8th World Youth Bridge Team Championship RIO DE JANEIRO MANGARATIBA, 6-15 August 2001 Wednesday, 15 August 2001 Bulletin 9 DAILY BULLETIN Editor: Mark Horton – Co-editor: Stefan Back – Layout Editor: Stelios Hatzidakis Denmark Secure The First Medal By defeating Thailand 191-123.5 IMPs Den- mark, represented by Michael Askgaard, Gregers Bjarnarson, Kare Gjaldbaek, Jonas Houmoller, Andreas Marquardsen and Mar- tin Schaltz took third place. It was the fourth consecutive medal for Denmark in these Champi- onships, having previously won bronze medals in Bali and Fort Lauderdale and a gold in Hamilton in 1997. Although they did not win a medal the team rep- resenting Thailand won the admiration of every- one for their enthusiasm and the infectious behav- ior they displayed at the table. USA I go into today's two remaining sessions of Jaime (Jimmy) Ortiz-Patino, President of the World the final with a huge advantage as they lead Israel Bridge Federation from 1976-1986 arrived yesterday and 174 -93 IMPs. immediately took the opportunity to look over the superb facilities accompanied by Panos Gerontopoulos, They took full advantage of their opponents President of the WBF Youth Committee. mistakes to establish a commanding lead after three of yesterday's four sessions but full credit to the Israeli team who came back to win the final ses- Table of Contents sion of the day to just about keep their hopes alive. Final & Playoff Results . 2 In the Swiss pairs event Agustin Madala and The Edgar Kaplan Page . 3 Pablo Ravenna had an excellent final day and USA I v ISRAEL . 4 finished well clear of Olav Ellestad and Gunnar SWISS PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIP . 7 Harr. ISRAEL v USA I . 8 8th WORLD YOUTH BRIDGE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP Mangaratiba, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil FINAL c/o 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total 1 USA I ISRAEL 6 - 0 62 - 2 38 - 14 38 - 24 30 - 53 174 -93 PLAYOFF c/o 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total 1 DENMARK THAILAND 0 - 7.5 58 - 26 56 - 17 36 - 27 41 - 46 191 - 123.5 Welcome to the President Emeritus of the World Bridge Federation The President Emeritus of the WBF Jaime Ortiz-Patiño arrived here yesterday to attend the final stages of our Champi- onship. Jimmy was instrumental in the evolution of World Junior Bridge.At the end of his ten year tenure as President of the WBF from 1976 - 1986 he set up the WBF Youth Committee, which he commissioned with the task of setting up a world junior competition.The world youth team championship came into being in 1987 and Jimmy, who had become President Emeritus in the meantime, donated the Ortiz Patiño Trophy for the winners. Since then the trophy has become the symbol of supremacy in world junior bridge.The Championship has been held biannually ever since and Jimmy has proved almost on every occa- sion his dedication to junior bridge by attending the championship and in most cases personally presenting the trophy to the winners. We welcome the President Emeritus wholeheartedly and we thank him for giving us the pleasure to have him once again among us, a practice we are sure will continue in the future. Panos Gerontopoulos Chairman WBF Youth Committee Come to the 2002 Students in the ACBL Junior Camp! Netherlands Here is some great news for all juniors! A junior camp While the juniors battled out their semifinals here in will be held in the Washington D.C. area immediately fol- Mangaratiba the 7th European University Teams Champi- lowing the ACBL Summer Nationals, 29th July - 4th August onship started in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. 2002. For more information please check the ACBL home- After six rounds of play Denmark is on top with The page www.acbl.org, the WBF homepage www.bridge.gr or Netherlands, Estonia and Germany leading the chasing pack. the EBL homepage www.eurobridge.org in the next months. Ranking after Round 6 Rumour has it, that you may even bring in friends that 1 Denmark 127 have not started to play bridge yet, but are eager to learn the game.Also there will be lessons for weaker players and 2 The Netherlands 124 lectures for the more advanced. An exciting leisure time 3 Estonia 116 programme, together with a lot of fun at and around the Germany 116 bridge table should make this camp a favourite in your cal- 5 Norway 105 endar. 6 Italy 103 Europe will again send a delegation to the camp and it 7 Poland 99 is certainly hoped that juniors from other WBF zones take 8 Latvia 93 part as well. 9 France 83 10 England 81 Attention European Juniors! 11 Belgium 78 If you wish to be considered to be subsidized by the 12 Czech Republic 62 EBL for a trip to Washington you need to apply by email to 13 Ireland 31 [email protected] by 31st October 2001. 14 Turkey 7 2 6-15 August 2001 8th WORLD YOUTH BRIDGE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP The Edgar Kaplan Page Edgar Kaplan was recognised as (amongst other things) the greatest VuGraph commentator of his generation. His own comments and sto- ries about him are worthy of note, so sit back and enjoy the foillowing: A story of Edgar Kaplan is mentioned by Jerry Machlin in his not dismayed. autobiography. EK is playing in the Life Master Individual (at the time a prestige event) and playing against a player seems to have I am ancient enough to remember times when, holding, lucked into her Life Master status. Being normally very easy going [AK632 / ]A2 / {K74 / }KQJ you could expect an unencum- he says nothing after a disaster on the first hand. After the sec- bered auction, even though you were in fourth seat, vulnerable ond hand she puts her hand down with the comment, "I didn't against not. know what to do, I had 14 points". Edgar replies "My fault madam, I thought you had 300." At third position, non vul. against vul., Zia,West, opens 1NT strong with [43 / ]1084 / {3 / }KQJ10872 Edgar's long-time partner, Norman Kay, was a very deliberate Zia,West at Table 2, counted 6 points extra for length plus 3 player.As Edgar was fond of writing, "Every time Norman starts for shortness to reach the value for his notrump opening. The to think, I know we're about to win 10 IMPs." It is said that not three-notrump contract he reached temporarily was indeed the long ago, after Edgar had become ill with cancer, the two were winning spot, although for North-South. playing, and Norman was taking quite a long time before making a play. Edgar finally grumbled "God almighty, Norman, play a I've never understood why they say that down one is good card!" Norman slowly turned his wrist, looked at his watch, and bridge, after a partscore went one down; with the same cards, said "Why, are we under time pressure?" Edgar leaned over Meckstroth made 3NT+1.Making an overtrick that's good bridge. slightly and said "In case you haven't noticed, I am!" Defending against a 7] off A-K of trumps And now for some gems from Kaplan's pen: West led a club against seven hearts doubled, giving East a ruff. Now Balicki, East, decided to cash his ace of trumps before Making three, plus 150 (what a waste of talent to have him the mice could get at it and crashed partner's bare king: down declarer in a part-score!). only 300. Hamman reads the cards perfectly, makes 2NT with an over- trick. I do not guarantee I'll never open one notrump holding a five- card major, but so far in a long bridge career I have never found Perhaps you understand why three Wests decided to double the occasion to do so. four spades after their partner had preempted in hearts.All three are marvellous players, so no doubt the decision is more sensi- According to the "Law", there should be a total of 23 tricks ble than it looks to me; perhaps it would be right in the long run. for the two sides; had there been, NICKELL would have gained In the short run, though, they were unable to take any heart 17 IMPs. In reality, there were only 20 tricks taken altogether, so tricks in defence (declarer made an overtrick). ZIA won 12 IMPs. At Table 2, Meckstroth was declarer at three notrump with On a 1{ opening on: [Q63 / ]Q3 / {QJ10952 / }K9 unaccustomed strength (25 HCP) he is more comfortable with My first bridge partner used to bid on such hands still does, 21 HCP. actually; he would decide later whether to treat his action as a psych or as a light opening. "The modern fashion in cuebids is not to show anything in particular but to cast a rosy glow over the whole auction." On grand slams: "Declarer led the ace of trumps and it held. So now he must It is astonishing how often a player in seven is laying huge reconsider his options." odds because the opposing team did not reach even six at the "As you can see, neither pair had any difficulty reaching their other table. 19-point game.The difficulty will come in the play." On keycard disasters "There are three right plays in bridge what's correct on Many with-it partnerships are up to six aces, plus several analysis, what works and what I would do." queens of trumps talk about inflation! "No swing on a board that was touch and go at both tables.