2nd European Universities Bridge Championship Warszawa, 19 September 2011 Bulletin nr. 1 Witamy w Warszawie Dear athletes and delegates, I am very happy to welcome you on behalf of EUSA in Warsaw, for the second European Universities Bridge Championship. As for previous editions, you came very numerously to Poland from all parts of Europe! With 14 University teams, I’m sure we will have a nice competition with an intense schedule and a high level of our sport bridge. We count on you to participate in this championship with the best university spirit. There will be lots of possibilities in the evening to meet your friends from other parts of Europe. I really hope that you will enjoy this EUSA championship! Geert Magerman Chairman Technical Committee Bridge EUSA History of the European and World University Championships The idea to organise Championships for University Students originated at the University of Antwerpen, when Paul Magerman, then president of the European Community Bridge League, put together the first European Community Bridge Championship in 1993. Originally organised by the ECBL, then renamed EUBL, the EBL took over the championship in 1998. In 2000 it was decided to make the event global, and since then European and World Championships have alternated. The first events were organised with help from, but without official recognition of FISU, but in 2002 that recognition was given, and we witnessed the first World University Team Championship in Brugge. In 2007 we received the support of EUSA, the European Universities Sports Association. That also meant that the event became for Paul Magerman, who died four years University teams, no longer national ones. In ago today, will be happy to see that his 2009 the championships were termed the brainchild continues to thrive. “first” Universities Championship. Today sees the start of the second Championship in that series. The Venues and Winners: 1993- (ECBL) Antwerpen - 11 nations - Germany 1994- (ECBL) Lisboa - 9 nations - Denmark 1995 not held 1996- (EUBL) Århus - 8 nations - The Netherlands 1997- (EUBL) Palermo - 8 nations - The Netherlands 1998- (EBL) Skövde - 7 nations - Denmark 1999- (EBL) Weimar - 11 nations - The Netherlands 2000- (WBF) Maastricht - 22 nations (8 outside Europe) - Austria 2001- (EBL) Rotterdam - 14 nations - The Netherlands 2002 -(WBF-FISU) Brugge - 13 nations (2 outside Europe) - Denmark 2003- (EBL) Wrocław - 20 teams from 7 countries - Italy 2004- (WBF-FISU) Istanbul - 15 nations (3 outside Europe) - Poland 2005 - (EBL) Rotterdam - 29 teams / 15 countries - Łodz 2006- (WBF-FISU) Tianjin - 27 teams / 22 countries (9 outside Europe) - China 2007- (EBL-EUSA) Brugge - 32 teams / 12 countries - Paris 2008- (FISU-WBF) Łódz - 21 teams / 15 countries (5 outside Europe) - The Netherlands 2009- (EUSA-EBL) Opatija - 22 teams / 12 countries - Wrocław 2010- (FISU-WBF) Kaohsiung - 14 teams / 12 countries (7 outside Europe) — Poland 2nd European Universities Bridge Championship — Warsaw — Bulletin 1 — Page 2 Medal table after 17 championships (European teams only — 1 per country) g-s-b (other placings) Poland 5-3-0 (4,5,5,8) Netherlands 5-0-3 (4,4,5,6,6,7,8,8) Denmark 3-1-2 (5,6,7,7,7,8,9) Italy 1-4-0 (4,5,5,6,8,7,8,10,11,11) France 1-3-1 (4,5,6,6,6,7,8,9,10) Germany 1-2-2 (4x4,5,7,7,9,9,10) Austria 1-0-0 (5,11) Norway 0-1-5 (7,8,9) England 0-1-1 (4,5,5,5,6,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,11,11) Belgium 0-1-1 (6,6,3x7,8,8,9,9,4x10,11) Sweden 0-1-0 (4,5,6,7) Israel 0-0-2 (8) Turkey 0-0-1 (11,12,13,14) Czech Republic (4,4,5,5,6,7,9,12) Portugal (4,5,8,8) Estonia (4,6) Romania (4,11) Croatia (5) Latvia (6,9,14) Greece (6,6) Spain (10,11,12,12) Serbia (10,12,13,15) Hungary (12) Ireland (13,13,14) There are six countries here, so Latvia are certain to at least equal their previous best. The Championship hasn’t even started yet and the players are already ... playing bridge 2nd European Universities Bridge Championship — Warsaw — Bulletin 1 — Page 3 Help! Opening Ceremony You may not know it, but for the past few I am working on these bulletins all alone, so decades the Olympic Games have always it will be a huge coincidence if I were to be at started before the official opening. The your table when you next perform something Football tournament (and the Ice Hockey at miraculous. the Winter Olympics) is too long to fit into two Rather, I shall have to rely on you coming to weeks, and so some matches are played tell me. before the grand opening. So if you do something wonderful, or better, At this championship, we shall do if your partner does something wonderful, or, something similar. There are a few Polish even better, one of your opponents, please teams that still have to arrive, and play starts don’t hesitate to come and tell me about it. already at 09:00, so the opening ceremony will only be held after the third match. Also very entertaining, and —I promise- to be This will be Monday evening at 19:00 in the published anonymously, are your biggest Playing Area. blunders, whether they result in a deservedly Afterwards, the dinner will take the form of bad score or an undeservedly good one. a Barbecue. You will have no trouble finding me — I am currently in the main hall, at the registration desk, although I have been told they’ll move Sports News me later on in the week — no doubt when the girls get tired of me yelling at my computer. Sunday’s results at the Rugby World Cup : Wales — Samoa 17-10 And just in case this is your first European England — Samoa 41-10 Championship and you’ve not yet put a face France — Canada 46-19 to the name: If you want us to follow any sports event of global importance (the German Football Championship does not qualify for that, Thomas), just let us know. Ahoy, Matey Today, 19 September, is “International Talk Like a Pirate Day”. This very special holiday started as a private joke between friends. The date was chosen because it was the birthday of the ex-wife of one of them, so that it would be easy to remember (for them, not us). So if anyone intends to play today with a wooden leg, an eye-patch and a parrot on one shoulder, please inform the bulletin staff, the Herman De Wael, your editor camera will be ready. 2nd European Universities Bridge Championship — Warsaw — Bulletin 1 — Page 4 still wait. He led another club, dummy's queen Opatija Brilliancy losing to East's ace. East led the king of by Phillip Alder spades, ducked by South, and another spade to declarer's ace, dummy discarding a heart. At the recent World Junior Congress in Opatija, Croatia, the following deal was voted Diamonds could wait no longer. South took the best. If any of you match brilliancy like his ace, played a diamond to dummy's king, this, there may be a mention and some prize and cashed the queen to give this position, as well: with declarer needing three tricks: Roger Lee of the USA team found a great ♠ – piece of declarer-play in the first session ♥ 6 against Germany. ♦ J 5 ♣ 8 Board 6 ♠ 8 2 ♠ 9 ♠ Q N Dealer East ♥ 6 5 3 ♥ K 9 ♥ – W E E-W Vul ♦ K Q J 5 3 ♦ – ♦ 9 8 S ♣ Q 8 2 ♣ K ♣ 4 ♠ 10 9 6 5 ♠ K Q 7 4 N ♠ – ♥ K 10 9 7 2 ♥ 8 W E ♥ A J ♦ 6 ♦ 10 9 8 4 2 S ♦ – ♣ K 10 3 ♣ A J 4 ♣ 9 6 ♠ A J 3 ♥ A Q J 4 On the last diamond, South threw a club, ♦ A 7 but what could West spare? ♣ 9 7 6 5 He had to pitch his last spade. But now a club exit endplayed West to lead away from West North East South the king of hearts. Wolkowitz Lee Beautifully done! Pass 1NT Pass 2[ (a) Pass 3} (b) Pass 3NT All Pass (a) Range enquiry (b) Maximum At the other table, South took the first heart trick and early on attacked diamonds, assuming they would run. But when they broke 5-1, he had to fail, going two down. Lee realized that diamonds could wait. He won the ten-of-hearts lead with his queen and immediately ran the seven of clubs, losing to East's jack. At double-dummy, to defeat the contract, East had to switch to a diamond or return his Roger Lee low club and West switch to his diamond! Understandably, though, East tried a low Are you wondering what would have spade. Declarer put in his jack, winning the happened if West had won the second club trick. Suddenly he seemed to be up to nine trick with his king and led back the ten of tricks: two spades, two hearts and five spades? diamonds. But Lee realized diamonds could 2nd European Universities Bridge Championship — Warsaw — Bulletin 1 — Page 5 Declarer would have ducked and taken the next spade to give this position: Time Table ♠ – Monday 19 September 2011 ♥ 6 ♦ K Q J 5 3 09:00-11:40 Match One ♣ Q 12:00-13:00 Lunch 13:00-15:40 Match Two ♠ 9 ♠ K N 16:00-18:40 Match Three ♥ K 9 7 2 ♥ – W E 19:00-20:00 Opening Ceremony ♦ 6 ♦ 10 9 8 4 2 S 20:00-21:00 Barbecue ♣ 10 ♣ A ♠ – Tuesday 20 September 2011 ♥ A J 4 ♦ A 7 09:00-11:40 Match Four ♣ 9 6 12:00-13:00 Lunch 13:00-15:40 Match Five Now South cashes his ace of hearts, 16:00-18:40 Match Six squeezing East.