e b r r s y . he 42nd GENERALI Euro- ty. The bridge players of Europe T pean Bridge Champion- owe them a great deal and on ships, held in Vilamoura, their behalf I say to both José Portugal, between the 17th June and Karl: Thank you, thank you and 1st July, was a dramatic and very much. It will be a hard act to hugely successful Tournament. It follow! marked the end of an era. And The Championships were a fit- there was also great tragedy. ting tribute to José Damiani’s Marian Frenkiel died suddenly tenure as President. They were on the night of the 23rd June magnificently organized and whilst visiting the Champion- played in beautiful conditions at ships. The previous afternoon he the Vilamoura Marinotel. Every- LETTER FROM THE ACTING PRESIDENT had played with me in the thing about the Tournament was Journalists Pairs - he had invited faultless - from the air condi- me to play and it had been my tioned playing rooms to the honour and pleasure to accept. colourful ViewGraph and the Although he obviously was not ‘tabloid’ Daily Bulletin. well, I do not think he made a I would like to thank everybody mistake in 27 boards. Marian who contributed to the success was on the first successful of the GENERALI European Polish international team and Bridge Championships, and I won the Rosenblum in 1978. He hope no one minds if I only sin- was a member of the EBL gle out for individual praise the Executive Committee until his retirement in 1989. My heartfelt Portuguese Bridge Federation sympathies go out to his widow, and its President José de Oli- their non-playing captain Klaus level of about 380,000 to half a sons, grand children and all his veira, whose energetic contribu- Reps. million. The EBL Executive Com- tions and splendid hospitality many friends. One should never forget our mittee is committed to achieving made all the difference to the this goal and believes it is Two days later, on the 25th June, Tournament. young players, and in this André Boekhorst died peacefully respect I would like to congratu- achievable within the next few in Utrecht. The EBL was repre- My congratulations go to all the late Great Britain and Norway for years. competitors at Vilamoura; but sented at his funeral by myself, winning the 1995 World Junior Before his final illness André especially, of course, to the win- Anna Maria Torlontano and Team and Pair Championships Boekhorst had arranged for a Panos Gerontopoulos. It was a ners: the Italian Open Team, the respectively. Denmark did well to French Ladies Team, the Polish Bridge Promotion Week to take moving affair, with the crematori- take the bronze medal in both place in Milan at about the time um festooned with flowers and Senior Team and Sabine Auken events. this edition of EBL Review goes packed with his devoted friends and Daniela von Arnim of Ger- One of the innovations intro- to press - between the 13th and from the Dutch Bridge Federation many who won the Ladies Pairs. duced at Vilamoura was to 18th January. The Week is being and his devoted colleagues and My congratulations also go to the ‘Butler Score’ all the pairs in the staged in conjunction with the students from the school where eight European teams (four Open he taught. There are tributes to Open Series of the Team Cham- Italian Bridge Federation, and and four Ladies) who played in pionship. (At future champion- André elsewhere in EBL Review the World Championships held in there will be a Tournament Di- so I shall limit myself to tender- ships we hope to Butler Score rectors’ Course as well. I hope I Peking in October - Italy, France, the Ladies Series as well.) I ing my sincere condolences to Sweden and the Netherlands in shall see many of the Bridge believe it is a great step forward his mother, sister, friends, col- the Bermuda Bowl and France, organizers of Europe in Milan to be able to identify the leading leagues and students. Germany, Israel and Great Britain where we shall be able to devel- pairs in the European Teams in the Venice Cup. Congratula- op skills and form friendships. Vilamoura marked the retirement Championships. In order to pub- tions to France for winning of José Damiani as President of licize the game of bridge we need The Bridge Season is now in full bronze medals in both events. the EBL and Karl Rohan as personalities; we need super- swing. Have a good game! Treasurer. José has led the And of course most congratula- stars. Butler scoring will help to League through eight years of tions of all to the victorious do that. development and ever improving German Ladies team in the standards. In Karl he had the per- Venice Cup - Sabine Auken, Looking to the future, the next fect right-hand man who guarded Daniela von Arnim, Karin Caesar, goal for the League is to increase the fortunes of the League with Marianne Moegel, Pony Neh- the number of individual mem- energetic and meticulous integri- mert, Andrea Rauscheid and bers of NCBOs from the present Bill Pencharz RADICAL CHANGES IN EBL ADMINISTRATION

• Damiani & Rohan retire with honour • New President Boekhorst dies • Beineix, Torlontano, Gerontopoulos, Pencharz elected EBL officers • Executive refreshed with 5 new members New blood in the EBL Executive Committee: Nissan Rand (Israel), Gianarrigo Rona (Italy), Feijo Durksz (The Netherlands), José Oliveira (Portugal), Radoslaw Kielbasinski (Poland)

n an unprecedented turn of contributions to the welfare of At the second session of SPECIAL CONGRESS I events, the European Bridge European bridge with the high- Congress four new members IN MONACO League underwent the most est distinctions available. Da- were added to the Executive radical administrative changes miani was elected President Committee: Gianarrigo Rona of A special meeting of the EBL in its history. Emeritus, and Rohan Honorary Italy and Nissan Rand of Israel, Congress will take place on Last June, the term of the Pres- Member. Both received the EBL were elected for four-year terms, Wednesday 20 March 1996 at ident came to an end, and José Gold Medal. while José Oliveira of Portugal Monaco’s Hermitage Hotel. Damiani retired after 8 most The Congress in Vilamoura and Radoslaw Kielbasinski of successful years in office. At elected new officers to fill the Poland for two-year terms. The only matters to be considered the same time, Karl Rohan con- vacancies. André Boekhorst at this Congress will be the elec- cluded a most distinguished 13- was unanimously elected the Three days after his election, tion of President and Treasurer of year long career as Treasurer League’s ninth President. Jean- Boekhorst died and the Manage- the League, following the death of having accomplished the goal Claude Beineix and Anna ment Committee agreed that Bill André Boekhorst and the resigna- of raising the League’s fortune Maria Torlontano were voted Pencharz should undertake to tion of Treasurer Bill Pencharz. to SFr 1m and set standards Vice Presidents, while Panos act as President until the new Mr Pencharz is a candidate for that will be hard to reach. Gerontopoulos became Secre- election. At the same time, Feijo President, while Feijo Durksz of Both outgoing officers were tary and Bill Pencharz Treasur- Durksz of the Netherlands was the Netherlands has been nomi- honoured for their enormous er. co-opted as Assistant Treasurer. nated for the post of Treasurer. Panos Gerontopoulos

Panos Gerontopoulos of Greece he first World Junior Pairs Youth Committee. Last year he distributed throughout Europe. was named Bridge Personality of Championship was held was the prime mover behind the Our candidate was educated at 1995 by the International Bridge T this August at the University introduction of the European the Universities of Thessaloniki in Press Association. IBPA’s citation of Ghent in Belgium. An entry of Schools Championship for under Greece, Oxford and Graz in mentions: 154 pairs from 27 nations was 20s which attracted 13 nations at Austria. He played bridge for achieved. The Championship its first showing in the Nether- Oxford against Cambridge. He was followed by the first World lands. He has traveled the world likes opera and the theater, and is Junior Camp with attendees from arguing the cause for Juniors: a whiz with computers. He is now as far afield as Australia, inspecting premises, drumming a lecturer in Geodesy at the Botswana and Indonesia with a up support, and planning cham- National Technical University of large group from North America. pionships. Athens. The initiative and effort needed to Within IBPA, this man has also In recognition particularly for the launch the European Junior Pairs been the Liaison Officer with the part he has played in the launch and then widen it to a successful World Bridge Federation and of the World Junior Pairs, the new world event came principally European Bridge League. He is International Bridge Press Asso- from one man. He became chair- on the Executive of both authori- ciation is pleased to announce man of the European Bridge ties. He is the editor of the Euro- that it has conferred the 1995 League Youth Committee ten pean Bridge League Review IBPA Personality of the Year years ago, and since 1991 has and launched the EBL Competi- Award to our friend, Panos also been chairman of the WBF tion Calendar, both of which are Gerontopoulos of Greece. ANDRÉ BOEKHORST of the Netherlands The President passed away while the European died on Sunday, 25 June 1995, Championships were held in Vilamoura. He had just just four days after his election to the Presidency completed 22 years of service on the EBL Executive of the European Bridge League. Committee: 12 as a member and 10 as an officer.

The sad news was announced by WBF President José Da- } His support and miani, and caused widespread encouragement, his shock to Boekhorst’s count- understanding towards less international friends and other people and his associates. Many messages of sympathy were published in incomparable sense of the Daily Bulletin. humour will never be forgotten by all who Boekhorst, who suffered from knew him.~ lung fibrosis, was cremated in his home city of Utrecht. The José Damiani process was attended by hun- WBF President dreds of his friends from the national and international world, as well as by young representa- } He never ceased to tives from the school at which show his willingness to he had been teaching. Among develop bridge and his them was an EBL delegation election as EBL Presi- consisting of Acting President dent opened new hori- Bill Pencharz, 2nd Vice Presi- ~ dent Anna Maria Torlontano and zons. Secretary Panos Gerontopoulos. Jean-Claude Beineix EBL 1st Vice President ANDRÉ BOEKHORST was the kind of person who was liked by everybody. Born in 1934 in } André, Thank you for Indonesia, he studied chemistry your trust, and your sin- and became a school teacher. cere and strong friend- A keen bridge player, he once ship. I will miss you.~ made it to the Dutch national team, but he mainly concentrat- Anna Maria Torlontano ed on bridge administration. André EBL 2nd Vice President He was elected member of the Executive Committee of the } International Bridge Nederlandse Bridge Bond (NBB) owes a debt to André. A for the first time in 1965. In a Boekhorst long brilliant career, he served as debt which will always a member for 13 years and as be recognized, but will the Secretary for another 12 until never be repaid.~ 1990 when he was called upon He joined the EBL Executive tion Week which met with great Committee in 1973 and was re- success. He followed with the Panos Gerontopoulos to become President. When he EBL Secretary finally left in 1994 after 29 years, elected in 1977 and 1981. He second one in 1993. NBB membership had risen from became 2nd Vice President in His last trip abroad was to Italy. 1983 and 1st Vice President in 20,000 to nearly 100,000! For He went there in April to discuss } He was looking for- his achievements he was hon- 1987. He retained the post until details of the third EBL Promo- last June when he was unani- ward enormously to the oured by the Queen of the tion Week which will held in challenge and opportu- Netherlands with the royal dis- mously elected EBL President. January 1996 in Milan. On his nity of being the Presi- tinction Oranje-Nassau. Unfortunately, his 22-year long return home, he had to go to international career was inter- dent of the EBL. It is a Internationally, Boekhorst be- hospital but he used this time for rupted a few days later. writing the seminar’s announce- tragedy that fate inter- came known as the godfather of vened in such a cruel Junior bridge. On his initiative, After retiring from the Youth ment leaflet. The Promotion way.~ the first European Junior Teams Committee in 1985, André Week will go ahead as he plan- Championship was staged in Boekhorst concentrated on ned it - even though the man Bill Pencharz behind it will be missing. 1968 in Prague, and has been bridge promotion. In 1989 he EBL Treasurer held every two years thereafter. organized the first EBL Promo- Panos Gerontopoulos Giorgio Belladonna 1923-1995

GIORGIO BELLADONNA, the world's most successful bridge player, died on Friday, 12 May 1995.

elladonna was the They won the next four Euro- Belladonna was the primary came a full time bridge player B only player to partici- pean championships, Bella- inventor of the Roman Club in 1969. pate in all 16 world donna winning ten in all. After and collaborated in the inven- Belladonna married Antonietta, titles won by Italy in the period tion of Super Precision. Avarelli gave up international and they had two children, 1957 to 1975 when the Blue bridge, Belladonna's principal Belladonna's father was a Renato and Anna, and four Team was pre-eminent in partner was Benito Garozzo. postal worker in Rome. Young world bridge. He led the world grand-children. Anna was a Belladonna's demeanour at the Belladonna was a fine sports- top class tennis player, at one rankings for over two dec- man. In 1939, at the age of 16, ades! bridge table was always that point being ranked 10th in of a gentleman, and he be- he had a trial for Lazio, the Italian women's tennis. Renato Belladonna first represented came a popular figure with the Italian first division football is a fine bridge player who Italy in 1951. In 1954 he part- crowds that came to watch team. War prevented Bella- competed for Italy in the nered Roberto Bianchi in the the legendary figure later in his donna developing a career in recent PHILIP MORRIS Euro- European Championships in career. football. He went back to pean Pairs Championship held Montreux. The following year school where he learned in Rome in March. Giorgio Belladonna formed the part- The 16 world titles were: bridge. He studied architecture came to kibitz his son, and to nership with Walter Avarelli, a Teams Olympiad in 1964, '68, at Rome University and then say what proved to be a final judge, that was to last until 72; Bermuda Bowl: '57, '58, became a civil servant in the goodbye to many friends. 1972. Belladonna named Ava- '59, '61, '62, '63, '65, '66, '67, Department of Social Security. relli as his favourite partner. '69, '73, '74, '75. He held this job until he be- Patrick Jourdain

MARIAN FRENKIEL of Poland, World Champion, administrator and bridge journalist, passed away while attending the European Championships in Vilamoura, 23 June 1995. A Polish Grand Master, Frenkiel was on the winning team at the 1978 World Championships and led Poland to the Olympic gold medal in 1984. He won the European title in 1981 and Marian 1989, and was decorated by the Polish Sports Minister. Frenkiel was President of the Polish Bridge Union (1973-1990) Frenkiel and served on the EBL Executive Committee (1983-1991). He was an outstanding promoter of bridge in Poland and Europe. (1919-1995) GERMANY BRINGS VENICE CUP BACK TO EUROPE

Women’s World Champions 1995: Klaus Reps (npc), Daniela von Arnim, Pony Nehmert, (WBF President José Damiani), Andrea Rauscheid, Karin Caesar, Sabine Auken, Marianne Mögel

FINAL t took Europe 10 years since Great Britain’s victory in 1985, but Ifinally the Venice Cup, symbol of world supremacy in women’s USA 1 - GERMANY 248 - 312 bridge, has come back. This was achieved thanks to the wonder- 3rd PLACE PLAYOFF ful performance put forward by the German team, runners-up at the recent European Championships in Vilamoura. France, the CHINA - FRANCE 54 - 66 reigning European ladies champions, also did well winning the SEMI FINALS bronze medal.

FRANCE - GERMANY 164 - 257 One may say that Germany’s CHINA - USA 1 185 - 259 victory was long overdue. In Perth ’89, a misunderstanding QUARTER FINALS cost them the semifinal. Two 1996 Worldwide FRANCE - SOUTH AFRICA 229 - 126 years ago in Santiago, they Pairs Improved reached the final stage and kept CHINA - VENEZUELA 242 - 83 the match alive for quite some There will be a number of new USA 1 - USA 2 274 - 216 time. It was against USA and attractions at the Worldwide Pairs JAPAN - GERMANY 193 - 229 three of the players they had Championship which is to be played VENICE CUP faced in Santiago that the simultaneously in clubs around the QUALIFIER German Ladies now took their world, June 7-8, 1996. GROUP W GROUP E revenge - and the gold medal. • Besides calculating results in the 1 CHINA 239 1 FRANCE 269 After the elimination of Israel and traditional way, IMP scoring will also Great Britain in the round robin, be applied, against a theoretical par 2 GERMANY 236 2 USA 2 253.5 France and Germany, the on each hand. 3 USA 1 227.1 3 JAPAN 201.6 remaining European representa- • Winners will be declared in sever- 4 SOUTH AFRICA 224 4 VENEZUELA 209 tives, made it easily to the semi- al categories: open, women, mixed, 5 BRAZIL 214 5 GT. BRITAIN 201 finals where they met each other. seniors, juniors. Germany was the clear winner, 6 ISRAEL 201.6 6 AUSTRALIA 191 but France beat China in the • Participating clubs will be offered 7 CANADA 193.5 7 ARGENTINA 169 playoff for third place winning attractive certificates and/or gifts. 8 COLOMBIA 127.8 8 INDIA 155.5 one more medal for Europe. • The prize list will be enriched. USA RETURNS BERMUDA BOWL TO NORTH AMERICA

Open World Champions 1995: Edgar Kaplan (npc), Bob Hamman, Nick Nickell, Eric Rodwell, Jeff Meckstroth, Bobby Wolff, Dick Freeman

fter 8 years of absence, the Bermuda Bowl returned to North FINAL A America in great style. Despite a slow start, the American CANADA - USA 2 295 - 338 teams dominated the field and had knocked out all their opponents by the semifinal stage. This led to an all-American final, which had 3rd PLACE PLAYOFF not happened since 1977. Canada played well and on a couple of SWEDEN - FRANCE 91 - 151 occasions came close to upsetting the veteran world champions. Europe had to be consoled with the bronze medal, won by France. SEMI FINALS SWEDEN - CANADA 157 - 218 China: world bridge super power FRANCE - USA 2 153 - 221

The 1995 World Championships QUARTER FINALS was, for many people, their first opportunity to visit China. Al- FRANCE - CHINA 196 - 193 though it is hard to judge the gen- SOUTH AFRICA - CANADA 187 - 272 eral progress achieved there, it is SWEDEN - NETHERLANDS 227 - 182 clear that bridge is prospering in INDONESIA - USA 2 177 - 216 this vast country, and it will not be BERMUDA BOWL too long before China occupies a QUALIFIER top position in world bridge. GROUP W GROUP E The importance attached to bridge WBF President José Damiani congratu- in China was more than evident. lates China’s Sports Minister Wu Shaozu 1 FRANCE 231 1 CANADA 240 The tournament’s opening cere- 2 SOUTH AFRICA 228.5 2 SWEDEN 239 mony took place in the Great Hall were organized between them and 3 INDONESIA 227 3 CHINA 233.7 of People, where state dinners are WBF officials. 4 NETHERLANDS 222 4 USA 2 221 normally held, in the presence of Finally, it was the first time that 5 USA 1 202 5 BRAZIL 219 about 900 guests. bridge matches were broadcast The Championship site was visited live on TV. The coverage lasted 6 VENEZUELA 201.5 6 ITALY 216.8 several times by top government several hours every day and was 7 ARGENTINA 187 7 EGYPT 154.5 personalities and bridge games watched by close to a million fans! 8 AUSTRALIA 167 8 COLOMBIA 136.5 PAUL CHEMLA WITH

I was a successful student and graduated in Literature at the École Normale Superieure de Lettres. A school friend of mine there was Alain Juppé, the Prime Minister of France. When did you start to play bridge? Not until I was 24 years old in 1968, soon after I left University, when I became a lecturer in Agrege. When did you move into the big time in bridge? My breakthrough came by winning the very first Euro- pean Pairs championship. It was held in 1976 in Cannes and I partnered Michel Lebel. I won the Euro- pean Pairs again in 1985 partnering Michel Perron. I have won two world titles, the first when France won the Team Olympiad in Valkenburg in 1980. I partnered INTERVIEW Christian Mari. The final against the USA swung on a famous opening lead against a grand slam. Three Olympiads, and 12 years later, in Salsomaggiore in 1992, we again beat the USA in the final. Michel Perron for France, and Hamman & Wolff for the USA also played on both these occasions. With Michel I was also on the French team that took second place to Poland in the 1984 Olympiad in Seattle. In 1991 Michel and I won the prestigious Sunday Times Invitation Pairs played in London. I have yet to win the European team title, but intend to rectify that in Vilamoura this year! Conducted by Jean-Paul Meyer Conducted by Jean-Paul Reported Jourdain by Patrick Who have been your main bridge partners? Paul, you are one of the most Michel Perron has been my principal partner since distinctive personalities in 1982. My other main partners have been Michel • Born 1944 bridge. Tell us about the family Lebel, Christian Mari and Michel Abecassis. I some- • Unmarried life which molded you. times partner Patrick Sussel and play in a squad orga- I was born in Tunis in 1944 and have nized by José Damiani which includes the 1980 world • Bridge pro one sister. My father was a lawyer but he champions and Robert Reiplinger. • European Pairs separated from my mother, Ginette, In France nearly all the players use very similar sys- Champion 1976 when I was quite young. tems, based on Majeure Cinquieme (five card majors & 1985 My mother married twice again. We and strong notrump), so it makes it easy for us to moved to Paris in 1960 and she married partner each other without too much discussion. • Olympiad a member of the French cabinet, Do you have interests in bridge other than Champion 1980 Bertrand Flornoy. He was an explorer. playing? & 1992 She later married the Turkish bridge player Halit Bigat. They now live in Non! Switzerland. (continued on page 14) POLAND SWEEPS MEDALS IN PHILIP MORRIS EUROPEAN PAIRS

OLAND showed mercy for for the European Open title in no one when they col- the A-final, while 80 pairs took P lected all top medals at part in the B-final and the rest the 8th PHILIP MORRIS Euro- went on to play in the Conso- pean Pairs Championships, lation tournament. held in Rome, 21-26 March The Polish struck decisively 1995. through Gawrys-Lasocki who The eternal city welcomed won the Open championship over 800 players from all over (A-final) by a handy margin. Europe who came to compete The other two medals went to in two championship events: Hackett-Waterlow (Great Bri- the Open and Senior Pairs. At tain) and Pattacini-Sementa the same time, 24 of Europe’s (Italy). best players played in the Quite in the same fashion, Grand Master Pairs, having Chmurski-Stepinski won the 1 Lasocki - Gawrys POL qualified directly to the Open B-final for Poland, leaving 2 Hackett - Waterlow GBR semifinals. Maurin-Voldoire of France and 3 Pattacini - Sementa ITA The first Polish victory came van Oppen-Rebattu of the 4 Cabanes - Gautret FRA when Lesniewski-Szymano- Netherlands at a distance. 5 Gal - Winkler HUN wski, gold medalists at the As though all these medals 6 Covo - Paladino FRA 1994 World Championships, were not already enough, Po- 7 Fucik - Kubak AUT ended first in the Grand lish veterans Nowak-Stobiecki 8 Maas - Kirchhoff NLD Masters after a dramatic finish also won the Seniors event, against runners-up Muller- finishing ahead of Bahanik- 9 Hayes - Petersson LAT Westra of the Netherlands. Picmaus (Czech Republic) and 10 Chemla - Perron FRA After the qualifying stage and Baratta-Rohan (Austria) in the 11 Muller - Westra NLD the semifinals, 40 pairs fought 42-pair final. 12 Dechelette - Leenhardt FRA OPEN PAIRS TERS Lesniewski - Szymanowski Lesniewski GRAND MAS 1 Stobiecki - Nowak POL British and Israelis win 2 Bahnik - Picmaus CZE 21st PHILIP MORRIS Simultaneous 3 Baratta - Rohan AUT 4 Garthwaite - Hobson GBR Once again, some 20,000 players gathered in 600 clubs in more 5 Agren - Astrom SWE than 30 countries across Europe to participate in the annual PHILIP MORRIS Simultaneous Pairs, November 17. 6 Humburg - Mattsson GER 7 Knutson - Wiksporre SWE This year, N/S winners were M.Phelps and M.Williams of Great Britain (77%). They were followed by Marongiu-Muscas (Italy) 8 Castren - Koskikallio FIN and Gerasimov-Pogonov (Russia). Best E/W pair were H.Hirsh- 9 Moszynski - Szydiowski POL E.Silverman of Israel (73.63%); they finished just ahead of 10 Bensoussan - Bindi FRA Cassano-Landolo (Italy) and Mathieu-Veron (France). 11 Sartoretti - Wirth FRA 12 Kreisberger - Rohm GER SENIOR PAIRS VILAMOURA ’95 ITALY CAPTURES EUROPEAN OPEN TITLE IN BLUE TEAM STYLE

1 ITALY 569½ fter a fine performance 2 FRANCE 547 Awhich brought to mind the good old days of Blue Team 3 NETHERLANDS 542½ domination, Italy won the open 4 SWEDEN 541½ title by finishing ahead of the 32- 5 POLAND 537½ team field at the 42nd GENER- ALI European Championships, 6 ISRAEL 533½ held in Vilamoura, Portugal, 17 7 DENMARK 524½ June - 1 July 1995. 8 ICELAND 523 Of the victorious sextet, only 9 AUSTRIA 510 Lorenzo Lauria was on the team which won the last European for 10 GREECE 509 Italy, in 1979. The other champi- 11 FINLAND 508 ons are: Andrea Buratti, Massi- 12 PORTUGAL 507 mo Lanzarotti, Maurizio Pattaci- POLAND DOMINATES ni, and two recent ex-Juniors: - NORWAY 507 Antonio Sementa and Alfredo FIRST SENIOR TEAMS 14 GT. BRITAIN 506½ Versace. The npc was Carlo 15 ROMANIA 491 Mosca. enior Teams was the only 1 POLAND 2 322½ 16 TURKEY 488 France, a pre-tournament Scategory of competition that 2 POLAND 1 308½ favourite, had a slow start and was missing from the European 17 GERMANY 461½ had to fight hard at the later calendar. Not any more! 3 FRANCE 2 302½ 18 IRELAND 460 stages to secure the silver me- Sponsored by GENERALI, the 4 NETHERLANDS 1 294½ - SPAIN 460 dal. They were followed by the inaugural event took place in 5 GERMANY 292½ Netherlands, the reigning world Vilamoura as a separate series 20 LEBANON 456 6 ISRAEL/AUSTRIA 289½ champions, and Sweden. of the European Championships 21 RUSSIA 436½ These four teams qualified to - and in the absence of national- 7 PORTUGAL 2 282 22 BELGIUM 434½ represent Europe in the 1995 ity restrictions, it attracted an 8 ITALY 277½ 23 CZECH REP. 420 Bermuda Bowl. entry of 18 teams from 12 9 GT. BRITAIN 1 268 countries. 24 HUNGARY 417 If there was any doubt as to 10 PORTUGAL 1 259 25 BELARUS 408 Correction which country is the strongest in 11 FINLAND 234 26 MONACO 398 The last issue of the Daily Bulletin at senior bridge, the competition 12 NETHERLANDS 2 277½ 27 CROATIA 358 Vilamoura contained a presentation of the gave a clear answer. Poland, 13 TURKEY 225½ French team. Translated into english in haste, represented by two teams, fin- 28 SAN MARINO 347 the article described Christian Mari as an ished in the top two positions, 14 PORTUGAL 3 222½ 29 UKRAINE 344½ ‘unpleasant’ player! The original word followed by France. ombrageux refers to someone who does not 15 GT. BRITAIN 2 214½ 30 SWITZERLAND 330 accept criticism easily. This is, of course, true The first European senior 16 FRANCE 1 200 for many bridge players. champions are: K.Gwis, K.Koro- 31 LITHUANIA 327 17 BELGIUM 194 Jean-Paul Meyer sadowicz, J.Neter, J.Nowak, J. 32 SLOVENIA 317½ NPC, French Open Team Polec and W.Stobiecki. 18 PORTUGAL 4 113 1 FRANCE 418 12 NETHERLANDS 318 GOLD 2 GERMANY 383 13 GREECE 305 3 ISRAEL 380 14 CZECH REP. 300 EUROPEAN 4 GT. BRITAIN 366 15 ICELAND 296½ 5 AUSTRIA 363 16 TURKEY 293 MEDAL FOR 6 POLAND 358½ 17 FINLAND 258 7 ITALY 353½ 18 IRELAND 247 8 DENMARK 351 19 SAN MARINO 231 FRENCH 9 SPAIN 331½ 20 CROATIA 225 - PORTUGAL 331½ 21 BELGIUM 215 LADIES 11 SWEDEN 321 22 MONACO 214 VILAMOURA ’95 WOMEN

he French Ladies team had Tno problem at all in winning the European gold medal in Vila- moura. Véronique Bessis, Clau- de Blouquit, Bénédicte Cronier, Colette Lise, Catherine Saul and Sylvie Willard, led by npc Max Coppolani, started the competi- tion well and took an early lead which they never relinquished. Germany and Israel followed in the final ranking of the 22- team field, while the fourth qual- ifying place for the Venice Cup was dramatically captured by Great Britain. GERMANY TRIUMPHS IN

EUROPEAN LADIES PAIRS We all felt strongly that we need to 1 von Arnim - Zenkel GER try and communicate directly with 2 Nehmert - Rauscheid GER more individual Lady Players in all 3 Poratlevit - Tsuralbu ISR the European countries, and to encourage them to compete in the 4 Cohen - Zuccarelli FRA events that are specially designed 5 Banaszkiewicz - Krogulska POL for them. I have a possible way of 6 Duguet - Walberg FRA arranging this and hope to have 7 Casale - Fusari ITA some excellent news for you in 8 van der Pas - Vriend NTH the not-too-far distant future. 9 Gianardi - Rovera ITA A number of very valuable points were raised during the Meeting, 10 Colonna - Cividin ITA with countries agreeing that more 11 Deleva - Grigorova BUL advertising should be done for the 12 Pasman - Simons NTH Ladies Pairs and, indeed for any other Ladies events we may enough Lady Players to ensure its decide to hold. Consideration is success. We are hoping that we being given to running a Ladies may be able to undertake the he GENERALI European medal went to Migri Tsur-Albu & Simultaneous Pairs each year, organization of another Jamboree T Ladies Pairs Championship Ruth Porat-Levit (Israel). starting in December 1996 and of in two years time. course if we decide that this was held in Vilamoura immediate- I would like to take the opportuni- We took the opportunity during would be a viable proposition we ly before the Ladies Teams ty of thanking all those who have the course of the Championships will inform all the NCBOs immedi- Championship. The event was supported us so wonderfully dur- to hold a Meeting for the Ladies ately and seek their support. very successful, with the Gold ing 1995, and of wishing all the Delegates from many countries, Medal going to Sabine Auken- We decided, sadly, that the Ladies Lady Players in Europe, a very so that we could discuss the Zenkel and Daniela von Arnim Jamboree should not be staged happy and prosperous 1996. (Germany). Second came Beate future of Ladies Bridge in Europe next year, as we cannot be sure of (Pony) Nehmert & Andrea Rau- and decide how best to proceed obtaining a suitable venue, nor Anna Maria Torlontano schid (Germany) and the bronze and to publicize our events. can we be certain of reaching Chairman, EBL Ladies Committee ture, andenjoyareallytoughcrossword. opera inparticular. Istillreadgoodlitera- rants. Mymainhobbyisclassical music, guessed Ifrequenthighclass restau- You have seenmycigars,andhave 1 November1995 correct asat bridge? What aboutinterestsoutside (continued frompage10) MASTER POINTS ANDORRA -ARMENIACYPRUS:noholders .VINO&EDOZJ15 S.AVDIENKO &E.DROZZAJ G.SANTAGATA &M.SOROLDONI Carlos FERNÁNDEZSANCHIZ A.GROMOV &M.ROSENBLUM A.GROMOV óne ORTE 31 Jóannes MOURITSEN hlpeCERESM304 M Philippe COENRAETS ilsDMOIHM233 M Miklós DUMBOVICH oia UISA 36 Povilas LUKINSKAS ereKRATSM416 M George KARLAFTIS egoANBLI11 Sergio ARNABOLDI e lfSNEI 701 G Per OlofSUNDELIN ó ADRSNL460 L Jón BALDURSSON ldmrVLAU73 Vladimir VALEANU ak OSIE 191 Kauko KOISTINEN oyFRETRL470 L Tony FORRESTER emtHULRL485 L Helmut HÄUSLER icm AIO21 Giacomo GAVINO tkrSOOA110 Otakar SVOBODA amn IAE16 Raymond VITALE ikFTGBO 211 M Nick FITZGIBBON oez ARAL459 L Lorenzo LAURIA Hristo DRUMEV itLAEÄ 95 Tiit LAANEMÄE ai EDK 11 Janis BENDIKS ai IMNL478 L David BIRMAN it ARSG940 G Piotr GAWRYS rnoŠijk48 Branko Špiljak grGOO 29 Igor GROMOV alCEL 1051 G Paul CHEMLA ae OA 30 Janez NOVAK o ENS 516 L Tor HELNESS ibr OY10 DONY Gilbert no ASG831 G Anton MAAS esAKNL705 L Jens AUKEN ei ZI 48 Nelih ÖZDIL ai IA 209 M Halit BIGAT 3paes 2 (3 players) a UI 589 G Jan FUCIK u IT 129 Rui PINTO O A ONR TOPWOMAN COUNTRY TOP MAN INTERVIEW WITHPAUL CHEMLA pear inapuffofmycigarsmoke! That anycheatsinbridgewould disap- stakes. I alsoplayagamecalledrummyforhigh what woulditbe? change somethingaboutbridge, If youhadamagicwandto 187 12 90 CZECH REPUBLIC FAROE ISLANDS LIECHTENSTEIN G GREAT BRITAIN NETHERLANDS SWITZERLAND LUXEMBOURG SAN MARINO : EuropeanGrandMaster PORTUGAL LITHUANIA BULGARIA GERMANY DENMARK SLOVENIA HUNGARY ROMANIA LEBANON BELARUS BELGIUM UKRAINE MONACO NORWAY FINLAND AUSTRIA IRELAND SWEDEN ICELAND ESTONIA CROATIA POLAND FRANCE TURKEY GREECE RUSSIA ISRAEL LATVIA MALTA SPAIN ITALY 9KatalinWELKER 29 NevenaDELEVA M 143 0SilvanaROJKO 10 SandraLANDY G 565 Valérie POLET M MariaERHART 194 G 451 4A.TANER &S.ZORLU BIGAT Ginette 14 M 126 MariaJoãoLARA 40 BepVRIEND LucienneVASSALLO G 793 2 MarisaD’ ANDREA ZUR-ALBU Migri AileenO’KEEFFE G HjördisEYTHORSDOTTIR 409 L 237 94 88 SusanneBÄCKSTRÖM TiiuMÄNDMETS 72 2 SvetlanaBODRENKOVA 12 0NadiaVALEANU JolantaKROGULSKA 30 M 139 SylvieWILLARD G 525 NikicaŠVER 35 0 BimÖDLUND L CAPITINI Carmen 202 LarissaPANINA 100 9 45 AnneLillHELLEMAN 19 (3 players) AnitaFOLKMANE 5 11 SabineAUKEN G MIKKELSEN Arnleyg 530 JudyNORRIS JanaPOKORNÁ 14 G 335 49 7MariaVLACHAKI 97 and theeveningisearlyinmy day! morning andafternoonarefor sleeping, am, so,whenIamnotplayingbridge,the It isunusualformetogobedbefore9 L : EuropeanLifeMaster t6pm.Isthatnormalforyou? at 6 We wokeyouforthisinterview, Paul, Merci bien,Paul. Marquesa SoldeMORATALA M : EuropeanMaster JANUARY

13-24 International Winter 9-14 11th International Bridge Tournament / St. Bridge Festival / Cascais- Moritz, Switzerland Lisbon, Portugal 19-21 EBU Swiss Teams 19-26 European Union Cham- • This is an abridged list of the Congress / Leeds, Great pionships / Oostende, Belgium tournaments scheduled to take place Britain 25-28 Aldrans Bridge Days/ in Europe in the first half of 1996. Aldrans, Austria More information is contained in the 21-27 19th Budapest Inter- comprehensive publication 1996 national Bridge Festival / EBL Competition Calendar. Budapest, Hungary MAY

10-23 47th International Festival Juan-Les-Pins / Juan- COMPETITION Les-Pins, France 22-26 Velden Bridge Week / Velden, Austria CALENDAR 24-26 2nd Luxembourg International Tournament / FEBRUARY 2-5 29th Tallinn Interna- Luxembourg tional Bridge Festival / Tallinn, 25-26 Renaissance Interna- 3-4 Vienna Bridge Con- 24-March 1 2nd Malta Interna- Estonia tional Teams / Dortmund, Ger- gress Piatnik / Vienna, Austria tional Bridge Festival / Malta 3-7 EBU Spring Four- many somes / Stratford-upon-Avon, 15-24 30th Israel Interna- 24-March 3 10th Internation- 27-June 2 11th Internation- Great Britain tional Bridge Festival / Tel Aviv, al Festival ‘des Jeux’ / Cannes, al Bridge Festival ‘Locomotiva’ Israel France 9-12 Harkány Bridge Tour- / Bucharest, Romania nament / Harkány, Hungary MARCH 10-12 International Festival ‘Carta Mundi - Corsendonck 10-16 9th Island of Tenerife Bier’ / Oostende, Belgium Festival / Canary Islands, Spain JUNE 18-23 4th PHILIP MORRIS European Mixed Champion- 5-8 23rd Bridge Festival 24-30 Sørlandet Internation- ships / Monte Carlo, Monaco ‘Portoroz ’96’ / Portoroz, Slovenia al Bridge Festival / Kristian- 26-31 Kitzbühel Bridge 7-8 11th Worldwide Pairs sand, Norway Week / Kitzbühel, Austria Championships / Clubs worldwide 26-30 4rd Kronborg Bridge 29-Apr. 3 Olrudpåsken ’96 22-23 10th International Festival / Helsingør, Denmark / Hamar, Norway Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Bridge Tournament / Schiphol, 28-29 Josefi Tournament / APRIL The Netherlands Pörtschach, Austria 5-8 Easter Festival of 22-28 Nordic Champion- 28-30 Buxton Summer Con- Bridge / London, Great Britain ships / Faaborg, Denmark gress / Buxton, Great Britain

Publicizing your events EBL Review The European Bridge League provides the best media for advertis- EBL Review, published bian- All correspondence should be ing your tournaments. nually, is the official medium addressed to: The EBL Competition Calendar, published annually, contains con- of the European Bridge cise information for some 100 tournaments organized across League. EBL Review Europe. 4,000 copies are distributed, free of charge, to all NCBOs It is distributed free of charge P. Gerontopoulos, Editor and the Press, reaching hundreds of bridge clubs and thousands to all National Contract Bridge 154 Patission Street, of individuals interested in international events. Organizations, Bridge Clubs, GR-112 57 Athens, EBL Review, is published twice a year and provides global infor- Tournament Directors, Jour- Greece. mation about what is happening in the world of bridge. It has a cir- nalists, Bridge Teachers and culation of 10,000 and is also distributed free of charge to all Officials of the 42 EBL mem- 2 30-1-861 3740 NCBOs, administrators, teachers and the Press. ber countries. 7 [email protected]