The conclusion of a highly successful Bridge Olympiad and (Summer) Olympic Games raises questions that will arise if bridge is accepted into the (Winter) Games of 2006. The priority of the authorities is simply to get in, but here are some other policy matters worth debate: 1. Eligibility To represent a National Organisation, bridge has: birthplace, citizenship, residence, or first allegiance. How will the more restrictive Olympic rules affect these? 2. Gender The Summer Olympics had one sport, equestrianism, with events Open to either sex, and so no Womens event. Can bridge keep its unique Open/Women categories? If not, it must become Men/Women (as in the WBF Individual), or Open with no Womens event. 3. Age The Summer Olympics, it appears, had only one sport with an age limit event. Oddly, this was mens football (under 23). Does this kill the WBF’s idea of a Junior event to show bridge-players can be young? 4. Number of medal events In the Summer Olympics the team sports (baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, football, handball, hockey, softball, volleyball, and water polo) had only one event per gender and so at most two medal events. Other “combat” (two-sides) sports (badminton, boxing, judo, fencing, lawn tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, wrestling) had variations (individual, pairs, mixed, or weight) and so more medal events. Bridge would be pleased to have two events: Mens teams and Womens teams, but must choose a priority for other events if possible. 5. Performance-enhancing drugs Bridge has already accepted the IOC list of banned substances. It has so far avoided whether there are bridge-specific performance-enhancing drugs. The Dutch Bridge Federation is reported to be doing research. The bridge public, fortunately, is not aware that any such drug exists, so maybe the less publicity given to the matter the better. But the moment players know of such a drug, there will be those prepared to take it. The authorities then have to be ready to stop it. 6. One bronze winner only The WBF now has the right policy: in a knockout medal event there must be a playoff for bronze. The only sport with two bronze is boxing. A boxer losing a semifinal may be in no physical condition to play off for bronze. Bridge cannot argue that. The confusion in Lille when two teams in one event were allowed bronze medals arose through an administrative error and must not set a precedent. For Montreal the Conditions of Contest must show that all medal events have only one bronze winner. * * * * * * * Maastricht Clippings: Please note both the e-bridge Competition and the Dutch Bridge Federation’s request inside. Patrick Jourdain – Editor OLYMPIAD ROUND-UP Profiles of the Canadian Womens Team were not or direct to David Birman: given when winning their silver medal, and [email protected] therefore missing from the Summary Bulletin. However, some details were given in Bulletin 6 Deadline 1st February 2001. Page 15. This included: Larry Cohen adds this story about the most Three are spouses of players in the Open team: freakish deal: (George Mittelman & Dianna Gordon, Eric Kokish & Beverly Kraft, John Carruthers & One of my favorite sayings in bridge is, "When Katie Thorpe). Other team members are Francine in doubt, bid one more on freak deals." One of Cimon, Rhoda Habert, Martine Lacroix and npc Marty Bergen's favorite sayings is, "Voids are Jim Green. magical." Both factors came into play on this Thorpe, Kraft, and Gordon live in deal from the Round Robin in the recent Toronto, Habert in Paris, Cimon & Lacroix in Olympiad in Maastricht. Québec. ª Silver medallists in the University Dealer: North A K Q 10 4 Teams, Italy, were: Bernardo Biondo - Riccardo E/w Game © 2 Intonti; Mario d'Avossa - Stelio di Bello; Stefano ¨ 10 6 5 2 Uccello: N.P.C.: Gianpaolo Rinaldi Coach : § 8 6 3 Andrea Pagani ª J 9 6 5 3 2 ª -- The bronze medallists in the University © A 10 9 4 © Q J 8 7 event, Denmark, were: K. Kronow, A. ¨ -- ¨ J 3 Sigsgaard, A. Hagen, G. Bjarnarson. § A 9 4 § K Q J 10 7 5 2 ª 8 7 The e-bridge Recovery Trophy was awarded to © K 6 5 3 the University Team to gain most places in the ¨ A K Q 9 8 7 4 second half of the event, from standings after § -- Match 11 to the end (Match 21). Tie to be split by VPs. The winner was Indonesia. Three teams It would have been fun to watch this board at all gained five places: Netherlands (VP gain 376- 36 tables of the Olympiad. 180=196), France (373-174=199), and Indonesia With the heart finesse on, East-West (347.5-145.5=202). The winning team is invited can make all 13 tricks in clubs for 2140, but, the to attend the 2001 Cavendish in Las Vegas most common contract was five diamonds by Nevada courtesy of World Bridge Production, South (usually doubled). the organisers, with free entry. What happens in diamonds? Unless West finds a spade lead (spade ruff, heart over, spade ruff), that contract makes. It might even make six if the defense doesn't get any spade ruffs. In fact, the most common result was five diamonds (doubled) making six, 650 North- E-bridge sponsored the University event South. That's quite a result on a hand where and are sponsoring a Clippings Award their opponents have a grand slam. for IBPA. To be eligible clippings must Many Norths opened 1ª or 2ª . East mention the name overcalled in clubs and South introduced e-bridge, and a named author who is an diamonds. The race was on. No matter how IBPA member. many diamonds North-South bid, it was always There will be three prizes: $300, right for East-West to bid one more in clubs--all the way up to 7§ . And, conversely, no matter $200, and $100 how many clubs East-West bid, it was always Clippings must either be sent to our right for North-South to bid one more in Clippings Secretary, Maureen Dennison diamonds, all the way to 7¨ . In one round-robin match, Austria won 22 imps Pass 5© Dble 6ª against Switzerland by making 1090 on the All Pass North-South cards (six diamonds doubled on a club lead) in one room. At the other table North In the Closed Room Tunisia’s 4ª made 11 started with two spades and East overcalled three tricks. In the Open Room North’s aggressive 3§ , clubs. Then, a bidding war ended with East and East’s double of 5© led to Rees facing 6ª playing 7§ x, which, of course made for 2330. I on the awkward heart lead. know the IMP table fairly well, but I have to He won and ran the queen of trumps. If East admit that I don't know offhand how many imps takes this the slam makes easily, but East let the you win for 3420 on one deal (that's 1090 + trump hold, killing the slam. It could have been 2330). If you consult the IMP table, you'll see made if South takes a couple of heart ruffs, as the that this is 22 imps (just short of the 3500 player with the king of spades has no heart to required for 23 imps). cash when in. I actually played on a team once and lost 24 imps … on a deal where we were -110 * The grand slam bid by Liz McGowan & Fiona against two spades at our table! Our teammates McQuaker (Maastricht Special page 11) where had a mixup and played in a redoubled cue-bid (a many pairs stopped in game, was also bid by 2-1) fit, down 7 vulnerable; -4000. To lose the Marijke van der Pas (West) and Bep Vriend maximum of 24 imps you need to lose more than (East), reports Bep: 4,000; 4000 and 110 did the trick. I give my This was our auction versus Israel Migry Zur teammate credit for being clever in the Companila (North) and Ruth Levit-Porat (Sth): comparison. We read, "-110" and he replied "Lose them all." board 20, dealer East, Game All. * Patrick Jourdain reports: When Wales met ª K J 9 7 ª A Q 6 3 Tunisia in the Olympiad Round robin, © A K 4 © Q 9 8 7 2 Abdelmalek, East, defended well against a slam ¨ K 6 2 ¨ A 5 played by Tim Rees of Wales: § A 6 5 § 9 7 Round 7 ª A 6 West (Marijke) East (Bep) © Board 8 J 1 § 1© ¨ Dealer: West K Q J 5 4 2 2NT 3ª § Love all A J 10 9 4¨ 5¨ ª 9 7 ª K 8 2 5© 6© © © 10 9 7 3 K Q 8 7ª Pass ¨ 8 7 ¨ 10 9 6 § K 8 7 5 3 § Q 6 4 2 Explanation of our bidding: ª Q J 10 5 4 3 2NT = 18-19 nearly GF 3ª = 5©+4ª , GF © A 6 5 4 2 4¨ = sets spades 5¨ = first ¨ control ¨ A 3 5© = first © control 6© = third © control § None Closed Room: 7ª bid and made, ª lead to ª Q, small spade for West North East South the Jack, ¨ to the Ace, ¨ to the King, ¨ ruff Thomas Lakdar DenningJedidi with the A etc. 1¨ Pass 1ª Opponents at the other table stopped in game. Pass 2§ Pass 2© Pass 3¨ Pass 3ª * Mike Whittaker, a new IBPA member, reports: Pass 4ª All Pass The 4th ACBL World Computer Bridge Championships, held during the recent Open Room: Maastricht Olympiad and sponsored by MSN West North East South Gaming Zone, proved to be the closest yet.