THE INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE PRESS ASSOCIATION Editor: John Carruthers This Bulletin is published monthly and circulated to around 400 members of the International Bridge Press Association comprising the world’s leading journalists, authors and editors of news, b books and articles about contract bridge, with an estimated readership of some 200 million people BULLETIN who enjoy the most widely played of all card games. www.ibpa.com [email protected] No. 499 Year 2006 Date August 1 President: PATRICK D JOURDAIN 8 Felin Wen, Rhiwbina EDITORIAL Cardiff CF14 6NW WALES UK The opinions expressed here are solely those of the editor and do not necessarily (44) 29 2062 8839 email: [email protected] represent those of the IBPA Executive or its members. Chairman: PER E JANNERSTEN Most bridge players were delighted when Fu Zhong and Jack Zhao of the Banergatan 15 People’s Republic of China won the World Open Pairs in Verona in June. Both SE-752 37 Uppsala, SWEDEN (46) 18 52 13 00 players are extremely popular among their peers for their ability, their ethics email: [email protected] and their personable demeanour at and away from the table. They are great Executive Vice-President: ambassadors for bridge, for their sponsor and for their country. It has been a JAN TOBIAS van CLEEFF Prinsegracht 28a terrific year for Fu and Zhao to date: they won the Vanderbilt Knockout 2512 GA The Hague, NETHERLANDS Teams in Dallas, reached the quarterfinals of the Rosenblum Cup, also in Verona, (31) 70 360 5902 and won the World Open Pairs. email: [email protected] Organizational Vice-President: Despite all this success, they have been placed in a very unusual situation by DILIP GIDWANI 401 Mariden, 16th Road Bandra West the organisers of the World Open Pairs in Verona. During the fourth session Mumbai 400 050 INDIA (of five) of the Pairs Final, they faced two pairs of their countrymen, Dai/Yang (91) 22 98205 47150 F: 22 26002241 email: [email protected] and Shi/Zhuang, on the last four boards of the session, boards 25-28. Fu-Zhao Secretary: were having a good game at the time and were among the leaders – they had MAUREEN DENNISON a real chance to win. On those last four boards of the session, Fu-Zhao’s 148 Thornbury Road, Osterley Isleworth TW7 4QE, ENGLAND UK scores were 99, 96, 94 and 99% respectively. These four results catapulted (44) 20 8560 3788 F: 20 8568 3553 them to near the top of the table, where they battled with Bompis-Ste. Marie email: [email protected] of France and Levin-Weinstein of the USA for most of the fifth and final Treasurer & Membership Secretary: session before emerging victorious. Similar situations happened in the Women’s MARIO DIX Pairs as well, with countrywomen facing each other late in the event. Flat 1, 41 Tigne Seafront Sliema SLM15 MALTA It must be asked why it was necessary for these delightful chaps to be placed (356) 2132 2433 F: 9949 3167 email: [email protected] in this position. Surely it is not too difficult an endeavour to ensure that Honorary General Counsel: countrymen face each other in the first or (at worst) second session of the WILLIAM J PENCHARZ five-session Final. In most cases, bridge players like nothing less than doing 50 Broadway, Westminster London SW1H 0BL ENGLAND poorly against their compatriots - they battle extremely hard against each (44) 207 222 7000 other. However, in an event such as this, after 13 days of top-flight and hard- email: [email protected] fought bridge, unusual things occur due to fatigue and other factors. It is Awards Secretary: BARRY J RIGAL unfortunate that the organizers placed this extra burden on the players and Apt 8E, 22 West 26th Street, opened them to possible rumour-mongering. New York NY 10010, USA (1) 212 366 4799 As an example of how to do these things properly, the Cavendish Invitational email: [email protected] Sponsored Members’ Secretary: Pairs in Las Vegas ensures that all pairs who buy a percentage of other pairs in IRENA CHODOROWSKA the Calcutta auction face each other early on in the event. It is not that the UI Sewastopolska 3m41 organizers believe anything nefarious will go on; however, they do want to 02-758 Warsaw, POLAND (48) 842 5054 ensure that everything also appears to be on the up-and-up to the untutored email: [email protected] observer, and to prevent even the merest suspicion of anything untoward Bulletin Production Manager: occurring. JEAN TYSON 105 Roundways, Coalpit Heath Bristol BS36 2LT, ENGLAND There is a lesson here for all bridge event organizers. (44) 1454 778432 email: [email protected] Address all Bulletin correspondence to: JOHN CARRUTHERS Presidents Emeriti: 65 Tiago Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M4B 2A2, CANADA TOMMY SANDSMARK (NORWAY) Tel: +1 416-752-7034 HENRY FRANCIS (USA) email: [email protected] 1 SWEDES WIN JUNIOR PAIRS Bas Drijver have been leading Juniors in the Barry Rigal, NYC, Peter Gill, Sydney Netherlands until the age limit caught up with them, & Patrick Jourdain, Cardiff leaving Bob to keep the family name going in Junior bridge. Tough Start The first board proved fascinating: Board 1. Dealer North. Neither Vul. [J 4 ]Q 7 3 { Q 9 5 4 } K J 9 5 [ A 9 5 [ 10 8 6 3 2 ] J 10 6 5 4 ] A K 9 { A K 10 6 { -- } 4 } Q 10 8 6 3 [K Q 7 ]8 2 { J 8 7 3 2 Sara Sivelind and Cecilia Rimstedt }A 7 2 West North East South For the first time in a World Championship event that Tammens Grue Drijver Kranyak was open to both sexes, we have a winning partnership — Pass Pass 1 {1 of two women. Sara Sivelind and Cecilia Rimstedt of 1 ] 1 [2 3 }3 Pass Sweden emerged victorious, but it was a close run 3 ] Pass Pass Pass thing! 1. Precision, at least 2 cards In a desperately exciting finish, three pairs entered 2. Denies four spades following the Italian style the final round of four boards of the Junior event 3. Fit-jump showing clubs and heart support separated by less than a top. Finishing runners-up, The Dutch ended in the best-scoring spot of three about one-quarter of a top behind, were Jacek Kalita hearts, but it was not easy to make. Grue began with a and Krzysztof Kotorowicz of Poland, followed by trump lead away from the queen. Tammens went up Marion Michielsen and Vincent de Pagter of the with the ace and, with the idea of establishing Netherlands, another one-quarter of a board further transportation, played the queen of clubs off dummy. back. South won and played a second trump, declarer playing In the first-ever World Schools event it was a Polish the jack, and Grue accurately withholding his queen. one-two finish, to make up for the World Cup, perhaps? Now declarer could not take a diamond ruff without Bartolomiej Igla-Artur Machno edged out the leaders setting up the queen of trumps for the defence, and it at the start of the day, Andrzej Bernatowicz-Jan Betley. was too late to establish spades, as North can play a In third place, by less than a matchpoint, came Pierre third trump when in with the jack of spades (though Franceschetti and Andrea Landry of France. if declarer plays the ace of spades next, South has to unblock). For boards 1-6 of the first of four sessions, Patrick Jourdain followed World Junior Team titleholders Joe Note that had declarer won the second trump in Grue & John Kranyak of the USA. They had a tough dummy, an anti-avoidance play in spades (ducking if start facing one of the leading Dutch pairs Bas Tammens South plays high and putting on the ace if he plays and Bob Drijver. The Dutch can be described as well- low) would prevent North gaining the lead and the bred, for Bas is the offspring of Kees, NPC of many defence is helpless. To make the contract declarer does Dutch Junior teams, and Bob’s elder brothers Tom and best to start the spades earlier. 2 Tricks to Burn Board 28. Dealer West. NS Vul. [2 Whoever it was who said that declarer play was easier ] A Q 6 5 2 than defence clearly had not focused on this deal from { Q J 8 7 3 the second session of the Junior Pairs. }9 5 Board 21. Dealer North. NS Vul. [ K 10 6 4 [ A Q J 7 [K J ]J 10 ]K 8 4 3 ]K 3 2 { A 5 4 { K 10 9 {K 5 3 } K 8 6 3 } Q 2 } A K J 9 2 [ 9 8 5 3 [ Q 6 5 [ 10 9 2 ]9 7 ] J ] A 9 5 4 {6 2 { A Q 8 4 { J 9 7 6 } A J 10 7 4 } Q 10 6 5 3 } 7 4 West North East South [ A 8 7 4 3 Igla Machno ] Q 10 8 7 6 1 } 1 ] Double Pass { 10 2 2 [ Pass 4 [ Pass }8 Pass Pass West North East South Double showed at least four spades, and two spades Kranyak Davis Grue Boyd suggested 12-14 and four spades. The nine of clubs — 1 } Pass 1 [ was led to the queen and ace, and the club jack was Pass 2 NT Pass 3 ] returned to Igla’s king. Declarer played the jack of hearts, Pass 3 NT Pass 4 ] North winning the ace then returning a low heart.