Commentator: at many World and International events. Eric Kokish Message from Kokish is also the author of several Born: conventions, including the Kokish Relay José Damiani, Montreal, Canada and the Montreal Relay. In 1980, he won May 19, 1947 a Bols Brilliancy prize and the ROMEX award for the best bid hand of the year. President, World Bridge Federation Married Beverly Kraft, his childhood Although he has not played frequently of sweetheart, in 1986. late, Kokish is still among the top all-time It seems incredible that this is the 20th edition of the World Wide Bridge Contest! Canadian players. He has won two North Son Matthew, two dogs: Lady (Golden American championships — the Vanderbilt Some of you, I am sure, will remember when it all started, sponsored by Epson Retriever) and Jackie Robinson (Black Knockout Teams and the Men’s Board-a- Computers. There have been many changes since that first edition, mainly owing to Labrador); Kitten - called Kitten! Match Teams. He has earned two silver the technology that is now available to us,. Residence: Toronto medals in international play — in the World Open Pairs in 1978 and the Bermuda Bowl That first time we had to hear of the high scores via fax and telephone and it was a Eric learned bridge at High School and has in 1995 and has finished third three times long time before a full and final result was available as we relied on the postal services been fascinated by the game ever since. He in the Rosenblum Cup. to get the information to us for us to re-key all the names and scores - a time- has made his mark on bridge in several areas. consuming and thankless task. He served in administration, as president of As a coach, Kokish has earned a reputation Unit 151 (Montreal); as District 1 judiciary as one of the best. His latest success was Now, thanks to the advances we have made, your club can enter their own scores as chairman in the Seventies and Eighties, as a as coach of the Nick Nickell squad, which soon as you finish play, and upload them to the server where they are immediately Canadian Bridge Federation board member won the 2000 Bermuda Bowl in Bermuda added to all the other scores coming from clubs all over the world, and re-scored and as a member of the ACBL Goodwill and the 2003 Bermuda Bowl in Monaco. In across the whole field. You can watch on www.ecatsbridge.com and have the fun Committee. the past year Eric has coached the Russian and excitement of seeing the results come in and change as new ones are uploaded and Chinese teams and members of the Eric is a former editor of the Unit 151 and the whole event can be finalised within a very short period. Egyptian team and this year is coaching newsletter, author of a weekly bridge teams and pairs using the excellent play column in the Montreal Gazette from 1977 By the time you read this, the final preparations for the World Championships in records from Bridge Base Online, which to 1997, has been a principal contributor Verona will be underway, as the events all start on 9th June, much earlier in the year provide for a whole new and effective to most world championship books since than normal. You can watch the Vu-Graph presentations of many of the events through coaching environment. internet, as well as getting all the results and the Daily Bulletins - just log on to www. 1979, directs the Master Solvers Club and worldbridge.org or www.worldbridgehouse.com for all the latest information, which I Challenge the Champs for the Bridge World In 1997, after several working visits to magazine, has been editor of the World Indonesia, he was invited by the Indonesian am sure you will find interesting. Bridge News since 1994 and has contributed government to coach the national teams to bridge magazines and bulletins around the in Jakarta, following which he and Beverly Now I would like to thank you – the bridge players, who come and play in this world as well as doing VuGraph commentary settled in Toronto. event, and enjoy what might be called the "lighter" side of bridge – not a major Championship but a light-hearted and fun event, played amongst your own friends at WBF Year Points your own club but competing against the rest of the participating clubs world wide! It just proves that we can all enjoy ourselves while indulging in our wonderful sport of will be awarded to 100th place for the 2003 Simultaneous Pairs - see the Master Bridge ... and at the same time, show that we all follow the spirit of the WBF Motto - Points Website at: www.wbfmasterpoints.com Bridge for Peace for full details of the awards. Certificates will be sent to your National Bridge Organisation for them to send on to you. José Damiani President Saturday 03 June 2006 27 The truth is that N/S simply don’t belong in be bad for the defence where North declares Board 1. Love All. Dealer North. third. West will double for takeout, overcall in game, and some who get there will go wrong in 2] after a Multi 2{ opening), but the trump diamonds, jump to 3NT, or perhaps (over 1]) [ K 9 4 the play in a different way by running the {9 on jump to 2NT (minors), intending to convert sequence will have plenty of appeal for West, ] 10 8 7 5 2 the first round and leading the {8 to the king clubs to diamonds to show great strength and so 2] will be made with some frequency. { 7 3 2 on the second round. Although East can give Otherwise, declarer has two diamonds, a spade, } J 6 with longer diamonds than clubs. North will his side its best chance for a plus by leading and at least three trumps to lose. [ 7 [ A Q 10 6 3 compete to 3] or 4], after which East will spades rather than clubs, for the most part, ] K 4 ] 6 often introduce his spades. Where West At other tables, West, North, or East might their fate is in the hands of N/S on this deal. { A K J 10 8 5 { Q 9 6 4 converts 4[ to 5{ East will punt 6{, but where open the bidding despite their vulnerability. As } A K 9 7 } 10 5 3 West converts 3[ to 3NT, East will most often Where N/S play in notrump, they will rarely E/W can make 3} or 2NT, opening the bidding [ J 8 5 2 pass. If West takes out 3[ to 4{ (forcing), East come to more than seven tricks without some needn’t work badly for them, although they ] A Q J 9 3 should bid 4] to suggest his suitability for help from their opponents . although . spade might not find it easy to deal with a 2] overcall { --- diamonds. West will use his favourite form of lead, {9 to the ten, then diamond to the jack or competitive 2] bid after a 1[ overcall by } Q 8 4 2 Blackwood or simply jump to 6{. Where East later, or club lead to the queen, ]AK, diamond North). If North starts with 1[, South might The two money contracts on the opening opens 2[ and West forces with 3{, East can do to the jack, play for hearts three-three. well drive to game, and will certainly go to the deal of the session are 3NT and 6{. The something good for his side by jumping to 4], Where South passes as dealer, West should three level in hearts, which is -200 territory. former starts with 10 tricks on a heart lead a splinter raise. West will do the rest. pass too, and N/S will bid: 1]-1[; 2{-2NT. and continuation, leaving declarer to decide All the people involved in creating and N/S pairs who buy the contract in doubled North will pass or try to sign off in 3{, the whether to take the spade finesse for 11 if organizing this event are delighted that so many heart contracts no higher than four will take second plan working much better, as South will his clubs aren’t all winners in the endgame. By of you competed this year, and hope you found eight tricks and score very well. Those who convert to 3] or take a shot at 4]. the time he needs to make up his mind, both the deals both challenging and instructive. We save at higher levels will have to hope for lots defenders will be forced to part with all their With N/S results sure to include -100, -50, +140, hope that you will tell your friends about this of E/W 920s. hearts, North reducing to three spades and +170, and +420, the extreme results and -50 international competition and the opportunity the jack of clubs, South to two clubs and two Board 2. N/S Vul. Dealer East. will produce predictably bad or good scores, to become a true World Champion. We look spades, with declarer’s last four cards the ace- but we’ll have to wait until all the results are forward to having you all with us again in the [ Q J 9 8 7 4 nine-seven of clubs and a spade. ] K 10 5 3 posted to see how +140 and +170 will fare. first week of June, 2007. { A 2 Everything will point to leading a spade to Board 36.