ALT VI • BULLETIN 1 • Tuesday June 9 2020 • editor: [email protected]

PRE-BULLETIN ShortTHE Report ALT from Day 1Monday, May 11, 2020 editor: Christina Lund Madsen Paul Street has assumed his favourite position on top after two rounds [email protected] two victories. Blass is also undefeated, and in this bulletin Josef Blass is our Victim of the Day. INVITATIONAL logistics: Rosalind Hengeveld Our rookie-teams TulinMAY and Lebowitz11-15, 2020 did not disappoint the kibitzers whenbig data: they Joyce clashed Tito in the first match. online bridge events organized by bid72, bridge24 & netbridge.online We can hardly wait to see what the Gentlemen and their young musketeers are up to today. We all hope to witness more imaginative sword-fighting. De Botton are in a lower gear than traditionally in this event, and Gillis' young Norwegians seemed not quite out of bed after the weekend (the bars in Norway are open, and we have all seen Boye BrogelandTHE at a bar someALT time in INVITATIONAL1998)

MAY 11-15, 2020 Important Notice Today’s Schedule Round 3 & 4 online bridge events organized by bid72, bridge24Tuesday June& netbridge.online 9 Tuesday June 9 All players should enter BBO 10 10.00 EDT/16.00 CET 14.00 EDT/20.00 CET minutes before their match starts at the latest. Tournament director Denis Blass - De Botton Blass - Gillis Tulin - Gillis De Botton - Street Dobrin is waiting for you and will Donner - Street Tulin - Gupta instruct you where to sit. Lebowitz - Gupta Donner - Lebowitz

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- 1 - Simple Start By

It's well known that most players are East led the ♦3 and West took the king happy when the early deals in a match are and returned the ten for the jack, queen straightforward. An easy game to settle and ace. Declarer tied a heart to the king the nerves is ideal. and East won and played the ♦9 declarer ruffing and trying the ♠K. West won, This was the first deal of ALT VI: cashed the ♥Q and continued with the jack, ruffed with the♥ 4 and overruffed by 1. Dealer North. None Vul. the nine, East cashing the ♠Q and exiting with a diamond. That meant declarer had ♠ K J 10 7 4 3 to open up the clubs so he was five down, ♥ K 9 -250. Potentially it was a gain against a ♦ J 2 probable 3NT. ♣ Q 8 7 ♠ A 2 ♠ Q 9 5 Closed Room ♥ Q J 8 4 ♥ A 7 ♦ K 10 4 ♦ Q 9 6 5 3 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH ♣ A 4 3 2 ♣ K 10 9 A Grossack Bakhshi Z Grossack Tulin ♠ 8 6 — 2♠ Pass Pass ♥ 10 6 5 3 2 Dble Pass 3♦* All Pass ♦ A 8 7 ♣ J 6 5 3♦ Values With a combined 25 points it does not look too difficult for EW to reach 3NT and South led the ♠8 and North won and the cards are lying so well that declarer switched to the ♥K, declarer winning and does not even need to score four diamond playing a diamond. South put up the ace tricks. However, the bidding comes before and returned a heart, declarer quickly clai- the declarer play. ming the rest, +150 but a loss of 3 IMPs.

Open Room If North opens 1♠ and South responds 1NT West might double - that is what WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Michielsen did, but when Upmark rebid van Prooijen Gold Verhees Zia 2♠ Cullin's 3♦ was passed out. — 2♠ Pass 3♠ All Pass In the replay Blass and Pepsi reached 3NT easily enough - Pepsi bidding 3NT over West's double of 2♠. Declarer was allowed South's subtle raise was enough to keep to win the spade lead with the queen and EW quiet. played a diamond to the king, finishing with ten tricks and 7 IMPs.

- 2 - with a fan in 2013

If West does not double 1NT and North rebids 2♠, West can double on the next round when East has 'fielder's choice'.

There was an identical swing in Gupta vs. De Botton where both North's opened a Multi 2♦ and West doubled South's 2♠. Hackett bid 3♦ to lose IMPs to Muller's 3NT.

In Street vs. Gillis Brogeland and Pachtman both bid 3NT after the Multi sequence.

- 3 - Fireworks By Martin Cantor

When you commentate on BBO it’s hard side, Zia decided to mix things up even not to choose a table where Zia is playing; further. He certainly stopped them playing on one hand you hope for some of his the cold 3NT or 5♦ but traded that with famous fireworks; on the other you know the opportunity for a better score of 4 it’s where most of the kibitzers will con- down doubled. gregate. So it was the Lebowitz vs. Tulin The defense started well with three match that I picked in Round 1. rounds of trumps. Gold pulled the last , but when he next led a club tow- Board 3. S /EW ards dummy, Verhees slipped by inserting the king. There are times when this might ♠ 62 be right, but this wasn’t one of them; if he ♥ QT765 plays small declarer has no quick route ♦ 654 back to hand for a second in the suit. So Gold pitched a loser on the long ♣ Q75 club and lost just 500. ♠ AQ3 N ♠ JT7 ♥ AK82 W E ♥ 3 The lost undertrick only cost 2 IMPs ♦ AJ2 S ♦ KQT873 because at the other table this happened: ♣ 832 ♣ KT6 ♠ K9854 ♥ J94 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH ♦ 9 A Grossack Bakhshi Z Grossack Tulin ♣ AJ94 — — — Pass 1♣ Pass 1♦ 1♠ WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH Dbl* Pass 3♦ Pass van Prooijen Gold Verhees Zia 3♠ Pass 4♣ Pass — — — Pass 4♥* Pass 4♠* Pass 1♣* 1♥ 2♠* 4♥ 6♦ All Pass Pass Pass Dbl All Pass

1♣ strong Dbl 3-card support 4♥ keycard for ♦ 4♠ 1/4 2♠ transfer to ♦ GF The spade king is well placed for declarer, At favourable vulnerability it is often right but it is 3-1 odds against to have two to bid over a strong club even with a hand right, so the slam looks to be full of tram tickets. That is certainly David going down. Gold’s philosophy, and when Louk Verhees Expecting his ♠K to be onside, and holding announced that the hand belonged to his a singleton trump, Stan Tulin may have

- 4 - thought that the best chance to beat the contract was his ♣A and a trump trick with his partner. Whatever his reasoning, he led the ace and another club, so declarer drew trumps, and when his ♠J was covered he could claim a fortunate 1370 and 13 IMPs.

The other six tables all played 3NT making at least 11 tricks. Stan Tulin

Board 9. N / EW

♠ KQ4 Gold, perhaps because of his flat 3433, ♥ K873 declined to make a counter offer of hearts. ♦ 432 ♣ Q62 Van Prooijen led a safe diamond. Declarer ♠ T2 N ♠ J9873 played a spade to the queen, then tested ♥ Q952 W E ♥ T the clubs ending in dummy, and when ♦ T75 S ♦ QJ986 they failed to break, he needed four heart ♣ T974 ♣ J8 tricks. King and another heart gave him ♠ A65 his second bit of bad news, and all he ♥ AJ64 could do now was to cash his spades and diamond, to West to give him the ♦ AK ♥J at the end for one down. ♣ AK53

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH A Grossack Bakhshi Z Grossack Tulin van Prooijen Gold Verhees Zia — Pass Pass 2♣ — Pass Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass 2NT Pass 2♦ Pass 2NT Pass 3♣ Pass3♥ Pass Pass 5NT* Pass 6♣ Pass 6NT All Pass Pass 3♠* Pass 3NT Pass 4NT Pass 5♣*

No range was given for the 2NT rebid, but Pass 6♥ All Pass Gold alerted his 5NT as a strong invitation to slam. Zia offered clubs as a strain and 3♠ slam try in ♥

- 5 - Tulin and Bakhshi did a better job in the Tulin changed his lineup after 12 boards, bidding, identifying their heart fit and the Israelis replacing the Dutchmen. choosing to play in it. And Stan Tulin played it to perfection. He won the ope- The replacements got this one right when ning diamond lead perforce, crossed to Dror Padon produced a sharp double of dummy with a spade to lead a trump what would be a perfectly decent contract towards hand - a classic that given reasonable breaks. Today the breaks was well rewarded when the ten appeared. were not reasonable. He finessed the♥ 7, unblocked the second diamond, went to dummy with a club for On the ♣K lead Padon dropped the 9, suit the diamond , played the trump jack to preference. Birman duly played the ♥T, the queen and king and cashed his black again suit preference, so, when Padon took suit winners to concede the ♥9 at the end. the trump ace at the first opportunity, they could score a ruff in each hand for 2 off. Elsewhere, there was one other 6NT (2 down), three other 6♥, two making, one 1 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH down, a 5♥ making and a rather unambi- A Grossack Bakhshi Z Grossack Tulin tious 3NT that made 12 tricks. — — — 1♦ Board 15. S/ NS 2NT* 4♣* 5♣ Pass Pass 5♦ All Pass ♠ KJ4 ♥ AJ764 2NT ♣ & ♥ 4♣ splinter ♦ K985 ♣ Q Hoping to get partner in for a spade ruff ♠ — N ♠ T98732 Adam led the ♣7. He did indeed get his ♥ QT983 W E ♥ 5 spade ruff, at trick 3, after Zack won the ♦ 64 S ♦ A32 diamond ace at trick 2. But that was it for ♣ AKJT73 ♣ 964 the defense, 600 at this table to go with ♠ AQ65 the 500 from the other meant a whopping ♥ K2 15 IMPs for the Tulin team, who went on ♦ QJT7 to win 81-50 or 15.97-4.03. ♣ 852 In the other matches four pairs made 5♦, WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH one with an overtrick, while one went Birman Gold Padon Zia down a trick, as did one pair in 4♦. — — — 1♦ A match that continued the entertainment 2NT* 3♣* Pass 3♦ we have come to expect from these Alt 4♣ 5♦ Dbl All Pass Invitational tournaments, with more to come throughout the week. 2NT ♣ & ♥ 3♣ ♦-support inv. or better

- 6 - Results / Ranking

RR1 IMPs VPs Link to results BLASS DONNER 33 17 13.53 6.47 LEBOWITZ TULIN 50 81 4.03 15.97 Alt VI results GUPTA DE BOTTON 83 34 18.09 1.91 STREET GILLIS 68 45 14.76 5.24 Link to previous Alts & bulletins

RR2 IMPs VPs Bulletins BLASS TULIN 49 28 14.43 5.57 DONNER DE BOTTON 52 52 10.00 10.00 Alt Calendar LEBOWITZ GILLIS 65 28 16.77 3.23 GUPTA STREET 28 57 4.31 15.69 June 22-26 Major ALT - End of season

After RR 2 VPs World Class field resembling the round of 32 at the . 1 STREET 30.45 The format is Swiss followed by 2 BLASS 27.96 knock outs. All matches on BBO. Stay tuned! 3 GUPTA 22.40 4 TULIN 21.54 5 LEBOWITZ 20.80

6 DONNER 16.47 Follow us on 7 DE BOTTON 11.91 Facebook 8 GILLIS 8.47 Click the link

Rules and regulations The numbers 1 through 4 from the round robin will go to the semifinals. In case of a tie in victory points: 1. the mutual result will decide 2. still equal: the most ’wins’ (BAM-ish) will decide. 3. after that: the team with the highest IMP score on a board will go through

The winner of the round robin may choose its opponent between the teams placed 3 and 4. T he captain will mail their choice to [email protected] within an hour after the round robin is finis- hed. If late, then matches will be: 1 versus 4 and 2 versus 3.

- 7 - Victim of the Day by Christina Lund Madsen Josef Blass

Please tell us about your background. You were born in 1945. How did your family Where you come from, live, family, educa- fare during WWII? tion, professional career. - I was born in July of 1945 in - My family is from the city of Lwów Krasnoturynsk (USSR). It is hard to ima- (today, Lviv, part of Ukraine). Until 1939, gine, but both of my parents were pri- Lwów was part of Poland, and since soners, so I was actually born in a labor September of 1939, it became a part of the camp. We are Jewish and my parents were Soviet Union. the only survivors of their 23-member family. Both of my parents were highly educated people with multiple academic degrees. How do you remember growing up in I grew up in a very caring environment, Poland in the post WWII years? but with a strong emphasis on educa- tion. I went to elementary and high - We returned to Poland in August of schools in Warsaw. After I graduated in 1946. My memory of growing up in 1963, I enrolled into the Mathematics Poland in the post-WWII years is very Department of Warsaw University from positive. We lived a very privileged life. which I graduated in May of 1968 with My father became a high official in the a Master of Science degree. In July of government and also a university pro- 1968, I immigrated to the United States fessor. My mother worked with foreign and enrolled into the Department artists visiting Poland and traveled with of Mathematics at the University of Polish artists abroad. There was not much Michigan in Ann Arbor. I received my money, but there were plenty of privileges: Ph.D. in early 1970 and ended up teaching a free apartment, a limousine with a for over 30 years at various universities. driver, a housekeeper, free vacations, etc. I had plenty of friends interested in history, Since 1976, I pursued a parallel business sports statistics, mathematics, books, and career and I am still involved, but on a very many other topics. limited basis. What made you leave Poland and move to In 1981, I founded a company, Pension the US? Research Institute (PRI), with the objective of bringing academic research to real life - I was literally kicked out of Poland. In applications in pension plan design and March of 1968, we had large student the investment field. Our main contribu- demonstrations at Warsaw University and tion was coming up with a concept of the I was one of the leaders. After the student 401(k) Plan and developing the original movement was suppressed, we had a master 401(k) Plan for Fidelity Group. choice: Leave Poland, or go to jail.

- 8 - Josef Blass

I decided to leave. The others stayed and - My heart clearly lies in the United States, twelve years later formed Solidarity. but I continue being Polish – Chopin (An anti-bureaucratic social movement, music, Mickiewicz poetry, my Polish using methods of civil resistance to advance students, the Solidarity movement, my the causes of workers' rights and social bridge team, and the language – that’s my change in Poland during the 1980's/ed.) “Polishness”.

What are the most distinctive differences Paul Street has the following question for between Poland and the US? you: How did you first start playing bridge and - The main difference between Poland and have you ever given it up for a period of the United States, in my opinion, is that in time? the US, “the sky is the limit.” I have never encountered institutional - I started playing bridge when I was eight objections to what I wanted to do. And years old. I was on vacation in southern also, there is a real acceptance by the Poland. There were three boys there, ages majority of people for immigrants like 12-14. They made me the fourth. I have myself. played ever since, but not as frequently as I have since 2001. In which of the two countries does your heart lie? Which is your fondest bridge memory so far?

- 9 - Josef Blass has been happy to befriend so many characters and teammates in .

- The greatest sorrow in my life was the health of my youngest grandson, Hudson. He is currently eight years old, but at the age of two, he fell victim to a very rare type of leukemia. If you could give a piece of life advice to all us youngsters, what would it be? - My fondest bridge memory is being exposed to and befriended by so many top - My advice is to pay close attention to players including Rodwell, Meckstroth, your family life. I have been with my wife Levin, Weinstein, Grue, Moss, Hampson, Ewa for 53 years. This is the main reason Greco, Passell, the Italian Team, and obvi- behind my successful and very good life. ously my team members: Pepsi, Zaremba, Lesniewski, Kalita, Nowosadzki, Brink, Do you have any tattoos? If you were to get Drijver, Jassem, Martens, Kwiecien and one in writing, what would it say? Buras. - I have no tattoos. If I were to get one, it I also acquired new life-time friends like would be two points, three inches apart Paul Street, Mike Levine, Rose Meltzer, and a sign saying “How to get there.” Wayne Stuart, Melanie Tucker and Hugon Karwowski. Who would you like to partner, kiss, kill among Fredrik Nystrom, Johan Upmark and What do you like to do when you do not Michal Nowosadzki? play online bridge? Partner: Michal Nowosadzki - When I am not playing bridge, I study Kiss: Fredrik Nystrom, Johan Upmark history, and still do a little investments. I Kill: None. Poles and Swedes have not also spend a lot of time with my grandchil- fought since the early eighteenth century. dren. Who do you think should be the next victim You have accomplished more than most in in the bulletin? Tell us something you would life. Is there any goal you have not achieved like to know about this person. and regret having missed? - The next victim should be Rose Meltzer. - I have achieved much more than what I I would like to know how “she swims in expected, both in mathematics as well as this man-infested bridge world.” in business. I do not think I regret missing any goals. (Since Rose Meltzer is not participating in the Alt VI, we are postponing her interview What has been the greatest sorrow in your till the Major Alt in two weeks. life? Instead Josef has picked Stan Tulin.)

- 10 - Teams / Players / Nicknames

Team Blass Team De Botton Jacek Pszczola pikolo Jason Hackett mutton Josef Blass bljosef Alexander Hydes itsgrim Jacek Kalita bridge24jk Janet de Botton capt Lulu Michal Nowosadzki bridge24mn Arthur Malinowski malisuper Johan Upmark Mostovoi Thor Erik Hoftaniska kasper20 Fredrik Nyström F_Nystrom Thomas Charlsen tcharlsen

Team Gillis Team Street Simon Gillis rayas78 Nicolas L’Ecuyer caucase Erik Saelensminde skaal1 Paul Street Boulevard1 Boye Brogeland boye Ron Pachtman ronpa stevieg Piotr Zatorski dzeronimo Christian Bakke chrien Fred Pollack Fredp Tor Oyvind Grude teg91 Kamel Fergani fergani

Team Lebowitz Team Donner Zia Mahmood zia Gary Donner Gdonnersc1 Laurence Lebowitz 0 lhl12 Cecilia Rimstedt cillar Adam Grossack nevereast Sandra Rimstedt Sandria Zach Grossack germs345 Lady007 David Gold dagold Per-Ola Cullin pocken Michael Rosenberg Scotty Joe Grue joegrue Kevin Rosenberg Kevsters Brad Moss brad Thomas Paske Thomas1000 Team Gupta Team Tulin Bauke Muller beukertje Stan Tulin returned Simon de Wijs sm1 Bakhshi Cedric Lorenzini pierced Louk Verhees Loukie Huub Bertens H Bertens Ricco van Prooijen Riccovp malpaluche Dror Padon Drorp Naren Gupta nareng Alon Birman Hatol Curtis Cheek curtis

How to kibitz the Alt Invitational on BBO As in the previous editions of the Alt Invitational, we expect thousands of spectators on BBO. Even though the Alt is not broadcasted via the BBO , you can still watch any of your favourites. You simply search for your favorite player’s nickname and join his or her table. If you wish to watch the players whenever they are online, you search for your chosen one (fx Simon de Wijs ’sm1’, click on the name and choose ’follow’ instead of neutral. Any time you see him online, you can click on him and take a seat at his table (assuming the tournament allows it). See you on BBO!

- 11 - Conditions of Contest • ALT INVITATIONAL VI

1. The Tournament Director will create the The line-up is completely blind and will tables and will arrange duplicated boards not be published before the start of the (same boards for every team). round.

2. The table settings will allow kibitzers The result of the round robin is scored but forbid communication between based on the number of VPs. The WBF VP players and kibitzers. scale applies. In case of a tie in Victory Points: Barometer scoring will be OFF. The scores • the mutual result will decide; are only visible (for the players) after the • still equal: the most 'wins' (BAM-ish) last board has been played. Kibitzers can will decide; see the scores during the match. • after that: the team with the highest IMP score on a board will go through. Undo and claiming according to the BBO- guidelines: all players have the right to 4. The numbers 1 through 4 from the reject an undo or claim request for any round-robin will go to the semifinal. reason. They are not required to explain why they have rejected such a request. Team number 1 may choose its opponent from numbers 3 and 4. The captain will 3. Eight teams play a single round robin inform about this choice via the TD and/ of seven matches, each match 24 boards. or will mail to [email protected] Four matches at the same time. After that within half an hour after the round robin there will be a knock-out phase: semifinal is finished. If not or late then matches will (24 boards) on the same day as RR 7 and a be: 1 versus 4 and 2 versus 3. longer final on Friday (3 x 12 boards). Numbers 1 and 2 get a carry over of 10.1 / Change of the line-up in the round robin 6.1 IMP. and semifinal is possible after 12 boards In the final there will be a carry over of 0.1 provided that no player can change the IMP for the highest placed team in the RR compass direction (so East will stay East as a tiebreaker. and so on). The big final will consist of 3 separate segments, so there are no restric- 5. If players explain bids during the bid- tions on the line-up. ding via chat, then this is not commu- nicated to “the table”, but only to “the The teams are expected to submit their opponents”. This way their partner cannot line-up as soon as possible using the see the explanation, similar to explaining line-up web utility (all captains will be the bids via the BBO alert mechanism. provided with the respective link and the Players alert their own bids. password). It is possible to change the submitted line-up but not later than 30 6. This tournament will of course be minutes before the start of the round. played in the most respectful way possible.

- 12 - Conditions of Contest • ALT INVITATIONAL VI

Fun and good bridge is paramount. 7. To submit protests, you can send emails Netbridge relies on reluctance and to: [email protected] restraint to call the director. Should a team find a serious cause for demanding 8. The starting times for the Monday- a ruling, then this will only be dealt with Thursday matches are: if the captain of the team announces this via email within 45 minutes after the last • 10.00 EDT / 16.00 CET (first session) board played (with an explanation and a and request for a specific adjustment of the • 14.00 EDT / 20.00 CET (second ses- score). sion). Netbridge will inform the other team and give that team the opportunity (through The final starts on Friday at 10.00 EDT / its captain) to respond via email within 45 16.00 CET and will be played with 5-10 minutes after being informed. The protest minutes breaks between the segments. will be decided by a qualified director or world class player; no further appeal will be possible after his/her decision.

Behind the Screens

Do you ever wonder who ensures the event runs smoothly, invites players to the table and makes sure results are up directly after the last table finishes? The answer is Anton Osipov and Denis Dobrin from Russia. Denis is also an EBL-director and our TD in the ALT. Thanks to their excellent software we are able to provide perfect scoring of all matches. Spasibo!

- 13 - How to kibitz the Alt Mixed teams on BBO As in the previous editions of the Alt Invitational, we expect thousands of spectators on BBO. Even though the Alt is not broadcasted via the BBO Vugraph, you can still watch any of your favourites. You simply search for your favorite player’s nickname and join his or her table. If you wish to watch the players whenever they are online, you search for your chosen one (fx Bas Dri- jver ’BasDr’, click on the name and choose ’follow’ instead of neutral. Any time you see ham online, you can click on him and take a seat at his table (assuming the tournament allows it). See you on BBO! www.bid72.com / [email protected] big 5

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