Review FRANCE WINS WORLD OLYMPIAD FOURTH OPEN SERIES GOLD MEDAL FOR FRANCE! FOURTH USA VICTORY OF WOMENS SERIES OLYMPIAD After a fine performance, FRANCE won the gold medal in the open series of the 10th World Team Olympiad. This is the fourth time France has taken the gold medal in this event, thus breaking Italys record of three gold medals. The only other countries who have won the open Olympic title are Brazil, Poland and the USA. The UNITED STATES took the gold medal in the womens series thus recapturing it for the first time since 1984. With four gold medals in this series, the USA has just as spectacular a record, as France. The 10th World Bridge Team Olympiad, held in Rhodes, Greece, October 19-November 2, 1996, was an unprecedented success, as 72 countries took part - 14 more than the previous record which has stood since Valkenbourg 80. More on pages 6-7 43rd GENERALI EUROPEAN IN THIS ISSUE n Editorial . 2 n Interview with the Patrick TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS Jourdain, President of the Tournament round-up . 2 n British Bridge League. 8 Open - Ladies - Seniors 1997 European Open and n n France and Austria top field Senior Pairs Championships 15-29 June 1997 in 1996 PHILIP MORRIS Euro- will take place in The Hague, March 17-22. 3 pean Mixed Championships, held successfully in Monte 6th GENERALI EUROPEAN n Letter from the President 4 Carlo . 9 LADIES PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIP n Geir Helgemo: interview n Bridge on the Internet: 15-17 June 1997 with the IBPA personality of launch of the WBF Internet 1996 . Ë. 5 Server . 10 n France and USA win gold Centro Congressi n The 1996 EBL Bridge Pro- medals in attendance record- motion Week . 11 Montecatini Terme, Italy breaking 1996 World Team Olympiad . 6-7 n Competition Calendar. 12 While 1995 was a year of great changes in EBL administration, 1996 was The Carpathian Mountains Regional differently marked. The 1st Carpathian Mountains 5. Hungary 62 After two decades of con- Regional Championship was 6. Ukraine 61 tinuous support, PHILIP organized by the Polish Bridge MORRIS decided not to Union (PBU), under the aus- The winning Polish team con- renew their sponsorship pices of the European Bridge sisted of the two top pairs: Balicki - Zmudzinski and contract with the EBL, and League and the Polish Foreign thus our cooperation was Martens - Szymanowski. Ministry. The event took place terminated. in Nowy Sacz, Poland, 19-21 The local MP and the Hungarian European bridge benefit- April 1996. The largest Polish Consul were among many VIPs ted greatly from PHILIP computer company OPTIMUS who attended the Closing Cere- MORRIS sponsorship, and S.A. was the main sponsor. mony. In his speech, the Mayor we regret this develop- of Nowy Sacz City stressed the Six teams took part in the tour- ment although it is well necessity of organizing such nament: Czech Republic, Hun- known that a sponsorship events in order to increase the agreement does not last gary, Romania, Ukraine, Poland cooperation and friendship for ever. and the team representing the between neighboring countries. It is now up to us to show Nowy Sacz prefecture. Each He promised his continuing that our foundation is team played a 20-board match support for the Championship strong enough to with- against the rest. After two days in the future. PBU Chairman stand any loss, and the of play, the final results were: Andrzej Orlow thanked the Nowy EBL has taken steps in Sacz City Council and the OPTI- 1. Poland 111 this direction. One such MUS S.A. company for their step is this issue of EBL 2. Czech Republic 80 hospitality and financial sup- Review; another, the 1997 3. Romania 68 port. edition of the EBL Competition Calendar. 4. Nowy Sacz 62 Radoslaw Kielbasinski Both publications came into existence with the support of PHILIP The Israel International Festival MORRIS; without it, both publications not only con- The annual Israel Festival was attendance of more than 100 tinue to exist but now held in Tel Aviv, 15-24 February children, aged 7-12, who play- appear in full colour. 1996 with enormous success. ed in a special event. Players from more than 20 Among the foreign visitors were The situation is similar countries took part, and the total Geir Helgemo Geir-Olav with the European Pairs and attendance reached a record of Tislevoll of Norway who won the Championships which will some 2,750 tables! be held in March in The Open Pairs and the Swiss Teams. Hague. PHILIP MORRIS Over 10 national teams partici- The overall winner was David was behind the large cash pated in the Festival, together Birman of Israel, who also prizes which made these with 10 world champions. How- received high credit as Chairman Championships attractive ever, the highlight was the of the Organizing Committee. to hundreds of players. Such prizes are not only to be retained, but they will The Forbo International be even larger this year. The 4th Forbo-Krommenie Inter- We still enjoy the support national Bridge Tournament took of GENERALI and look for- place in Scheveningen, The ward to other partner- Netherlands, 9-11 February 1996. ships; however, it is posi- There were three events. tive to test our self- The Friendship Cup was a pairs reliance when necessary. WBF President José Damiani tournament for businessmen, poli- glorifies Haas, the team winners ticians and the parliamentary press. The Nations Cup was won in spec- In the Teams, the squad of Steve tacular fashion by Italy who did not Haas (Germany) finished ahead of lose any match! They were followed Modalfa (Netherlands) and Lavazza by an Intercontinental combina- (Italy) in the 64-team field. tion, The Netherlands and France. The Hague The venue of the Championships is a green and leafy city by the sea - a sparkling government seat where culture, spectacle and events are all fight- ing for the visitors attention! The city boasts a variety of attrac- tions, exciting places to visit, museums and an abundance of palaces and museums. The Hague is a great place for shopping, and has many good restaurants. Nearby is the resort of Scheveningen with many hotels, a casino and other seaside attractions. 9 sessions The Hague 1st prize: SFr 10,000 The Netherlands Entry Fee: SFr 400 (per pair) EUROPEAN OPEN PAIRS PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIPS SENIOR PAIRS 17-22 March 1997 6 sessions (one a day) 1st prize: SFr 2,500 Entry Fee: SFr 300 (per pair) The Netherlands Congress Centre Entries to the EBL An international Congress and Convention Centre with style. There are catering facilities on site where meals will be available between playing (through the Federations only) sessions; each evening the buffet will be of a different European cuisine. close on 16 February 1997 The Netherlands Congress Centre is an easy 15-minute journey on public transport from both the city centre and the seaside resort of Scheveningen. he structure of dupli- The Norwegian Team who won T cate bridge is like a the Junior Event in the Europe- huge pyramid. At the an Bridge League Youth Cham- bottom, and by far the most pionships, held in Cardiff in numerous, are the bridge August (with Russia second clubs providing regular dupl- and Denmark third) and Germa- icate games for their mem- ny who won the Schools Event bers. The next step in the pyr- (with Israel second and Great amid are the local and region- Britain third). al organization. Above them the National Federation and And with pride of place going then finally the International to the French Open Team of organizations, which here in Christian Mari, Marc Bompis, LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Europe means the European Henri Szwarc, Frank Multon, Bridge League. Alain Levy and Hervé Mouiel, There is no doubt that the non playing captain Jean- International Bridge Cham- Louis Stoppa who won the pionships add lustre to the Gold Medal in the l0th World game. They are the beacons Bridge Team Olympiad that shining from the top of the was held in Rhodes in October/ November. (And pyramid. We can all aspire to we must not overlook the becoming top International Danish Open Team who bridge players. We can all secured the Bronze Medal.) admire the top players. But in reality it is only a few who France were of course the make it to the very top. holders of the World Bridge It gives me great pleasure to Team Olympiad and it is a be able to add my congratula- truly remarkable performance I mentioned at the beginning members. That provides the of this letter. It is the solid, solid base of the huge pyra- tions to the European bridge to have won again. If they win reliable base of the pyramid, mid from which to launch players who achieved great- for a third time in the year comprising hundreds and international success of the ness in 1996. These include: 2000, I wonder if they will be allowed to keep the trophy! thousands of bridge players, few at the top. And, second, Veronique and Michel Bessis, which enables Federations to the bigger a Federation be- Catherine Saul and Paul The French Open Team re- promote and finance their comes the more it commands Chemla of France who won flects great credit on the Fed- International players. attention from both Govern- the European Mixed Teams eration Française de Bridge In January the EBL held its ments and commercial spon- held in Monaco in March and which is one of the largest third Bridge Promotion Week sors. Maria Erhart and Fritz Kubak and most successful NCBOs in conjunction with the Feder- At the beginning of 1996 there of Austria who won the Euro- in Europe.