Review ITALY RETAINS EUROPEAN TITLE GREAT BRITAIN WINS WOMEN SERIES Sixteen years after their last similar success, GREAT BRITAIN won the European Ladies Teams title, finishing ahead of the 24-nation field at the 1997 GENERALI European Teams. Second place went to FRANCE and third to ISRAEL. These teams will be joined by fourth- ITALY scored its second successive vic- The silver medal was won by POLAND placed GERMANY and tory at the GENERALI European Team while the bronze went to NORWAY. The NETHERLANDS who Championships, held in Montecatini These three teams have qualified to rep- finished fifth, in trying to Terme of the victorious country, 14-28 resent Europe in the 1997 World Zonal defend the World June 1997. Championship - the Bermuda Bowl - Womens title in Tunisia, Competing among 35 nations who took which is scheduled to be held in Tunisia and keep the Venice Cup part in the record-braking tournament, in October, together with the fourth and in Europe. The reigning ITALY went ahead after round 7 and fifth ranked teams, DENMARK and champions are GER- never left this comfortable position. FRANCE. MANY. PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIPS IN THIS ISSUE GERMANY KEEPS EUROPEAN LADIES PAIRS TITLE n Editorial . 2 n Interview with Nuno Matos, - SWEDEN WINS WORLD JUNIOR PAIRS President of the Portuguese n Tournament round-up . 2 Sabine Auken and Daniela von Arnim of Germany succeeded Bridge Federation . 8 n 1998 European Mixed in winning the European Ladies Pairs title for the second time in a Golden moments for Poland Championships to be held in n row. The 6th event of the series took place in Montecatini Terme, and France at the 1997 Euro- just before the start of the Womens team series. This years Aachen, Germany, March 28- April 3 . 3 pean Pairs Championships, event was supported by GENERALI, and attracted the record entry held in The Hague, The Nether- of 148 pairs from 17 countries. Golin-Olivieri of the host country Letter from the President 4 n lands . 9 and Cohen-Zuccarelli of France took the other medals. Daniela von Arnim n : inter- n Master Points. 10 The 2nd World Junior Pairs Championship, held in Sportilia view with the 1997 European Sports Academy, Italy, July 11-13, 1997, was won by Stefan Ladies Pairs champion.Ë . 5 n Auken-von Arnim retain Solbrand and Olle Wademark of Sweden who ended up on top Ladies Pairs crown . 11 of a field comprising 156 pairs from 27 countries and five WBF n Italy retains European Open zones. Mette Drøgemüller of Denmark and Sebastian Reim of title, while Great Britain wins n Ladies Committee . 11 Ladies series at 1997 European Germany finished second, followed by Norways Boye Brogeland Championships . 6-7 n Competition Calendar. 12 and Trond Hantveit. In the first half of 1997, the EBL was fortunate enough to score a number The Forbo-Krommenie International of undeniable successes. The 5th Forbo-Krommenie In- mo Lanzarotti and Alfredo Ver- The European Pairs ternational Bridge Tournament sace - all European champi- Championships, held in took place at the Schevenin- ons - with Giancarlo Berna- March in The Hague, was gen Kurhaus, The Hague, The sconi as npc. a test case of what the Netherlands, 21-23 February One more event was organized EBL can do without PHILIP 1997. MORRIS, the traditional on the sidelines: the Friend- sponsor of the tourna- It seems that this event is tay- ship Cup open to politicians, ment. Entries were high, lor-made for Italy. Following the Parliamentary Press and and so was the organiza- last years success, this time business friends of the Forbo- tion, thanks to the support they were not content winning Krommenie company. of the Dutch Bridge the Nations Cup by a margin, Federation. but they also finished at the The Cup was won by Kawur- The biennial European top of the International Teams Panelewan of Indonesia. The Teams and Ladies Pairs competition, ahead of Mah- Parliamentary Press team beat were held in Italys mood and France. The Italian the politicians 55-46, while Montecatini Terme, in team comprised Norberto the best journalist pair were June. Again, the success Bocchi, Andrea Buratti, Massi- Heyman-Harren with 57.79%. was obvious: a record entry of 36 nations, a wonderful organization due to GENERALI and the Mind Sports Olympiad Italian Federations resources, and a lovely The 1st Mind Sports Olympiad There will also be three one-day location according to the will take place at the Royal tournaments, each with a total taste of Giuseppe Verdi Festival Hall, London, Great prize money of £1,400: Swiss and many bridge players. Britain, 18-24 August 1997. Pairs, Friday 22 August; Swiss The Olympiad comprises tour- Teams, Saturday 23; and Teams A little later, the EBL orga- naments for more than 30 dif- on Sunday 24 August (2-ses- nized the World Junior ferent games and mental skills, sion event). Pairs and Camp which including chess, draughts, go, The Mind Sports Olympiad is attracted more young Othello. scrabble, backgam- players than ever before supported by Skandia, the fian- mon, mastermind, etc. - and, of cial services and insurance and offered unforgettable course, bridge. moments high on Italys giant, thanks to whom a total Apennines mountains. There will be four bridge tourna- prize fund of £100,000 has ments at the Olympiad, with been raised. All seems well, therefore - £9,500 of prize money, medals but it will be well if we for the best adults and juniors, The Olympiad is open to every- can safeguard our pros- and English Bridge Union one. Entries should be address- perity despite the lack of Master Points awarded to the ed to: Mind Sports Olympiad, sponsors, and without winners. P.O.Box 13388, London NW3 sacrificing (on the con- 2ZF, Great Britain. trary, expanding) our ser- A pairs tournament will run from vices to the member coun- Monday to Thursday, August ( +44-171-485 9146, tries - especially those 18-21, with over £5,000 of 2 +44-171-482 0672, who mostly need it. prize money. 7 [email protected] The EBL will soon be dis- cussing in detail questions about the future of 1999 European Championships European bridge. Perhaps to be held in Turkey we should all start think- ing of the right answers. The 44th GENERALI European Teams Championships will be held in Izmir, Turkey. The EBL Executive Committee accepted a proposal by the Turkish Bridge Federation and preparations are already underway for organizing the Leagues top com- petition at an International Convention Center in Izmir, 3- 17 July 1999. EUROCONGRESS, AACHEN, GERMANY 28 MARCH - 3 APRIL 1998 PRIZE MONEY: 1st PAIR - SF 5,000 / 1st TEAM - SF 10,000 5th EUROPEAN MIXED CHAMPIONSHIPS And the 552 Boards played statistics of the perform- over ten days in the Ladies ance, are set out on pages Series was a feat of similar 6-7 of this issue. proportions. Second, using the EBL Truly, Bridge is a sport. A Master Points System as its mind sport, and a great base, we have introduced a sport. current Ranking List of European Bridge Players. All great sports need their The Ranling List is based on Champions; their heroes and EBL Master Points won over heroines; their role models; the last four years, with LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT their stars. Stars bring glam- those won four years ago our, excitement and enhanc- depreciated by 75%, those ed competition to a sport. won two years ago by 50% Stars wax and wane and we and those won one year ago can all follow the successes by 25%. The list will be up- (and failures) of our favour- dated on a regular basis and ites. consequently in order to stay in The Ranking a player The European Bridge League will have to participate regu- has introduced two innova- larly and achieve high finish- tions so that the stars of the ing positions frequently. The Bridge firmament can shine Secretary of the EBL Master more brightly and be seen Points Committee, Paul Ma- have just returned home The Italian Bridge Federation more clearly. ris, has devised the Ranking from the 43rd GENER- is affiliated to the Italian List and has updated it fol- I First, the Butler Scoring of ALI European Bridge Olympic Committee (CONI) lowing the 43rd GENERALI all Pairs competing in the Championships which took and is permitted to use the European Bridge Cham- European Teams Champion- place in Montecatini Terme five linked Olympic rings as pionships. The up-to-date ships has been extended to during the last two weeks of part of its Logo. list will be published in the the Ladies Series. The run- June. The championships next edition of the EBL Re- In the Open Series of the ning scores were reported were hosted with great style view. and panache by the Federa- 43rd GENERALI European each day in the Daily Bulletin zione Italiana Gioco Bridge Bridge Championships each and the leading three Pairs in To all of you - from the (FIGB). team played 34 matches of both the Open and the brightest of stars to us mere 24 boards; a total of 816 Ladies Series have been mortals - I send my best The English word for Gioco boards. The concentration, invited to represent the EBL wishes. is sport, of course. Four the self discipline, the men- in the 2nd MARLBORO China years ago the Italian Feder- tal and the physical effort of Cup which will be held in ation added the word Gioco the participants over the China at the beginning of to its name to mark the belief fortnight of the Champion- September.