Poland: New European Champion Sweden Won Women's Title
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No 14 July - December 1993 Editor: Panos Gerontopoulos Poland: New European Champion Sweden won Women's title POLAND had no difficulty to win the European crown by finishing ahead of 30 nations who took part in the 41st GENERALI European Championships, splendidly organized in Menton, France, 12-26 June 1993. The other medals went to Denmark and Norway, while the Netherlands ended up in fourth place. SWEDEN toped the rankings in the Women's series, followed by France, Italy and Germany. These 8 teams will represent Europe in the 1993 Bermuda Bowl & Venice Cup. Netherlands capture GENERALI Trophy The 1993 GENERALI Trophy was won by the Netherlands who collected 404 points in all European Championships (Open, Women, Juniors, Seniors - Teams & Pairs) played since Killarney '91. France came second with 396 p., followed by Sweden (385), Poland (352), Italy (348) and Denmark (268). INSIDE n Jean-Claude Beineix n The Netherlands, and Helgi Johannsson join Germany and Iceland share EBL Executive .................. 2 Editorial 2 medals in GENERALI New forces in the EBL 2 European Ladies Pairs ... 7 n Juniors get ready for European Junior Pairs & Camp 3 European Pairs Cham- Poland & Sweden win PHILIP MORRIS European Pairs 4-5 n pionship & Camp ............ 3 titles in 41st GENERALI Letter from the President 6 European Teams Chinese win 8th EPSON contest 6 n World Junior Championships ........... 8-9 Championship to take GENERALI Ladies Pairs 7 place in Denmark ............. 3 Tournament round-up 7 n Successful EBL courses GENERALI European Championships 8-9 will make bridge The Dutch show the way 10 n France triumphs in bigger and better ............ 11 PHILIP MORRIS European EBL courses 11 Pairs while Swiss win Interview with Piotr Gawrys 12 n Meet Europe's first Seniors' series ............... 4-5 GENERALI and EBL 13 Individual champion New books 13 Piotr Gawrys ................. 12 n Chinese sweep Master Points 14 record-entry EPSON Competition Calendar 15 n GENERALI & EBL: World contest ................. 6 a fruitful alliance ............. 13 EUROPEAN BRIDGE LEAGUE OFFICIAL SPONSOR PHILIP MORRIS 2 EBL Review July-December 1993 JOHANNSSON - BEINEIX JOIN THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Editorial It appears that European Bridge is in excellent shape. This issue of EBL Review con- tains the evidence. This year started with two very important courses orga- nized by the EBL in Amster- dam. One was on tournament direction: by creating compe- tent people for running our events we improve conditions at our competitions - and bridge becomes better. The other one was on bridge pro- New forces in the EBL motion: by training people how to obtain sponsorship, Helgi Johannsson of Iceland and Jean-Claude Beineix of France are the cultivate public relations and two new members of the Executive Committee of the European Bridge teach bridge to beginners we League. Johannsson and Beineix were elected by the EBL Congress at work for the expansion of the Menton, which also re-elected Panos Gerontopoulos of Greece - all for 4- game - and bridge becomes bigger. year terms. In March, the PHILIP MOR- RIS European Pairs Cham- The President of the Icelandic Bridge The President of the French Bridge pionships were a record suc- Union Helgi Johannsson was born in Federation (FFB) Jean-Claude Beineix cess with hundreds of players 1951 and graduated in 1976 with a de- is 52 years old and a teacher of Mathem- participating from 30 member gree in economics. He is the managing atics by profession. countries! The excellent orga- director of Iceland's largest travel com- Mr Beineix is by no means a newcom- nization provided by our pany Samunn Travel, and as such he er in the world of bridge. He has been a sponsor ensured that these served as Chairman of the Association of member of the French Bridge Federation people will come back again Icelandic Travel Bureaus during the past Executive Committee since 1974, and together with their friends. three years. He is married to Hjordis served as Chairman of FFB's Tournam- In June came the GENERALI Bjarnason, and they have three sons. ent and Selection Committees, as well as European Championships in Over the last decade, Mr Johannsson Vice Chairman of the Rules & Regula- Menton which will go on has been one of the main promoters of tions Committee, before being elected record as one of the most bridge in Iceland, as well as one of the President in 1989. enjoyable tournaments ever country's leading players. He has won His international record is equally im- held. Again, participation in the Icelandic national teams, the Ice- pressive. Mr Beineix was involved in the the Ladies Pairs and Open landic Cup, and the well known interna- organization of the 1982 World Cham- Teams reached unprecedented tional teams event Icelandair Open. pionships in Biarritz, the 1985 European levels - and so was the organi- Mr Johannsson's company has sup- Community Championships in Bord- zation and hospitality offered. ported bridge in many ways and helped eaux, the 1987 European Pairs in Paris, Our achievements should be the game to gain popularity and public the 1990 European Mixed and World a source of strength for further recognition in Iceland. During his presi- Championships in Bordeaux and Gene- development. As Victor Mollo dency, he put fresh ideas into effect, va, the 1992 European Individual and once said, it is not strange that greatly contributing to Iceland's victory Junior European in Paris, and, of course, there are so many millions of at the 1991 World Championship. this year's European Championships in people who play bridge - the As a member of the EBL Executive, Menton. strange thing is that there are his main objective is bridge promotion. From his new position on the EBL many who do not... He believes that bridge has no limits; it Executive, Mr Beineix is ready to work is a sport one cannot afford to miss, as it in the field of tournament organization lasts for a lifetime. He likes to think of in order to improve conditions to the himself as the representative of the less benefit of players, spectators and bridge known member countries, and main- as a whole. To this end, he is armed with tains that to be respected has nothing to his personal vast experience, as well as do with the size of the country or the with FFB's resources which can be put at Federation you come from. the disposal of the EBL. EUROPEAN BRIDGE LEAGUE OFFICIAL SPONSOR PHILIP MORRIS July-December 1993 EBL Review 3 Juniors ready for Pairs Championship & Camp he 2nd European countries participated in missing this time as they have encouraged. There are also Junior Pairs Cham- Fiesch '91, but attendance is now passed the age limit for outings to places of interest T and plenty of free time. pionship and the 10th expected to go up this year. Juniors. Nevertheless, the European Junior Camp are The tournament is a 4-session struggle for the prestigious ti- Oberreifenberg, the venue about to take place in Ober- event played without quali- tle is expected to be quite of the 1993 European Junior reifenberg, Germany, 16-25 fiers over a weekend. Trans- tough. events, is a picturesque resort July 1993 - and the Juniors national pairs are allowed to The week-long Junior on the slopes of Große Feld- are getting ready for them! compete, as the main objec- Camp will start immediately berg in Taunus, Hessen - The Pairs Championship tive of the event is to bring after the Championship. 30 km north of Frankfurt. It is the Juniors closer together. is the second of the series Bridge Camps are unique surrounded by a national park which started two years ago. 1991 winners, Seidel-Wod- events, in the sense that they - Hessen's oldest falconers' 208 young players from 19 niansky of Austria, will be are organized not for the station. young expert but for the less- er mortal. They aim at help- Festival for Juniors ing Juniors to make new friends and strengthen the ties The 2nd BUCKLER Interna- already developed between tional Junior Bridge Festival will older friends, under the um- be held in 's Hertogenbosch, The brella of their common hobby. Netherlands, 13-16 January 1994. The daily Camp program- 7 countries competed in the first me includes lectures, sports Festival, held in February. The programme included Teams and and bridge tournaments in Pairs competitions, as well as a which the mixing-up of na- minibridge tournament for chil- tionalities is systematically dren and a pupils' event. Fiesch '91: whether on the mountains or around the table, a Junior Camp promotes friendship through bridge Denmark hosts World Junior Championship Everything is ready in Århus, Denmark for the 4th World Junior Team Championship which is to take place there, 3-12 August 1993. 16 teams representing all WBF zones have declared their participation: Italy, Germany, Norway, Denmark, USA 1, USA 2, Canada, Argentina, India, Pakistan, Central America 1, Central America 2, China, Chinese Taipei, Australia and New Zealand. The tournament is expected to be a tough battle be- tween European and North American teams for the title. 1st EUROPEAN SCHOOLS BRIDGE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP & 14th EUROPEAN JUNIOR BRIDGE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP 15-24 July 1994 Arnhem, The Netherlands EUROPEAN BRIDGE LEAGUE OFFICIAL SPONSOR PHILIP MORRIS 4 EBL Review July-December 1993 EUROPEAN PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIPS France triu PHILIP MORRIS ü 30 countries ü 860 players ü 346 Open Pairs (original entry) Ø Switzerland wins û 140 pairs qualified to the Final Senior Pairs û 202 pairs played in the Consolation ü 84 Senior Pairs Ø Germany takes Consolation BIELEFELD, GERMANY 19-21 MARCH 1993 hen the smoke cleared at Wthe end of the 7th PHILIP MORRIS Euro- pean Pairs Championships, held in Bielefeld, Germany, 19-21 March 1993, France were the clear win- ners.